“I think it’s the other way round, sir.” Fanny took after her father far more than she might have her mother and was proud of that. She suddenly yawned, though she tried to hide it. She didn’t want to be alone yet, but parting from Jeremy was a certainty.
Jeremy presented his arm. “Might I offer my paltry escort upstairs, my lady?”
“Indeed, you may. It has been a very long day indeed.”
Fanny slipped her arm through Jeremy’s and felt…safe. Content. The discomfort of being pursued by Lord Thwaite slipped away slowly.
“What was your father whispering to you?”
She didn’t have to tell Jeremy about Father’s warning, but she wanted to. “He warned that Lord Thwaite has an interest in me.”
“He does.”
Fanny blinked. “How did you deduce that?”
“He said as much to Lord Letterford when the men gathered to mourn Mr. Hawthorne earlier today.” Jeremy looked down on her with a frown. “I wager that’s why he wrangled an invitation to stay the night. Letterford, too, has an interest in you, but he’s not as obvious about it.”
“I certainly do not have an interest in any of the guests staying at Stapleton.”
Jeremy pulled an excessively sad face. “I’m sorry to hear I’m boring you.”
“I meant guests other than you,” she promised. That feeling of being flustered crept back. “Oh, this is dreadful. Thwaite and Letterford, I mean.”
“You are the last Westfall daughter in want of a husband. I’m sure there are wagers written in any number of betting books.”
“I don’t need a husband. I have you,” she promised.
“For two weeks, and then it’s back to the theater for me,” Jeremy reminded her.
“I think I’ll miss having you around all the time,” she whispered.
“We will see each other at the theater,” he promised, “and perhaps you’ll want my escort to other places, too.”
Yes she could but suddenly that didn’t feel like enough anymore.
Chapter 8
“Thank you for a wonderful evening, my lady,” Jeremy murmured as Lady Rivers’ hand fell from his sleeve at the top of the stairs. Her room was one way, his the other.
She hesitated but then smiled. “Good night, sir. Sleep well.”
“You, too.”
He watched her go, feeling rather glad he had come to the country. Protecting Fanny from fortune hunters and cheering her up wasn’t all that hard to do and left him with a good feeling around his heart.
She was almost at her door when she suddenly drew back from it.
“Jeremy!” she called, gesturing to him with one hand to join her urgently.
The tone of her voice caused the hair to rise all over his body. Jeremy rushed to her side.
Fanny had her hand at her throat as she whispered, “My door is open.”
“Perhaps a maid left it that way?”
“No. It was locked when I went
down to dinner, and no one should have reason to enter without informing me.”