Several long minutes later, Maria swept from her bedchamber wearing a front-fastening blue paisley day dress with matching slippers, her hair pulled back in a tight knot and her face washed clean of her artificial beard shadow. She strode toward the sitting area, where Juliana, Heather, and Thomas had served their tea and sat conversing.
Heather had prepared sandwiches, which they’d displayed happily upon a decorative platter, and Maria selected two before sitting on her preferred purple chaise.
“Now,” Heather said, turning her gaze on Maria. “What of your case? Have you spoken to your love to learn if he has heard once more from his scurrilous cousin?”
Thomas snorted, then attempted to disguise it as one of his twitches.
Maria frowned at her friend and brother. “The duke is not my love, and I?—”
“But you wish that he was,” Heather muttered over her.
“Here, here,” Thomas put in.
The truth in their teasing sent Maria’s stomach into knots and flutters. But she would never admit it. Even the thought of her feelings was not to be borne. She knew what sort of man Jasper Sinclair was, and he was most assuredly not for her…no matter what her heart thought of the matter.
Maria’s eyes narrowed. “Damn you both.” She shifted in her seat.
“You know,” Juliana put in, “if you were to wed Jasper, we would becomesisters.”
“Not you as well,” Maria groaned.
“Come, now.” Juliana reached out to pat Maria’s knee. “Wouldn’t it be lovely?”
“That might be,” Maria conceded, “but you know the man is not biddable.”
“Mmm,” Heather hummed. “Quite so.”
Juliana waved a hand through the air. “I daresay it scarcely matters. He already knows of your position on Bow Street, so your absence from home will not be alarming.”
For the briefest of moments, a spark of hope kindled in Maria’s chest. But just as swiftly, she doused it. If she were to pursue a romance with Jasper, she would undoubtedly fall in love with him. And she could not endure the pain of her feelings going unrequited.
She cleared her throat. “As you know, I have a new suitor.”
Heather shrugged one shoulder. “That should not stop you from carrying on a deliciously torrid affair with the duke, I imagine.”
Anger flared in Maria’s chest. “That ispreciselywhy I do not wish for a fashionable marriage! Most particularly not with a man for whom I might actually come to care.”Already do, her conscience whispered. “No, indeed. When I marry, I will take my vows to heart. Additionally, you know that I am not an ordinary woman… As a duke, Jasper would require someone more suitable to exhibit before thehaut ton.” She took a deep breath. “As for the case, I discovered something of note?—”
Knock, knock.
Their gazes swung toward the apartments’ front door, and Thomas stood.
“I’ll—grunt—get it,” he said quietly.
They remained silent and still as Thomas answered the door, ensuring that his body blocked their newcomer’s view of the room.
Maria’s pulse sped. Who would come calling onMr. Duncan Robertson? Not many knew of her shared apartments, and most of those were currently within its walls.
With a murmur of thanks, Thomas closed and bolted the door, then sauntered back toward them, a missive in one hand.
“From Grace,” he said, before grimacing and squeezing the letter in a fist as a spasm overtook him. “Beg your pardon.” He handed the bit of crumpled parchment to her.
“Thank you.” She opened the letter and smoothed out the wrinkles. “It’s a summons. We must leave at once.”
CHAPTER6
Jasper’s carriage rolled gently along Bow Street, nearing the women’s runner offices. Since his disappointing meeting with the magistrate that morning, the weather had turned for the better, the sunlight peeking through white fluffy clouds and warming the once-crisp air.
His mind, however, was rather occupied by the reason for this little drive. He’d been summoned. By Miss Grace Huntsbury. No doubt she wished to discuss hiscase, and for the first time since Francis had begun his assault, Jasper was glad to have the women’s aid.
