Spending more time with you, my muse.
That would’ve been the large truth.
“I really must insist that you let me help.” He supposed he couldn’t force her to stay, but he was directing the full force of his renowned charm and persuasion her way.
A few seconds stretched slowly past before curiosity won out and she asked, “What’s your plan?”
Archie could have jumped for joy. But he didn’t. He remained firmly planted in his chair so as not to frighten Miss Hart away. As for the plan… “That’s an interesting question,” he said, buying himself a little time to think.
“You don’t have one, do you?”
“Not as such, no.” Sometimes the truth was the best path.
A laugh chirruped out of her, then another, and another. Then she was laughing and couldn’t seem to help herself. Unable to let anyone laugh alone, Archie began laughing, too. “What is it that we’re laughing about?” he finally asked.
“You…” she finally got out.
“Me?” He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that.
“You finally got me to agree to your plan, and you don’t even have one.”
Archie stopped laughing. “All we have to do is figure out how to extract five thousand pounds from Nestor.”
He’d set the stage for a plan, at least. Surely she could appreciate that.
Finally, she stopped laughing. “Seems to me all you lords think about are your pleasures. So,what does he like?”
She rather had a point, even if it made him appear deep as a puddle of mud. “He likes gambling.”Too much.That was known. “And women.” Well, who didn’t? “And—”Ah.Here it was. A smile creased his face. “You’re a genius, Miss Hart.” From a slight idea a plan began to form, but he needed to know something first. “Have you ever laid eyes on Nestor?”
“Once. From a distance.”
“Describe him.”
“Middling height.”
Archie nodded.
“Dark hair.”
Archie kept nodding. “From all the grease.”
“Very light skin.”
“Pasty is the word you’re searching for, I believe.”
“Perhaps on the heavy side.”
“Protuberant backside?”
She nodded.
“Sounds like Nestor, but we must know for certain. Could be a swindler impersonating a lord.” He doubted it, knowing what he did of Nestor’s character, but it must be confirmed before they acted on any plan.
“And how do we make sure?”
Archie’s gaze narrowed on Miss Hart. “You’re quite a small woman, aren’t you?”
“I’m large enough,” she said defensively.
