“I never flatter anyone,” Lady Timbrell said decisively. “I only speak the absolute truth. Isn’t that so, Lord Camden?”
I was not prepared to be drawn into the conversation. I pasted on my charming smile—a rusty one at that—and answered. “Truthful to a fault.”
Lady Timbrell laughed and swatted her fan against my arm. “Cheeky boy!”
Teasing aside, Lady Timbrell was right on two counts: her honesty and her lack of exaggeration when describing Miss Lewis’s appearance. I had appreciated such a fact when I had not been fast enough to check myself in her presence. But it was what Miss Lewis did with these uncommon looks of hers that mattered. I had considered the possibility of her being a treasure hunter, but when she blushed with such innocence, such an assumption seemed impossible. I hoped she would continue to prove me wrong.
Lady Timbrell leaned closer to Miss Lewis. “I won’t be selfish and keep you to myself. Come this way.” She took Miss Lewis around the room and introduced her to the other guests. Lady Timbrell’s voice easily carried to me. “This is Miss Lovelace and Miss Maisie Lovelace.”
I glanced at the Lovelace sisters. I had not seen our closest neighbors for some months. The formidable Mr. Lovelace must be traveling. My eyes fell on Collette, the older of the two—though she was beyond the age where I might call her by her given name. She was at least twenty, and though she had a pretty face with dark hair and was more practically minded than most debutantes, no man would dare court her and face her unyielding father. An afternoon like this must feel like quite the reprieve for them. Maisie was Augusta’s age, with striking auburn hair—a shy little thing that flinched at loud noises. Augusta was a patient friend to them. She loved them both equally and understood when weeks passed without any communication.
As if on cue, Augusta stepped between the sisters and linked arms with them.
“Nice to meet you both,” Miss Lewis said to the Lovelace sisters.
Again, I watched our guest carefully, but she did not appear to regard my neighbors as competition. Very wise of her. The Lovelace sisters were not part of any entourage that pursued me.
Two more women were introduced. “This is Mrs. Hardnett and her daughter, Miss Gloria Hardnett.” Naturally, my eyes went to Miss Hardnett’s—a round-faced woman with deep dimples—but I was unprepared to discover her staring brazenly back at me. I dipped my head politely and looked away in time to notice Miss Lewis’s curtsy.
“Now that everyone knows each other,” Lady Timbrell said, “take a plate and help yourselves to some sandwiches and cake.”
I moved to allow the women to serve themselves first. Not a moment later, an arm snaked around mine. For one moment of madness, I feared it would be Mary Anne—come to haunt me. Relief filled me when I discovered it was Lady Timbrell. She tugged me farther away from the others.
“It’s good to see you socializing again.”
I smirked. “You act as if I am a hermit.”
“You might as well be. If you only leave your house for business, you are a very dull man indeed.”
“And here I was just thinking about how kind you are.”
Lady Timbrell laughed. “Did I not just mention my honesty? Sometimes the truth is the best kindness a person can offer.”
I sighed, not knowing how to respond.
“Are you ready to step back into the throngs of Society?” she hedged. “There is the matter of securing a wife. You cannot put it off forever.”
I had come to the same conclusion before I had been humiliated by Mary Anne, but I was no longer the same person Society knew me as. Regardless, I could not spend my life haunting the detective’s door and holding everyone I knew in suspicion.
“You will be the first to know.” It was all I could think to say.
That seemed to appease her. She squeezed my arm and left my side. Not particularly hungry, I followed Augusta and Miss Lewis to an opensofa. Miss Lewis sat on the middle cushion beside Augusta, so I took the other open seat beside her. The Lovelace sisters took the chairs beside Augusta, flanking the fireplace—the youngest with a sketchbook open in her lap. They quickly began discussing whatever it was that women discussed.
It created the perfect opportunity to ask a few questions. I turned to Miss Lewis, who had her teacup raised to her pretty pink lips. “Lovely party. Don’t you agree?”
She lowered her cup and raised a brow. “I know what you’re doing,” she whispered.
I blinked. “You do?” Had I been so transparent?
She nodded. “You’re making certain I do not shirk my duties again.”
I gave an airy laugh, relieved and surprised by her conclusion. “What gave me away?”
“You’ve been watching me.”
It was not hard to watch Miss Lewis—she was as striking as Lady Timbrell claimed. I had done it a few times by accident. But yes, I had been watching her, and there was no use denying it. And it had been all the harder since I had overheard her the day before. “You said you found me handsome. Maybeyouare watchingme.”
Miss Lewis gaped.
