Where is it?She froze and pinched her lips together, hoping she hadn’t said that aloud.
The pattern of the wallpaper disguised the seam, but using her hands, she felt the slight crease of the opening and pushed.
It didn’t budge, and she wanted to stamp her foot at the stubborn thing and demand it open. She struggled to remember if the wall had been pushed inward or outward when she’d seen Greene.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and she ducked under Colin’s desk and prayed that whoever it was wouldn’t enter.
Sometimes prayers are answered, and the person continued moving past the room and down the hall.
After waiting a few more moments, she rose and resumed her quest to open the wall.
Once more, she ran her hands along the patterned paper, this time going across in both directions from the seam. There, to the left, she found the other seam and pushed.
It still wouldn’t budge, and as her hand droppedalong the wall, she felt it. A tiny opening, barely big enough for a finger. She reached inside and discovered a tiny latch.
A satisfyingpopfollowed, and the door swung slightly open toward her. She wanted to do a little dance, but there wasn’t time for celebration.
She slipped inside the dark entrance and closed the door with aclick.
A faint, unpleasant memory surfaced of being confined in that tiny service closet at Hartridge House. But hadn’t that led to her marriage to Colin? And that had turned out well. Courage summoned, she squinted in the dark. She needed light. Ready to go back out, she popped the door back open a tiny crack. The beam of light from Colin’s study illuminated a slim table resting against the passage wall. On top lay a finger lamp and a box of lucifer matches.
Careful to hold the match away from her as she struck it against the plate on the box, asizzleand a spark rewarded her. And after lighting the lamp, she closed the secret door, ready to explore.
Colin had risenearly that morning. He’d hated leaving Anne alone in bed, but he curbed his desire to wake her for another round of lovemaking. There was simply too much to do to become distracted by his tempting wife.
With two stops to make, he set off, hoping to return home by sundown. Both calls were of equal, but wholly different, importance. Along with the letter he’d received about the puppies that morning, Mr. Sedley had replied to Colin’s request to withdraw his name from consideration as MP.
Commons needs another man with connections to Lords. Although I understand your predicament, I implore you to come in person so we may discuss the matter. Perhaps we can find a solution.
Colin doubted it, but he felt duty-bound to offer the man an explanation. Or perhaps it was because some of Anne’s optimismhad taken root in him, and he held tight to the tenuous possibility of an option.
After exchanging pleasantries, where Colin informed Sedley of his marriage, they got down to business. The meeting went well, exceeding Colin’s expectations. A persuasive speaker, Sedley made an excellent point.
“The Crown doesn’t hand out writs of acceleration lightly, my lord. I can’t recall when the last was issued. And your father may recover enough to remove the implication of urgency. Why not wait and continue your pursuit for MP? With the election two weeks away, it would be a shame to withdraw unnecessarily.” He paused for effect. “And your marriage to a woman who isn’t from a titled family might hold great sway with those who distrust the aristocracy.”
“You truly believe Anne could help my campaign?”
“I do, sir. Words may impress. But actions. Ah, there is power there.”
Colin wondered how much power his marriage to Anne would hold if the people knew she came from a wealthy family. But the promise of winning the election for MP overshadowed his doubts. He rose and extended his hand. “Very well. You make an excellent argument.”
Sedley grinned as he gripped Colin’s hand in a firm handshake. “As do you.” He patted Colin on the back as he showed him out. “Now let us focus on winning this election. And felicitations on your marriage. You appear ten stone lighter.”
And as Colin boarded the coach for his second task of the day, hefeltten stone lighter as well. Tired of fighting his feelings for fear of rejection, he made a vow. Anne deserved therealhim, not just an image of the man he wanted her to see. And with her help, he would discover exactly who that man was. He would confess his love to her and tell her he hoped she would grow to love him in return someday.
As he watched the passing scenery, he found himself whistling. Had it not been for retrieving three rambunctious puppies, he would have taken a horse. And had he beenon horseback, he would have broken into a gallop out of sheer unbridled exuberance.
Instead, he relaxed back onto the squabs of the carriage. The idea of being on horseback called forth a memory of a certain Elfin Princess on a stubborn horse named Dolly, and Colin barked a laugh. Oh, how she had changed him.
For the good.
No. For the better.
His Nymph of Nuisance might even help him win the MP seat. He made a mental note to ask if she would like to accompany him on calls around the borough prior to the election.
His day continued to get better when he arrived at the breeder’s. Not only did they still have two puppies, they had four—three males and one undersized bitch.
Colin stooped to pet the scrawny one who had more energy than size.
