“And so you kissed her. Yes, I understand. But are you certain that she understands?”

Mrs. Cuthbert didn’t elaborate, but he knew what she meant. Did Miss Barton understand that he could kiss her without feeling any sense of obligation toward her? “Yes, I explained my situation to her well enough. She knows I will never marry, and she is the one who asked for assistance.”

His hostess narrowed her eyes, but he stood his ground. Miss Barton was a businesswoman and a shrewd one. She understood their terms. Not only that, Miss Barton hadn’t been fazed by his kiss. She got right back to work as if nothing had happened. A fact that would possibly put Mrs. Cuthbert’s mind at ease.

Not that he would ever admit to it.

With a sip of tea, Mrs. Cuthbert continued her interrogations. “Even if that is true, I’m still not sure how you are going to make this work with Lady Emily. Her father has already put off her engagement for two weeks because I have told him you might actually be serious about his daughter. If he hears of this scandal with Miss Barton, that will be the end of that. Lady Emily will be married off to Lord Silverstone within three weeks. It is a terrible match for her; he is three times her age.”

Everton was well aware of the disparity of age between the two. Lord Silverstone was much too old for the quiet, seventeen-year-old Lady Emily. Lord Bryant didn’t know Lord Silverstone personally, but if a fifty-year-old man wanted to remarry, he should have the decency to find a woman older than his children.

“It has been three days, and my involvement with Miss Barton hasn’t reached the ears of anyone of consequence. I don’t think too many in Lord and Lady Falburton’s circle will hear of it. Besides, enough rumors about me float about town that I’m not certain anyone will take this one seriously.” Parents should care more about their own children’s happiness than he did. But unfortunately for Lady Emily, that simply wasn’t the case. “Any concerns should be soothed by this confounded ball you have talked me into hosting at the request of Lady Falburton.” Everton shook his head. He hadn’t hosted a ball in . . . Well, he had never hosted a ball. If that didn’t convince Lord Falburton that he was serious about Lady Emily, there was nothing else he could do.

“I’m still so very pleased about that.”

Of course she was. Mrs. Cuthbert loved nothing more than to meddle where she wasn’t needed. That meddling had quite possibly saved his life, though, so he put up with her. Hosting a ball, however, was one of her worst ideas by far. “And I am very displeased.”

“No one has been in your house in town for ages.”

“Exactly. Now people will start sending cards again. Do you know how long it will take me to retrain all of London to understand that I don’t want to be bothered?”