Love Between the Lines (17 page)

“
Not yet,” she said. She gave up on enjoying the moment and his presence and forced herself back into the more comfortable habit of hunting answers to tough questions. “I’m not sure what I should discover other than the fact that she’s mad, and I can see that from articles and transcriptions.”

Lizzy
tried to rally her failing spirits as she talked, reminding herself she might not be able to indulge in the splendor of a ball, but her regular life was probably more interesting than that of the other young women in this room.

Sure
, she’d left behind romance, but her world was filled with more interesting pursuits than say, for instance, the lovely Lady Edith’s. Of course, in a few months, Lady Edith would be the one in Sir Gideon’s arms. Only those two wouldn’t be wearing anything. He’d be naked, and he’d kiss Lady Edith the way he’d kissed Lizzy in his office.

Her legs seemed to weaken
, and she stumbled. He easily steadied her. “Whoops,” she said.

“
Would you like to stop dancing?” he asked, sounding concerned. “You do look flushed.”

How very odd. S
he hadn’t known lust would create a permanent blush. She shook her head. “I think the dance is ending, and Lord Petersly will be looking for me.”

“
I’m not sure you can trust him.”

“
Oh, I don’t. He’s more like a steam locomotive than even you. My first article will be about the nature of British gentlemen and how we’ve all been fooled into thinking they contain an ounce of reserve.”

“
Don’t let him roll over your good judgment.”

He sounded so solemn she didn
’t know what he meant at first and laughed when she understood. “You believe there’s something to what Mrs. Pruitt said?”

He hesitated
, then nodded.

“
Do you mean he’s attracted?” She couldn’t help glancing around to see if she could spot Petersly. “To
me
?”

“
It’s not that surprising. You’re an attractive young woman. You know I think so.” He didn’t look into her face, the coward. But then he revealed the true source of his embarrassment. “However, you must never believe that his intentions will ever be honorable.”

“
Oh, you mean he won’t ask me to marry him?” She looked into his eyes and saw he was truly concerned. “I’m not a fool, Sir Gideon. But the fact that he might be interested in me in other ways… Well. It’s just pleasant to know. It is a boost to one’s self-esteem.”

“
Of course he’d be attracted to you. How could you believe otherwise? Do you think you’re some sort of ugly monster? Let me assure you, you’re not—even if you are a reporter.”

She laughed, far too loud
ly, she realized—and stopped at once. “I thought his innuendoes and sly, seductive remarks were just to keep me off balance. He likes to do that to everyone he meets, and I expect that’s part of his reason. Still… Seduction is interesting.”

“
Would you give in?”

“
I don’t know. What do you think?”

He gave her a cold look.
“I think it is a terrible idea. However, just as I told him at the time, it is none of my business.”

Rats. That didn
’t work as well as she hoped. And what did she aim for, after all? Jealousy? He was engaged to a beautiful, serene woman. Even if Lizzy could lure him from that paragon, she wouldn’t. She indulged in fantasies about herself now and then, but her fantasies never cast her as a scheming fiancé-stealing viper.

Lord
Petersly was walking toward them, accompanied by a middle-aged man wearing an eye patch. He had gray-streaked blond hair and an exquisitely trimmed and combed white mustache.

Sir Gideon
put his hands behind his back and smiled while muttering, “Oh no. It’s Lord Felix Maxwell.”

She searched her memory
for anything she’d read or heard from Brinker or Petersly. “Wealthy and eccentric,” she remembered now. “And he’s often in the company of Lord Ernest.”

“
Is he? Didn’t know that.”

She tried not to feel too pleased she knew something he didn
’t about the family he was marrying into.

Sir Gideon
led Lizzy to a dainty wooden chair which was wreathed in gold gauze. “I’m sorry to abandon you. I have other obligations, and it’s up to Petersly to introduce you around. He has a good reputation, God only knows why. If he’d stay with you for more than two minutes at a time, he could introduce you to eligible partners for the dance.”

“
I’m not here to dance,” she said. Not anymore. “Go on. I’m sure Lady Edith would wonder why you’ve hung on my sleeve this long,” she said.

He looked slightly panicked
, as if he hadn’t even considered that point.

“
I’ll sit and smile and eavesdrop. I’m good at that.”

Only one man came up to her.
“You’re a pretty little thing,” he said. “Let’s skip the dancing and go directly to more interesting pursuits. Shall we take a walk in the garden?”

It was Lord Maxwell, she realized.
“I am sorry, sir, but we haven’t been introduced.”

He leaned close
, and his breath stank of some liquor. “You’re Petersly’s cousin, aren’t you? An American. I’m quite discreet, believe me.”

“
Thank you, but no.”

He bowed and walked away without another word. She settled back to listen to conversations that
weren’t particularly interesting. The best was a wizened old woman who talked about spring flooding along the Nile River.

Several dances later,
Sir Gideon reappeared at her side.

She gazed around the room.
“I wish I could go up to people and introduce myself, but I know that is not done.”

“
No,” he agreed. “You can’t.”

Nothing to say to that. She waited for the rest of his scolding when he said,
“What are your impressions of the people you have met or listened to?”

“
I listened in on a conversation between a dowager duchess and an interesting lady in black who apparently spent her youth in Egypt,” Lizzy said as Sir Gideon led her to a waiter who held a tray of champagne. “Lord Maxwell came up to me and suggested we go for a walk. I thought this was an exclusive event. How on earth did a man like that get entrance?”

Sir Gideon
put his empty glass on the tray of a passing servant. “He is extremely wealthy. And his family can be traced back to the dawn of time. Or at least the 1066 Norman invasion.”

