Page 54 of Til Death Duke Us Part
“I was just leaving,” Persephone said, “You don’t have to forcefully kick me out.”
“No! That’s not it at all!” Lady Bowen shared a worried look with her husband. “We are misunderstanding each other. Let us start over.”
“How do you know about me?” Persephone clenched her hands to keep from fidgeting with the loose threads of her skirt. “Did Vic—His Grace tell you about me?” That seemed unlikely.
“No, of course not,” Sir Nicholas said. “He’s more tight-lipped than Felix.”
“Oh, that’s hardly a fair comparison,” Lady Bowen said. “Felix is much more expressive than Victor.”
“True.”
“Who is Felix?” Persephone asked.
“A fox,” the Bowens said together.
“Ah.”
“Morington didn’t tell us,” Sir Nicholas said, “but there were signs.”
“The most convincing of which”—Lady Bowen grinned—“was that we saw you kissing on the doorstep last week.”
“Ah.” Apparently these two kept watch on Victor’s street at all hours, waiting for reasons to ambush him. And now her. She’d not feel embarrassed. She’d put that away when she’d decided to stay with him.
“And”—Sir Nicholas slipped his hand into his pocket—“he gave me a bit of jewelry. Asked me to make some modifications. He even showed up at the forge in my toyshop to help.”
“What kind of jewelry?” Persephone asked. And where had Victor stolen it? She’d have to find whoever he’d taken it from and give it back, even with the modifications.
“I will not tell you that.” Sir Nicholas looked pleased, though.
“Wait.” Persephone put a hand to her temple. It was throbbing. “If he has not spoken of me, how do you know my name?”
Lady Bowen groaned.
But Lord Nicholas grinned wider. “Your parents visited us, said they’d met old Morington with their daughter in Manchester, and wanted to meet my Jane. She, apparently, had been to Manchester, too.”
Lady Bowen leaned forward, hands knit together. “We didn’t know for sure that the woman in Manchester and the woman Victor kissed on the doorstep were the same, but…”
“We tricked you.” Sir Nicholas winked. “Just a little. Only to figure out if we were right. And we are right!”
“What exactly did my parents say?” Did the two before her now know about the money?
The Bowens froze, terribly polite and slightly uncomfortable-looking smiles contorting their faces.
“They were lovely,” Sir Nicholas said through his teeth.
“They just wanted us to know about you, that’s all.” Lady Bowen reached a reassuring hand.
“And to know how many thousand a year you have.” Sir Nicholas lifted his brows. “As an heiress.”
The Bowens’ gazes slide down her worn gown then back up to her face. They clearly and understandably did not believe she was an heiress.
“What do you want with me?” Persephone asked.
“To meet you.” Lady Bowen’s face softened.
“To see,” Sir Nicholas said, “who has pulled that stick all the way out of old Victor’s arse.”
“Nico!” Lady Bowen swatted at him.
