Page 20 of Kiss Me Lady One More Time
“Stop dawdling about in front of your mirror, man. You were the one to embroil me in this search for your villain. Come on, then. We’ve work to do.”
“Work?”
“Yes. Appointments to keep. Skullduggery to root out—” He paused, suddenly, as a look of horror crossed his face. “Why, Sterne?Whyare you dawdling about in front of the mirror?” His tone was one of deep suspicion. “That’s not like you. Why are you decked out like you are going to the bloody palace?”
“I—” Sterne stopped and shrugged. “Derby was sulking at being left behind. I merely turned him loose, to do with me as he would.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.” He was growing irritable, now.
“Thank the heavens for small mercies, then. I was afraid they’d got to you, too.”
“Who?”
“Them! Thewomen,” Whiddon said darkly. “Look, I know Tensford had to marry, but then Keswick got caught, too. Chester is in Wiltshire. He followed Lady Knelling to a house party.”
“He’s still chasing after her skirts?”
“Yes. I doubt he’ll stop until her husband finds out.” He threw himself on the bed and propped up against the headboard. “For a moment, I feared you’d gone over.”
“Over?”
“Yes. To the other side.” He raised a brow. “You’re sure this not about a woman?”
Sterne gave a bleak laugh. “You know my plans well enough.”
“Yes, yes. Travel far, study much, publish prodigiously. I daresay even Chester could recite it.”
“Yes, well, you’ll notice the lack ofmarryin there. I’m in no position to offer a girl any sort of settled life. Not yet.” He turned away from the mirror. “At any rate, can you see my father’s face if he heard I was going to marry?”
They both shuddered.
“I’m not sure whether it would be laughter or sneering, but it would be unending,” Sterne said quietly.
“Your mother’s might be,” Whiddon disagreed. “But your father? He’d start with disapproval, but soon enough, he’d be talking of your need to be a stable, steady influence and he’d sink his hooks in and start to reel you in. Six months and he’d have you running for a position as MP and after that he’d be dictating the speeches you were to give in the Commons.”
They both shuddered again.
“Fine, then. We’ve settled that.” Sterne sighed. And it was true. He’d decided to stop reliving every moment of thatalmost-kisswith Miss Munroe and just concentrate on finding Tensford’s damned fossil, so he could get on with the rest of his life. “Now, get off of my bed and let’s go.” He paused as they left the room. “Uh, just where are we going?”
“Tensford House.”
Derby stepped up and reminded him that it was his day off. Sterne gave him a few coins and sent him on his way. Locking the door, he followed Whiddon down to the street and they set off on foot.
“Honestly, when you first asked for my help, I thought this was going to be more exciting.”
“You’ve found no sign of Stillwater, then?”
His friend shook his head. “There’s no sign of him in the clubs or at any of the decent hotels. You’re sure he doesn’t own a house in Town?”
“Not that we’ve ever known.”
“Perhaps he’s staying with a friend, then.”
“Did you check in at the Geological Society?”
“Not exactly.”
