Siren

Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

True to his word, James called on Phoebe every day for a week—sometimes twice. Almost immediately he’d charmed Mrs. Condon and Elizabeth, and as such he was present for dinner every night. The situation irked Phoebe to no end. She didn’t want to be taken in by him again. She understood the concern of her servants, who in reality had become the dearest of friends, but she remained firm in her resolve to keep James at an arm’s length. To open her heart and be crushed again… She’d never survive it a second time.

*          *          *

Winning Phoebe was proving considerably more difficult than James had anticipated. Every day he took her flowers and trinkets. He was solicitous and honest to a fault, but he seemed to be gaining no ground in returning to her good graces. She received his attentions well enough, allowed him to kiss her hand when he left each evening, but the ice façade the ton chastised her for refused to crack. If not for the tears and outrage she’d expressed when he’d first found her, he might truly believe she no longer cared for him.

At odds with himself and the situation as a whole, he stalked out of the boarding house, and turned toward the stables. Perhaps taking Sam out for a hard ride would help clear his head. Give him some fresh perspective or new ideas.

An unmarked coach pulled by a team of bay horses rattled down the road, kicking up a light cloud of dust. James hesitated, waiting for it to pass, before striding purposefully across the street.

“Ho, Colonel!” a familiar voice called.

A grin instantly split James’s face as he spun around. “Collins!” He strode over to the coach as the other man stepped down. They quickly clasped hands in a hearty handshake. “Am I ever glad to see you.”

“Sarah and I came as soon as we received your message.”

“Where is Sarah?” James asked, waiting with Nick as the driver unloaded two trunks.

Nick jerked a thumb back down the road. “Dropped her off to visit with Lady Phoebe. I told her I’d come ahead to find you and secure us a room.” He grinned. “We can both go back to fetch her later.”

James pointed to the boarding house. “There is plenty of room here with Mrs. Beaman. The bedding is clean and her cooking is good.”

“You won’t hear any complaints from me,” Nick said with a grin. “And my wife is just happy to have a trip away from home that doesn’t involve a London hospital.”

“I can understand why.”

“How are things between you and Phoebe,” Nick asked quietly, he was obviously concerned. “When I received your letter I had hoped it would be news that you’d eloped, not a plea for help.”

James washed a palm over his face. “Not well. I tell you, Collins, I’m finding that I know absolutely nothing about wooing women.”