When a carriage bearing the Eldridge coat of arms rolled up to the curb, Sebastian pushed away from the wall. Peering through the crush, he spotted Lady Eldridge’s peacock feathers first and then Lady Prestwick’s pearl-draped coiffure. As the ladies strolled to the carriage arm in arm, any urgency to follow her faded. Obviously, she had arrived with her relative and would leave with the countess, too. Turning to find his own carriage and abandon this fool’s mission, he stopped mid-spin.
“Do be careful, Helena. London is no place for a lady to travel alone.”
“I have Fergus and we haven’t far to go.” Lady Prestwick embraced Lady Eldridge before the older lady climbed into the carriage with her footman’s assistance. As the door closed, the countess swept the curtain aside to speak through the open window.
Sebastian eased closer to catch all of their hushed conversation. It wasn’t well done of him, but he couldn’t help himself.
“I do worry so about you,” Lady Eldridge said. “Won’t you reconsider staying at Eldridge House?”
Sebastian’s ears pricked up. She wasn’t staying with relatives.
Lady Prestwick smiled, dimples piercing her cheeks. “I would be underfoot too much. Besides, I became accustomed to being alone much of the time at Aldmist Fell. I don’t mind the solitude.”
“Wickie was adamant about keeping you all to himself in that rambling castle, the selfish man.”
A slight grimace wrinkled Lady Prestwick’s forehead, but she smoothed away the lines with an absentminded sweep of her hand. “Good night, Olive.”
“Indulge me a little, Helena. At least allow me to accompany you next time. I grow weary of solitude.”
Lord Eldridge rarely escorted his wife anywhere. Sebastian experienced a pang of sympathy for the countess, even though she was responsible for his sudden betrothal weeks earlier when Lady Eldridge had entered the drawing room to find him kissing Lady Gabrielle.
He tried to shrug off his guilt for taking liberties with Gabrielle, but it clung to him like the stench of a drunken night.
Lady Prestwick raised a hand to bid the countess farewell. “I will call tomorrow and we will go shopping.”
As the carriage rolled away, Lady Prestwick blew out a breath that lifted a curl lying on her forehead. She turned and startled when she saw him.
“Lord Thorne, I thought you left an hour ago.”
The tips of his ears began to burn. It wasn’t like him to spy on others. Perhaps the knock to his head had turned him batty. He grinned to hide his embarrassment. “I didn’t realize you kept such close watch on me.”
She lowered her gaze and he was certain she blushed, though he couldn’t see pink in the dim light from the street lamp. “Yes, well, you are not exactly unnoticeable.”
He offered his hand as her carriage arrived at the curb. Her footman narrowed his eyes when Sebastian led her to the stairs instead of turning her over to the servant’s care. Sebastian leaned into the carriage, waiting for her to settle on the bench. She adjusted her skirts and offered a terse thank-you.
“You catch a man’s eye as well, Lady Prestwick,” he said with a wink.
As he turned away, she mumbled something that sounded like “blasted handsome scoundrel.” He smirked in response to her footman’s scowl. “See the lady home safely, my good man.”
He headed toward his carriage.
“Home?” The footman’s voice carried on the air. “Aren’t we searching tonight?”
The servant’s words slammed Sebastian like a fist to the jaw and his step faltered.
Lady Prestwick hushed the man. “Of course I am going home,” she said with false brightness. “Ladies don’t traipse about London at night.”
Oh, but at least one lady did. And Sebastian had discovered her identity.
He stalked toward his carriage but halted before climbing inside. “Follow the berlin,” he said to his driver, “but keep your distance.”
“Yes, milord.”
Four
As Helena approached the front door of her rented town house, she looked back over her shoulder to Fergus and her driver. “After we change into more suitable clothing, we will reconvene in the foyer.”