“Didn’t I tell you? Beth had agreed to help me find Lucy’s replacement. It was how she got Althea her audience with me. That and her relationship with Penelope.”
“Ah. I wondered what brought about that interest in an apothecary, beyond the attractive owner. You usually seduce the owner but decline the investment. That girl is wily. And she knows Penelope. Interesting…”
Evan agreed. “The chit knows everyone. Her network rivals mine, and Charlotte’s.” He referenced the Dowager Duchess of Peterborough.
“Really? Why does she need such a network?”
“She excels at bringing people together who need each other. Or someone who needs help with another who has the exact thing the other needs. ’Tis hard to explain. But just as one example, as soon as they arrived, she discovered that I needed a new nurse for my mother and offered to find one for me. In addition to matching people well, she seems to love it. She told me ’twas because she enjoys finding people’s place to fit in this world. My guess is ’tis also because she has struggled to find her own.”
“Hmph. Well, mayhap I should hire her. While I’ve managed to restock leather, I am short on buckles and other accessories. And my blacksmith is getting older and has been talking of going to live with his daughter and son-in-law to spend more time with his grandchildren.”
“Just say the word. She’ll likely have you three candidates in a fortnight.”
Robert looked pensive, and Evan shot him a sharp glance. He should find out more of what was going on between Robert and Beth. First, he needed to ensure the transition from Lucy to Nancy progressed smoothly. Then mayhap in the carriage where Ford would be a captive audience, Evan would quiz his friend, assuming he could convince Ford to join him.
Robert played right into his hand. “How was the rest of your time in Town?”
Evan knew he was really asking how the mad chase after Althea had gone. It was out of character for Evan to pursue a woman for any reason, so his friend’s curiosity was well earned. “Frustrating. Slow. But, finally, productive, I think.”
He’d given Robert a quick summary of the investment and Althea’s concerns before he left.
“She invited you to invest?”
“Not exactly. Care for a trip to Bath?”
****
Evan had procured rooms for the group at a small but luxurious guesthouse near the river, a short walk north of the city center. The men’s rooms were on the first floor, above the public rooms, and the ladies’ rooms were above them.
He always stayed there when visiting Bath because he shared ownership in the property with the manageress. He rarely visited the resort town, so he preferred this to renting or owning a house.
Althea and Beth had not yet arrived, so he and Robert strolled toward Stall Street where Evan had invested in extending the development of much-needed housing begun two decades before.
As they passed the Pump Room, Robert gestured and joked, “Mayhap taking the waters would help, old man.”
“Damn me,” Evan responded, “if every biddy in there wouldn’t perk up at the sight of us and drag their daughters over. No, thank you. But go right ahead.”
Robert shuddered and shook his head as they continued on. “Right. We’ve seen the two apothecaries on the main street. And the owner of the one said there are three others, two up near the Royal Crescent and one down here. Given the continued expansion down here, it feels as though the area could sustain one more if Althea is so inclined.”
“Possibly.” Evan had a different idea but wanted to see the southern part of the city for himself first. After they’d found the apothecary, he scanned its offerings, buying a random tonic to endear himself to the shopkeeper. Then they headed back to the guesthouse.
Discovering that the ladies had checked in, Evan continued up to the second floor while Robert stopped at his own room.
Knocking on Althea’s door, his heart beat faster, and his hands grew clammy. He dragged off his gloves to gain some relief.
Hearing footsteps, he patted his hair. When was the last time he checked his hair for a woman? He rolled his eyes at himself, composing his face quickly as the door opened.
“My lor—Evan.”
“Althea.” He nodded, taking her hand and brushing his lips over it, noting her dark chocolate gown that blended with her hair, pinned back but left down. “I trust your travels were without incident?”
“Yes, thank you. Although now Beth has disappeared. You needn’t have gotten us two rooms. We shared at Greenborough Park if you recall.”
He slid his gaze to hers with a small grin. “Ah, but there I had my study for private…conversations.”
She blushed.
“If we can locate Beth, I have Ford with me. I thought we could all have a quiet dinner tonight and get started looking around tomorrow?”
