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to leave town while his
training was taking place and he had settled on one of his houses
in Warwickshire in which to undergo his tutelage. For one thing,
leaving London would keep him out of the way of the usual social
round while he was in training and for another, it would give Luc
time to deal with Lord Howe’s creditors in peace. He really didn’t
fancy having them camped on the man’s doorstep while their lessons
were on.
    Olympia had become quite sober now. She
regarded him, head tilting to one side in that way that was so
familiar. She looked rather like a very pretty robin when she did
so. ‘I hadn’t realized that you would give my suggestion another
thought. I only meant that you should be a little less… less…’
    ‘Wholesome?’
    ‘Well, perhaps. But did Lord Howe really say
he would do it? It seems exactly the sort of thing he would refuse
to countenance. Too lazy by half.’
    ‘He is keen to start immediately,’ he didn’t
think he should mention the financial arrangement he had made. Best
to keep that quiet anyway. ‘I don’t see why you think it so funny.
How else am I going to impress Carisse?’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ she said slowly. ‘Slay a
dragon? Fight a duel in her honor? Discover a new land and name it
after her?’
    ‘You’re not being in the least bit serious
about this!’
    ‘I know,’ she admitted. ‘I’m sorry. It’s
just that Lucien St James is a jolly nice fellow just as he is. If
the girl is to bird witted to see that, then surely that is her
problem.’
    ‘That’s not it at all,’ he
protested. ‘Good Lord, she’s surrounded by men, all of which try
to attract her attention. How is she possibly going to notice me in
amongst such a crowd?’
    ‘Because you’re you?’
Olympia suggested, suddenly exasperated. ‘You know what might
help? If you talked to her. For I don’t believe you’ve even had one
conversation with the girl. Just talk to her. Dance with her. Pay a
morning call and make pointless polite conversation with her
mother. The usual stuff that males do when they are eager to secure
the interests of a female.’
    Luc snorted in disbelief.
‘Oh yes, that’s going to work. I can’t get two words out in front of her
without making a cake of myself. Whenever I’m in Miss Houghton’s
presence I find that my feet have suddenly grown too big for my
body. I have sprouted extra thumbs and frankly, if there is any
liquid within arms length, it will likely end up on my waistcoat
because I’ve missed my mouth!’
    ‘Oh,’ his companion said, after a moment,
‘is it really that bad?’
    ‘It really is.’
    She sighed and patted his arm. ‘Then of
course I understand completely. And I will help you in any way I
can. If you think that going off to learn how to become a rake will
further your cause then that is exactly what you must do. If you
like, when you return you can make me swoon in public, to advance
your status. I will fan myself -’
    ‘Doing it too brown!’
    ‘ – and swear that I don’t
know what it is about Mr. St James that makes my heart race
so.’
    ‘Wretch,’ he said with a grin. ‘Don’t you
dare.’
    Olympia gave a small smile. ‘I am sorry. I
did not realize quite how you felt. But I do mean it. If I can help
convince Carisse Houghton that you are God’s gift to the female of
the species then I shall certainly do so.’
    He shook his head. ‘I do not know where you
get such stuff. But you are a very good friend to me.’
    ‘Yes,’ Olympia murmured wryly. ‘I rather
think I am.’
     
    Olympia watched Luc stride
away to organize his sudden trip into Warwickshire with a frown and
reflected that a really good friend would have hit him over the head with
a piece of wood and dragged him off somewhere until he saw sense.
But it was a tricky thing to do in a public park and she rather
doubted her ability to drag an unconscious body anywhere. In the
face of his determination she had yielded, accepting that she would
not be