Part 22 (1/2)
Catherine set him down before her arms gave out.
Claybourne immediately crouched in front of him. ”And who are you?”
Winnie gasped.
”The Earl of Whitson,” Whit said, mimicking his mother's earlier haughty tone. As young as he was, already he recognized differences in the cla.s.ses.
”Did you know they have lemonade, pastries, and lollipops over there? Would you like to buy some for you and your mum?” Claybourne asked.
Whit nodded enthusiastically, his weariness suddenly cured.
”Hold out your hand,” Claybourne ordered.
Whit did.
”Fold it up.” Claybourne demonstrated, closing his hand into a fist. Then he snapped his fingers. ”Open your hand.”
The boy did, his eyes growing wide at the ha'penny resting on his palm. Winnie gasped again.
”Hmm. I'm not certain that's enough,” Claybourne said. He looked up at Frannie. ”What's your opinion on the matter, Miss Darling?”
”Definitely not enough. I should think he'd need at least a s.h.i.+lling.”
”I suspect you're right.” He turned back to Whit. ”Close your hand around the coin and say, 'Please, sir, may I have more?'”
Whit closed his hand around the coin. ”Please, sir, may I have more?”
Claybourne snapped his fingers. Whit opened his hand, his eyes wider than before. The ha'penny was gone. A sixpence rested on his palm.
Frannie tapped Claybourne on the head. ”You silly man. That's not a s.h.i.+lling.”
Catherine realized they were performing, and she wondered how often they'd worked together on something similar. Was this how they'd fleeced people? Was this performance a remnant of their childhood? They seemed so natural, so comfortable with each other.
”You're quite right, Miss Darling. What was I thinking? Shall we give it another go, Lord Whitson?”
Grinning broadly, Whit bobbed his head up and down and closed his pudgy fingers over the coin. ”Please, sir, may I have more?”
”Why, yes, sir, I think you may,” Claybourne said, snapping his fingers.
Whit opened his fist and crowed. ”Look! A s.h.i.+lling!”
Catherine realized he wasn't the only one with a wide smile. Winnie was grinning as well, as though her troubles had disappeared as easily as the coins.
”How did you do that, my lord?” Catherine asked.
”Magic.”
”Why, yes, I could see that. But what's the secret?”
”I'm afraid I can't tell you that. It'll ruin the fun.”
”Your Grace, may I take your son over to get some refreshments?” Frannie asked.
Winnie bobbed her head, then said, ”I'll come with you.”
Catherine watched as the threesome strolled toward the refreshment booth. ”We should probably go with them.”
”Probably,” Claybourne said, offering his arm.
It would be rude to ignore it, so she placed her hand on his arm.
”You do realize you're creating a scandal having Frannie with you without a chaperone.”
”Good Lord, Catherine, we grew up sleeping together, spooned around each other. Do you really think our relations.h.i.+p warrants a chaperone?”
Catherine was. .h.i.t with an unexpected spark of jealousy and imagined them doing a good deal more than innocent spooning. ”Appearance is everything.”
”Very well, but she's nearly thirty. Isn't that the magical age when a woman no longer needs looking after?”
”She's that old? She doesn't look it. Still, seeing you together out in public, people will a.s.sume she's your mistress.”
”I've never bedded her.”
Catherine was surprised by the relief that hit her with that inappropriate confession. ”Are you going to wear a sign on your back stating so?”
”You're the one who suggested I do something with her.”
He didn't bother to mask his impatience with her.
”I a.s.sumed you'd have common sense enough to realize you needed a chaperone.”
”There's no hope for it then. We'll have to spend the rest of the day with you and the d.u.c.h.ess of Avendale, who as a married woman can serve as her chaperone in order to save Frannie's reputation.”
Catherine narrowed her eyes at him. Had he just pulled some sort of trick on her in order to be included in her party?
”If I didn't know better I'd think you'd arranged this meeting on purpose, deliberately not bringing along a chaperone so I'd feel obligated to protect Frannie's reputation.”
”Does it make me a scoundrel to enjoy your company?”
”You're a scoundrel simply because you're a scoundrel.”
”I suppose I can't deny that, but Frannie learns by imitation. I thought a day of observing you out and about would serve her well.”
”So today is a lesson, not an outing to enjoy each other's company. It defeats the purpose.”
”How can it defeat the purpose when it brings you and me one step closer to obtaining what we each desire?”