“Thank you. That is kind of you.” Selena’s gaze flitted away, and she bit her tongue rather than assure her employer she did not need instruction on how to carry herself in Society. She had been trained for it and had at one time received stacks of invitations. But the advance was indeed necessary, as she was in dire want of a new wardrobe, and she would not risk irritating the countess.

Selena drew a breath and looked directly at Lady Harrowden, deciding she would set one thing straight, at least. “Despite my father’s…disgrace, I know how to comport myself. You shall have no need to be ashamed of me."

Lady Harrowden harrumphed. “Go down, and if by some miracle Sir Lucius is still here, tell him I will arrive in due time.”

Selena left the countess and went directly to the drawing room, thinking it would be nothing short of astonishing if Sir Lucius were still there, since he did not seem to be a man who allowed himself to be easily inconvenienced.

However, when she entered the drawing room, Sir Lucius stood before the fire, and he turned at the sound of her footsteps. Selena experienced a curious rush of comfort to see him standing there. She realized with a start that she had come to associate Sir Lucius with protection, which was a very odd thing indeed, since he also appeared to be selfish and bent on having his way.

Nevertheless, he had opened his door to her—well, eventually—when she was lost, and he’d tucked robes around her against the cold and had brought her safely to her destination. Then he’d returned the next day, carrying her trunk with all her worldly possessions, had whisked her out of the power of a gentleman she could not like, and tucked the robes around her once again. A shield of warmth against the brutal cold.

She would have to guard her heart.

The thought shook her into awareness and provided an effective remedy against an overly romantic turn of mind. It was ridiculous to think Sir Lucius would look twice at her, and she would not open herself up again to ridicule by handing her heart over to someone of the ton.

"What is it?" Sir Lucius asked. His eyes had softened as he looked at her, threatening her carefully built fortress. Goodness—she must've been staring at him.

Selena cleared her throat and stepped forward. "Lady Harrowden said she will be down and will see you.” She permitted a tiny smile. "She made me understand that she is not pleased with you at the moment. Although I am not sure what you could have done to earn her displeasure."

"I can answer that.” Sir Lucius turned to look at the fire, as if it were more comfortable to confess to the flames than to her. "My grandfather bought the hunting box close to Harrowden, because he was friends with the late Lord Harrowden. I've been coming here to hunt since I was young, and the Harrowdens have watched me grow. When Lord Harrowden was on his deathbed six years after my own father died, he gave me a charge to look after his wife. They had no son of their own, and although he did not say the words, I do not believe he thought his nephew would have Lady Harrowden's best interests at heart. He laid a charge upon me to look after her."