While sorting paperwork hadn’t suited her restless nature, she had immensely enjoyed questioning the maid, Abigail, and trying to fit all the pieces together to form a picture of what had happened to the Duke of Hanover’s mistress. Not only that, but she’d been good at it.
Even if Kincaid had been reluctant with his praise.
She wondered if she might not give detective work a go when she returned to Somerville. Not that the sleepy village was inundated with crimes, but things occasionally went missing and needed to be found, the same as any other place. She neededsomethingto keep herself busy. Something to keep her mind off the detective she was leaving behind.
“Drats,” Evie exclaimed when they had wrestled their luggage down the stairs and dropped it beside the front door. “It’s raining.”
So it was. Somewhere between a mist and a downpour, water fell steadily from a gray, gloomy sky with even darker clouds on the horizon.
“But your coach is here,” said Joanna, pointing out the window at a shiny black landau carriage, its top closed to guard against the foul weather.
The sisters smiled sadly at each other.
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Evie asked. “I can go with you.”
“And give up marrying an earl?” Joanna said with a wry smile. “I think not.”
“I am only doing it to get Mother’s ring. The second Weston proposes and slips the ring on my finger, I’ll be on my way home.”
“That’s quite devious, even for you.”
Evie pursed her lips. “Fair is fair. He took it from us, I am merely taking it back.”
“While enjoying the life of a proper lady in the meantime.”
“Ifyou’renot going to, I might as well.”
Joanna suppressed a shudder. “That ball was all I needed to know that thetonand I are a poor match.”
“Well, I adored every bit of it.”
“I am aware, as that’s all you’ve talked about for the past two days.” Smiling fondly, Joanna reached out and straightened Evie’s hat. “Enjoy your house party. You’ll have everyone eating out of the palm of your hand before the first week is done.”
Evie blushed with pleasure. “Do you really think so?”
“How could anyonenotlove you? I do.” With that, Joanna wrapped her arms around her sister. They rocked back and forth before breaking apart.
Evie lifted her bag. “I can stay until your cab arrives, if you’d like.”
“No, go on,” said Joanna, gesturing at the door. “Your driver is waiting.”
She watched until the landau had turned the corner, and then tucked her old carpet bag under her arm and set off in the rain. The docks weren’t far, and she would rather not waste what little amount of money she had left on fare for a hansom cab.
But after ten minutes of walking in the cold, damp wet, Joanna realized she wasn’t heading to the shipyard at all.
Instead, she was a street away from Kincaid’s office.
Faltering, she ducked beneath a canvas awning.
Where was she going?
Better yet, what was shedoing?
Her fingers curled, nails digging into her palms as her pulse began to race.
She wasn’t giving up.
That’s what she was doing.
