Page 41 of Saving a Scoundrel
“I found two in this book of poetry,” she whispered back. They stood grinning at each other like fools. Her excitement at finding more letters bubbled up, and she almost giggled in glee.
“Shall we continue looking?”
“No, let’s take our spoils and go home. I can’t wait to read them,” she replied.
Lucius tucked his three letters into the interior pocket of his jacket. Then he held out a hand for hers. “Unless you want to hide them down your bodice with the list.”
“Ha, ha. I don’t have that much extra room in here.”
“Oh, I can see that.” He waggled those expressive eyebrows.
Ellie refused to blush, even if he was entirely inappropriate. She shoved her letters at him. Lucius took them and made a show of slowly tucking them between his waistcoat and shirt. A chuckle escaped her lips despite her effort to frown at his teasing. “Come on, you fool. Let’s buy this book of poetry, or else Mr. Knight might not let us come in next time.”
Chapter Twenty-One
They emerged outsideonto the street, blinking in the bright sunshine. Lucius led them to the left. “I think we will have better luck finding a hack on the avenue.”
Ellie enjoyed the moment. With her arm tucked in his, they strolled up the street. She could never have done such in Marbury, where everyone knew everyone else’s business. The anonymity of London, of being one of the dozens of strangers walking down the street, was freeing. Nobody knew she was the vicar’s daughter or that she was a motherless country mouse. Here she could be anything she wanted. She could pretend to be a bold seductress of scoundrels and rogues or the mysterious investigator of long-lost letters. She glanced up at Lucius’s profile. Or the wife of Lucius Grisham.
“Mr. Grisham!” a young boy weaved his way through the people on the walkway toward them. He screeched to a halt in front of Lucius.
“Tom, what’s the trouble?” Lucius asked.
“Mr. Castell sent me to find ya. I was on me way to the brewery to see if you was working for Mac today.”
“I’m not. But now you’ve found me quite by chance. My friend and I were visiting the bookshop.”
The boy scratched his head. “The bookshop?”
“Yes. Tom this is Miss Spencer.”
“Nice to meet ya, miss.” The boy tipped the brim of his cap.
Ellie smiled at him. He was all long arms and legs, skinny and twitchy. She wondered how old he was. Maybe ten or eleven.
“What is the message?” Lucius asked.
“Oh, he said he needs to speak with you right away. And I should fetch ya.”
Lucius glanced over at her and then back to the boy. “I’ll need to escort Miss Spencer home first.”
The boy shook his head. “Mr. Castell said it was urgent.”
Lucius grimaced. “Do you mind if we just stop by the Termage? It’s closed on Sundays, so there won’t be anyone there. It won’t take more than half an hour.”
Ellie grinned. “I don’t mind at all.” An opportunity to see the inside of a gaming hell seemed scandalous even if there were no patrons gambling. It fit her mood today perfectly.
Lucius sent Tom ahead to tell this Mr. Castell he was on his way. “The Termage is only five blocks. You up for walking?”
She nodded. As they arrived, Ellie was surprised to see how nondescript the outside of the Termage appeared. She had expected a big gaudy sign directing people into the den of sin and vice. Instead, it looked like the outside of a gentleman’s club, with a small brass plaque to one side of the door proclaiming its name. Ellie frowned.
“What’s that face for?” Lucius asked.
She bit her lip. “I expected it to be flashier. It looks very normal from the outside.”
Lucius chuckled, his deep voice wry. “Just wait until we get inside.” He knocked three times on the large black door.
The door swung open, and an enormous man with a shock of red hair stood in the entry. He nodded at Lucius. “Good. Castell has been looking for you.” He glanced at her. “Who’s this?”