She swigged her champagne.
“Is that all he has to recommend him?”

“
You are a snob,” he said mildly. “Did I mention he has a great deal of money? Stay away from that bas—that gentleman. He makes Petersly seem reasonable.”

She
grinned at him, glad she’d come to the ball and that he’d walked across the big room to talk to her again.

But now he was bowing to her
, all formal again. “I must go. I do hope you enjoy your evening, Miss Drury.”

“
If you see that wretched Petersly, tell him I’m stranded, would you?”

“
Good evening,” came a soft, well-bred feminine voice behind her. “I don’t like to trouble you, Sir Gideon, but there was someone who begged me for an introduction to you.”

His well-shaped lips tightened
. The flash of whatever emotion, fear or worry, passed from his face, and he turned to smile at his fiancée. “Yes, of course, Lady Edith, but first may I present Miss Drury? Miss Drury, Lady Edith.”

Lizzy curtsied.
“How do you do?” she murmured.

Since he
’d been caught talking to Lizzy, Sir Gideon had no choice and must introduce her, but she knew this bothered him. His annoyance made perfect sense—who would want to lie to his future spouse? Lies of omission, of course.
This woman works for me. She is going to write about your friends. I kissed this woman in my office.
She suspected there were another half-dozen things he couldn’t tell his fiancée.

She looked into Lady Edith
’s mild blue eyes and half smile and decided the woman was a cold fish. No, that wasn’t fair. Lukewarm fish.

“
Have you been in London long, Miss Drury?” Lady Edith’s voice was as well cultured as her appearance, and she sounded gracious, mildly interested, and not at all threatened.

“
No, ma’am.” Was that the proper way to address her? Where was Brinker, darn it?

Lady Edith showed no sign that Lizzy had gotten it wrong, but the corner of
Sir Gideon’s mouth twitched.

“
My fiancé was just over in New York, you know,” Lady Edith said. “He was particularly interested in hiring new reporters, I understand.”

From the look on
Sir Gideon’s face, this was a horrifying turn in the conversation. He’d obviously underestimated his bride-to-be’s intelligence.

Lizzy simply smiled and smiled and waited for him to speak. He did at last.
“Yes. Yes, you’re right. I did hire some. Their names are Tildon, Lisbon, Pickett, and Wilson. Except they’re not all reporters, dear. One is an illustrator. I thought we could use a bit of new blood.”

Lizzy wondered if he also had the habit of babbling when nervous around authority figures.

Lady Edith still didn’t show her teeth, yet for some reason her smile appeared more genuine now. “I do think you shouldn’t reject politics. Your passion can move anyone. When I hear you speak on the subject, I almost appreciate the newspaper business.”

Aha, almost. So she didn
’t approve of his career. Lizzy wondered how soon after their wedding this woman would have him jettisoning his journals.

Perhaps she
’d allow him to keep some of the business. Lizzy wondered if the book trade would be acceptable. And as for the laughable notion that Lady Edith wouldn’t get her soft-spoken way, Lizzy had just met her but wasn’t willing to bet against her. By the tight way Sir Gideon suddenly smiled and raised his brows, she knew the lady would have a real fight. That marriage would be a disaster, she thought. No, maybe it would be the exact opposite. Perhaps it would be brilliant and tempestuous. They were a lovely pair. Dark and light and…

None of her business.
She wished she could close her eyes and vanish from this spot. When she opened her eyes, she’d be in the narrow bed of her old boardinghouse in New York, and back in the life she understood. It would be morning, and she and Oyster would make their way to Mulberry Street and maybe dig up a simple story about a smash-and-grab gang. A few inches to keep her going for a day or two.

Un
til a genie appeared or she quit and ran away—neither of which would happen—she was stuck here in London. She took her cue from Lady Edith and smiled and spoke of how glad she was glad to meet her and agreed this was the most beautiful evening.

Lady Edith made her pretty farewells
and steered her fiancé toward the crown prince she’d cornered for him.

Lord
Petersly appeared after the next dance. “I haven’t forgotten about you, my dear cousin,” he said. “I simply forgot that I am rotten at saying no.”

“
To whom?”

“
To any female. My feet hurt from dancing, but I’ll do one more for you, my angel.”

“
No, don’t bother with that, my lord.” She stood, and the world tilted a bit. “You know you don’t have to act like that around me.”

“
Like what?”

“
Flirtatious? Silly? I’m not sure what it is, but it must be an affectation.”

He didn
’t look amused. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “I have no interest in being dull and serious, not even for you, Miss Drury.”

She shrugged.
“All right. I don’t mind. I just thought it must be sort of a strain, and you could relax if you wanted to.”

He looked astonished and then burst into laughter.
“You are a constant surprise to me,” he drawled.

“
You’re not a surprise to me,” she said and at once knew it was a mistake to say so. He was the sort of man who always wanted to astonish, the type old ladies might scold and call naughty. That in itself made him rather predictable, but she wasn’t foolhardy or tipsy enough to mention that.

His eyes narrowed
, and she hastily tried to soothe him. “Wait. It’s not an insult by any means. I’m grateful to you and wouldn’t insult you.”

“
Grateful?” He made the word sound like an obscenity.

“
You’re very kind to help me, you know. I don’t understand why you’re so determined we carry out this harebrained scheme of Sir Gideon’s, but I appreciate the help.”

“
But I don’t surprise you.” He looked at her sideways and then glared straight ahead, obviously thoroughly nettled. No, more than tha
t
—
he was annoyed.