Theywould,but I didn’t want to risk them exposing Tarik, not that any of them knew we’d come up with a creative slant for the aristocracy about his personal history. He absolutely could have rich parents in France whom no one knew about. And perhaps they’d been estranged for a time, which was why he’d come to Cambridge on a scholarship and was working his way up to a fellowship. We could easily navigate any overlap, should that happen.
But I had a sneaking suspicion that Will and the others’ presence would only needlessly complicate things, not just for him but also for me. Managing my personas of Ansel and Rosalin while in London would take a lot of finesse and perfect timing, and my new friends—the twins especially—had a way of stirring up trouble, and I was tempting fate enough as it was.
I nodded noncommittally. “We shall see!”
Grabbing my traveling bags, which held most of my male clothing, I took my leave of Will with a firm handshake, and for a moment his eyes glossed over, and a sniff escaped him before he squared his shoulders and attempted—futilely—to hold it all in.Goodness, he’s a sensitive chap.I wasn’t one for making friends easily, with Blake being my only constant, followed by Ela and Zia, but Will had grown on me like a giant Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
If, for some unforeseen reason, I never came back here, I’d miss him terribly.
I patted him on the shoulder, nearly squeaking as he yanked me into a bone-crushing hug. “I know you can’t come to the Marquess and Marchioness of Ridley’s masquerade, but Lady Zenobia’s engagement ball is after that,” I wheezed while trying to breathe. “I’ll make sure you get an invitation.”
“Thanks, Roz,” he said. “Can I help you carry those?”
Not wanting to make things worse while he looked like he was on the verge of tears, I shook my head. “No, thanks, mate. I’ve got it.”
Hefting the heaving portmanteau and my satchel full of books without gasping for breath was a feat in itself, but I managed. I could have gotten help from my scout—whom I still hadn’t officially met, though I could not determine if that was because of him or me; we seemed to be purposefully adept at missing each other. However, I had two perfectly healthy arms and decided to use them—a decision I was regretting by the time I made it to my plain family coach, which I’d commandeered for my journeys to and from London. Tarik was already waiting, a booted foot propped up against the wheel, and I felt my heart leap at the sight of him.
Anna, hidden under a face-concealing bonnet, since technically she should be with Lady Rosalin, glowered at me from her position on the bench up front, where she was ensconced next to Henry. I flinched at the judgment on her usually pensive face. She had made her stance very clear about me traveling with an unwed gentleman inside anenclosedcarriage, and I had countered that he thought I was my male cousin, so it really wasn’t breaking any rules.
“But you are alady,Lady Rosalin,” she’d argued a few hours earlier. “A fact that you seem to have forgotten in the last month or two of your charades.”
“It’s a few hours, Anna. My virtue will survive.”
Her mouth had tightened mulishly. “And both Henry and I shall lose our positions should any harm come to you. Or should your tomfooleries come to light. I know who he is—I saw him at the modiste. I don’t know what you’re up to, my lady, but you are playing with fire every single day that this scheme of yours continues.”
My stomach had dipped, knowing she was sharp enough not to miss who he was. “Nothing will happen, I promise. St. Clair is a gentleman. He’ll be prepping and quizzing me for examinations. If I am in trouble, I will bang on the roof. You and Henry are right there, and besides, your future husband is an expert marksman.”
Finally, she had relented, though it was with plenty of apprehension.
“Ready to go?” I asked Tarik, after Henry had stored my bags.
He frowned at me, eyes dipping to my upper lip, and I panicked when I realized he was looking at the bald patch Will had mentioned before. “Shaving accident,” I said, adjusting my spectacles. “Lucky I didn’t slice my lip off with the razor.”
“Do I even want to know?” he muttered, shaking his head.
“Forgot to strop the blade,” I explained after we climbed into the carriage, thinking frantically back to when my father’s valet used to shave his beard and I’d been a very curious little girl. The blade had to be stropped before every shave to make sure that itwas sharp. Tapping the smooth spot with the pad of my finger, I made a mental note to compensate for the expected regrowth over the next few days, if and when I dressed like my cousin.
“Don’t you fancy nobs have a valet for that?”
I snorted and sat on the velvet-covered bench facing him, noticing for the first time how small the spacious interior seemed with his presence barely a few feet away. I could understand why Anna would be worried, given the situation. No wonder Ela and Keston always looked slightly rumpled whenever they traveled anywhere together, even if it was within Mayfair—they probably could not keep their hands off each other in such an enclosed,privatespace. Heat bloomed in my chest.
You’re Ansel. Behave.
“Some of usnobscan handle our personal hygiene ourselves,” I said. My eyes fell on the enormous stack of books on his side. “Are you planning to start a traveling library or become a book salesman?”
Blue eyes narrowed on me as the coach jolted forward in a smooth rocking motion. “This is a working journey, my lord. A few weeks away won’t make me neglect my duties. Even while we are in London, my job is to make sure that you earn your degree.”
“You do realize that that’s a forgone conclusion?” I replied. “Lords are not required to take the examinations to be honored with a university degree. It’s a formality.”
His right brow rose. “I didn’t take you for a lily-livered weakling. Are you afraid you won’t pass a formal assessment?”
Perhaps I was a little scared of failing, especially if Tarik wasgoing to be the one getting me ready for said assessment. I didn’t want to fail in front of him or disappoint him by being incompetent. “Well, we’re not all brilliant Wranglers who have aced the exceedingly arduous and challenging Senate House and Mathematical Tripos examinations, are we?”
“And how do you think I was able to do that?” He patted the mountain of books beside him. “Patience, attention, andstudy.”
I scowled. “Says the Fellow.”
“Not yet,” he said. “I still have a few steps, including completing my master’s degree. You have no reason to be afraid. As far as mathematics, you know the basics. I’ve seen your answers scribbled to mathematical problems in the periodicals, like what is the square root of one hundred and forty-four and how is it derived, or define the termsdiameter, radius,andcircumference of a circle? You already know Latin, so for the classics, I’m certain you’ll be able to handle the translation of a passage of Homer or Virgil. For moral philosophy and theology, I’d ask you to define the role of the church. For science, name five of the planets from the solar system or define gravity.” He shot me a reassuring look. “The latter which you have done brilliantly before. And lastly, for logic, perhaps what is rhetoric and provide an example.”
