“I thought I might, yes.” Lord Warwickshire’s face pinked as Beatrice narrowed her eyes at him. “But I shall not.”
“Is this… is this because of Lady Norah?”
With a wave of his hand, her brother dismissed Beatrice’s words. “Of course not. I was thinking only of coming into the heart of London, that is all.”
Astonished, Beatrice put one hand on his arm, meaning to ask him more about his reaction to hearing that Lady Norah was to be present, only for the butler to catch her attention.
“The carriage has arrived, my lady.”
She looked up at her brother. “We will discuss this again later, Warwickshire,” she said, a slight warning to her tone as a flush hit his cheeks. “If there is an interest in Lady Norah, then might I suggest that you pursue it with a good deal more speed than you are evidencing at the moment? There are plenty of gentlemen eager to spend more time with her, of that I am quite certain!”
The way his smile dropped and his eyes rounded told her more than his explanation might have ever done. With a smile of her own, Beatrice made her way from his side and hurried to the carriage, feeling a little less dejected than she had been some minutes ago.
“I am just makingmy way up these stairs,” Beatrice told Lady Norah, as she nodded. “I have my maid with me.”
“I will join you soon.” Distracted by the book in her hand, Lady Norah gave Beatrice only a cursory glance before returning her attention to the book. With a small smile, Beatrice climbed the stairs to the next floor, thinking to herself that she had never seen so many books all in one place! This bookshop was quite extraordinary; Beatrice noted there were a good many nooks and crannies for people to hide away in, should they wish it. A small sigh escaped her as her shoulders rounded, aware that the person she might wish to hide away with, as they had doneonce before, was now near enough spoken for. Why could she not rid him from her heart and from her thoughts? It was most frustrating.
“Lord Surrey is doing exactly as intended.”
“That is good.”
Beatrice froze, her heart slowing as she stood by the side of the room.
“What delay is there?” the second voice said, as Beatrice turned herself slowly to face the books in front of her, keeping her head low as she plucked one book from the shelf and opened it. Whoever these two gentlemen were, they were doing the very thing that Beatrice had only just thought of; hiding themselves away and having a private conversation – a conversation that she ought not to be listening to but could not help but overhear. There was no thought in her mind about stepping away or leaving them to discuss this matter, whatever it was, in privacy. If Lord Surrey had been mentioned, then she wanted to hear it!
“There is no delay,” said the first. “The engagement will take place very soon. He is verifying some documents, that is all.”
“The documents that force his hand, yes?”
Beatrice’s eyebrows lifted.
“Yes. But all will be found to be quite correct, I assure you.”
“Very good. Excuse me, I should take my leave.”
That made Beatrice’s heart slam into her chest, and snatching in her breath, she turned one page of the book and kept her gaze fixed to it, hoping that whoever it was would not realize that she had been able to hear them.
Someone collided with her, and she let out a yelp of surprise, her eyes landing on a fair-haired but dark-eyed gentleman who, scowling, threw up his hands in evident frustration.
“Whatever are you doing standing so near the corner? Do be more careful!”
With that, he was gone, and Beatrice, her heart still pounding furiously, regained her composure quickly, aware that there would be a second gentleman somewhere nearby. Breathing hard, she set one hand to her stomach and took in steadying breaths, calming herself.
“Are you quite all right, my lady?”
With a nod, Beatrice handed the book to her maid, seeing no one else and hoping that the other gentleman had taken himself away by another route. “I am well. Take this and let us return to Lady Norah. Mayhap she will have decided on her purchases also.”
With a nod, her maid turned towards the stairs, and Beatrice, unable to help herself, cast a glance around but saw no one.
A shadow shifted.
Her skin prickled, but there was no time to linger nor to see what the shadow might hold. Hurrying down the staircase, fear clutching at her, Beatrice quickly found Lady Norah and took her arm in her own, needing close company to reassure her.
“A gentleman knocked into me and did not offer even the slightest apology,” she said, by way of explanation. “I am a little overwhelmed.”
“How very rude!” Lady Norah exclaimed, looking at Beatrice with concern. “Shall we go to take tea somewhere? Or another ice at Gunters, mayhap?”
Beatrice hesitated. “I think I should like to return home shortly,” she said, slowly. “Would you like to join me for tea there?”
