Once seated, she turned to Miss Lockhart. “You may leave us now. I have some things I wish to say to Sir Lucius."

Miss Lockhart gave a nod and turned to Lucius to take leave of him. "I thank you again for all you have done for me, sir." She curtsied and turned to leave.

Lucius refused to let his gaze follow her out the door, knowing he would be under the eagle eye of Lady Harrowden. However, his thoughts dwelled on Miss Lockhart, and he felt they had not had enough time to talk. He had the strangest compulsion to return and see her again. Of course he would not trouble himself to do so without good reason. It was unthinkable to act so out of character as to visit Harrowden with her as the object. He was not the marrying kind and did not wish to give her a false impression.

That said, he would be sorry not to see her again. She’d smelled of apples when she came back in the room. She must have snuck one from the kitchen. The idea made him want to laugh.

His smile died away quickly, though, when he saw that Lady Harrowden was studying his face and had missed nothing. It appeared the direction of his thoughts had not been as discreet as he would have liked.

"You are not dangling after impoverished females at your age, are you?" she inquired in a sharp tone.

He must quickly rid her of that idea. “No, my lady. My heart is safely intact."

"Good.” Lady Harrowden twitched her shawl more securely around her shoulder. “It is enough that my nephew has begun to take an interest in Miss Lockhart. If I had wished to send for eligible marital candidates instead of a companion, I would have looked higher."

"And yet she is a gentleman’s daughter—and a relation,” Lucius could not resist replying.

"Only of the most distant.” Lady Harrowden pulled at the handkerchief that was clutched in her hands. “But I did not sit with you to talk about that. I see you have finally decided to visit me after all this time. What brought you, if not Miss Lockhart?”

He would not flatter her. She would not appreciate it, and it was against his nature. "Her trunk brought me,” he said, lifting a boot to warm it by the fire. “My sense of having been remiss is what kept me here, I suppose."

"You have been remiss.” Lady Harrowden narrowed her eyes peevishly. "You gave your word. Harrowden told me so before he died.”

Lucius didn't like being chided, but he deserved the rebuke. She was right. His word should mean something, and he had not considered her worthy enough to honor it. Keeping a rein on his temper, which only sprang from embarrassment, he said, "I offer you my sincere apologies, my lady. I shall make myself more available."

Lady Harrowden frowned and pulled herself up. "I do not desire your pity.”