Page 45 of Saving a Scoundrel
“Where is Lady Susanna?” Ellie asked the footman.
“I believe she and Lord Hawksridge are in the library, miss.”
“Thank you, Henry.”
They headed up the stairs to the first floor. A loud sneeze echoed down the hall, followed by Susanna’s grumpy voice. “I don’t need your blasted handkerchief. I have my own.”
“Perhaps you should go up to bed. You sound terrible,” Hawksridge’s deeper voice replied.
“Your compliments are making me swoon,” Susanna replied sarcastically.
As they approached the door, Ellie put a hand on Lucius’s arm to stop him from entering the room. Susanna and Hawksridge sat across from each other, a chessboard between them.
He stood stiffly. “I should go then and let you rest.”
“No, I’m sorry to be so grumpy. Don’t leave. I’ll be bored to tears.” Susanna managed to smile and look pathetic at the same time.
Hawksridge resumed his seat. “I’ll stay. But I’m not going to let you win just because you’re sick.” He smiled, which was a rare sight.
Ellie exchanged a surprised look with Lucius. “What’s he doing here?” she whispered.
Lucius just shrugged. He knocked on the door and then walked into the room. “Hawksridge, what are you doing here?”
“I heard that Susa—Lady Ashby was not feeling well. And I came by to see how she was faring. She roped me into entertaining her with a game of chess.”
“Lucius, Ellie, you’re back!” Susanna swiveled in her chair. “Did you have any luck at the bookstore? You have been gone all afternoon.”
“Yes, we found five more letters!” Ellie turned to Lucius. “Did you remember them?”
“Yes.” He reached into his vest to pull out the letters and set them down on the table.
“How exciting.” Susanna picked up one. “Any more clues?”
“No, unfortunately, they are similar to the others in that there are no names.”
“I had no idea you ladies were still solving the case of the mysterious love letters,” Hawksridge said.
“We got a new clue,” Susanna said. “The books we found them in last year were from a crate purchased from a bookseller here in London. The London Book Emporium. Ellie and I went down there a week ago and spoke to the proprietor, who said the books had been part of a lot sold to him by a private family. But he wouldn’t divulge the family’s name, even when I used my most winning smile.”
“Unbelievable.” Miles shook his head, but his lips twitched as though holding back a smile. This did not go unnoticed by Susanna, who stuck her tongue out at him.
“Ah, but today, Lucius distracted Mr. Knight in the back, and I looked in the ledger,” Ellie said.
“You did?! But you wouldn’t let me last week,” Susanna said.
“Well, I guess I was feeling daring today.” She caught Lucius’s eye and gave him a wink.
He broke eye contact and coughed into his hand.
“Anyway, the name of the family is Edwards. Derek Edwards, Lord Babson,” she recited from memory. “The books were donated in February of 1810.”
“Fabulous work. Hmmm, Lord Babson. We can look him up inDebrett’s.” Susanna rose to go find her copy. “Do you know who he is, Hawksridge?”
Hawksridge shook his head. “No, I don’t believe so.”
Ellie studied him. He picked up a chess piece and rolled it back and forth between his forefinger and thumb. Was he telling the truth? He looked awfully uncomfortable.
Suddenly Hawksridge stood. “Well, I’ll let you ladies work on the mystery. I will be off then; you have something to entertain you now.”
