“My best! My best!” Adelaide sang as she entered the alcove, a much younger serving girl following close behind. Adelaide sat a silver tray before them, laden on one end and around the edges with a china teapot with a floral design, as well as matching cupsand saucers, an empty bowl, a brimming pitcher of milk, and a bowl of brown, lumpy sugar. In the center of the tray sat a tall silver urn, steam rising from the narrow spout, and a small wooden tea chest. A strainer and spoons in a neat line rested near the chest.
The serving girl waited, holding a three-tiered display of pastries, small sandwiches, and meat pies, as well as small pots of jam and clotted cream. Adelaide took it from her and nestled it beside the silver tray. She leaned back and studied the arrangement, hands on her hips. “What do you think?”
Judith nodded. “It looks delicious.”
“Should I do the tea or will you?”
Judith slipped off her gloves and draped them over her lap. “I will take care of it.”
Adelaide nodded. “Very good. I will check on you later but will mostly leave you to it. Stay as long as you please. I can provide an early supper, if needed.” Her voice dropped and she leaned closer to Judith. “Or a late supper, if you desire. Do not be too rowdy or you will arouse too much curiosity.”
“I assure you we will be civil.”
Adelaide left, shooing the serving girl in front of her.
Rydell, who had watched Adelaide in silence but with a gleam of curiosity in his eyes, nodded toward the departed hostess. “Are you sure about our civility? I have sensed some hostility in you this afternoon.”
Judith poured a bit of hot water into the china pot and swirled it about before pouring the water into the empty bowl, resisting the urge to dump it into his lap. She then opened the tea chest and spooned leaves into the china pot. “And why should I not be hostile toward someone who is trying to both seduce me and ruin my family simultaneously?”
His mouth gave a sly twist. “I am not trying to ruin your family.”
“Even though that appears to be the case.”
“Appearances can most definitely be deceiving.”
“Almost always. You, for instance, have been attempting to appear the reformed rake, without much success.”
“I can assure you I am in no way reformed.”
Pursing her lips, Judith added more hot water to the pot and replaced the lid. “And before we arrived, we were discussing Edmund’s vowels. Do you or do you not hold most of his debts?”
“To be precise, At Wheel’s End holds the debts.”
“Of which you are the owner.”
“Part owner. Recent acquisition.Afterthe majority of those debts had been incurred.” Rydell took a deep breath and twisted his torso a bit. “And Edmund, despite what he may have told you, has incurred substantial debt at several locations throughout the city.”
“His shipping investments—”
“Are not ours.”
“He said that he met—”
“One meets many people at a gaming hell. We do not screen our clientele for their legitimacy. That is not our concern.”
“He said you encouraged him toward particular businessmen.”
Rydell paused and placed a pastry, a meat pie, and a small bit of jam on the plate in front of him. He picked up a pot of clotted cream, peering at it. “This is pink.”
“It is flavored with dried raspberries, which she grinds into a powder.”
“Curious.”
“But tasty. Try some.”
He did, dolloping a mound onto the plate and tasting it hesitantly. “Hm.”
Judith rested the strainer over a cup and poured the tea, then moved to the second cup. “Edmund.”
