His eyes never moved from her face, but it was his mouth that held her attention. Theo’s lips twitched.
“It is what society calls me, and yet we digress. I would be grateful if you would allow me to look through those papers, my lady.”
“They are my husband’s personal things.” She may not have liked Sydney very much. Even so, Iris had to consider Henry.
Frustration flashed across his face.
“I will look first and hand you anything I think could be of interest,” she added. “I can have them sent here.” She couldn’t stop him from finding answers. She knew that, even if it incriminated her worthless husband.
Iris didn’t want to spend too much time with this man. Already she felt as if they’d both revealed a part of themselves to each other that no one usually saw. She couldn’t allow him to see more of her.
“I have no wish to wait,” he said slowly. “I need to see if there is anything in those papers, Iris. This is very important to me.”
There was tension in him, which was understandable considering what he’d just read on that piece of paper he still held.
“You can’t just enter my house and search it. I won’t allow it.” She was no longer someone people could walk all over.
“I don’t want to search your house. I want to come with you while you do it.”
She could feel his desperation. Were their roles reversed, Iris was sure she would feel the same. She’d want justice to avenge her parents if they were murdered as well.
“Very well, I will allow it if you tell me why your voice is different from the one you used in that ballroom the other night.”
“We are all playing a part, my lady. Now let’s go.” His long fingers wrapped around her arm, and he was tugging her toward the door. “Is your carriage outside?”
“That’s all you will say? We are all playing a part?”
“It is. Now answer the question.”
“I don’t like being spoken to like that.”
“Is your carriage outside, Lady Challoner? May we use it to go to your house?” The words came out dripping with sweetness. The look on his face, however, was entirely different. His expression was almost fierce.
“Yes, my carriage is outside your front door,” she said, instead of asking more questions because she was totally confused.
Iris needed to remember to keep this man at arm’s length, just as she was sure he wanted to keep her. He could not intrigue or interest her. No man would ever do that again.
“Excellent, it will save time calling for mine.” They stepped from the room. “Haven! Hat and gloves at once!”
“Don’t bellow at your staff. It’s rude,” Iris said, horrified.
“I pay them well.”
“Paying someone well is no excuse for bad manners.”
The butler who had answered the door appeared. In his hands were a hat and gloves. White satin, she noted.
“Surely those are evening gloves?”
“I like to wear satin,” he snapped, stuffing the gloves into his coat pocket.
Stalking through the house, he slapped his hat on his head and headed out the door with Iris behind him. Reaching her carriage, Theo opened the door and lifted her inside before she could take another step.
“Take us to the Challoner town house at once,” he then directed her driver.
Iris poked her head out the window and added, “Please, Samuel.” After she’d sat, and they were moving, she told him, “You had far better manners as a young boy.”
“I had many far better things in my life as a boy.”
