“Your sister?”
“And my sister-in-law.”
“Excellent.”
“How shall I introduce you?”
“That won’t be necessary.” That grin of his was starting to grate on her. “Where are they?”
“Next to the Duke of Ryleigh.”
He missed a step.
Rose tilted her head up at him, stuffing her own grin. “Oh, you know of my brother?”
“You little minx,” he bit out. He broke their eye contact and surveyed the perimeter. Tension poured from him. He spun her about and stopped just feet away from Sebastian. “I’ll see you Thursday night at the Martindales,” he whispered in her ear. “Open the terrace doors in the library by ten o’clock.”
“I’ll take my kerchief back now,” she whispered fiercely.
He pulled it from his pocket. Spread it out and appeared to study her initials. He brought it to his nose and breathed in.“Will you?” He stuffed it back in his pocket. “Until Thursday, my lady.” He melted into the horde like a dark specter.
Four
The carriage ride home was heavy at two in the morning with the heightened traffic. “You lost your cap,” Gabriella said. “When did that happen?”
Rose tugged her cloak more firmly around her. “When Shufflebottom started after me.”
Gabriella gasped. “He didn’t!”
“I’ll see that bastard in hell,” Huntley growled.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Rose told the two of them. “He had no idea who I was.”One hoped.She looked out at the dark night and wondered where Mr. Whitmore lived in the vast city. How had he come to be at Shufflebottom’s masquerade?
Gabriella’s eyes narrowed on her. “Wheredidyou disappear to?”
Well, she couldn’t very well tell them she was with a merchant who didn’t belong anywhere near Mayfair and that they’d broken into the marquis’s safe. Her lips tingled, and she clutched her cloak tighter to keep from touching her lips. She closed her eyes. “Hmm?” She shrugged. “Mingling.”
“Mingling? You aren’t a mingler, Rose.”
Rose snapped her head around. “Usedto not be a mingler, thank you. I’m making inroads on my efforts in becoming more adventurous. Something you never said but should have.”
Gabriella’s nose wrinkled. “Are you sure I never said so? Though it does sound like something I would say. Especially in the throes of a row.”
Rose smiled. “True.”
Gabriella took her hand. “Rose, darling? Are you all right?”
She blinked. “Of course.”
Gabriella’s gaze seared her, and Rose turned her head to find Huntley’s was too. “That’s enough out of both of you. I’m perfectly fine.” Heavens, she couldn’t arrive home soon enough. She needed a change of topic, and quickly. “I think I shall donate a few books to Hope House. I’ll bring them by tomorrow. Also, I should like to donate material for the Hope House girls. They could use new frocks.” The idea just tumbled out of her, and it was brilliant. Made her heart swell with…withpride.
“That will be lovely,” Gabriella said, clapping her hands. “I also had a thought that perhaps you could spend time with the young women. They might enjoy a few lessons in etiquette.”
Rose peered at her in the darkness. “Etiquette? Oh, yes. I would be quite good at that.”
Her sister grinned. “Very good,” she quickly agreed.
The carriage drew up to Stanford House on Upper Brook Street, and Rose couldn’t alight fast enough. Only, she was forced to wait for the steps to be set down and Huntley to assist her. Thankfully, Winston had the door open, and Rose waved her sister and brother-in-law off without further fuss.
