Page 64 of Forgery, Love, and Other Lies
Fiona dropped her face into her hands, near tears. She did not want that life at all, but no one would listen to her.
“Fiona.” Posey’s voice.
Fiona straightened and turned to the door where her sister stood, her eyebrows furrowed, her hands smoothing her skirts. “There’s a man and woman here to see you. Will you speak to them?”
Fiona stood and tidied her hair in the small oval mirror near the fireplace. “Yes. Of course.” She pushed her mother to follow her sister into the front of the shop and stopped when she saw the man and woman.
He looked like Lysander, only… different. His hair lighter, his body slightly shorter, and bunched with muscle where Lysander’s limbs were lean and tough. He did not have Lysander’s light grin, nor the twinkle in his eye that spoke of good humor. This man looked on the world not with amusement, but with bitterness.
The woman beside him had hair the color of a Titian painting, uncontrollably curly, and her face—perfectly proportioned to Fiona’s painter’s eye—wore a look of worry.
Other than them, the only other person in the shop was Papa, standing curious behind the counter. The jewel supplier must have left.
Posey pushed Fiona forward and replaced her behind Mama. “This is Lord Theodore and his companion Lady Cordelia.”
Fiona blinked out of her stare and dropped a curtsy. “I am sorry to stare so. You look like someone I know.” Someone she missed, even with so little time parting them.
Lord Theodore’s grim mouth gave a little. “You do know someone who looks like me. My brother, Lord Lysander. I am afraid I know you better than you know me. I was leaving my sister’s house the day you visited her and peeked in at you. And I’ve seen you with my brother at… other times, though your face was partially hidden.” He dropped his voice with that last, as if he meant his words for her alone.
He’d been at the auction, too. “It is wonderful to meet you.” He would know where Lysander had scurried off to, surely.
“It is lovely to meet you as well,” Lord Theodore said. “But I am afraid I am not here for a social call.”
Fiona’s gut knotted. “Oh?”
“My brother is missing.
The knot became stone. Fiona’s hand fluttered to her chest and circles of light danced before her eyes. Posey appeared at her side and held her tight with one arm round her waist.
Fiona pushed her away. “No, Posey. Thank you. I am fine.” She turned to Lysander’s brother. “He’s not traveling for a client?”
“No. He tells us where he goes and when, and he always returns to Maggie’s house or to Briarcliff, our brother’s estate. But Maggie says she’s not seen him in almost a week, and he’s not been at my rooms for longer. A letter to our brother at Briarcliff produced no Zander, and neither did a letter to our other brother in Manchester. He’s… gone. Unless you can produce him.”
“I hope you do not mind,” Lady Cordelia said, “our inquiring.”
“I did not think it worth bothering you,” Lord Theodore admitted.
“But I know better.” Lady Cordelia reached out a hand toward Fiona. And lacking anything better to do, Fiona took it, found it squeezed hard between long, strong fingers. “I insisted on him visiting you and on my accompanying him. First because, well, he can be intimidating, and I hoped my presence might soften things a bit.”
Lord Theodore snorted.
Lady Cordelia ignored him. “What Lord Theodore cannot comprehend is the way Lord Lysander looked at you when you appeared at the top of the staircase at the auction. And I saw you dancing together. I understood well what language that passed between you, even though I could not hear your voices.”
“Thewhat?” Posey’s voice rose high and startled. “What auction?”
“What dancing?” Mama demanded.
“Whatlooking?” Papa shouted, spittle flying.
“Confound it, woman,” Lord Theodore hissed. “I was trying to save her from being found out.”
Lady Cordelia winced. “Ah. Yes. I do apologize. I was rather… overeager.”
“What auction?” Posey repeated, her voice more heated than before.
Papa and Mama repeated their questions at the same time.
Found out. She’d have to spill all now, but she hadn’t the time, not with Zander missing.
