She couldn’t wear her hair down all day - that would cause no end of problems. She could attempt to feign illness and remain in her room. But the bruise could take several days to fade and she couldn’t hide forever.
She needed something to cover it. Phoebe wrenched open her dresser draw and fumbled through the contents. Lotions, perfumes, and sweet-scented soaps. But nothing to hide her problem. The door creaked and Phoebe rushed to draw her long hair forward over her shoulder, hiding the mark from her maid’s prying eyes.
“Good morning, Phoebe, may I come in?”
Phoebe spun to find Lizzy Oliver, not her maid, inching into the room. Her face was pale, her gaze timid as she hovered by the door.
Concerned, Phoebe rushed forward. “Of course you may. Good morning.”
“Is it?” Lizzy sagged so Phoebe quickly led her to the window seat and sat down beside her. She seemed exhausted.
Phoebe tucked a few stray strands of hair behind Lizzy’s ear. “What troubles you?”
“Oh, everything.” Lizzy folded over and wept into her hands. Astonished, Phoebe shifted to put her arm about the younger woman’s back, rubbing small circles as she cried.
After a while Lizzy’s tears stopped and she looked up sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me this week.”
Phoebe smiled. Her emotions veered wildly this morning, but she was not quite at the point of tears. If she couldn’t find a way to hide the love-bite Selwood had placed on her neck, then Phoebe might very well consider it. She rubbed her hand over Lizzy’s back again. “I honestly don’t mind. Do you want to talk about it?”
Lizzy sat up sniffing, appearing ready to wipe her eyes with her hands. Phoebe rushed to her dresser draw and pulled out a clean white handkerchief to give her. Once Lizzy was calmer, she leaned against the window frame for support. “Warminster is an arse.”
Phoebe hugged Selwood’s sister closer to her side. “I agree. He’s positively beastly at times. I’ve found it best to ignore him.”
Lizzy dropped her head to Phoebe’s shoulder. “He thinks I should marry. He won’t let the matter drop.”
“Goodness, you must have been up with the crows to have already argued with him. I like to leave that pleasure till later in the day. And after our discussion last night, I imagined you’d try to avoid him altogether by taking your breakfast in your bedchamber.”
“I did have breakfast in my room. Early, as always. But Warminster slipped into my bedchamber and listed all of Lord Parker’s sterling qualities.”
“The list must have been very short.” Phoebe stilled. “Wait. Did you just say Warminster was in your bedchamber this morning?”
Lizzy nodded weakly and then started crying again. Honestly that man deserved a ball between his eyes for upsetting her friend so badly. No, wait. He deserved to be married.
Warminster had compromised Lizzy this morning.
It was just that no one had caught him.
God help him when Phoebe got her hands on him.
“Don’t you even consider confronting him over it?” Lizzy whispered as if reading her mind. “I just want him to leave me in peace.”
Phoebe set Lizzy a little apart, holding her by the shoulders until their gazes met. “What exactly did this morning’s conversation entail?”
Lizzy peered down at her twisting fingers. “He woke me. Must have brought the housekeeper’s key because I was sure I secured the lock. Said I should use the house party to get better acquainted with Lord Parker. He said he’d sing my praises while the men were out shooting this morning. He also suggested that I should put a little more effort into being agreeable.” Lizzy shrugged. “I got angry. I got out of bed and tried to kick his feet out from under him again. Next thing I knew he’d dragged me to the floor with him and he kissed me.”
Fury rose up in Phoebe. If Warminster had seduced this girl in her own bedchamber this morning, Phoebe was going to find every pistol hidden in this house and put lots of little holes through his foppish hide. “What else?”
“Nothing whatsoever.” Lizzy wiped her hands over her eyes furiously. “He left, slammed the door without a word. I was too stunned by his odd behavior to complain.”
So, Warminster did have a bit of control, but to kiss Lizzy in such a circumstance? He must be out of his mind. Should she tell Selwood about this?
Lizzy sat up straight, breathing deeply. She slipped out of Phoebe’s arms, but the struggle to remain calm was visible in the tense set of her shoulders. After a while, Lizzy glanced her way and offered a lopsided smile so much like Selwood’s that her heart missed a beat. Phoebe returned it, holding out her hand to squeeze the young woman’s cold fingers.
Lizzy’s smile faded. “What is that?”
“What?”
“That mark on your neck?”