“Since profitability is Mr. Bainswright’s greatest motivation, I’m sure he’d be delighted if everyone rummages through it,” Adelaide said, which was all it took for every book agent to rush for the crate, crowding one another as they began pulling books out and stacking them on the empty table in what seemed to be proprietary stacks.
“Perhaps thereisa treasure lurking in there for me,” Lottie murmured before she glided over to join the men, somehow slipping past William and Jeromy and all but shouldering them out of her way, earning mutters of discontent from the gentlemen surrounding her.
“You realize you may be responsible for causing a riot, don’t you?” Gideon asked, earning a grin from Adelaide before she took his arm and tugged him away from the madness now surrounding the crate.
“I’m sure it won’t turn that concerning,” she said, coming to a stop in front of a display ofFrankensteinnovels that was well removed from any customers. “Besides, Jane Smith claimed to be looking for a heavy read, and I noticed a few of those when I rummaged through the crate earlier. I felt compelled to mention the newly arrived books because we book lovers receive a great deal of satisfaction over helping fellow readers find the perfect read.”
“You also seem to have felt compelled to invite her to a book salon you know Camilla is going to have a fit about. You mentioned starting it up in January, but if you’ve forgotten, that’s when the Season launches in earnest.”
“I’ll work something out with Camilla. I couldn’t very well have neglected such a fortuitous opportunity, not after hearing all that about the criminal set’s involvement with book collecting.”
“I’m afraid you’ve lost me.”
She gave his arm a pat. “That does seem to happen often, but hear me out. What if Jane is involved with the less legal means of acquiring books for collectors? She could be here today because she’s scouting out potential acquisitions or picking up any rumors being bandied about by the book agents.”
“Three book agents just told me that discretion is now a must for everyone in the business.”
“Believe me, I spend a lot of time with book agents, and discretion is not always in play,” Adelaide countered. “I’m sure Jane knows that, and, if she is involved with using less-than-ethical means to acquire sought-after books, she won’t be able to resist the lure of book gossip that will certainly swirl around a salon. I would think you’d be able to see the advantages of having her in attendance, especially if you haven’t solved whatever case she’s involved with come January, because it’ll put you in close proximity to her. That might allow you to uncover much-needed clues regarding the improprieties she probably enacted against her former employer.”
“The way your mind works is almost beyond comprehension,” Gideon muttered.
Adelaide grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment as well as a sign you’re beginning to realize I truly would be an asset to the accounting firm, even if you’re too stubborn to admit it.”
Ten
“I don’t think I was actually complimenting you,” Gideon said, raking his hand through his hair and leaving it decidedly rumpled.
“Now, don’t be like that,” Adelaide argued. “Negativity doesn’t become you. However, there’s no need to discuss this matter right now, not when we could be making better use of our time by keeping a close eye on Jane. She might be meeting someone here, and we wouldn’t want to miss that opportunity, would we?”
“There’s nowein any of this.”
“There you go again with the negativity.”
“And there you go again with being tenacious, something I might have to mention to your mother.”
Her lips twitched. “If you think threatening me with a potential lecture from my mother is going to deter me, think again. Besides, Mother has more to concern herself with right now than something as trivial as that.”
“Society mothers always make time for lecturing.”
“I would normally agree. However, Mother is currently engaged in a somewhat contentious situation with Camilla regardingcolor choices.” Adelaide picked up a book, glanced at the title, then set it aside. “Mother believes I’d look quite fetching in sun colors, a notion that leaves Camilla shuddering. I fear a war of wills is teetering on the brink of erupting, and unfortunately for my mother, I don’t think she has a chance of winning, not when Camilla has such a flair for fashion.”
Gideon arched a brow. “Given that you’re currently wearing ivory, a shade that’s somewhat commonplace for ladies, I’m not certain why your mother is at odds with Camilla.”
“Camilla hasn’t chosen ivory for my new wardrobe. This is one of my older frocks, worn today because Camilla believes the new and improved color palette she’s chosen for me will make more of an impact if we unveil it at the start of the Season. Making an immediate impression is also why I’m not venturing back into society until the Patriarch Ball, another matter that has my mother at odds with Camilla.” She picked up another book, realized she’d already read it, and set it down. “But since I’m hardly a lady who enjoys waxing on about fashions or color hues in general, allow me to return to more pertinent matters, more specifically, your reluctance to recognize what an indispensable asset I could be to the accounting firm. If you’ll simply set aside your nonsensical misgivings and tell me what you need to learn from Jane Smith, although I doubt that’s her real name, I’ll get right to work.”
“I’m sure her nameisn’tJane Smith, but speaking of names, you providing her with your name lends credence to the notion that you’re not well-suited for matters involving surreptitious situations. You’ve now given a girl who’s known to associate with members of the criminal persuasion the means to locate you.”
Adelaide frowned. “Fabricating an alias in this bookstore would be a less-than-prudent decision since everyone knows who I am. Besides, you didn’t withhold your real name when the book agents sought out an introduction, which left meconcluding there wasn’t a reason to worry that providing my name would be an issue. With that settled, what information may I ferret out of Jane for you today?”
“There will be no ferreting. That’ll have her suspicions about me cemented for certain.”
“On the contrary. Jane won’t find it odd in the least if I return to speak with her because I can feign an interest in all those books everyone seems to be wrestling over.” She nodded to where William and Jeromy were now engaged in a tug-of-war with a leather-bound book Adelaide had decided against because it dealt with the dreary subject of mathematical equations.
“No.”
Adelaide resisted a sigh and tried again. “But you can hardly lurk about watching her now since she’s of the belief that you’re here to find a present for your grandmother.”
“I don’t need to lurk anymore because Duncan, one of my associates, is observing her now.”
