Beholden by Charlotte Russell

Author:Charlotte Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: second chance romance, marriage in trouble, Regency romance, historical romance, historical romance england
Publisher: Charlotte Russell
Published: 2020-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

By mutual agreement, Lex and Henry visited the park each of the next two days, spending an hour or two playing cricket, walking the paths in search of creatures great and small to inspect, and naturally, spinning until they were dizzy. On this late afternoon, as Henry had slowed down considerably from fatigue, the walk back took longer than expected, but the pair did finally exit the gate. Outside, the hustle and bustle of the street jarred the senses. Peddlers and newsboys crowded the pavement, all shouting to make their products known above the others.

Lex spied a small girl holding a basket. He bent down to Henry. “Would you like an orange?”

Henry smiled and nodded, perking up at the offer of a treat. Lex guided him over to the girl and let him pick one.

As Lex handed over payment, Henry pointed to flowers also nestled in the basket. “Mama would like those.”

“She would?” Lex asked. He had his doubts—the blossoms were rather small and wilted. Most women did like flowers, though, and they would make a nice token along with the sketch of Henry he’d drawn today. Still, he could send a footman to buy something much grander from the Covent Garden market.

The orange girl sniffled and said, “Jus’ a ha’penny a posy, m’lord.”

Then again, a bunch of small posies gathered together and freshened up with water might look sweet. Lex pressed a shilling into her hand. “I’ll take all of them.”

She scooped the flowers up without hesitation and handed them over. Lex thanked her. He’d have bought all the oranges, too, if they could have carried them. Instead, he’d send back a footman.

Henry followed suit and thanked the girl for the orange.

Despite all the items they bore, Lex made Henry take his hand before they crossed the street. They made it without incident and soon entered the house, where a footman relieved them of their sporting equipment.

Behind them, Bickley closed the door. “My lord, her ladyship wished me to tell you she has gone to visit Mrs. Robson.”

Henry’s mouth turned down. Lex, too, had wanted to see Eleanor, but he hoped his face didn’t look the same. He wasn’t that disappointed by her absence.

He held out his hand. “Thank you, Colonel, for another splendid adventure.”

“You too, sir,” the boy said, returning the handshake enthusiastically. “Will I see you at bedtime?”

“Given your propensity for sleeping in a bed other than your own, I wouldn’t doubt it.”

Clutching his orange and grinning madly, Henry raced up to the nursery.

Turning, Lex held out a half crown to Bickley. “There’s an orange girl across the street. Send one of the footman to buy what she has left. The servants can share them.”

Bickley nodded and took the coin. He opened his mouth once then closed it before any words came out. He tried again. “You have visitors, my lord.”

Lex tried to hide his surprise, though Bickley obviously hadn’t. The Robsons were occupied elsewhere, and no one else was likely to visit after that disastrous scene the other night.

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