Page 54 of The Good Duke
“I’ve been making inquiries,” he said as if their previous interchange had never happened.
Persephone slid into the red walnut seat. “On my behalf?”
“Would I be speaking with you about any other inquiries?”
“Well, it is just, given the nature of your stench—”
“A stench I donothave.”
“And your sloppy cravat.”
Frowning, Simon angled his chin down and evaluated the article in question.
“I’d take it you were out someplace less than reputable. If it was a wicked club, then there are no inquiries you could have made for employment that would be respectable, and if it was a meeting in the household of some gentleman, well, then he appears as dissolute as one of those wicked clubs, and also a place I’d rather not be employed.”
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out respectable clubs—White’s, Brooks’s, Boodles, Watier’s—all serve spirits.”
“Do they also employ female servants who rouge their lips?”
He attempted to glance down at the spot where she pointedly stared.
She angled her head up and pointed to the place where her own chin met her neck. “There,” she said, helping him out.
Color filled Simon’s angular cheeks.
He yanked a white embroidered square from his pocket and wiped at the damning spot.
Given the direness of her situation, she should only be focused on the matter of finding work. Certainly, she shouldn’t be bantering with him. She couldn’t help it. This new rakish Simon deserved a good needling.
“You were saying?” she said, keeping her features perfectly even.
Simon tossed aside the wrinkled, now rouge-stained cloth. “I’m not sure I even recall anymore,” he muttered.
“I believe you were indicating you found me employment at your wicked club.”
“I did not find you employment at my wicked club.”
“Ah-ha!” Persephone jabbed a finger at him. “So youwereat a wicked club.”
He made no attempt to deny it, and something about thoughts of Simon inside one of those scandalous hells left an odd taste in her mouth.
Simon sat back in his chair, brought his fingertips to rest against each other, and stared at Persephone over the top of them.
Her heart fell.
No matter how much she wished him to be the friend to her that he’d been years ago, time had left a great gap between them. He’d changed. They both had. They weren’t friends.
They were…just two people who used to know one another.
Persephone’s heart knocked painfully against her ribcage.
Simon had been absolutely silent for far too long.
She’d gone too far.
Why had she not held her tongue?
Why hadn’t sheeverbeen able to hold her tongue?
