Sophie frowned. “Is that supposed to be reassuring?”
“Uh… No…” Eleanor grimaced. “That was likely a fact best kept for another time.” The Captain might enjoy it. She would include it when she wrote him next.
The cab pulled to a stop, and Sophie thumped her gloved fist into her palm. “We must do what we can to sign Chester. I have no desire to drown in the world’s largest waterfall.”
Eleanor opened the cab door. “Actually, Niagara is neither the tallest nor the widest of the world’s waterfalls,” she said as she alighted. “Those distinctions belong to—” She stilled as Sophie narrowed her eyes. “Right. Let’s focus on the task at hand. Wooing Chester.”
Chester was, in fact, a woman named Agatha. Not just any woman named Agatha. She was the Dowager Countess ofWharton, widely known as a dragon of theton, often featured in the gossip pages for her tendency to make young men quail.
Yet here she was, author of what would be a most scandalous novel, sitting in a modest restaurant with only a single footman for company.
“I was under the impression that I was meeting you alone, Miss Cumberland,” Lady Wharton said, regarding Eleanor as one would an anonymous package with a corner smeared with blood.
“Miss Wright is a trusted advisor, Your Ladyship, and essential to my business. I assure you, she will not reveal a thing.”
Lady Wharton narrowed her eyes. “Essential how?”
“She has read what seems like every book in existence—fiction and nonfiction—and can easily tell me if a story is unique or if it has been told a dozen times over.”
“And yoursisunique, Your Ladyship,” Eleanor added, trying to play her part in the wooing.
Lady Wharton looked as though she’d swallowed something foul, but she refocused her attention on Sophie. “Why should I sign with you, Miss Cumberland? I’ve had three other offers.”
“I have the best compositor in England.” She gestured to Eleanor. “EvenThe Timeshires her when they can due to the speed at which she works. I can publish your book faster than any other house.”
Never had Eleanor seen a look as sharp as the one directed at Sophie now. “Are you suggesting that I’m old?” Lady Wharton asked. “That I have precious few years left on this Earth, and thus must publish before I croak?”
Sophie flushed and stammered. “Not at all. I would never…” She looked to Eleanor for help.
Eleanor delivered it the best way she knew how. “Did you know that life expectancy has increased by thirty-one percent in the past hundred years, and that it has little to do with advancements in medical care overall but specifically advancements in pediatric care? If a person survived childhood last century, they were likely to live just as long as they do now.”
“Which is how long?” Lady Wharton asked sharply.
Eleanor swallowed, wishing she knew what answer the dragon wanted. “Seventy-odd years,” she answered truthfully. “Longer if they have access to good food and medical care.”
“And how old do you think I am…?”
Good God.Eleanor exchanged a glance with Sophie, who had turned white. “Not a day over fifty, surely.”
Lady Wharton harrumphed. “Your eyesight does you well, Miss Wright. I suppose that’s due to your occupation.”
Eleanor’s shoulders loosened. She had come safe through that particular eddy. “There are reasons other than my eyesight to choose Sophie, Your Ladyship.”
“Such as?”
“The quality of her work is far superior to others’. Her books are more thoughtfully designed. She’ll spare no expense sourcing the most beautiful, unique fabrics and leathers, and each is set, printed, and bound by women who take pride in their work.”
Sophie blushed. Lady Wharton’s expression softened for the first time that evening. “Continue.”
“Her books are more than products on a shelf. They are art, just as the words inside are. My library is more extensive than you could imagine, and her books stand out for their quality.” Beneath the table, she squeezed Sophie’s hand. It was a fact, not an exaggeration.
Lady Wharton stared at her with such forceful scrutiny that Eleanor’s insides squirmed.
Finally, the dragon released her grip. “I doubt our definitions of an extensive library are aligned in this case, Miss Wright, but I do see your point.” She pursed her lips. “Do you read the papers you typeset, Miss Wright?”
Disconcerted, Eleanor looked at Sophie before responding. “I do.”
“Do you have a satisfactory understanding of what is happening in the world beyond society’s gossip?”
