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This would be something cleverly hidden. Something only another person with a knowledge of espionage could find.
Chapter14
When Drew returned home he found MissPenny walking slowly around the perimeter of the study, lost in concentration. He watched her for a moment just for the pleasure of it. She wore a conventional gown of dotted yellow muslin. He liked the way it moved with her as she walked, molding the enticing shape of her limbs.
She mumbled to herself as she trailed her fingers over the books on the shelves. Her hair was caught up in curls on top of her head with tendrils wending a spiral path from her ears to her neck. A blue ribbon cinched the hourglass curve of her waist.
An hour earlier he’d presented his card at Frances Flynn’s door, giving the sophisticated beauty time to array herself on a low couch in a practiced state of dishabille that had been calculated to heat his blood.
His blood had remained icy as he questioned her about Rafe’s whereabouts and activities. She’d told him nothing he hadn’t already known, so he’d left, eager to return to the house. Tothis. MissPenny searching for clues.
She stopped walking and turned toward the bookshelves, providing him with a very appealing view of her generously rounded bum.
She plucked a book from the shelf with a flourish, as if she expected something to happen.
Nothing happened, except that he imagined pressing her up against the bookshelf from behind, savoring the way the soft curve of her bottom cradled his hard...
“Good day, Your Grace,” she said, turning toward him. “I didn’t expect you back so soon.”
I can’t stay away.
She had a red rose tucked behind her ear. He wanted to taste it—the rose, the curve of her ear, follow the trail down her throat, inside her bodice...
The sight of her immediately destroyed his calm, chipped away at his ice sculpture of a heart.
“Good day, MissPenny,” he said in as bland and businesslike of a tone as he could manage.
He was impervious. He felt nothing. They had a mutual goal—that was all. “I conducted a thorough search of this room earlier today. You won’t find anything.”
“Not thorough enough, Your Grace.”
“Is that so?”
“You weren’t searching in the right places.”
He stopped short, several paces away, even though he wanted to be closer.
“What do you expect to find?” he asked.
“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll know it when I see it,” she said, resuming her slow walk along the bookshelf.
“Where’s Beatrice?”
“Reading a book. We left my great-aunt and your mother in the parlor for a long gossip session. Beatrice told them that she wanted to show me her collection of female authors.” She paused and glanced at him over her shoulder, her eyes like polished silver. “Beatrice thinks that I want time alone with you. Can you believe that?”
“But of course. She probably thinks you want to steal a kiss.”
“I’m not after kisses. I’m here for secrets.” She slid another book from the shelf, then replaced it.
Too bad, thought Drew.I’m here for kisses.
“I spoke with Crankshaw,” she said, “and he couldn’t recall anything out of the ordinary, but he’s going to interview all of the servants to see if anyone noticed anything. He’ll give you a report tonight.”
He followed along as she slowly made her way from book to book, studying titles and selecting volumes to remove and replace, seemingly at random.
What was she searching for?
“I visited my club and spoke with Rafe’s friend the Duke of Westbury. Found your turtledove.”
