Page 11 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
A woman, he soon realized, who, despite her age and her cane, moved as stealthily as any thief.
“Lady Winchester,” he said, recognizing the duke’s grandmother. “How are you today?”
They stepped away from the doorway so as not to disturb anyone within.
“I am well,” she said, studying him up and down. “Have you finished your job yet?”
Matthew was as disappointed in himself as the countess seemed to be in him at the moment.
“Not yet, I’m afraid,” he said. “Although I hope that we should come to a swift conclusion soon.”
She studied him through eyes that he recognized – eyes he realized were near identical to Lady Juliana’s green ones, although Lady Winchester’s were much wiser with age and slightly more clouded.
“Juliana wears a brave mask, but she is struggling with this,” she said, surprising Matthew, for he had thought he was the only one to see that Lady Juliana had been more affected than she let on by the circumstances.
“Oh?” was all he said.
“You’ve seen it, my boy, I know you have,” she said. “You’re a smart one. You’ve got to be, to make a go out of your business. She needs watching, yes, but in more ways than you might think.”
And with that cryptic line, she continued down the hallway, cane tapping, no longer as surreptitious as she had been when she had snuck up on him. Matthew smiled after her. She was an interesting woman, that was for certain, and he could see a lot of Lady Juliana in her.
Lady Juliana – who, when he took a glimpse into the drawing room, was no longer keeping any of her attention on the conversation, but rather was looking from the mantel clock to the doorway and back again. She caught his eye and sent him a silent plea that he could have sworn said, ‘help me!’ but who was he to come between social engagements of the noble set?
Finally, the tea broke up and he waited as Lady Juliana prepared herself to leave. This time, her maid, Abigail, accompanied them. The dowager duchess made sure of it.
Reminded of his place, Matthew sat up top of the carriage with the driver, while the maid sat within. The driver waited for a moment and Juliana surprised him when she leaned her head out of the window and said in a low hiss, “James, we are going to Mrs. Stone’s.”
“Very good, my lady,” the driver said, before flicking the reins and sending the horses down the road.
Matthew looked over at the driver – James, Juliana had called him.
“What is waiting for us at Mrs. Stone’s?”
“A gathering.”
Matthew had an inkling of what it must be like to ask him questions.
“Who will be at this gathering?”
“A gathering of people who attend Lady Juliana’s meetings.”
Matthew took a breath.
“Meetings about what?”
The driver looked at him as though surprised he didn’t know more. “Why, of Lady Juliana’s society of course.”
“Of course,” Matthew muttered, realizing that he was likely going to have to learn for himself what this mysterious meeting was all about.
Soon enough the streets and houses changed into the familiar neighborhood where he had grown up and even now resided, although he wasn’t going to share that information with Lady Juliana nor James nor anyone else. He had to keep this strictly professional, he reminded himself, even though his body couldn’t help remembering what it had felt like to hold Lady Juliana in his arms as he had taught her how to protect herself. She was soft and warm and everything a man could ask for in a woman
But she was not the kind of woman he would ever know, he reminded himself.
The carriage came to a stop in front of a small red brick townhouse, one which looked quite tidy and well-kept. Matthew disembarked and held out a hand for Lady Juliana, who took it with a small smile before walking up to the house.
The maid followed, and Matthew was close behind her.
“You do not need to accompany me inside, Mr. Archibald,” Lady Juliana said. “I can assure you that I am quite safe with everyone who is within.”
