Jasper chuckled. “Perhaps.”
“I have to admire his insolence and wit,” she continued. “For six years, no one has been able to discover anything about him.”
And they never shall,he added quietly. “And you accuse me of being infected by society,” he teased. His aunt was fond of the Masked Rogue, but she would never admit it.
He spent the remainder of the meal listening to her compliment and condemn the Rogue all at once, saying she was only making observations whenever he pointed out her admiration. When breakfast was over, he rose to leave.
“I am having tea this afternoon with new acquaintances. Would you like to join us?”
Jasper shook his head. “You know I rarely join you for tea.”
“Would you not want to be introduced to the young ladies? If you are disinterested in courting Miss Gilmore, then perhaps these might capture your attention. They are Miss Gilmore’s acquaintances.”
Excellent reasons I should not be introduced to them.“I have quite the day ahead of me, Auntie. Another time, perhaps.” Phoebe grumbled and waved for him to leave. “I shall compensate you for this,” he said on his way out.
“I shall collect, then,” she replied, and he laughed. She was such a dear, and he would have loved to spend more time with her this morning, but he had to meet with his solicitor.
Time was against him, and he must ensure his Will was in order.
Natalie jabbed a needle into the velvet she was hemming with lace and mumbled to herself. She had managed to sleep upon her return due to weariness, but her waking thoughts were not quiet.
She was grateful to Jasper for rescuing her, and her discomposure, the kiss, and…everything else, had caused her to forget to thank him, but she found it utterly unbelievable that he was the Masked Rogue of London.
The secret she sought had found her the night before, and all she had to do was tell Hannah he was the Rogue, and her eleventh wish would be fulfilled. Yet, Natalie could not bring herself to do so.
No matter what she thought of him, he had saved her, and one act of kindness deserved another. Hannah’s voice pierced her concentration as she walked into the sitting room on the second floor, and Natalie looked up.
Her cousin shook what looked like a copy of The Londoner. “Someone gave them something more exciting that happened last night and they did not publish what I wrote about the Masked Rogue’s new wager with a Baron.
Natalie’s eyes widened. “What happened?” she asked despite almost certainly knowing. She was hoping no one had recognized her.
Hannah gave her the sheet and she read quickly, secretly heaving a sigh of relief when she found nothing to identify her. “I must find the woman he rescued. The Londoner would have to publish that story and pay me for it.”
Natalie forced herself to smile in encouragement. “Yes, you must.”
“She is all everyone is talking about. Some claim she is his mistress, and others are conjecturing she is a lady of the ton.”
Natalie’s stomach turned, and she set the dress down and stood, suddenly restless and pretending to fetch a fabric. “Why would they think she is a lady when they never saw her?”
“I cannot say,” Hannah sat in a chair, and wisps of her dark hair fell over her eyes, forcing her to blow them away. “I wonder if the lady saw his face.”
“He would not allow anyone to see his face.” Jasper’s secret weighed heavily on her, and she was afraid a simple expression could reveal the truth to Hannah.
“What if she did?” Hannah insisted.
“Then someone knows his face, and history has been made.”
Her cousin shot to her feet. “I have to find this woman. She is the key, Natalie! Think of the reward when we unmask him!” She flew out of the room before Natalie could say anything.
She sighed and flopped back onto the sofa. Knowing was difficult, and this was only the first day. Hannah poked her head back into the room, her eyes wide.
“Do you think he loves her?”
“Heavens, no!” Natalie blurted, and her cousin blinked.
“Quite a passionate response.”
“I am horrified on the woman’s behalf,” she said, recovering quickly. “Who would want such a man’s love, Hannah?”
