The Other Side - J. D. Robb [47]
“Tell her—” Bettina began, taking two steps to the door before Harry interrupted her.
“I can speak for myself, my lord.” Harry’s warning reminded her who was playing whom. “Tell Nurse that I will be there shortly to say good night to my son.”
The footman left, and Harry shook his head. “See what happens when you are upset? Try to think, eat, breathe, and laugh the way I do.” He headed for the door and paused. “Bettina, where did you find Martha Stepp?”
“She applied through the agency we always use.” Bettina liked the girl, though she was younger than the usual nurse.
“Does she not act above her station?”
“Harry! Do not even consider dismissing her because she occasionally speaks out of turn. She is wonderful with Cameron. I worry sometimes that he is closer to her than he is to his mother.”
“Yes, she is good with the boy, but she acts as if she knows more than we do.”
Bettina could not help laughing. “She does know more about children, Harry. Almost anyone would.”
They parted. Bettina watched Harry hurry off and felt a pang that it would be too much of a curiosity if the earl joined the countess. By this time of day he usually was at his club.
Tonight they had agreed to meet at nine o’clock to set out for their second test of the day. Dinner with some political cronies. Thank God, neither Patricia Melton nor Osterman would be among the guests. Now, there was a couple who deserved each other.
Bettina settled in Harry’s favorite chair and looked through the Edinburgh Review, finding nothing that held her interest.
The papers yielded a few tidbits, and she thought she should make a point of checking them more often. Why hadn’t any of her friends told her that Lady Quinton was increasing or that Faith Grimlin had retired to the country, supposedly because her mother was failing?
Faith and her husband had been very tense around each other for almost the whole Season. Perhaps tonight she could find out if they had formally separated.
Or Harry could. She would be in the dining room with the other gentlemen while the ladies retired to the salon. She would have to remind Harry to pay close attention to the conversation and not act as though he was thinking about something else, as he did so often with her.
For her part, Bettina had always wondered what the gentlemen talked about. As she sat in front of the fire, her eyes closed, but not really resting, Bettina tried to concentrate on the pleasure of finally learning the answer to that question and not on how nervous she felt whenever she was not in Harry’s company, as if he could catch any mistake she made and help her rectify it.
Tonight would be a challenge. Lord Nicholas would be there. Try to think of him as Nick, she reminded herself. There would be twenty guests altogether, ten men who were as interested in politics as Harry was.
Bettina picked up the Edinburgh Review again. If she read one of the articles, then she would have something to talk about. She was positive Harry never lacked for conversation.
A scratch at the door distracted her from a fascinating piece on the life and times of the men of the Ninety-fifth Rifles. When she called out, “Enter,” in what she thought was a perfect imitation of Harry’s “why are you interrupting me” voice, Freeba stepped in.
Was Freeba wearing one of her old dresses? Most likely. Bettina only hoped that it had looked better on her before she passed it on to her maid.
“I beg your pardon, my lord, but the countess would like you to come settle a difference of opinion on fashion.”
“What?” Bettina had never ever asked for the earl’s help in such a trivial matter.
“I told you that all was not right with the countess. She is half dressed and will go no farther. She insists that she needs your help in this..”
What was Harry thinking? As Bettina remembered how many times she had used the half-dressed ploy as a way to seduce him, she almost laughed. Not likely, but that was the perfect way to convince Freeba that nothing was wrong with