Page 22 of A Masked Lady for Mr. Kenworthy
Just then, Mayson stepped out from the shadows of the hallway, cutting off Faye’s path to the staircase. Faye gasped, startled at how suddenly her cousin had appeared.
“You were supposed to be back ages ago,” he sneered, standing menacingly close to her.
Faye mustered all her willpower to remain calm. She conjured the image of Mr. Kenworthy’s kind face and warm smile and found herself able to meet her cousin’s gaze firmly.
“You will be happy to know that your plan went very well,” she said, adding a smug smile. “So well, in fact, that I shall be seeing Lord Turlington at the Countess of Salisdene’s party to be held three days from now.”
Mayson’s ugly sneer melted into a mask of surprise. He stared at Faye, trying to determine if she was deceiving him. When she did not falter, he gave her a sardonic grin far nastier than his previous expression.
“I am glad to hear it,” he said. “A happy surprise, indeed.”
Faye tried not to flinch at the snide coolness in Mayson’s voice. She widened her smile, batting her eyelashes. He was her cousin, and he clearly hated her. But perhaps his mood was such that he would be more susceptible to the gesture than he would ordinarily.
“Will you now send for a physician to come and examine Mother as you promised?” she asked.
Mayson looked her over, and she thought he appeared to be considering her question. He took a step closer to her, still looking at her bodice, which was beginning to make her nervous. When his eyes once more met hers, there was a glint in them, as though they were the devil’s own. His clammy hand on her left cheek startled her, and fierce shivers rolled down her spine as he grazed her face with his damp, cold fingers.
“Oh, little Cousin,” he said, laughing. “You misunderstand how this works. Your mother will get the care she needs, but only after you have brought me that black journal. You did not think I was about to release you from that task, did you?”
Faye’s face fell. Mayson knew her mother’s illness was progressing rapidly and that it might take her some time to obtain the book he wanted. The dowager countess might not live until that day. Her suspicions were confirmed when Mayson let out another cold laugh. Her heart fell into her stomach as she realized what a terrible mistake she had made. Knowing how cruel and underhanded he was, she should have never trusted her cousin, especially when it came to her mother’s health. Even Lord Daleshire and Mr. Kenworthy might not be able to help her figure out something to save her mother before it was too late.
Chapter Sixteen
Thomas stared out the window of the moving carriage, looking right through the passing scenery. It was a beautiful, warm night, but there was nothing about it that was of any interest to him. It had been three days since he and Rupert had interrogated Lady Faye, and she was all he had thought about ever since. As he had dressed for the evening party at Salisdene Manor that evening, his heart had begun to flutter in his chest. He was profoundly relieved that Lady Faye had turned out not to be a French spy, and he could hardly wait to see her again.
He recalled the tender moment they had shared in the carriage when he had taken her hand. He had done it instinctively, expecting her to recoil the instant their skin touched, given everything he had put her through that day. She had not, however. Instead, she had looked deeply into his eyes, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush, and she had given him a small, sweet smile. He could not believe he had developed such feelings for another woman after Ruth. Her death had truly taken a terrible toll on him and, despite his promise to himself to not fall in love again, he found he could not deny the attraction he felt to Lady Faye. And his expertise in reading people told him it was very likely that she was attracted to him, as well.
The carriage hit a small bump, and the minor jolt shook Thomas back into reality. He scolded himself for letting his thoughts get so far away from him. Lady Faye was a beautiful and lovely woman, but he knew he must not allow himself to get so carried away. It would be impossible for him to love her because his heart still belonged to his beloved Ruth. And it was wrong of him even to entertain such notions when a mission lay before him. His work had to come first. Any distractions could be costly to the job, and he could hardly afford to make another mistake like the one he had made the night of Lord Turlington’s ball.
“Thomas, are you alright?” Rupert asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Thomas looked at Rupert, not needing any more light than the bright moon offered to recognize the scrutiny with which his partner studied him. He prayed the blush rising in his own cheeks was not equally as obvious to his partner as he gave Rupert a nonchalant nod.
“Of course, all right and tight,” he said. “I am just thinking about the mission tonight.”
Rupert nodded, slowly enough that Thomas knew instantly his partner did not believe him.It is both a blessing and a curse to have a fellow agent of the Crown as my closest friend,he thought sullenly.
“Thomas,” Rupert said, his voice knowing and amused. “Are you certain there is nothing else on your mind?”
Thomas shook his head casually.
“Of course, there is not,” he said. “What else could possibly be troubling me?”
Rupert leaned forward so that Thomas could better see his face. He raised an eyebrow and stared at Thomas intently.
“I noticed the way you were looking at Lady Faye during our interrogation,” he said bluntly.
Thomas sighed. He knew he was caught when Rupert began speaking, and he should have known better than to think to fool his partner.
“She is a charming woman,” he said simply, hoping his friend would take his meaning and drop the subject.
Rupert chuckled.
“She is, indeed,” he said. “And very beautiful, too.”
Thomas said nothing, refusing to allow Rupert to trap him. After a moment, Rupert continued speaking.
“But we are in the midst of some very crucial work, Thomas,” he said. “And we cannot afford for you to allow yourself to get distracted with such thoughts. For the time being, you must not get involved with her in any capacity unrelated to the mission ahead of us.”
