“Perfectly understandable,” he said, suppressing the oddest urge to laugh as he extended his arm to her, which she immediately moved to take. “Have you found any books of interest that may be a suitable gift for my ... grandmother?”
“I’m afraid I haven’t because I may have become distracted with adding some books to my private collection, a hazard of being an avid reader. Nevertheless, now that you’re here, we can browse together.” She leaned closer and dropped her voice to a whisper. “In case you were wondering, I don’t actually own any furs.”
“I wouldn’t imagine you would, given your fondness for cats.”
She beamed a smile at him, something that left him losing histrain of thought for the barest of seconds until she patted his arm. “You mentioned your grandmother enjoyed ... poetry?”
Gideon shot a quick glance to Lottie, who was now perusing a shelf of history books halfway across the first floor. “Poetry is a favorite, but she mentioned an interest in the French Revolution a few months ago.”
“Then we’ll visit the history section first.” She nodded to the shelves where Lottie was now climbing up a ladder to reach the top shelf. “I’m sure there’ll be something over there, but if we’re unsuccessful, we can always prevail upon Mr. Bainswright. He knows where every book in the store is housed, but he’s currently assisting my chaperones today, Mr. Vernon Clarkson and Mr. Leopold Pendleton. Given that both those gentlemen were keen to see some of Mr. Bainswright’s rare books, we might have to wait awhile before Mr. Bainswright can assist us.”
“Do Vernon and Leopold often chaperone you around town?”
“Truth be told, given my advanced age, I rarely travel with a chaperone. Vernon and Leopold simply ran across me as I was waiting to board the El. They were concerned that I was alone and then insisted on accompanying me, even though I told them I’m perfectly capable of traveling around the city unescorted.” She grinned. “They then spent their time as we traveled on the El discussing my swan debacle, lending me their advice about how best to avoid a similar fiasco in the future.”
“What advice did they give you?”
Her eyes crinkled at the corners. “They suggested I take up running.”
“I bet you found that helpful.”
“Hardly,” Adelaide countered. “Running requires a certain level of athleticism, which is not an attribute that comes easily to me. Nevertheless, I’m quite accustomed to Vernon and Leopold lending me all sorts of entertaining advice, something they enjoy doling out whenever I’m in their company, which isoften, since society hostesses tend to seat me next to them at a variety of functions.”
“Aren’t you somewhat young to spend dinners in the company of men who are members of the elderly set?”
“We wallflowers are often relegated to tables with widowers and the like because the fashionable set would balk over what they’d surely see as an indignity.” She smiled. “But before you get affronted on my behalf, know that I enjoy Vernon and Leopold’s company. They led quite exciting lives in their younger days and enjoy regaling me with stories about those times.”
Gideon chanced another glance to Lottie, who was still on the ladder, leafing through a book. He frowned and returned his attention to Adelaide when something she’d said suddenly settled. “You don’t actually make it a habit to travel on the El by yourself, do you?”
“Certainly. It’s far faster than a carriage, what with how it can bypass all that nasty congestion on the streets.”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “How are you still alive?”
Her dimple popped out again as she grinned, immediately drawing his attention and causing him to lose his train of thought.
“My uncanny ability to continue breathing has often been a subject for contemplation within the Duveen household,” she began, snapping his thoughts back into working order. “But now is hardly the moment to delve into that peculiar circumstance.” She lowered her voice. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re currently in the process of tailing someone, although given your unusual greeting, I suspect you’re worried you may have been found out. I’m now assuming you’re once again in need of my assistance to help salvage your situation and know that I’ll be more than happy to oblige.”
Nine
Gideon’s thoughts faltered when Adelaide flashed him a smile, his attention fixated on a dimple he’d begun to find downright irresistible. He cleared his throat and struggled to concentrate on the conversation at hand. “I wouldn’t say my situation has deteriorated enough to where it needs to be salvaged, but how did you arrive at the conclusion that I might need your assistance again?”
“What else could I have possibly concluded?” she asked. “Surely you must know that authors of spy novels always include a scene where an agent uses the appearance of an unexpected acquaintance as a distraction plot. They then have that person approach the suspect being shadowed in an offhand manner. Because of my familiarity with those plots, if you’ll confirm which patron you’re following, I’d be happy to subtly strike up a conversation with them to ferret out some pertinent information for you.”
“There will be no subtle striking up of anything because what I’m doing here is a confidential matter.”
“But I’ve already figured out what you’re doing so there’s really no reason for you to be stingy with the details.”
“Except that you don’t need to know any specifics, because, as I’ve told you numerous times, I deal in matters of intrigue, which, again, could endanger your life if you know too much.”
“I would think it’s more dangerous for me to be left in the dark because who knows what convoluted scenarios I may come up with.” She released a touch of a sigh. “Besides, including me in your operation today will most assuredly see me returned to a more genial frame of mind.”
“You seem amiable enough to me.”
“That’s merely a ruse. I’m actually quite miserable, given the agonizing morning I endured at Camilla’s bequest.”
“Nice try, but you’re an avid reader, and you’re in a bookstore no less,” Gideon argued. “I would think any lingering anguish would have vanished the second you stepped through the door.” He frowned. “If memory serves me correctly, though, you were scheduled to meet with Camilla’s dressmaker for a few fittings, which is hardly an excruciating way to spend a morning.”
A grunt was her first response to that. “Afewfittings? I was forced to endure being a human pincushion for three hours.Three hours. Agony doesn’t effectively describe the misery I suffered.”
