Page 39 of Dangerous Games of a Broken Lady
“I could have sworn it was St. Martin’s.”
“No, it has always been Bea’s.” It was a blatant lie. Adelaide did not even know if Bea’s sold strawberry parfait. At that moment, her stomach rumbled for a taste of the delicious dessert that St. Martin’s did so well. She realized she would never be able to eat there again. A small price to pay to spare Leah and Jasper.
Lady Leeds burst into sudden laughter, startling Adelaide. “Oh, my darling girl, I am such a prized fool.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You are?”
“I sent word to Lady Phyllis that we should meet outside Montagu House, to look over the exhibitsbeforecoming for tea.”
“I knew there had to be a simple solution,” Adelaide replied, forcing a smile onto her face. “Lady Phyllis is never late to anything.”
“Quite right, dear, quite right.” Lady Leeds looped her arm through Adelaide’s, tugging her in the direction of Montagu House. Adelaide let herself be carried away from the tea room, wishing she had never looked through the window. For now, she had no idea what she was going to do.
She did not know if she ought to mention it at all. It did not seem like her place. Then again, Jasper was her oldest and dearest friend. If truth be told, he was her only genuine friend, the one person she could be honest and open with, even if it led to a savage argument. He took her as she was, no airs and graces necessary. And she did the same for him.
A stark realization wormed its way through her veins, sending a shiver of dread up her spine. As much as she wanted to protect him, the fact remained—she could not keep this from him, and he would hate her for it.
Chapter 14
Smartly dressed in their finest tailcoats and top-hats, Jasper and Ephraim lingered for a moment on the corner of London Bridge. Each had a leather satchel slung over his chest. The bags stood out somewhat, but Ephraim hoped no one would pay them much attention. The carriage had set the two men down on the opposite side of the bridge, at Ephraim’s behest. He did not want any witnesses to what they were doing.
Ephraim checked his pocket watch and waited for it to reach one o’clock. As soon as the long hand ticked a minute past, he headed down the steps to the lower bank with Jasper following after. They walked along, bustling past the day’s pedestrian traffic. A few sharp stares met them after the occasional shove and bump, but they pushed on regardless. Here, they blended in.
They kept up a good pace, moving fast along the riverside. Before long, they reached the familiar outer wall of the Palace of Westminster. A few bored guards stood on-duty. They looked up with a minor hint of interest as Ephraim approached.
“What can I do for you today, Sir?” the first guard asked.
“I have an appointment at the House of Lords,” he replied.
The guard frowned. “Why’re you coming in from this side, then? House of Lords is on the other side of the palace, Sir.”
“I am well aware of the location of the House of Lords. Unfortunately, my carriage driver is newly employed and does not quite know his way around London… or so it would seem,” Ephraim explained tersely. He hoped he was giving off the right air of privilege. “I am already running rather late for my appointment, and I do so hate to make a poor impression. As such, I thought it best to traverse the New Palace Yard and St. Stephen’s gardens, rather than have my driver go all the way around.”
The guard snickered. “Sounds like you’ve had quite the morning, Sir.” A note of satisfaction lurked beneath the feigned politeness. Ephraim did not blame him. Right now, he knew he sounded like a pompous prig. That was entirely the point.
“Indeed, I rather think I have. Now, unless you wish to add to my lateness, I would ask that you let myself and my associate through.”
“What names, Sir?”
“Pardon?”
The guard smirked. “What names? You could be any old fellow, for all I know, since you ain’t coming in the Lords’ entrance—I have to do my job, Sir.”
Ephraim gasped in mock-disgust. “How dare you!”
“Only following palace procedure, Sir.”
“I am Ephraim Colborne, the Earl of Leeds. This is my associate, Lord Gillett, the Earl of Richmond’s son.” He cleared his throat in feigned annoyance. “Are you quite satisfied? Must I petition the Regent to gain entry?”
The guard had the decency to look sheepish. “Of course, My Lord. Go right ahead.”
Ephraim swept through the archway with Jasper in tow. They moved quickly across the New Palace Yard, in order to avoid any unwanted attention. As it happened, nobody seemed to pay them any mind. After all, they had made it past the guards. Their presence there had been validated.
Don’t forget that you are actually permitted to be here,Ephraim reminded himself. He was an Earl, with a seat in the House of Lords. He rarely made the journey to sit in on parliamentary matters, but one of the seatsdidbelong to him. Jasper, too.
Westminster Hall loomed ahead. They strode towards it with as much speed as they could muster without looking suspect. Keeping their heads down and their collars up, they entered through the main doorway and slipped down a hallway to the immediate left. Fortunately, there did not seem to be too many people wandering the corridors of Westminster. Lunchtime had beckoned many away. Ephraim had timed it perfectly.
A stuffy, stale scent filled his nostrils. The smell of dust and endless books, and stacks of papers moldering away at the back of eternal shelves. He had never cared for academia, not even as a young man. Frankly, the aroma brought back unwanted memories of bygone schooldays.
