Page 69 of Lord Appleby's Gorgeous Imposter
Viv could only hope to use his indisposition to her advantage.
“Please,” he offered with an outstretched hand and polite smile, “come sit and talk with me.”
“Merci beaucoup, monsieur. I will stand.”
“As you wish.” He strode around her toward the silver tray and poured two cups of coffee. He held one out to her.
She shook her head.
“Very well.” He took his coffee and strolled to a fine brown leather chair facing her. Then he crossed one long, graceful leg over the other. She had to admire that it did add to the impression he had this interview under his control. “I thought it best for us to meet and talk here. I am certain you understand.”
The need for discretion? Perhaps.But she had to challenge him, didn’t she? “I am intrigued that I am in your house.”
Did he want the notoriety of her there? His reputation had so recently been tarnished by Lord Ramsey’s rescue of Madame St. Antoine from his clutches that he could entertain a lady in his home.
“I am a busy man, mademoiselle.”
“I can imagine.” She gave him a smile Charmaine would have envied for its sarcasm.
He put down his cup and saucer. Then, smooth as a tiger, he said, “You wished to discuss my activities with the police when I was younger?”
That he went right to the purpose did not surprise her. But then… A thought occurred to her. Was he the one who had men watch her? He had power, money, means. Yes. This was how he knew what she had done, where she had been, and whom she had seen.
“I do.” She walked forward, nonchalance in her movement. Up close, he was a dreamy-looking man. A woman could walk into that aura and disintegrate.Poof!
“Well, ask what you do not know.”
“You knew our scullery maid in the house in rue du Four.”
He nodded, his fingers arched like a cathedral’s steeple. “I did.”
“You asked about our family. Wanting to learn when we would leave Paris. Where we would go.”
“I did. I am glad the scullery maid was most helpful.”
She grinned. He had followed her to Passy and Jocelyn Gatel’s. “You planned for gendarmes to chase our carriage.”
“Of course.”
“And my sister, Diane, was your special target.”
A smile curled those handsome lips. “She was.”
“You are pleased with all that happened,” she said as if it were a death knell.
“All of it went my way.Naturellement, je suis huereux.”
“You benefited from her detention. Were you praised? Promoted?”
“Indeed, I was. If I could not immediately arrest your father that night, I could get one of you.” He shifted, frowning. “But I grow weary, Charmaine. You have told me what you know. You need to ask me what you are here to learn.”
“Why did you take Diane?”
He narrowed his sapphire eyes at her. It was only a second, but she noticed the surprise there. Then he lifted a palm. “Her copper hair? Ah. Easily described to my men.”
She knitted her brows.
“But you knew that,” he said.
