Page 20 of The Pursuit of Mrs. Pennyworth
The soundof the front door opening and Thomas greeting Mr. Baker brought her back to the present and urged her to pick up her reticule and join him downstairs.
Once again, she was taken by the man’s looks. He certainly filled out his jacket quite well. His eyes studied her as she descended the stairs, something in their depths causing a light flutter in her middle. His slightly crooked grin only increased the sensation until she had to look away before her knees failed her.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Pennyworth.” His deep voice undid her determination to calm her body. For goodness sake, the man was her employee. She was paying him to deal with her problem. Them being together was no more than a necessary part of his plan to discover who was tormenting her. There was absolutely no reason for her heart to be pounding, or for her breathing to hitch.
“Good afternoon to you, Mr. Baker.” She quickly looked away, and smoothed out the front of her pelisse, then regarded him with a bright smile, telling herself she was now in control. As if he understood her inner turmoil, he grinned at her and extended his arm. “Shall we?”
Yes, we shall. And no, we shall not.
* * *
Elliot linkedCharlotte’s arm in his and they made their way down the steps. The deep green of her pelisse and matching hat intensified the hazel in her eyes until they almost seemed the color of spring grass. He breathed deeply of the charming scent that always surrounded her. Why was it every time he laid eyes on her after an absence, she affected him in a manner he preferred not to admit?
She is your client, and a woman, that is all. Women are not to be trusted and can be devious when appearing innocuous. Continue to remember it, and all will be well.
They settled onto the softly padded benches across from each other. “I suggest, since this will be the third time we appear at one of these events together, we stop with theMr. Baker and Mrs. Pennyworth.”
Charlotte eyed him carefully, biting her lower lip, where he wanted to place his own lips. “I’m not sure if that is appropriate.”
She looked adorable, and he had to glance away before he scooted over to her side of the carriage and took that delectable mouth in a searching kiss. “If we are to be a believable couple, which means no one will question why I am at these affairs since they are not my friends, we need to act more…”
“More what?”
He leaned forward and lowered his voice, as if to keep the outside world unaware of his words. “Like lovers.”
Her head snapped back and she stiffened, while he waited for a well-deserved slap across his face at his suggestive words. “I have no intention of allowing people to believe that I am behaving in such an improper manner.”
Unable to keep from teasing her at her self-righteous fury, he said, “Come now. Surely you are aware that most widows take lovers, if they don’t re-marry.”
“I amnotmost widows! And this is an extremely inappropriate conversation.” The anger in her voice and the red dots on her cheeks made him wonder what it would be like to have all that passion directed toward him. In bed.
“I apologize. You are right. I have no reason to speak to you in that manner or believe you would be the type of woman who would take a lover.” He leaned back once more, pondering what had possessed him to even bring up such a subject. The conversation had gotten far away from where it had started, and not in a good direction.
“However, I stand by my suggestion that we adoptElliotandCharlottewhen we are around your friends. Besides which, if we intend to draw out the man harassing you, we need to give him reason to show his cards.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Has it not occurred to you that the man leaving the packages, and gaining your notice, might be acting out of jealousy?”
She sniffed. “Jealousy? That is absurd. I have given no one a reason to be jealous.”
“Charlotte.” He paused seeing how her given name felt on his tongue. “You are a very attractive woman who is at the end of her mourning period. I am sure there are a number of men in your circle of friends and acquaintances who would be quite pleased to enter into a relationship with you.”
The startled look in her eyes made him wonder about her sincerity. Could it be she was so naive as to be unaware of her appeal to men? Did she not know she was not only beautiful, and possessed a figure every man under four score would love to run his hands over, that her sweet, genuine personality was a draw of its own?
Or did he have it all wrong, and this was another game she was playing, pretending ignorance while she plotted and planned something? Was it possible she was using him and his investigation into these packages as a cover up of some nefarious deeds?
He shook his head at the fanciful thoughts running away with him like a horse nearing the end of the race. He wanted to believe she was sincere, and truth be known, if he had not previously been made an arse of by a beautiful woman, he would not be questioning her at all.
“I suppose there might be someone interested in me in that manner, but he would hardly earn my favor by leaving dead animals on my front steps.” Her lips turned up in a slight smile.
Happy that her anger at him had subsided, he said, “’Tis true. I must admit whenever I courted a woman, I never thought to offer her animal corpses.”
“So narrow-minded, Mr. Baker? No dead birds or rodents for your sweethearts?” Her smile had turned into something else. Her face lit up, and the banter they enjoyed had obviously relaxed her.
“Perhaps you are right. But then a fine steak dinner could fall into that category as well.”
She shuddered. “Oh, dear. I shall never enjoy a steak again.”
