Lady Jane's Ribbons by Sandra Wilson Read Free Book Online

drew up at the curb beside her.
    The occupant lowered the glass to address her. ‘Good morning, Jane, am I right in thinking you’re in some difficulty?’ She looked up into Lewis Ardenley’s clear gray eyes.

FIVE
    He smiled at her startled reaction, and flung open the carriage door to step lightly down. He wore a dark blue, high-collared coat with a sprig of forget-me -nots in the buttonhole, and his hair was very golden in the sunlight as he removed his top hat. ‘I was wondering if I could be of any assistance to you?’
    ‘None at all, sir.’
    ‘Allow me a little common sense, Jane, for it’s quite obvious to me that Henry has let you down. Oh, don’t look so astonished. I’m not clairvoyant, it’s just that I happened to drive past a short while ago and saw him in extremely animated conversation with Mr Edward Chapman. He then departed at speed in his highflyer and as I’d already noticed that they’d been talking outside this establishment, I remembered your remarks last night and put two and two together. He’s rushed off on some vital matter connected with his kind of ribbons, and has left you attending to yours. Am I right?’
    Reluctantly, she nodded. ‘I think so; there doesn’t seem to be any other explanation for his sudden disappearance.’
    ‘My carriage is at your disposal.’
    ‘No, Lewis, I would prefer to have Madame Louise’s man procure a chaise from the post house in Fleet Street.’
    ‘Why go to all that trouble when I can so easily return by way of South Audley Street?’
    ‘Because I don’t wish to accept any assistance from you, sir, and because I certainly don’t wish to travel in the close confinement of a carriage with you.’
    ‘Your high horse can be very high indeed, can’t it?’
    ‘Do you really expect anything else after what you did?’
    ‘I didn’t do anything.’
    ‘No?’ Her eyes flickered scornfully. ‘Allow me a little more credit, sir.’
    ‘Credit? Why should I, when you’ve always shown yourself to be singularly lacking in common sense. You revealed that sad failing six months ago, and now you’re doing it again. You’ve been stranded here and my carriage awaits, so either you get in of your own accord, or I’ll bundle you in without any ceremony at all, is that quite clear? I will not leave you on your own.’ He folded his arms, holding her mutinous gaze. ‘I’m waiting, Jane, so pray don’t provoke my patience too far.’
    She gave in then, angrily snatching her skirts to climb up into the carriage. She sat in the farthest corner, her eyes stubbornly averted to avoid any possibility of catching his glance and provoking conversation.
    He instructed the coachman to drive to South Audley Street and then climbed in too, closing the door behind him. The carriage lurched away from the curb and drove slowly on down the busy city street.
    They traveled in silence at first, but she knew that there was a mocking smile on his lips as he studied her angry profile. At last he spoke. ‘What an infuriating way you have with you, Jane. I wonder if you realize how very provocative it can be.’
    ‘I neither know nor care, sir.’
    ‘There was a time—’
    ‘That was before I found out about your highborn belle de nuit.’
    ‘Alicia is not a belle de nuit.’
    ‘I suppose you’ll say next that she wears a habit and resides in a nunnery.’
    ‘You would appear to have used your six months in Cheshire to perfect the art of sarcasm.’
    ‘No, sir, I used it to reflect upon how very foolish and gullible I’d been. Did you honestly expect me to believe you when you said those long hours you spent with Alicia were purely platonic? She hasn’t got a platonic bone in her body, especially not with a man like you!’
    ‘If I dig deep enough in that, I do believe I will find a compliment concerning my person.’
    ‘You will also find my irritation at your dreary insistence that you are all innocence. Tell me, did you and she enjoy a platonic time in