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perhaps?”
     To Pippa’s relief, her mother drew his lordship’s attention. “I have no sons, Lord Selworth,” she said, with severity belied by the twinkle in her eye, “nor brothers, nor nephews.”
     Perfectly true, and perfectly irrelevant.
     “I did not intend to probe, ma’am. Or perhaps I did—my apologies. However, it is clear that you are personally acquainted with Prometheus. All I ask is that you set my proposal fairly before him.”
     “A reasonable request, is it not, Pippa? If you will leave your direction, sir, I shall see that you are notified of the outcome, one way or the other.”
     “If you think you might have an answer for me by tomorrow, we shall put up at the inn in the village.”
     “The Jolly Bodger is not known for its comfort, sir,” Pippa advised him, trying to discourage him from remaining in the vicinity. “It is little more than a tavern.”
     “The Jolly Bodger?” Kitty asked cheerfully as she ushered in Mr Chubb bearing a laden tea-tray. “Are you staying there tonight? Set it down here, if you please, sir. Shall I pour, Mama?”
     On receiving an affirmative, she busied herself with cups and saucers, allotting the only two remaining matching sets to the gentlemen.
     “Are we staying, Wynn?” Mr Chubb enquired, passing tea and honey-cake. Pippa thought he sounded hopeful.
     “The inn is shockingly uncomfortable,” she re-stressed, “and I have heard horrid tales of their dinners.”
     “You are welcome to dine with us, Lord Selworth, Mr Chubb,” Mrs Lisle offered, “if you care to dare the other discomforts. We have not room to put you up, alas.”
     Pippa stared at her mother in dismay. She was positively encouraging the viscount! Surely she did not suppose Pippa was prepared to disclose her secret to him?
     He would be incredulous at first. Once convinced of the truth, he would cease to admire and start to wonder at her. Like Dr. Samuel Johnson, he would say, doubtless to himself, being a courteous gentleman, “a woman preaching is like a dog’s walking on his hind legs. It is not done well: but you are surprised to find it done at all.”
     Even if she could trust him to hold his tongue, of which she was by no means certain, to have him regard her as a nine days’ wonder would be painful, she acknowledged. Not that he showed any signs of admiring her for herself. She had no reason to expect it. Nor did she consider him anything out of the common way for a personable gentleman—
     Until he smiled, and he was smiling at her now, the dastard!
     “You are thoughtful, Miss Lisle,” he said in an undertone.
    Mama was occupied in listening to Mr Chubb’s long, inarticulate utterance of gratitude for her invitation, which Pippa gathered had been accepted while she reflected. “I trust,” Lord Selworth continued, “that the presence of two extra mouths at dinner will cause no difficulties?”
     Pippa was about to inform him waspishly of her ignorance of such housekeeping details. Realizing he might well enquire as to how she occupied her time if not in womanly domestic tasks, she drowned the words in a gulp of tea.
     Her face must have reflected her annoyance, however, for he suggested tentatively, “Shall we cry off? Be honest with me.”
     It was considerate of him to ask, she told herself sheepishly. Most men would not think twice about the awkwardness of feeding unexpected guests. “I am sure Mama would not have invited you were there any difficulty, sir,” she said, her tone cool.
     “I fear you are still not persuaded of my innocuous intentions towards your friend. I give you my word, Miss Lisle, no harm shall come to him through me. He has only to refuse my request and not another word shall be said—I shall cease to seek him out. But pray don’t deny him the chance to decide for himself.”
     Pippa had already decided. She wished she could say so without further ado. Since that was impossible, she sighed and promised, “I shall