“I’m finding this conversation far more intriguing than the mummy story I was reading earlier.”
It came as no surprise when he completely ignored that as he strode across the room and plucked her book from the floor. As he straightened, she took a step toward him, but stilled when, from out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something on thefloor—something that was sticking out from behind the fainting couch, and something that certainly explained Gideon’s determination to see her well removed from the library.
She lifted her chin as Gideon rejoined her, earning a sigh from him in the process.
“You look like you have additional questions,” he said.
“Indeed. The most burning of which regards the shoe I just spotted—one that’s behind the fainting couch, and one I assume is attached to someone’s leg.”
Three
“Huh. Would you look at that?” Gideon said, directing his attention to where Adelaide was nodding. “Thereisa shoe, and one that’s definitely attached to a leg.” He was by her side a second later, taking hold of her arm and prodding her toward the door. “Allow me to see you well removed from what could certainly develop into a perilous situation.”
“Nice try, Gideon, but I’m not going anywhere,” Adelaide said, slipping out of his hold and hustling over to the fainting couch, her mouth dropping open at the sight that met her eyes.
A man trulywaslying prone on the floor, dressed in black, with a cap pulled low over his brow. His hands were tied in front of him with what appeared to be a drapery cord, but he wasn’t moving a muscle, which demanded an explanation.
“It’s little wonder you didn’t want me lingering in the library,” she said, turning to Gideon. “In all honesty, I’m feeling quite idiotic for not noticing there was an unconscious man behind the couch I was perched on earlier. Given that his hands are tied, I’m going to assume he’s not dead because there’d be little point in securing a man who’d breathed his last, but what happened? Or better yet, who is he?”
Gideon’s forehead furrowed. “Don’t you think instead of pressing me for answers, you should be skedaddling out of here like most normal ladies would do?”
“I’ve never been deemed what anyone would consider normal.” She returned her attention to the unconscious man, leaning forward and peering at his face. “Good heavens. That’s Frank.”
“You know him?” Gideon asked.
“Not personally.”
“Then how do you know his name’s Frank?”
“He’s a frequent customer at Bainswright Books. I once overheard a conversation he was holding with a few men, and one of those men called him Frank.” She straightened. “And not that I can say this with certainty, given that the men moved away from the rack of books I was, ah, lingering behind, but his last name might be Fitzsimmons.”
Gideon gave his chin a scratch. “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but you weren’t intentionally eavesdropping on these men, were you?”
“It’s hardly my fault if I happen to be in spots where conversations can be easily overheard, nor is it my fault that I seem to be one of those ladies no one seems to notice.”
“You’re quite mistaken if you believe you’re a lady who doesn’t stand out in a crowd.”
Pleasure immediately coursed through her, but before Adelaide could appreciate the feeling to its fullest, Gideon crossed his arms over his chest. “May I assume there was a reason you were snooping around that day in the bookstore when you listened in on Frank and his friends’ conversation?”
“I won’t deny I may have decided to lurk behind a specific bookcase that particular day, but I had a good reason for doing so. Frank never struck me as a bibliophile, and yet I’d seen him wandering around Bainswright Books quite often and rarely with any books in hand. There was also something about theway he dressed that piqued my curiosity.” She glanced back to Frank. “Not that you can tell this at the moment, given the manner in which he’s currently garbed, which seems to be burglar-chic, but he’s normally a very dapper dresser, although on the flashy side, something one doesn’t often see down on the far side of Bleecker Street.”
“If that’s where this Bainswright Books is, I’m going to suggest you discontinue patronizing that establishment. With your unfortunate habit of courting disasters, you should steer clear of questionable areas in the city.”
Adelaide waved that aside. “Bainswright Books has the largest assortment of books in the city, and it’s how I’ve amassed a collection of dime novels I wouldn’t have been able to find anywhere else. There’s absolutely no chance I’ll stop shopping there. However, that has nothing to do with this most unusual situation at hand.” She gestured to Frank. “I currently have numerous questions regarding poor Frank, such as why you’ve tied him up and why he’s still not moving. I don’t see any blood, unless the black he’s wearing is concealing that.”
“There’s no blood because I used a blackjack on him.”
“Ah, so youareresponsible for Frank’s condition.”
Gideon raked a hand through his hair. “I have no idea why I admitted that to you. I was intending to suggest you return to the dinner party before Frank regains consciousness, which could pose a danger to you.”
“He hasn’t so much as stirred a single muscle, so I’m safe for now, and...” She smiled. “Don’t feel bad about your unintentional admission. I’ve been known to fluster people at the best of times, and this is hardly the best of times.” She took a step closer to Gideon. “Since I’m in no immediate danger, if we could return to the blackjack—I have no idea what that is, but it sounds exactly like something a man who spends his time engaged in clandestine activities would know about.”
Gideon settled a frown on her. “You’re very tenacious about my supposed involvement with matters of intrigue.”
“Tenacity, I’m afraid I must admit, is another fault of mine.”
“May I assume you strive to keep that fault hidden from your mother as well?”
