The Lady's Second-Chance Suitor, Scott, Regina [e novels to read online .TXT] 📗

“Certainly,” Rob agreed. “After the fellow returns from hishoneymoon. I imagine he’ll have other things on his mind before then.”

They must have been starting down the hill intoGrace-by-the-Sea, for the carriage tilted just a bit. Once more, Hester wasjostled against him. He could get used to that.

He called up to Mr. Fitch, who stopped the coach near theintersection of High Street and Church Street. Bascom jumped down again, butRob refused to give up the luxury of holding Hester’s hand as she alighted. Hisnew footman wore a slight frown as they set out, as if he wasn’tsure what his duties were and whether he was performing them adequately.

Elizabeth certainly saw no need to correct him. Head high,she set off without a backward look, leaving Rob to offer his arm to Hester.Hester lay down her hand so gingerly he might have been one of the agedpensioners come to take the waters. But at least she was content in his escort.He should be thankful for small favors.

Yet he couldn’t help wondering what else he might do to thawthis wall of ice between them. He had spent most of his time in the past inUpper Grace, so the village before him was a strange land. Then again, he wasthe stranger. Newcomers, didn’t they call visitors at the spa?

“I think you may like this first shop, Elizabeth,” Hestercalled.

Rob looked up at the sign over the door. “Mr. Carroll’sCuriosities?”

“A veritable treasure trove,” Hester promised.

Bascom darted around them to hold open the door, and Robfollowed Hester and Elizabeth inside.

The place was part bookstore, part bazaar, with brightlycolored cases filled with books for children and adults alike. Tablespositioned here and there carried fascinating inventions like miniatureautomatons, telescopes, and a model of the famous pyramids in Egypt. Unless hemissed his guess, the massive stuffed creature in the corner was supposed to bea hippopotamus.

A slight fellow with silver-rimmed spectacles came forwardfrom the back, balding pate shining as brightly as his smile. “Mrs. Todd. Hownice to see you again. And you brought friends.”

Hester didn’t quibble the word. “Lord Peverell and hissister are visiting us for a time. I thought they would enjoy seeing yourcollection.”

Like a magician on the stage, he stepped aside and waved hishand. “It is all at your disposal.”

The fellow had no idea what he offered. Rob could spendconsiderable time and money here. That brass-rimmed telescope, perhaps, forpeering out at strange lights at sea? Or that set of tiny building blocks,which might be assembled into the shape of the Tower of London? Elizabeth wasclearly enthralled with a mechanical parrot that made rough noises and bobbedits head when wound by a key.

A shame Rob hadn’t come into Mr. Carroll’s Curiosities outof, well, curiosity. He was here as a peer of the realm, seeking to honor thewedding of another peer of the realm. And he couldn’t imagine Howland beamingover a set of blocks, worse luck.

The dapper shopkeeper brought Hester a tiny cloth bonnetadorned with silk roses. “For Esmeralda?” he suggested.

“Oh, perfect!” Hester opened her reticule and handed him acoin.

“Esmeralda?” Rob asked, joining her even as Mr. Carroll wentto pull down a book for Elizabeth.

“Rebecca’s favorite doll,” Hester said, smiling at thelittle bonnet.

For a moment, he remembered a similar fond smile beingdirected at him. Rob shook himself.

“Do you see anything that might please the earl and yoursister?” he whispered.

She lowered the bonnet. “Many things, but nothing useful.”

Useful. Was that her criterion? He’d thought wedding giftsto wealthy earls should be about beauty, enjoyment. At least, that’s the sortof wedding gift he would have preferred. He could imagine Hester opening thegilt paper, eyes wide as she beheld crystal goblets from Ireland or a finetooled leather portfolio from Morocco.

And when had he started picturing Hester as his bride?

He focused on their task. He knew little of the earl, butMercer had mentioned Howland might be in financial trouble. If that were true,what need had the earl for more baubles? Rob must consider something of moresubstance.

He kept his eyes open as Hester continued their tour of thevillage, package holding the bonnet swinging from one hand. Bascom alreadycarried packages Elizabeth had purchased from Mr. Carroll, though Rob hadconvinced her to leave the hippopotamus in its corner.

All the Colors of the Sea, across the street from Mr.Carroll’s Curiosities, offered handcrafts from local families along with astunning set of paintings by the physician’s wife, Mrs. Abigail Bennett. Hestertook a moment to speak to the lady privately, then lingered over thelandscapes, until he was highly tempted to buy her one. If only he couldconvince himself it wouldn’t cause a scandal.

But the earl hardly needed paintings either.

The village boasted a tailor, a barber, and a jeweler aswell as a shop that specialized in ladies’ bonnets. His sister purchased acarnelian ring from Mr. Lawrence, the jeweler, and a flowered hat from Mrs.Rinehart, the milliner. Elizabeth also insisted on visiting the linens andtrimmings shop, where two older ladies, sisters by the looks of them, fawnedover her. His sister fingered the goods with longing and came away with someribbons and a length of Merino wool the color of plums, which only added to theteetering pile in Bascom’s slender arms. Still, Rob saw nothing that mightinterest Lord Howland or his bride.

Hester kept glancing at him, and he couldn’t tell if shethought him too fastidious in his choices or wondered whether he simply didn’tcare.

“Did nothing pique your interest?” she asked as they nearedthe harbor, where fishing boats bobbed at anchor alongside a few pleasurecraft.

Elizabeth turned her gaze from the view, lips downturned, andhe knew she must be thinking of the ill-fated boat that had sank under theirparents.

“Not yet,” Rob told Hester. “Tell me, what have you heardabout the earl’s current situation, his reason for residing in Grace-by-the-Sea.”

Her gaze went out over the waves as well. “It is not spokenof in public, but I understand the previous earl’s death may have caused somefinancial constraints. The current earl is working hard to rectify them.”

Which meant that economies were being made. The dowager countesswouldn’t like that. Neither would Howland’s