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“The conduct books would have it so.”
“I’ve never read any.”
“You astonish me.”
She held out her card and finally the butler noticed her. “Mr. and Mrs. Joshua DeWitt to see Lord and Lady Bolderwood,” she said.
He continued to block the doorway as he peered at the card. Taking advantage of his distraction and presumed inexperience, Cassandra moved straight at him. He instinctively stepped out of her way, thus granting them entrance. Joshua finally did something useful and kicked the door shut.
The handsome young butler did not even seem to notice that he had failed in his first duty of guarding the door. He looked from one to the other.
“Is this a business call or a social one?” he asked.
“Both,” Joshua said with a laugh. “Does it matter?”
The butler scratched his cheek. “Well, do you wish to see Lord Bolderwood in the library, or Lady Bolderwood in the drawing room?”
“How about Lady Bolderwood in her bedchamber? I understand she entertains there.”
“Joshua!” Cassandra elbowed him and fought her urge to laugh. “Behave!”
“What?” He turned to her with exaggerated affront. “He asked a stupid question. Why the blazes should I put up with incompetent butlers asking stupid questions?”
“He is merely trying to arrange us properly.”
“You can take your ‘properly’ and put it in—”
“Hush.”
The butler was rubbing his forehead, clearly unsure what to do next, and apparently unaware that he had revealed that both master and mistress were in the house.
Cassandra knew exactly how to proceed. “Ideally—Ah, what is your name?”
“Smith, madam.”
“Smith.” She repeated the word as if it were the best name in the world. “Now, ideally, Smith, my husband and I would meet with both the viscount and his wife simultaneously.”
“That means at the same time,” Joshua added helpfully.
“I’m sure a young man of your obvious talent could organize to have both of them in the same room.”
“Herd them there, as it were.”
“Herd them?” Cassandra turned on Joshua, eyes wide with mock outrage. “You must not speak of our hosts as if they were recalcitrant goats.”
“Whyever not?”
“The conduct books are very clear on that point.”
“Right. Do not call Bolderwood a goat. I shall endeavor to remember that.”
“Please do.”
He grinned and she felt peculiarly pleased with herself.
“Perhaps, Smith,” she went on, “we could begin by seeing Lord Bolderwood in his library, and Lady Bolderwood could join us there.” She recalled those sly, smirking eyes. “I am certain she would not want to miss this.”
Smith did not look as certain, but she gave him no time to argue, as memory guided her steps straight toward the library. Smith scuttled past her and planted himself in front of the door.
