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Out in the street, Caroline looked back at Mr. Long in question.

“Lord Saunton has invited you as an honored guest.” Mr. Long held up his hand to indicate the way up the steps toward the front door. Richard could just make out her eyes widening in surprise as she stood undecided. “Please, come this way, Mrs. Brown.”

Fidgeting nervously, the young woman most likely pondered her low status while she considered the front door. A common servant who had worked hard and raised her station to that of housekeeper in a doctor’s household after Richard had nearly destroyed her future two years earlier. She was fortunate that after betraying Miss Annabel Ridley, her mistress had seen fit to find her a new position. Annabel would have been well within her rights to dismiss the kitchen maid without a second thought.

Richard could only assume the young woman to be confused by his invitation, but he had sent Long because the man could be most persuasive. He wondered how she had organized her affairs to accompany Mr. Long to the great city of London. Truly, she would have no idea why she was here, and she must believe that she had no business walking in the front door of a fine home such as Balfour Terrace in the famous Mayfair district.

“Mrs. Brown, the earl insisted you are to be treated as a guest. He will be most displeased with me if he learns you entered through the servants’ entrance.”

The young woman reluctantly rejoined him and ascended the steps out of Richard’s view. Long reappeared shortly, descending the steps toward the carriage.

“Mr. Long?” Richard heard Caroline call out in an alarmed tone.

Her companion was halfway down the front steps. He stopped to look back.

“Are you not joining me?”

“Nay, Mrs. Brown. I will return to escort you back to Filminster, but I have errands to run. The earl and his staff will take good care of you in my absence.”

Richard assumed the woman must have looked anxious from the cajoling that followed that statement. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Brown. I think you will be pleased to hear what his lordship has to say.” Long gave an encouraging smile. Evidently, he succeeded in allaying her fears because he nodded a goodbye and continued his descent.

Richard turned back to his desk, anxiously checking his cravat and coat. He could not deny he was nervous about this meeting.

A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. “Come in.”

Radcliffe entered. Behind the butler, Richard could see Caroline peering into his study with an expression that mirrored his own internal ferment. “Mrs. Brown is here to see you.”

The young woman grimaced behind the manservant before being shown into the study. She came to a halt in the middle of the lavish room, looking around in bewilderment.

Richard pasted a smile on his lips and stepped around his desk to give a short bow. In a surreal moment, he thought about Caroline’s perspective—what she might be thinking as her eyes flittered over the bottle-green wallpaper, the white trim, the polished mahogany desk and matching shelves. Her gaze rested for a moment on the set of plump wingback armchairs, upholstered in a cheerful ivory fabric patterned with rich greens, reds, and golds, before skittering to fall to the rug, which she stared at pensively.

“Mrs. Brown?”

Caroline whipped her head back to him. Richard was careful not to smile the characteristic glib smile he used to charm women, but schooled his face to display concern.

“Mrs. Brown, are you all right?”

“What am I doing here?” she whispered.

Richard looked over her shoulder. “Radcliffe, please bring tea and refreshments. Mrs. Brown must be exhausted after days on the road. Mrs. Brown, please take a seat?”

Carefully, he took her by the arm and steered her to the seating area, urging her to sit. She plopped down in a daze. After a moment, she untied her bonnet, placed it on the end of the table between them, and smoothed her hair with a trembling hand.

“I am sorry for the suspense, Mrs. Brown. When you hear what I have to say, it will be worth it, I assure you.” With that, he took the seat opposite, his fingers drumming on the arm of his chair while he collected his thoughts.

“I summoned you to London because I wanted to make my … apologies …”

Caroline frowned in confusion.

“First, please, tell me how you have been since I last saw you?”

Caroline cleared her throat. “I am … fine, I suppose. Miss Ridley—I mean, the Duchess of Halmesbury—and Mrs. Harris assisted me to find a new position as a maid with the local doctor after she … caught us kissing in the stables.” She mirrored his own state of agitation with her awkward mumbling. They both well knew the disreputable circumstances of their last encounter. “Since that time, the doctor’s housekeeper retired, so I was promoted to running his household. So I guess everything has worked out for the best.”

“I am so glad to hear that.” Richard did not reveal that he had gathered this information on her before the meeting. She was clearly distressed. “I wanted to apologize to you … for my seduction … or perhaps a better word would be my interruption of your life.”

Caroline looked at the earl, aghast. “Apologize, my lord?”

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, tugging at his cravat. “It was not well done of me, engaging with you under your mistress’s nose. And, after she found us, I did not step in to take any responsibility for you. If Miss Ridley had not decided to find you the new position, you would have been destitute, and I am profoundly embarrassed regarding my behavior with you.”