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might be best
if we talked in private,” Mister Robinson said.
    Ethan approached the doors. “You owe me
for this,” he told his friend.
    He gestured that he
understood.
    “ All right.” Claire waited
for Ethan to leave them alone before she set the cup back on the
table. “What do you wish to discuss, Mister Robinson?”
    “ Call me Christopher,” he
insisted. “I never was one who stood on formality. Sure, I must do
it out there in the world when others are watching. But here when
there’s no one around? I say let’s throw aside the restraints and
be friends. I’ll refer to you as Lady Roderick if you wish, but I
insist you call me Christopher.”
    “ Very well. You may call me
Claire.”
    “ Good.” He placed his hands
on his knees and leaned forward. “I need your help with Lady
Richfield.”
    Her eyebrows furrowed. “Lady Richfield?
Was she the lady here the other night at the dinner
party?”
    “ Yes. She’s the most
beautiful creature who ever graced the Earth.”
    Her eyes grew wide. “You fancy
her?”
    “ What gentleman
wouldn’t?”
    “ Well, granted she’s got
money and is attractive, but…” She hesitated to
continue.
    As if he could read her mind, he asked,
“What can I offer her? Not much, I’m afraid. Unless my guardian
dies without a son, I’ll get his title, but I’m not eager to see
him go. What I really wish is that he’d get a wife so he has
something better to do than watch over me.”
    “ You’re not being fair to
your guardian. He watches over you because he loves you and wants
what’s best for you.”
    “ I’d still feel better if he
found someone else to love and watch over.”
    Shooting him an amused smile, she
sighed. “What do you want me to do? You can’t want me to introduce
Lady Richfield to your guardian.”
    “ No, of course not. The last
thing I want is for her to fall in love with him. I intend for her
to fall in love with me.”
    “ And you want me to help
with that?”
    “ Yes!”
    “ But how?”
    “ I was hoping you’d find a
way to talk to her, perhaps at the next ball? Find out what she
enjoys. Where are the places she goes to? I need to get through her
wall.”
    With a sigh, she sat back in her chair.
“I barely know anything about her. I don’t even know how to
approach her.”
    “ You’re a lady. She’s a
lady. Just discuss lady things.”
    A slight chuckle rose up in her throat.
“Not all ladies enjoy the same topics. But all right, I’ll do what
I can to find out more about her.”
    “ You’re a wonderful person,
Claire. Much too good for your husband.”
    “ Now, Christopher, that’s
not fair. My husband is a good man and I love him very
much.”
    He shook his head in sympathy. “You’re
a brave lady to put up with him.”
    “ Brave is right. He’d have
my head if he knew I was talking to you.”
    “ I am in your
debt.”
    “ You are not. As far as I’m
concerned this pays you back for helping my sister avoid marriage
to the wrong gentleman.”
    “ Have it your way then. We
are even, but if I ever need a favor or if you do, then I hope we
can rely on each other?”
    She rose to her feet and nodded. “I
suspect we’ll be friends even if my husband will never
approve.”
    Chuckling, he stood up and bowed. “It’s
ever a pleasure to be in your presence.”
    “ I can’t promise anything. I
might not find anything useful.”
    “ You will. You’re a smart
lady.”
    Hoping she’d be able to meet his
expectations, she left the drawing room.

 
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    “ I’ll never find anyone like
Lord Dabney,” Sophie said, letting out a mournful sigh as she
pressed her forehead against the carriage window. “My heart is
breaking with each breath I take.”
    Agatha resisted the urge to roll her
eyes and pulled imaginary lint off her violet dress instead. She
should have known that taking her sister to this evening’s ball
would require much patience. How she wished she were writing
instead.
    “ Lord Dabney