Muttering under her breath, she ignored Robert and simply continued to walk. She hadn’t intended to go much farther, but his presence goaded her into continuing along the shoreline and around the bend, out of sight of the others.

“We should probably head back,” Robert said quietly behind her and Lisa gave a start at how near his voice was. His words had been spoken practically in her ear. She ignored them, however, and continued without a word.

“Lisa.”

“What, Robert?” she asked wearily, turning finally to scowl at him. She then quickly took a couple of steps back when she realized just how close he was. They had been close enough to kiss when she first turned.

“Where are you going?” he asked, rather than repeat that they should head back.

“Just . . . wherever,” she murmured, gesturing vaguely with one hand. “I just want a few minutes of peace and quiet.”

Robert nodded and moved up beside her. “You’ve been attending a lot of balls and teas. I suppose you’re not use to all the busy-ness and people after so long in the country.”

“Yes, that’s it,” Lisa said sarcastically. “It’s all the people around me. Not the great, grumpy ogre who follows me everywhere.”

He paused and peered at her with amazement. “I am trying to keep you safe.”

“I don’t know why. You act like you hate me,” she snapped. “Why would you bother keeping me safe when you hate me? And why is it you who is keeping me safe anyway? You could just hire someone to do it. Then you could go on about your happy bachelor’s life and forget about me.”

“We can’t hire someone. Christiana would want to know who he was and why he was needed and Richard doesn’t want to worry her in her delicate condition.”

Now it was Lisa who stopped walking. Turning on him blankly, she asked, “Her delicate condition?”

“She is with child again, but doesn’t want anyone to know until she is further along . . . in case she loses it again.”

Lisa stared at him with amazement, several thoughts running through her head. First and foremost was a sense of betrayal that Robert had known about it before she did. And she was Christiana’s sister. It seemed like everyone was treating her like a child, the last to be trusted with news.

Shaking her head bitterly, she turned and continued to walk.

“And I don’t hate you, Lisa,” he said, sounding reluctant to make the admission. “I’m just finding this all a bit taxing on my patience.”

Lisa snorted at the understatement in the words.

“What was going on with you and Lord Findlay last night?” he asked suddenly, as if the question were torn from him.

Lisa bit her lip and remained silent for a moment, but then shrugged. “You saw what was going on.”