Page 14 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
“I suppose I do as much as anyone. I have no desire to see an animal in pain.”
“But you do not fight against it, do you?” she pressed him.
“I have never before, but there is no time like the present.” He smiled amiably, and Lady Juliana’s frown deepened.
“It seems Mr. Archibald has been inspired by our meeting,” Mrs. Stone said, apparently trying to ease the tension that had grown between Matthew and Lady Juliana. “Hopefully we can encourage others to join us and do the same.”
The meeting continued as the group discussed other matters for the next hour. The conversation flowed from animal welfare to the latest books written on vegetarianism to recipes. Matthew found himself much more intrigued by this conversation than that which had taken place in the drawing room at Warwick House. It was interesting to see a group so diverse, from all walks of life, come together to work toward a common passion.
Lady Juliana ignored him for the rest of the meeting, and when it concluded she finally acknowledged his presence once more, walking over to him and placing a gloved hand on his arm.
“I must speak to Mrs. Stone about a matter. I will meet you out front shortly.”
He nodded, but he saw the gleam in her eye and guessed that he was about to be challenged. He watched Lady Juliana take Mrs. Stone by the arm, drawing her away from the group and, eventually, out the door to the room beyond. Matthew caught Lady Juliana’s maid, Abigail, slowly and in an obvious attempt to appear inconspicuous, leave her place and make her way to the door.
Matthew had surveyed the house upon his arrival, so he had a fairly good idea of where all of the entrances and exits were located. He left his place, ready to catch his prey.
* * *
Juliana’s heartbeat fast at the thought of outwitting Mr. Archibald. She knew it was foolhardy, that she should be workingwithhim and not against him, but he had deliberately provoked her during the meeting. It might not have started purposely, but it had certainly ended that way.
She wasn’t actually trying to escape him. She just wanted to see what might happen if she attempted to, if he would be able to find her regardless.
After thanking Mrs. Stone and telling her that she hoped no one felt uncomfortable due to her suggestion of the pamphlet, Juliana slipped out the back door and into Mrs. Stone’s small garden. It was beautiful out here, and Juliana wished she could stop and spend more time appreciating the small space. Emma would most certainly love the wildflowers that were allowed to grow here, she mused. She turned the corner, ready to find James and the carriage – and ran into a wall.
“Ouch!” she cried, bouncing backward and nearly falling, except a strong arm reached out and caught her. She placed a hand on her breast and glared up at Mr. Archibald. “You startled me!”
“Oh, did I?” he said sardonically. “Perhaps if you had not been sneaking around the back that would never have occurred.”
“I simply wanted to enjoy Mrs. Stone’s gardens,” she said with a slight toss of her head.
“Is that why you instructed your maid to wait for you in the carriage, so that you would be ready to leave without my knowledge?”
“I—” she attempted to find a witty response to that but came up empty. “I suppose I just needed a moment alone. Or, that is, a moment away from you.”
“Am I really so difficult a presence?”
He said the words sarcastically, but Juliana thought she heard a hint of hurt in there, and immediately felt guilty.
“It is notyouexactly,” she said, trying to placate him, though from his expression it seemed she was only making it worse. “It is simply the feeling of entrapment. And perhaps…”
“Yes?”
“I wanted to goad you.”
He stared at her incredulously for a moment and she waited for his anger, waited for him to rail at her, to tell her that she was a ridiculous child who should find something better to do with her time.
Her father would have. He had often become angry when one of them simply walked into a room, let alone said anything to him or went against his direction.
But Mr. Archibald? One corner of his lips began to move ever so slightly, curling, curling — until it turned into a smirk. Was he… laughing at her?
“You did this togoadme?” he asked, his lips now in a full-on grin, and Juliana couldn’t help but smile sheepishly back. “You were never trying to actually run away from me?”
“No,” she said, hanging her head slightly. “I’ve come to know you well enough to be aware that you would always be sure to find me. I merely wanted to play with you a bit after you did exactly what you said you wouldn’t do in that meeting.”
He started laughing, shaking his head at her, and she couldn’t help but chuckle back.
“Well, if nothing else,” he said, “I am happy to know that you do not doubt my abilities. That would be rather disheartening.”
