Page 96 of The Girl Out of Time
Sebastian wrote himself down for a quadrille and stepped over to Louisa to inspect her card. “All empty. If I didn’t have a better sense of self-preservation, I might oblige you.”
“And if that were anyone but you, I’d accept,” Louisa returned.
“Tell me, Lady Louisa, have you ever visited the gallery in Parliament during a session?”
“I have not.”
“A shame. You should. With your input, they’d be over so much sooner.”
“Oh, you must truly despair, having nothing better to do than shape politics and be listened to.”
“I’m going to get some punch,” Emmeline said, with no sign of her being acknowledged as she slipped away. She moved toward the staircase, shaking her head at their bickering.
There was still half an hour to her first dance. Perhaps she could begin her investigation now. She skipped up the staircase and slipped into the foyer. The butler and the footmen were busy handling a new group of guests, and she used the distraction to run up the other staircase leading into the private area of the mansion and slink into the shadows.
Where the Silence lies low.If Silence meant Lady Jersey, the best bet would be her bedroom, where she’d lie down for a rest. Flattening herselfagainst the wall, Emmeline moved down the upstairs hallway, carefully listening in front of each door, then opening it when the coast seemed clear. A guest bedroom. Too clean, and not a single comb or piece of jewelry on the vanity table—couldn’t belong to a permanent resident. Next, a linen closet; then, a man’s bedroom, based on the shaving supplies by the washbasin.
But the following room looked promising. The vanity table held a bunch of accessories; its owner had clearly been picking through jewelry recently. It smelled fresh and citrusy, as if regularly cleaned. Emmeline slipped inside and tiptoed to the writing desk. Empty, except for one crumpled paper. She straightened it out and checked it against the soft light from the window, finding some crossed-out sentences about the weather and a signature: Sarah.
Lady Jersey.
Something moved behind her. Emmeline whipped around, silencing a scream when a tall, dark figure rose above her—and with it, a déjà vu; a memory of when she’d snuck into the duke’s study to look for the pendant. Even the figure looked the same.
“Emmeline?” the voice said.
She squinted. “Theo?”
A few seconds passed as they stared at each other.
“What are you doing here?” they said at the same time.
“I’m searching for the next clue,” Emmeline said. “I figured the Silence—”
“Was Lady Jersey.” Theo finished.
“Why areyouhere?”
“I’m doing the same.”
“You’re trying to beat me?” She raised her voice, then dropped it back to a whisper. “Those are my clues!”
“I know. But when I realized where it would be, I figured I’d go look for it and deliver it to you,” he said. “So you wouldn’t get in trouble sneaking around her house.”
“Andyoucan?”
He opened his mouth, but no good argument came out.
“Let’s look, then,” she said. Too little time to lose, or to spend arguing. Besides, it was comforting having Theo here, even if he was annoyed at her. “I’m supposed to be back in two dances.”
He let out a light chuckle.
“What?” she asked.
“You seem to be fitting in so well.” He moved to Lady Jersey’s writing desk, flicking over the letter. “One could hardly imagine you’re from a hundred years in the future. I can hardly imagine that future.”
She moved closer to him. “You’ve been with me in the past.”
“I didn’t say I don’t believe you. But the past is somehow easier to comprehend. It’s known. The future…” He shook his head. “How must your life be?”
