“Yes.”
“And so was the woman outside the tavern.” Emeline’s voice was very tight.
“Yes.”
“I trust you are not going to fob off some Banbury tale on me about these interviews being connected to the Medusa bracelet case.”
“No.”
“Well?” She removed the gray bonnet and placed it very precisely on the seat beside her. When she looked at him her gaze was somber and wary. “Why are you chatting with prostitutes, Anthony? Is this a regular habit of yours?”
He cursed softly and lounged back into the corner of the seat, considering how much to say. But this was Emeline. He could not bring himself to lie to her.
“If I tell you the truth, you must promise not to mention it to your aunt.”
“Why should I promise?” she asked.
“Because Tobias does not want her to know how deeply concerned he is about Oscar Pelling’s presence here in Town, that’s why.”
Her eyes widened, and then comprehension mingled with something that might have been relief appeared in their depths.
“Oh,” she said. “I see. Mr. March is keeping an eye on that dreadful man?”
“Yes. And I am assisting him.”
“Keeping watch on Pelling is an excellent notion,” Emeline said slowly. “He is not a man to be trusted. But what do those women have to do with him?”
“Pelling is staying at an inn near here. According to one of the stable lads, he has been seeing a local prostitute. Tobias wants me to find her so that he can talk to her.”
“I don’t understand. What can a streetwalker tell him about Pelling?”
Anthony cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on the view of the street. “Tobias says that in his professional experience he has discovered that such women are in a position to learn things about a man that no one else knows.”
“Indeed.”
Anthony looked back at her. “You should not have followed me. It was a dangerous thing to do.”
“If you had told me what you were about, there would have been no need for me to spy upon you.”
“Damn it, Emeline, where is it written in stone that I must advise you of every move I make?”
She stiffened. “I beg your pardon, sir. I don’t know what I was thinking. Of course you do not owe me any explanations. You are perfectly free to go about your own affairs. It is not as though we were married.”
An appalling silence descended.
Anthony struggled to pull himself together.
“No,” he said in a very low tone. “It is not as though we were, uh, married.”
They sat there staring at each other for what seemed forever. A heavy sensation settled on Anthony.
Emeline moved abruptly, reaching forward with an impulsive gesture to put her hand on his. “Good heavens, what is happening to us, Tony? All this quarreling and snapping and so forth. It is not like us. I vow, we are starting to sound like Aunt Lavinia and Mr. March, are we not?”
He turned his hand palm up and gripped her fingers very tightly. “Yes, we are, and you are right. It is not like us.”
“I believe it is their nature to do things the hard way.” She gave him a tremulous smile. “But surely we can find our own path.”
He tightened his hand around hers. “Yes.”
The heavy weight lifted. His spirits rose.
He pulled her gently onto his lap. She came to him without a struggle, smiling her glowing smile.
He kissed her slowly, deeply. She softened against him.
When he raised his head he was breathing quickly. Her eyes were slumberous and inviting.
It took every ounce of will he possessed to ease her back onto the opposite seat.
They finished the journey to Claremont Lane hand in hand, neither of them speaking until the hackney rumbled to a halt. With a last squeeze, Anthony released Emeline’s fingers and opened the door.
Emeline paused in the opening. “Look, here comes Mrs. Chilton.”
He turned his head and saw the housekeeper hurrying toward them across the paving stones. Mrs. Chilton waved madly to get their attention. Even from this distance he could see that she was flushed and breathless from her exertion.
Emeline descended from the coach, frowning in concern.
“Is something wrong, Mrs. Chilton?”
“No, no, it’s just that ye mustn’t go inside yet.” Mrs. Chilton came to a halt, panting. “Thought it would be finished by now but they’re takin’ their time about it, I’m afraid. Nothing to do but come with me and wait. There’s a nice little bench in the park at the end of the lane.”
“Wait for what?” Emeline asked. “I don’t understand.”
“I just told ye, Miss Emeline, the two of ‘em are in there together.”
Emeline looked at the front door, baffled. “Who is in there together?”
“Mrs. Lake and Mr. March. Thought they’d be done with it by the time ye got back.” Mrs. Chilton shook her head and started off toward the end of the lane. “Lord only knows what’s keepin’
‘em so long.
Not that much to the business, if ye ask me. Leastways, there wasn’t in my day.”
“Not that much to what business?” Emeline sounded exasperated now.
Mrs. Chilton gave Anthony a speaking glance.
Comprehension struck him.
“Mrs. Chilton is right.” He seized Emeline’s arm and hurried her along in the housekeeper’s wake. “It’s a nice day for sitting in the park.”
“What is this all about?” Emeline allowed herself to be swept off, but she did not look happy about it. “What is going on, Mrs. Chilton?”
“It’s my own fault, I suppose. Felt sorry for ‘em, ye see. Always havin’ to make do with parks and gardens and carriages and such. Can’t be comfortable what with his bad leg and all, and the weather is so unpredictable at this time of year.”
“What on earth does the weather have to do with this?” Emeline demanded.
“Mr. March told me this morning that he would be back around three. I saw an opportunity to give the pair of them a few minutes to themselves in a warm house with a nice bed,” Mrs. Chilton huffed. “It was an act of charity. How was 1 to know they’d take a good bit more than a few minutes?”
Anthony struggled to suppress a grin.
“A bed? Mr. March and Aunt Lavinia?” Understanding dawned in Emeline’s eyes. She blushed a very bright pink and did not meet Anthony’s gaze. Then she started to laugh. “Mrs. Chilton, that is outrageous. Did Lavinia know what you intended?”
“No. After she got into the tub I told her I had to go out to fetch some currants for jam. I knew Mr. March would be along shortly, so I left the door open for him. Saw him arrive nearly an hour ago and thought he’d be done by now.”
“Perhaps you made things a little too comfortable for them,” Anthony said dryly.
“Aye.” Mrs. Chilton studied the late-afternoon sky. “Luckily it’s not raining.”
“True, although there is a nip in the air, isn’t there?” Emeline drew the folds of the raggedy cloak around herself. “I’m certainly glad to have this.”
Mrs. Chilton noticed her attire for the first time and frowned. “Where on earth did ye get that old thing?”
Emeline sat down on the bench. “It’s a long story.”
Mrs. Chilton sank down beside her and gazed morosely toward the closed front door of the little house. “Ye may as well tell it. It appears we’ve got plenty of time.”
Tobias settled back against the pillows, one arm behind his head, and cradled Lavinia against his side. He knew it was getting late, but the last thing on earth that he wanted to do was leave the tumbled bed and the woman in his arms. This was the way it should be, he thought. Perhaps someday…
“I paid a call on Hudson this afternoon,” he said.
For a few seconds Lavinia did not respond. Then she propped herself up on one elbow and looked at him. The drowsy sensuality faded from her eyes. Concern replaced it.
“You did not tell me that you intended to speak with Howard today,” she said. “What did you discuss?”