She leaned closer to see where he was pointing: the picture of a town on an irregular brown and green shape. “You mean that tiny little town here is supposed to be London?”
Henry smiled at her wide-eyed disbelief. “It’s a representation. All the green and brown parts with the towns and mountains painted on them are land. And all the blue area with the ships and fish in it are oceans.”
He circled his finger around the British Isles, naming places as he went. “That’s Ireland, that’s England, and here is Scotland, where Rob Roy is set.”
Understanding dawned as Eliza’s gaze followed Henry’s fingers across the globe. All the places in the world could be found on this painted wooden ball. “Can you show me Italy? You told me Romeo and Juliet’s Verona is a real place.”
Henry turned the globe and pointed to the north of the Italian Peninsula. She studied the area for a moment, then another city caught her interest.
“Venice is in Italy?”
“Yes, it is a city state on the Italian Peninsula.”
“Amazing, I had no idea. Where is Arabia … or is it a made-up country like the stories?”
He smiled at her and turned the globe again. “No, indeed, Arabia is rather a big country full of sand and Beduins. They make nice carpets,” he indicated the floor, “and tell good stories.”
She took a closer look at the floor coverings, then turned to him with a mixture of awe and yearning. “You have all these things and you know what they are and where they come from and how to use them.” She let her fingers trail over the continents on the globe, then ran her eyes over the volumes lined up along the walls. “I wish I knew more about the world. Do you think I could come back here tomorrow, find out some more?”
Delighted with Eliza’s quick mind and hunger for knowledge, Henry didn’t hesitate. “By all means. You’re welcome here whenever you please, and if you have any questions about the things you find here, just ask.” He hesitated a moment and then offered, “When the weather clears up, I might be able to show you a little more of the world too … at least, what there is to see of the world here in London.”
Her smile beamed with barely contained anticipation. “Really, could you? My da’ took us to London once to see the lions at the Tower, and then we watched the fine ladies and gentlemen driving in the park. But apart from that, I’ve never been anywhere.”
And then her face fell. Henry felt it as keenly as if the color had drained out of the world around them.
“Oh, we better not. Wilkins is probably still looking for me.” She put on a brave smile. “I’ll just find out about the world from right here.”
But she couldn’t hide forever. It occurred to Henry it might be better for Wilkins to find her while she was still under his protection. After all, she wouldn’t be staying in his house indefinitely, much as he might like that. He was a bachelor—with a certain reputation, no less—and she was far too pretty for people not to start assuming her to be his mistress, if she stayed beyond her recuperation.
Not that Henry didn’t want her. He wanted her more every day. But by now he was fairly certain she was still innocent, and he had no intention of depriving her of any future prospects by ruining her. But all he was really contemplating was whether or not to take her for a drive in the park. And if this Wilkins, or Horace the abhorrent, turned up, and he got to break a few bones on her behalf, so much the better.
“I don’t think he is looking for you in Mayfair. As long as we don’t venture into the seedier parts of town, I expect we can go out.”
She brightened at that. “You think? I don’t want him coming after you either, because I’m with you, you know.”
Warmed by her concern for him, he assured her, “We will take Roberts or William with us wherever we go. Would that make you feel safe?”
She smiled at him despite her misgivings. “If you think it’s safe, that’s good enough for me.”
Henry felt a twinge of guilt for not telling her all his motives, but she truly couldn’t hide out at his house forever.
“That’s my girl. So if it doesn’t rain tomorrow, we will go for a drive in the park. And now off to bed with you. No sense in tiring yourself out too much.”
He led her back to her room, where Mrs. Tibbit made her feel comfortable for the evening. He, however, changed into evening attire, and went to meet his friend for dinner at White’s.
CHAPTER FIVE
HENRY WALKED UP THE FEW STEPS TO THE FRONT door at White’s, waving jovially to the dandies in the great bay window. Amazing how some things never changed. A hundred years or more the club had existed, and ever since they put in that bay window, the most outrageous dressers of each generation had claimed it for themselves to see and be seen.
Thankfully, those gentlemen were usually satisfied with a wave for a greeting, but as soon as Henry had handed his beaver and gloves to the attendant and asked where he might find Viscount Fairly, one of them separated from the group, seemingly intent on speaking with him.
“March, wait up a moment.”
Henry turned toward the speaker, inwardly groaning. The man really had no redeeming qualities except his ability to tie a perfect waterfall. But one had to acknowledge one’s former classmates, particularly the ones that helped maintain one’s cover. “Ellert, what brings you to town at this dreary time of year?”
Ellert affected an exaggerated eye roll. “Woman trouble, don’t you know. Lissa is getting too clingy. You wouldn’t want to trade, would you?”
The man referred to Henry’s former mistress Millie. How or why Ellert thought he could do better than his current mistress was beyond Henry. The girl was pretty as a picture and inexplicably devoted to Ellert. Henry contemplated for a moment whether he should let the man know he no longer considered himself Millie’s protector, but decided against it. Better to play along and keep the mystique going.
“Tempting, Ellert, tempting. However, I doubt Millie would stand for being traded, even by me.”
Ellert shrugged and laughed at Henry’s crude joke. “Worth a shot, Henry. Worth a shot!”
With that he stalked back to his group, leaving Henry to make his way up the stairs to the dining room where the attendant had indicated he would find his friend.
As soon as Henry entered the room, Robert Pemberton, the Viscount Fairly, beckoned him from the far side, where he had reserved a table by one of the tall windows overlooking St. James’s Street.
The viscount was the tall, blond, blue-eyed, heroic type, too pretty for most people to take seriously, but Henry knew better. Robert was honorable, courageous, and loyal, and could even be ruthless if need be. The two of them had been the best of friends ever since Henry’s first year at Eton more than twenty years ago, and serving together under Wellington had only strengthened their bond.
Robert stood at Henry’s approach and shook his hand with a warm smile on his far too beautiful face. Henry returned the smile and the handshake and dropped into the chair opposite the viscount.
“How is the fair Millie?”
“Expensive,” Robert said dryly. Then a naughty grin spread across his classic features. “But Lord, does she know what to do in the bedchamber.”