Page 58 of The Truth Serum
He dipped his chin. “It has been a challenge at times.”
“I shouldn’t wonder. Well, let me see what can be done. There are so many demands on his time, you know. It’s—”
“But he’s finished his newspaper work! I double-checked to be sure. I assumed that was so he could spend more of his time writing for me.”
Newspaper work? Good God, Nate really had been Mr. Pickleherring.
“And how would you know that?” she asked, her voice stiff.
The man folded his arms across his chest. “Do you think I’m completely ignorant? There aren’t that many people who write like Lord Nathaniel. I’d recognize his wit if he signed it from the Prince Regent.”
“Really? But what about the recent bits? The parts about—”
“Miss Kynthea Petrelli?” The man huffed. “I was surprised by those bits. Not like him at all. I wondered if he’d been struck ill.”
Rebecca’s hands tightened on her reticule. “Almost as if they were written by someone else?”
He brightened. “That’s it exactly! They were written by someone who glories in the petty.”
“Someone mean.” Like her brother.
“Yes!” He blew out a breath. “Which means I think it appropriate that the column was ended. If Lord Nathaniel hasn’t the time for it, then I’m glad he knows we are his first priority. I don’t even care which series he continues, so long as I have pages from him on a regular schedule.” He gave her a pointed look. “He’s one of our slowest writers, you know. He cannot risk the public losing interest in him. Which means he needs to send me pages on a regular, dependable schedule.”
Rebecca met his gaze but inside her belly was twisting into knots. The Nate she remembered could never be kept to a dependable schedule. She doubted it was possible now. Either way, she couldn’t promise to keep him on track. She couldn’tpromise he’d even speak to her now. But she could try to keep his publisher from hounding him.
She pulled out her haughty look and prayed that it would work. “Lord Nathaniel has a great many priorities that have nothing to do with you. I shall do my utmost to help him on your behalf,” she said, trying to appear gracious, “but neither of us answer to his other obligations.”
The man frowned. “What other—”
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Newman. I shall see myself out.”
She turned on her heel and walked out with as much dignity as she could muster. Which was all well and good regarding Mr. Newman, but now she had to find a way to apologize to Nate. That was going to be hard, given that his good-bye had sounded final. As in he never wanted to speak to her again.
She didn’t blame him. She knew that Nate prized his honor, and she’d just called him a bold-faced liar. Lord, her brother was right. She had terrible judgment!
And speaking of her brother, there was one more thing she needed to understand. She didn’t relish the thought of confronting Fletcher—that never went well. So if she was going to do it, then she had to be absolutely certain of her facts.
But first things first. She grabbed copies of Pirate Lucifer’s books. She knew she had a better copy of the magician book already, so she skipped that. She should have found a way to ask Mr. Newman which other series Nate had penned, but these would have to do for now.
She purchased those, then collected her maid from the opposite corner of the library where she was sharing tea and gossip with the other servants gathered there. Normally, Rebecca would disdain such talk, but she was beginning to see that information was vital. Accurate or inaccurate, one had tounderstand what was said. And out of everyone she knew, her maid Missy was very good at hearing what was said.
“Come along,” she said. “I’ve got one more appointment before we head back home.”
“Yes, milady,” Missy answered. “Where are we going, if I might ask.”
Rebecca waited until they were out of earshot. And then she squared her shoulders and headed in the appropriate direction.
“Milady?”
“We’re headed to the newspaper office. I have some things I need to read.”
Like every column Mr. Pickleherring had ever written, and in particular, the very last two. And after that, she intended to have a very serious conversation with her middle brother.
Chapter Seventeen
“And where mightyou be going in such a foul temper?”
Nate looked up from the pavement, startled to hear Lord Benedict’s cheerful voice in his ear. Damn, he was slipping if he hadn’t even noticed the tall man stepping up beside him.
