Did she realize he was able to glean bits of information about her from their conversations? He wasn’t doing it on purpose. It was just a natural result of the small things she revealed.
For instance, he knew she was quite comfortable riding in a coach, and now he knew she spent at least a fair amount of time on the rear-facing seat, which meant somebody else was on the forward-facing seat.
“How was your visit?” he repeated. “I hope it went well.”
“It was very nice, thank you. I appreciate your providing transportation.”
“I’m happy to and will do so whenever you require.”
Ellis straightened against the squab and clasped her hands in her lap. Her posture was very feminine.
“You’re sitting like a woman,” he said.
She swore under her breath again, and Roman had to stifle a smile.
“Do you do that often?” he asked. “Curse like that, I mean.”
She sent him a perturbed glance. “Not before I started working for you.”
Roman couldn’t contain his bark of laughter. “I will try to be less irritating.”
Ellis unclasped her hands and rested one on her thigh whilst she braced the other on the seat beside her. Then she widened her legs to a more masculine pose that drew Roman’s attention to her shapely thighs as well as the distinct lack of a male organ behind her fall. He forced himself to look away.
She was copying his posture. As he thought back over her time with him, he wondered what else he’d done that she’d imitated. Perhaps kissing? She was arrestingly good at it, and he would wager she had experience. However, she may have just been quickly learning from him.
“I thought we could discuss Oliver Pritchard’s visit to town,” Ellis said.
That was not only a good idea; it would keep him from trying to flirt with her.
That afternoon, they’d dispatched a letter inviting him to arrive on Thursday. “I thought we would have dinner here on Thursday evening,” he suggested. “That allows Pritchard and Margot to meet for the ‘first’ time.”
Ellis inclined her head, and Roman continued. “On Friday, we can visit the library on New Bond Street and introduce Pritchard to Inman as well as discuss the timing of the transition.”
“That means we must speak with Mr. Inman as soon as possible,” Ellis said.
“We should do that tomorrow,” Roman replied. “We will present the idea of the reading room in his name.”
“We?” Ellis asked, her eyebrows raised. “You want me to accompany you?”
“Of course. You’re the one who came up with the brilliant ideas on how to keep him involved. I thought you’d want to take part in telling him. I would very much like you to be there.”
Ellis’s features softened, and her lips curved into a slight smile. “Thank you for your confidence in me, truly, but this will be a difficult conversation. Would it be best if you spoke with him alone?”
“I want you to come with me,” he said. “I insist.”
He wondered if that was because he felt she was vital to the conversation, or whether he wanted to make sure Inman knew she was to credit for the reading room in his name. In truth, it was probably mostly because he enjoyed spending time with her, but he wasn’t going to say that.
Ellis glanced out the window. “We’re nearly home.”
As she pulled her facial hair from her pocket and tried to stick it to her face, Roman was struck by her use of the word home to describe her lodgings at his house. He found it surprisingly pleasing.
She blew out a frustrated breath, pulling him from his increasingly Ellis-obsessed thoughts. “Damn, I can’t get this to stick without more adhesive, and I’m running low on it.”
“Where do you get adhesive?” Roman asked. “I can have some delivered tomorrow.”
Her expression turned dubious. “I don’t think it’s wise to have this sort of thing delivered to your house. It may raise questions.”
Roman scoffed. “I highly doubt anyone would notice. Graham or Alvin will receive the delivery, and they won’t ask about it.”
