Jemina St. Maur sprang from hiding. Her shiny brass buckles gleamed on her yellow slippers. With hair spilling from her chignon, she stood inches in front of him, reared her arm and slapped him, hard.
“You’re impossible, Daniel Thackery.”
Nodding, he agreed to things being impossible, such as a weakness for freckles and the deep cupid bow of her lips.
“Why strike me? Jealousy over two consenting adults’ private discussion doesn’t become you.”
“Not her. This.” She waved a piece of paper at him.
Creased, yellowed by two years—he knew exactly what it was. His memory conjured up every name on the torn page of theCornwall Chronicle, the list of passengers boarding theMinerva, including his Phoebe’s.
“Well, Mr. Thackery?”
He should’ve burned the paper.
Everything was at risk, because he was a sentimental fool.
Still, he said nothing, just stared into Mrs. St. Maur’s glorious, furious eyes.
CHAPTER 9
JEMINA—DEBATING ABARRISTER
Istood in the Lincoln’s Inn, not caring that Ashbrook caught me in the midst of breaking into his office. Shame should be mine for that and slapping him.
My heart wouldn’t slow. It beat loudly, and I waggled my finger in his face. “Just because you’re an earl or a barrister doesn’t make you immune to deception.”
“It’s an earlanda barrister. But you are correct. Sometimes I have to resort to tricks in court.”
“How could you? How could you withhold knowledge of my being on theMinerva?”
He sighed but said nothing, merely rubbed his jaw.
“Lord Ashbrook, this is criminal.”
Tweaking his jaw, he cleared his throat. “Can you tell me what crime has been committed? All I see is attempted burglary by a member of the Widow’s Grace.”
“Lying. That’s a crime, sir.”
“Technically, it’s a commandment, not a legal crime, ma’am. Very unfortunate, if I had lied, but I haven’t.”
“You did; you had this paper—”
“Mrs. St. Maur, I’ve never denied having paper. There’s plenty on my desk. Did you move my stack?”
“You are unfortunate.” I leaned and knocked his pile, not enough to scatter it but it was definitely off center now.
His face went blank, but I had that secretive feeling sweep over me. This man knew more but wouldn’t say.
“I wish I was you, Ashbrook, so I can be in on the joke. I want to be included.”
“What? Why?”
“ ’Cause then I’d have something. Something special and private. Something that I knew and didn’t have to doubt.”
His mouth opened, then he showed a little peek at the gap in teeth. “You confound me. I expected you to be mad and to continue to be loud and lash out, but not this . . .”
“This what?”
