He sat back, happy. “Yes, I have it.” He answered the unspoken question in her eyes. The kiss to get it had been worth it in so many ways. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it back to her. “You have lovely penmanship, by the way.”
She snatched it back and held it to her chest. “How did you steal it from me?”
“Steal? That is rather harsh. I simply borrowed it.”
“You took it without my permission, therefore it is stealing.”
“I had every intention of giving it back, therefore I borrowed it.”
“But how?”
“I have very skillful fingers,” he confessed with a smile. “I have many other skills as well, which you may find… beneficial.”
She rewarded him with a most terrifying scowl.
“To the investigation, of course,” he added.
He loved that his having obtained the notebook from right under her nose shocked her. He loved that she was shoving the notebook back in her little bag with such force that he could imagine she was picturing the notebook as his head.
“Do not take my notebook from my reticule again.”
He grinned. “You have my word.”
She did not smile back. “Why am I still not convinced?”
“Ouch! Impugning my honor? That’s low.”
“Can we not concentrate on the matter at hand, please?”
“Fine. I would think Blackhurst was closed-lipped on the fact he was in trade,” Oliver said matter-of-factly.
Her head shot up. “He was notintrade,” she insisted. “He only invested with those who were and according to my sourceshe sometimes invited others to participate. It is not like he would be the first gentleman to do so.”
“How charitable of him to want to share the wealth,” he said in a sarcastic tone, thinking of his brother. “Nevertheless, these others would not have been eager to make theirparticipationgeneral knowledge.”
She nodded. “You understand the difficulties I am up against. I have to be careful what I do and how I gain my information. Someone here in London seems to be willing to jeopardize their own reputation to ruin mine, continuously. I have no idea where the gossip and rumors come from. I would have thought this whole business extremely dull scandal broth by now.”
“Murder and money are two things that never become dull, I assure you, Countess.”
“So it seems,” she replied.
For a moment she looked tired, fatigued beyond what sleep could rectify. She had been battling her demons for years, he suspected, but she was determined not to show it.
“Are you sure Blackhurst was not in debt? Perhaps he owed at the tables or—”
“My husband rarely played games of chance and when he did he was usually successful. He was clever with numbers and had a good memory. I suspect there were not many who wished to play against him. He always said they held little challenge for him, in any case. He liked to gamble with much bigger stakes. As for debts, I can think of no reason why he would be. I have more money than I could ever spend in this lifetime or the next.”
“Well, how nice that must be for you,” he bit out between his teeth. Did she truly have no idea what her husband’s investors lost? How his demise and the breakdown of the speculation had ruined lives, including Oliver’s own? His indignant scowl was wasted, he saw, as she again began her ritual. A look at herpocket watch, her schedule, and then back to the watch before looking out the window of the carriage. He felt like flinging that damn watch out the window.
Lisbeth peered at her schedule.This is all too much,she thought.I need to keep myself in control.She knew what was on her schedule, of course, but it was the reassuring feeling of knowing what was going to happen next which kept her pulling it out of her reticule. It also gave her reason to avoid looking at Bellamy and his all-too-knowing eyes. She knew he was frustrated with her, and he had shown great restraint so far. That did not mean she meant to push him further, but she didn’t want to share everything with him either. He already knew too much.
Now Bellamy knew of her plan, everything had changed. Men were used to taking control but this was her fight, no matter what sort of crusade Bellamy thought he was on. He could think himself heroic all he liked, but she had to maintain her course to truth and justice.
“He never spoke of his business affairs,” she said now. “And I was rarely introduced to his friends. However, I do have my sources of information, as you now know.”
“Indeed,” Bellamy said. “Planned out, eh? Why does this not surprise me? I do have another question for you. Do I continue to commit to wagers regarding the Black Raven? Or do you intend to pay me in someotherform?”
“You may continue to gather your wagers, sir. I am happy with our arrangement as it is. I gather you have a list of these wagers?” She was not desperate to see what stupidity had been made up but she would like to be prepared for the worst.
