“Well done.” He quirked a brow. “The bad news?”
“Livy did not get hired.”
“What happened?”
“The foreman thought she had the look of a troublemaker and would be a bad influence on the other workers. Livy was furious.” Charlie smiled, recalling her charge’s indignation. “It did not help that Hadleigh was waiting in the carriage, and when she told him what transpired, he guffawed and said the foreman was a good judge of character.”
“His Grace will be sleeping in a cold bed tonight.” Jack smirked. “And Devlin?”
“I have no idea what sort of bed he’ll be sleeping in.”
“Very amusing.” Jack gave her a squeeze. “Did he get hired?”
She nodded. Before recruiting Devlin to the mission, she’d informed him of the state of affairs between her and Jack. To her relief, he’d taken the news well and acted like the professional he was.
“He was gloating because his wages will be much higher than mine,” she said with a huff. “He will be standing around telling us workers what to do whilst I actually make the boxes for the matches and pack them. I even have to supply my own glue and string.”
“Grossly unfair.”
“It is a man’s world, but one day it will change,” she predicted. “In the meantime, women will continue to get things done as they always have. Livy gave the liquid to her uncle, by the by. She said he should have some answers for us in the next day or so. Glory and Fiona are making progress on their surveyance of the Great Exhibition. And I’ve told Pippa to redirect her efforts from finding the matchbox design to gathering any information on the streets about the First Flame. Thus far, she says the larks haven’t picked up any news.”
“You have had a productive day,” Jack said. “Better than mine.”
“What did you discover?”
“That I despise bureaucracy. I spent six hours being passed from clerk to clerk. At this rate, I am better off making a visit to the Public Records Office tomorrow night.”
She canted her head. “You would break into a government office?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“I shall come with you,” she decided.
“After your shift at the manufactory, you’ll need your rest. One of my colleagues can come with me.”
“Miss Delaney, by any chance?”
The words slipped out, and Charlie wished they hadn’t. Jack had told her he had no interest in his fellow agent, and she believed him. Yet her insecurities continued to nibble at her for no good reason.
“I’ll ask Laurent,” Jack said.
Not only did he let her unwarranted jealousy slide, but he also made things easy for her. His high-mindedness shamed her, for her nature wasn’t as generous. For instance, even though he had asked, she hadn’t yet shared how many lovers she’d had during their separation. She’d withheld the information partly on principle—he’d left her, made her think he was dead. But now she realized with uncomfortable clarity that she might have also held back for another reason: to punish him. To pay him back for hurting her. The recognition made her feel very small.
“There was only one,” she blurted.
Jack drew his brows together. “One…what?”
“One lover. During the time you were gone.
He said nothing. His only reaction was his arm tightening around her.
“Given how I thought our marriage ended, I was not exactly eager to get involved with another man,” she went on. “Time passed, and when I returned to London and started my society, I began to feel more myself, more in charge of my own destiny. I was ready to pursue physical intimacy once again. At the risk of sounding immodest, I had my choice of lovers?—”
“That is hardly surprising,” Jack muttered.
“Yet I was cautious. I did not want a repeat of what I believed to be my past failures.”
“I am sorry, love. The fault is mine for making you feel?—”
