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“Yes, we can.” When he shook his head, she added, “Or at least I can. I got to know everyone inLadies of Gracepretty well the other night, and not a single one intends to do me harm.”
“For your sake, I hope you’re right. I know how important it is to your father that you become a member of the group. Given the effort you put into the dinner party, I gather it’s important to you, too.”
“Yes, it is important to me. It might not have been before, but now that I know those ladies, it is.” She uncrossed her arms and turned to face him. “I don’t have any friends. Up to now, I’ve spent all of my time in the country. There was no one I could have a meaningful conversation with while growing up. At that dinner party, I felt like I was a part of something. Those ladies were genuinely interested in me.”
He’d never been forced to live a reclusive life, so he could only imagine how lonely she’d been. Sure, she hadn’t beenalone. There had been servants with her, but that wasn’t the same thing as having family or friends nearby.
“It’s good to have people in your life that you can be close to,” he softly said.
She nodded. “You don’t really think Stacey is trying to kill me, do you?”
By the expression on her face, he could tell she was hoping he’d tell her no. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that. “I didn’t see her do anything suspicious yesterday, but it’s too soon to remove her from the list of suspects.” Especially in light of the fact that he had no other suspects yet. Noting her disappointment, he added, “I’m not trying to be mean. I truly am trying to help. The wheel on the carriage and the incident at the theatre are worrisome. I have yet to see you do anything that tells me you’re clumsy. You hold yourself with a lot of grace.” And her lessons from the duchess only emphasized that. “At the very least, making sure someone isn’t trying to harm you is a worthwhile venture.”
“I can’t explain the carriage, but I was nervous at the theatre. It was the first social event I’d ever been to. There were so many people there, and it was so noisy. My father left me by myself in the balcony. I didn’t like being alone like that. I went to the railing to look down at the people because I thought it might calm my nerves. But while I was doing so, I got dizzy. Certainly, it’s possible I fell forward from that instead of being pushed.”
“You really didn’t feel anyone push you?”
“It’s hard to recall exactly what happened. There were so many people, and it was so loud.” Eyebrows furrowed, she stared off into the distance for several seconds. “Well, I think there might have been someone behind me. Maybe someone pushed me.”
Interest piqued, he said, “You didn’t say that before.”
“It’s hard to remember everything clearly. I was leaning over the balcony to see the place, and I was distracted by all of the people. Being in London was scary for me at the time.”
He supposed for a lady who’d never been to London before, a room full of strangers would scare her. He offered her a smile that he hoped would put her at ease. “I understand. Events aren’t always clear when we think back on them.”
“No, I suppose not.”
He wondered if Stacey happened to be at the theatre that evening. Perhaps Piers had taken her to see the play. “When was this play?”
Eleanor didn’t hide her surprise. “Is that important?”
“It might be, though it’s too soon to tell yet.”
“It seems like a lot of things are too soon to tell.”
“I have to be careful about how I proceed. I can’t blindly rush into a judgment. I have to examine all of the evidence. It takes time to do that.”
“That actually makes me feel better. If you truly are careful, you’re bound to realize Stacey is innocent.”
He wouldn’t be so sure about that, but he couldn’t blame her for wishing it. He hoped, for her sake, that she was right. She should have friends she could trust. No one should feel like they were all alone. Granted, she had a father, but her father kept his distance. It wasn’t that her father didn’t love her. He did. But it was obvious to Byron that her father didn’t know how to act around her, which, Byron supposed, wasn’t all that surprising since he had tucked her away in the country for her entire life.
Byron spent a moment debating if he should introduce her to his sister. He didn’t like to mix his personal life with his professional one. The only time in the past he’d done that was to arrange a marriage between his sister and the gentleman he’d worked for, and the reason he’d done that was to secure her future. While he made a decent enough living, he didn’t make enough for the two of them. The tactic had paid off. His sister was doing well now. He never had to worry about whether her needs could be met again.
He glanced at Eleanor. She was a pleasant enough person when she wasn’t arguing with him. His sister might like her. “Would you like me to introduce you to my sister? She’s older than you, but I think you two might get along. She has a lifestyle comparable to the one you’re used to. Your stations would be equal. You wouldn’t have to worry about people not approving of the friendship.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why would people not approve of the friendship?”
Considering her father obsessed over appearances, he was surprised she’d ask the question. “The wealthy don’t befriend those of lower financial means. Under ordinary circumstances, I would never be permitted to spend any time with you, let alone attend dinner parties and dance with you. I’m only here because your father trusts me to solve this case.”
“I know that’s why you’re here, but I don’t see why it should bother anyone if I were friends with someone who isn’t as well off as I am.”
“Well, it would bother some. It’s the way London is. Everything is about appearances. It’s why your father is adamant that you associate with the right people. It’s why we don’t tell anyone I’m a Runner. Thankfully, I rarely work with nobility, so no one recognizes me.”
“I can understand the need for secrecy since no one should know you’re a Runner. If there is someone who is trying to harm me, the last thing you want is for them to know your real identity. But it makes no sense to me why people care so much about who someone chooses to befriend. The quality of the friend should be more important than the amount of money she has. It’d be nice to have someone I can do things with. I’m tired of staying home and reading all the time. I did that all of my life.”
Well, that settled it. “I’m going to introduce you to my sister. If your father will allow it, we’ll pay her a visit during our walk.”
“Oh, my father would never allow that. I can’t just show up unannounced. It wouldn’t be proper.”
She was right. Maybe if they were already friends, it would be fine. Sometimes the rules gave him a headache. “I’ll arrange for a time to introduce you both.”
He heard someone coming toward the room so he directed his attention to the doorway. Since her father was ready for the walk, he escorted Eleanor out of the townhouse.
