"I had promised your aunt I would visit, and I have not yet done so. I merely wish to rectify my mistake."

Harrowden laughed. "Why? I cannot imagine what you and my aunt have to discuss."

"Surely nothing that would interest you." Lucius lifted a brow. He would let Harrowden suffer from curiosity. For one thing, it did not concern him. For another, Lucius had an instinct that he would do better not to entrust anything to the man.

Harrowden glanced at the door, which remained shut. After another minute, he folded his arms and fixed his gaze on the floor. “Well, I suppose I shall not keep you then.” He waited, and when Lucius didn’t respond, added, “I am sure my aunt will be down momentarily."

"Undoubtedly," Lucius said. He was thankful when Harrowden left the room. Robertson’s brother had been at school with him, hadn’t he? He would write his friend today to find out what he could about the young earl. Lucius thought there was something unsettling…something false about him.

When Miss Lockhart reentered the room some time later, she paused on the threshold as if to ascertain whether Lord Harrowden was still there. Her cheeks were tinged pink from having climbed stairs, or perhaps some other emotion had played upon her. Lucius would like to know what it was. It had not been lost upon him that Miss Lockhart was an attractive woman, but in the soft winter light that streamed into the drawing room through the windows, it struck him that she was more than in the ordinary way.

"Lady Harrowden will be down shortly,” Miss Lockhart said. “And Mrs. Randall has promised to have the tea sent. I'm sorry—I fear you have been kept waiting long."

"Why do you apologize? It was not you who did so, I believe,” Lucius said. Most people had enough faults of their own without apologizing for someone else’s.

"I suppose not, if you put it like that.” Miss Lockhart advanced into the room and when she came to where he stood, smiled up at him shyly. “It is the way of things. Or at least my way…” Her voice trailed away.

“To what?” he prodded when she didn’t continue. “To apologize for things that are not your fault?"

She pursed her lips. “Perhaps. I believe women often feel the need to do so. To soothe and placate, although”—Miss Lockhart grimaced— “why we should is anyone’s guess.”

“Yes, why should you?” Lucius shrugged and laid his arm along the mantel. "It is a concept entirely foreign to me."

Miss Lockhart laughed. “Oh, very well, sir," she said, her eyes sparkling. “I shall take a lesson from you. I will not apologize for an inconvenience I did not cause."

“Very proper,” Lucius replied, gravely. The door opened, and at last the countess entered.

"Good morning, my lady," he said with a bow. "May I escort you to a chair?"

"I do not require being escorted in my own home," Lady Harrowden said acidly. He ignored her words and came to her side, and she put her hand in the crook of his arm without further remonstrance and allowed him to take her to the armchair closest to the fire.