“Why?” She wasn’t fishing for a compliment, but knowing Greer to be forthright, she was curious to hear his answer.
“Because you are fun. I’m sure we would laugh a lot even in the dungeon.”
“The museum displays the ‘celebrated’ murderers as well as their victims. Do you know Madame Tussaud herself nearly went to the guillotine? If not for an influential friend, such a great artist would be long dead, and we wouldn’t have wax dummies in the perfect likeness of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.”
“I look forward to it,” he said.
“It is definitely worth seeing,” she admitted, still not committing. She recalled her mother had told her to stay clear of Greer Carson so as not to annoy Lady Emily.
“We can go tomorrow or the next day,” Greer proposed, “or whenever it suits you.”
He was certainly being accommodating. “We’ll see. Meanwhile, tell me, what else you have seen.”
“Westminster Abbey, naturally, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, and The Tower.”
She nodded. “All worthy sights. And so many more to see. Parks and museums, palaces and London Bridge. And we have some lovely theatres.”
Then she considered his new station as a beau. “I think most of those you will find to be romantic and perfect for escorting your new lady.”
“We’ll see,” he said, as noncommittally as she had.
“Perhaps Lady Emily would enjoy the crypt at Gerard's Hall,” she said, teasingly.
He coughed. “Perhaps.”
“Or the crypt at Guildhall or St. John’s.”
He started to laugh. “I cannot imagine the reaction if I showed up to escort her and told her and her chaperone we were going to tour crypts.”
She chuckled, glad he found it amusing.
“I’ve heard the Elgin marbles are worth a look,” he added.
“Definitely. As well as the Townley marbles. I don’t know why everyone focuses on Lord Elgin’s clever bit of thievery from the Greeks.”
“Precisely because it was so clever, I suspect. But I would like to see what Townley brought back from Italy, too.”
She spoke carefully, measuring her words. “I believe museums, except for Madame Tussaud’s, are considered to have an aura of romance. At least, I think they do. The paintings and sculptures can bring one to quite a passionate sentiment, best experienced with one for whom you have deep emotions.”
Greer stopped dead in his tracks. “Why, Miss Rare-Foure, that is the most surprising thing you’ve said to me yet.”
“Really?” Beatrice couldn’t imagine why. “Do you not have a great appreciation for the arts?”
“I do, in fact. Although I’ve felt thatpassionate sentimentyou mention when looking at the spacious sky over the plains of America on a sunny day, as blue as your eyes and about as deep.”
Funny he should mention her eyes, which she’d thought to be almost a failing in her family of richly warm, brown-eyed siblings and parents.
“Or the mountains in Colorado, or even the ocean waves. I suppose one can never guess where or what may cause passion to spring up in one. However, I suppose you believe I should go to museums solely with Lady Emily, in case I am overcome.”
She chuckled at how ridiculous he made that sound.
“I might swoon into her arms in front of a Dutch masterpiece,” he continued. “Or collapse at her feet at the sight of a bust of some long-dead king.”
“One never knows, Mr. Carson. Best to be with the right person at the time.”
“Nevertheless, I would risk going to see the Elgin marbles with you, Miss Rare-Foure, because you are good company.”
She felt warm all over. “Let’s go to Tussaud’s and see how we do. Naturally, we will need a chaperone. Charlotte, at the very least.”
