Page 33 of With Good Grace
‘Thank you.’ She glanced out of the window as fat raindrops fell against the glass. ‘Oh dear, Tom will be disappointed. I told him that if the weather held Jane would take him to the park this afternoon so that he could sail his boat on the lake.’
‘It had best wait until tomorrow,’ Jake replied, peering through the window at a rapidly darkening sky. ‘This looks set to continue for the rest of the day.’
Olivia shook her head. ‘You have clearly never had to tell a three-year-old that a day is not an eternity.’
Jake laughed. ‘Speaking of Tom, any news on the purchaser of the boat he had taken such a liking to?’
Parker repeated what little he had found out.
‘We are chasing our tails,’ Olivia cried, throwing up her hands in frustration. ‘And we’re no nearer to tracking Hubert down. I have written to Margaret, as you asked,’ she added, ‘and I’m hopeful of receiving a reply by tomorrow.’
‘Parker, this afternoon I want you to do the rounds of the homes of Sir Hubert’s friends here in London. Talk to the servants, see if they have heard or seen anything that might point to his whereabouts.’
‘Margaret said she had spoken to them all,’ Olivia reminded him.
‘I doubt very much she has spoken to the servants, and they often know more about what goes on in a household than their masters do. I don’t anticipate finding Sir Hubert hiding out with one of them,’ Jake replied. ‘But he might have other friends willing to shelter him that his wife doesn’t know about.’
‘You are thinking of a lady?’ Olivia asked.
‘Indeed.’ Jake smiled at her. ‘Sir Hubert is blessed with good looks and coercive charm; attributes which I feel persuaded he would not hesitate to exploit to his advantage.’
Olivia’s mouth turned down. ‘Rather as Marcus did.’
‘Exactly so.’
‘Right,’ Parker said. ‘I’ll see to it right away.’
Olivia stood, compelling Jake to do so also. She found the list Lady Grantley had provided of her husband’s closest friends and handed it to Parker. He scanned it and nodded.
‘I know where to find all of ’em,’ he said, leaving the room with the list clutched in his hand.
‘You look pale,’ Jake said, resuming his seat after Olivia had taken hers and reaching for her hand. ‘This has been too much for you. I am sorry you had to read those letters. I wish I could have spared you that.’
Her eyes danced. ‘Actually, I found them rather informative.’
Jake’s eyebrows disappeared beneath his hairline. ‘Did you indeed?’
‘I cannot persuade myself that it is anatomically possible for two human bodies to contort themselves into such a position and…’ Her cheeks flooded with colour and she looked away from him. ‘And…well, you know.’
‘If I did not know better, Mrs Grantley,’ Jake replied with a wicked smile, running his fingers seductively down the length of hers, ‘I might think you had just thrown down the gauntlet. That is very thoughtless of you since you know how hard I find it to resist any challenge.’
‘Then it is fortunate that you know better.’ She tossed her head and pulled her hand from his grasp, looking unsettled; upset. ‘I am not sharing your bed, Lord Torbay, just because I happen to be here, if that is what you imagine. Nor shall I ever, not until we have concluded the conversation we started this morning.’
Jake’s expression sobered. ‘I hope you know me better than to suppose I intended any such thing.’
‘Yes.’ She exhaled slowly. ‘I apologise. I didn’t mean to insult you. Take no notice of me. I shall be myself again directly.’
‘I adore you, Olivia,’ he said in an ardent tone, taking both of her hands this time, willing her to believe him. ‘Even if you areconvenient,’ he added lightly.
‘Oh you!’ She wrenched her hands free and laughed, more herself again.
‘That’s better. Besides,’ he added in a playful tone. ‘I happen to know the real reason for your reticence is that you do not wish to shock your maid.’
‘Hang my maid! What is she to do with it? Besides, she has the rest of the day off.’
Jake’s eyes came alight. ‘Does she indeed?’
‘She asked me this morning if she could change her afternoon off in order to help her curate with his bible readings for fallen women.’ Olivia grinned. ‘She probably wanted to suggest that I attend myself.’
