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bowed. “If you’ll forgive me, I am late for an appointment.”
    The Paladin women bent their knees to him, Maris following a moment later. He turned to her. “Give my warmest regards to your mother, Miss Lindel.”
    “I shall, my lord.”
    ‘There are no complaints from my tenants? The roof doesn’t leak, there are no mice in the pantry?”
    “No, my lord. We have no complaints, save for the ghost.”
    His smile lightened his pensive air. “Ghost? Which of my highly questionable ancestors is haunting you?”
    “La, Maris,” Mrs. Paladin said. “Don’t tease Lord Danesby! -”
    Maris dropped her eyes. As soon as he had turned in her direction, she’d forgotten all about Mrs. Paladin. She’d wanted to bring that smile back to his face for it made her happy to see it. She wished she might always make him smile.
    “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said with another bow.
    He was hardly out of earshot when Mrs. Paladin seized Maris by the elbow. “My dear girl! My dear, dear girl!”
    “Ma’am?”
    “If you aren’t the slyest thing in nature ...”
    “I, ma’am?”
    Playfully, Mrs. Paladin tapped her on the shoulder. “I see greater potential in you than I believed, dear Maris,”
    Maris’s puzzlement must have been evident, for Lilah paused while her mother swept on toward the doors. “Lord Danesby is a well-known figure in town. To have amused him is something of a coup that my mother will know how to turn to advantage.” She took Maris’s arm. “You have begun your Season well.”
    Maris had hardly begun to think through what had happened. She flattered herself that she’d given little hint of her surprise at meeting Lord Danesby face-to-face. She hoped that she’d not been too amazed to be polite. He had seemed to be enjoying her company but he was so very well-mannered that she doubted he’d have behaved any less the gentleman if she’d been giving him the most lively disgust of her.
    Thinking over her behavior, Maris feared that she’d been much too coming in her speech. A man of the town couldn’t possibly be interested in her foolish notions about this magnificent building. How kind, how generous, of Lord Danesby to pretend that he, too, had laughed when he’d first come to St. Paul’s. He must have been spinning her a tale in order to spare her blushes.
    As she followed Mrs. Paladin’s progress, she glanced back at the wonders of the cathedral, feeling a bit like Eve being thrust out of Paradise. In an alcove not too far from the door, she saw Lord Danesby in the act of bowing to Mrs. Armitage. Something about the possessive way she took his arm told Maris that they were not strangers to one another.
    Mrs. Armitage looked toward the door and must surely have perceived Maris standing there. The sophisticated lady gave a rather coquettish toss of her head, then turned to her escort. Lord Danesby listened to some witticism she whispered in his ear.
    He also glanced in Maris’s direction.
    Maris couldn’t help but compare the smile he turned toward Mrs. Armitage—such an accomplished, so worldly a lady—to the one he’d shared with a little Miss Nobody from the country. Maris blushed and hurried away as she realized the joke must be about her.
     

Chapter Four
     
    “You are too severe on my country tenant,” Kenton said to Flora Armitage, even as he smiled at her wit.
    “Is that who she is?” she said, her brow clearing of a shade of ire more noticeable upon its vanishing than in its appearance. “Did she complain of your absentee neglect? You must be a difficult landlord if she needs must track you to St. Paul’s to dun you for repairs.”
    “I believe she is to make her first appearance in town.” Knowing well his mistress’s streak of jealousy, he demonstrated no more interest in his “country tenant.” Indeed, he had little to conceal. Newly bloomed buds were no business of his. Young and tender maidens tended to have old and crusty parents and trustees. Besides, he was