Susannah’s spirits fell like lead in water.
Locked!
But just as she thought all hope of searching his room had vanished, Susannah caught sight of a key ring peeking out of the edge of the servant’s apron pocket. Susannah knew she had to get that key ring.
With no time for further thought, she said, “Thank you, you’ve been most helpful.” She started to walk past the servant but instead pretended to stumble and knocked the tray of glasses out of the young woman’s hands. They fell to the floor with a horrible crash, breaking most of them.
Susannah quickly glanced around to see if anyone had heard or seen the commotion. The servant immediately dropped to the floor to pick up the broken glass. The roar of the chatter from the crowd must have muffled the shattering glass because no one came running.
“I’m so sorry,” Susannah said, bending down to help the young woman pick up the broken pieces. “That was very clumsy of me.”
“Please, don’t help me,” the servant said.
“But it was my fault. Look, there’s a piece of broken glass over there. Don’t miss that one.”
When the servant turned and reached for the stray glass, Susannah reached for the key ring, slid it out of the apron pocket, and put it directly down the front of her gown.
“If anyone sees you helping me, I will lose my job. Please rise.”
Susannah saw the fear in her eyes and immediately stood. “I understand. Thank you once again. You have been a great help to me.”
Though she was anything but, Susannah calmly walked away, looking down at the front of her dress to make sure the key ring was not showing. She didn’t know how much time she would have before the servant missed her keys, so she had to find Captain Spyglass’s bedchamber immediately.
With all the aplomb she could muster considering how fast her heart was beating, Susannah wove her way through the crowd on the first floor and found Mrs. Princeton.
A servant passed by with a tray of champagne, and Susannah took a glass, deciding she needed something to fortify her for what she was about to do. As she lifted the glass to her lips and took her first sip, she saw Race walk through the door. Suddenly, her stomach felt as if it had a hundred butterflies in it and all of them were trying to get out. Just the sight of him filled her with sweet longing.
Her breasts tightened as she remembered how his lips had moved so effortlessly over hers, how gentle his hands had been, and how wonderful she and Race had made each other feel. Though she saw his gaze searching the room, it didn’t appear he’d seen her. She quickly turned away from him. She didn’t need to have her mind on him. She had allowed him to distract her for the last time.
Susannah gave the glass of champagne to Mrs. Princeton and said, “I’m ready to begin my search. I must go down to the ground floor, but you stay up here and keep your sights on Captain Spyglass.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Mrs. Princeton looked stiff, and her bottom lip quivered. Susannah exhaled heavily. “You don’t have to go speak to him. Just watch him, follow him, and if you see him heading below stairs, faint or start screaming.”
“That won’t be difficult to do, Your Grace.”
Susannah gave her a warm smile and patted her upper arm as she walked past her and whispered, “Thank you for your bravery.”
As inconspicuously as possible, she made her way to the ground floor, where a servant stood by the front door ready to greet new arrivals or get wraps for those departing. She pretended to be looking at a painting until she saw him turn his back, and then she quickly rounded the corner out of his sight. A runner of fine Turkish carpet muffled Susannah’s steps as she tiptoed down the dimly lit corridor on the ground floor. The darkened passageway seemed to stretch forever toward the three doors at the end. One of them had to be the master of the house’s bedchamber.
Her heart pumped wildly with fear and with hope. If only fate would smile on her and she could find the pearls in a velvet pouch in the first drawer she opened. A constant roar of near panic filled her ears, but she forced herself to remain calm and collected as she tried the knob on each door. Only two of the doors were locked. The one room that wasn’t had been filled floor to ceiling with furniture from the upper rooms.
She pulled the key ring out of her clothing and counted five keys on it.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to try the door in the center first. She put first one and then another key into the keyhole and tried them until only one key was left. She put it in and turned, but it didn’t unlock the door either.
Were none of the servant’s keys to this door?
As she moved on to the other door, tension and fear had her fingers numb and she began to doubt herself. Why had she agreed to come to London on this ill-fated mission? What had made her think she could get the pearls legally, let alone by theft? She should be in her own home at Chapel Gate, leading her quiet life, playing her music, reading poetry. But if she had never come to London, she would have never met Race. She wouldn’t have felt alive for the first time in years. She wouldn’t have fallen in love. Unbidden, memories of his kisses, his touch, his… No, she had to push those thoughts aside. He would not distract her again.
Maybe she’d just been in too big a hurry. With shaky hands, she started trying the keys again.
Click.
Was that the lock? She pulled the key out, turned the knob, pushed the door open just a crack, and listened. No sound came from inside the room. She looked behind her again. The corridor was empty. She opened the door a little farther so that she could stick her head inside for a quick peek. Her gaze scanned the handsomely appointed room that appeared to be Captain Spyglass’s bedchamber.
Only one light burned in the room, a small oil lamp on a dressing table. A tall, turned-spindle bed stood against the far wall. The draperies and coverlet were the creamy color of aged pearls. They were trimmed with gold cord and bullion fringe. Her gaze darted around the luxurious room. Glowing embers smoldered in the fireplace on the back wall.
