“What?” Verity was tempted to throw her hands up in the air. “You finally have a pass into Almack’s and you don’t wish to go?”
“No, that is not what I said, thank you very much. I do wish to go. However, no one is going to be looking at my dress. Not now! Not with gossip brewing.”
She stilled. “Gossip?”
“Oh, you’ve read this one. I know you must have. Everyone in London has, if not all of England. Perhaps all of Britain! Here, I have two more in my room.” Octavia shoved a piece of paper into her lap.
It was, as Verity anticipated, a copy ofLondon Grey Truthcrumpled that she straightened out.
She’d used her very first layout. The largest container of information sat neatly in the center. Then five smaller pieces of gossip were centered around it on three sides, the top being the title. It was a neat little layout. Clean and crisp. All the right words stood out.
The moment she had delivered this for publishing, Verity knew there was no turning back. She had every reason to be proud of her work.
So why is my stomach tied all in knots?
Keeping the smile on her face, she turned to Elowen, “Are you still wishing to attend tonight?”
“I’m all right.”
It wasn’t the sort of answer she was looking for. But before Verity could inquire further into her sister, the other one was taking command.
“What do you think, Verity?”
“What? Think of what?”
“The gossip, of course! It talks in riddles, really. I think it’s all a trick for something grander. A heist, perhaps! Or a love story that isn’t exactly clear yet. I don’t quite know but I think it could include a poor lord faking his death to save his rich heiress lover,” Octavia proclaimed.
Verity looked at her in bewilderment, wondering what on earth her sister was talking about.
“You think that stems from this?”
“Of course!”
She glanced at Elowen. “What do you think?”
“I don’t think it’s true…” Her sister paused, biting her lip before venturing on when she nodded. “Or at least most of it. Everything there seems rather cruel, and I don’t think people have as many secrets as we like to think. The world is often simpler than we might assume.”
“Lucien!”
The shout from Octavia made everyone turn to the doorway to see their brother who walked with his shoulders hunched. He slowly turned with a face that made it clear he had hoped not to be stopped.
Verity’s eyes narrowed. “Where do you think you are going?”
“I have plans. I’m busy.”
“Yes, you have plans to join us,” she reminded him. “Where have you been? You promised to help me escort the girls to Almack’s.”
He wrinkled his nose. “That doesn’t sound fun.”
“But,” Octavia pointed out as she dragged him into the room, “it shall be worth every minute. I’ve been dying all day to know what everyone is saying about theGrey Truthtoday. You’ve read it, haven’t you? What do you think?”
He chuckled. “It’s scandal, of course.”
“Yes, yes,” Octavia responded impatiently while bouncing on the balls of her feet. “But what do you think it’s really about? What could it be?”
“Mmm.” Turning his sister about, Lucien was the smoothest dancer in the family. He twirled her while she giggled and tried to stay upright. While Verity rolled her eyes, he twisted Octavia about until she was dizzy on her feet and grabbing for a chair. “I think someone is playing with us. There’s going to be lies mixed with the truth and truth within the lies.”
Octavia reached out a shaky hand. “What lies, though?”
