The Christmas Countess. Adrienne Basso

the others?” Cameron held out his hand, opting to retreat for now.

      “My glove?”

      “My housekeeper will take care of the problem. It will be repaired and returned to you before dinner.”

      After a deliberate hesitation, Miss Tremaine reached out and placed her bare fingers into his palm. A shiver of awareness bolted through him at the touch of her hand in the center of his warm palm. He ignored it. So, apparently did she, though he saw her lower lip trembling.

      “Despite what you might think, I have no wish to cause you unnecessary anguish,” he said quietly.

      Her brow wrinkled. “Actions speak far louder than words, my lord. We both know the real reason I am here tonight. All I ask is for an opportunity to see the child. To meet her, to speak with her.”

      “I assure you, there is no need to remind me of that fact, Miss Tremaine.” Cameron met her steady gaze. “However, since that meeting will most definitely not take place this evening, I strongly urge you to cease trying to orchestrate a chance encounter with Lily. ’Tis already becoming tiresome and though I consider myself a fair man, my patience has very defined limits.”

      Her face momentarily paled and a heated flash sparked in her eyes, yet her composure never faltered. “Point taken, my lord.”

      An early morning drizzle had given way to a late morning of brilliant sunshine. There was a cold, though not unpleasant, breeze blowing, yet Rebecca knew it would not have mattered if there was a bone-chilling freeze in the air or a full blown blizzard blanketed the street with snow. In any sort of weather she would be standing outdoors in precisely the same spot.

      The activity on the quiet, well-appointed avenue where the Earl of Hampton lived had increased noticeably over the last half hour. There were more pedestrians, more carriages, and several carts making deliveries to the back entrances of the fashionable homes. Rebecca was glad of the additional commotion, since it made it much easier for her to remain in her current position without attracting too much undue attention.

      Though pressed last night by both herself and Daniel, the earl had given them no indication of how quickly arrangements would be made for her to meet Lily. For Rebecca, his attitude had been more than a disappointment; it had left her feeling numb with dread.

      Daniel too had been distressed, but he had told her repeatedly that they could not fault the earl for being protective of the child. Her brother had cautioned her to remain patient and had given his word that he would pressure Lord Hampton to arrange for her to see Lily as soon as possible.

      But Rebecca had run short of patience. Hungry for any information about Lily, she had pumped the dowager countess last night for details about the little girl’s daily routine. Obviously proud of her granddaughter, the dowager countess had spoken of her music and dance lessons and had also mentioned that Lily and her governess made a point of visiting the park every morning around eleven, weather permitting.

      And so this morning, after a restless, nearly sleepless, night, Rebecca had left her brother’s town home soon after breakfast, commandeered his carriage and made her way to the earl’s home. Not wanting the servants to have an inkling of her plans, she had dismissed the coach, intending to hire a hackney when she was ready to return.

      Situating herself on the corner opposite the stately mansion, eyes pinned anxiously to the closed wrought iron gates, Rebecca now waited for Lily and her governess. She was staring so hard, her thoughts and emotions so intense, that it took her a moment to notice the gates had indeed opened. A woman in a dark brown cloak emerged, followed quickly by a little girl dressed in a red woolen coat, with a matching red hat.

      Lily!

      Rebecca’s heart accelerated to an alarming rate. Trying to calm her nerves, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. From this distance she could see none of the little girl’s features. Almost without realizing it, she stepped forward.

      The shout of a coachman startled her and Rebecca pulled back just in time to avoid being struck. The ground thundered with vibrations. Visibly shaking, she turned her eyes anxiously across the street, fearful that in the commotion she might have lost sight of Lily and her governess.

      Thankfully they had not gone far. Eagerly Rebecca watched as the pair walked to the corner on the far end of the street. Lily skipped gaily ahead, pausing every few steps to turn and make certain her governess was near. They stopped at the intersection, waiting for a fashionable black carriage to pass. When it was clear, they crossed the road together, hand in hand, carefully skirting a large puddle in the middle of the rutted lane.

      Trying to keep a respectable, undetectable distance, Rebecca hurried across the road and followed them. After several blocks, the pair stopped a few paces in front of a park entrance and waited. Five minutes later Lily began hopping excitedly from one foot to the other as she raised her hand and waved to someone Rebecca could not see.

      Her breath caught in her throat. Dear Lord, please do not let it be the earl.

      Worried, Rebecca bit her lip in vexation, but moments later a woman and young girl came into view. The girls ran to meet each other, hugging exuberantly. Then they joined hands, skipping into the park. The women followed close behind.

      Rebecca slowly exhaled and moved closer.

      The park was deceptively large. There was a pond in the center, banks of trees and benches along the perimeter, sections of open space and a gravel pathway large enough to accommodate a horse and carriage. On this brisk December morning there was a surprising number of people coming and going along the footpaths and across the lawns. Rebecca noticed Lily and her young friend waving to several individuals and being greeted in return.

      Finally they stopped at an empty bench. The women sat, the girls stood, lingering near, hanging onto the back of the seat. Her heart pounding with the enormity of what she was about to do, Rebecca purposefully made her way toward the group.

      The two women were engaged in conversation. The two girls were no longer beside them but instead were playing a spirited game of tag on the brown grass directly in front of the bench. Rebecca tried not to stare at Lily, but her eyes were continually, compulsively drawn to the child.

      “Forgive the interruption, ladies,” Rebecca said softly. “I was at this very spot yesterday afternoon and I believe I lost my favorite brooch somewhere in the vicinity. Perchance, I was wondering if either of you have seen it? It is gold, with three tiny pearls and single ruby chip in the center. ’Tis of little monetary worth, but holds great sentimental value for me and I would dearly like to recover it.”

      “Oh, my goodness, how distressing,” Lily’s governess said. She immediately rose from the bench and began looking around in the grass. Her companion did the same. Naturally, they found nothing.

      “’Tis so kind of you to help. Would you mind if I asked the girls if they have seen it?” Rebecca inquired.

      She forced herself to smile in what she hoped was a friendly, nonintrusive manner. It was more difficult than she imagined to present herself so falsely to these two trusting women.

      “Go right ahead. I’m sure they would think it a great adventure to search for such treasure,” the other governess replied. “Miss Jane, Lady Lily, come here please.”

      The girls raced over. A thousand emotions flooded Rebecca as Lily came close enough for her to finally see her face and form clearly.

      Oh, my she is beautiful! She was a sturdy little girl, with blond curls and large blue eyes. Looking at her felt like a dream to Rebecca. Anxiously she searched her face, amazed to see small parts of herself and Philip in Lily’s features. And then Lily smiled—a grin so reminiscent of her own that Rebecca’s knees grew weak.

      “This nice lady has lost her brooch,” one of the women said. “Would you girls like to help her look for it?”

      “Does it have diamonds in it?” Lily asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

      Rebecca smiled, swallowed hard and found her voice. “No,” she managed