reading people, yet he couldn’t get a good read on Claire.
The carriage pulled over. Claire jumped out before Nathan had a chance to move. Quickly he scrambled out, fearing he looked most undignified to be seen chasing after a woman. Luckily the famous street was dark, the shops not yet opened for the day, nor would they be for another hour at least. He searched the shadows more carefully than he would have a few days ago. Claire had left Marchant’s in a hurry so Nathan doubted the miscreant who he thought was following them had time to pursue. They may have lost him, but Nathan wasn’t taking chances.
Claire was directing the driver to lower her trunk to the ground.
Nathan cleared his throat but neither paid him any mind. In fact, the driver kept looking at him with a suspicious eye. What was that all about? “Excuse me, my lady.”
Claire barely afforded him a glance. “Yes?”
“May I ask what you’re about?”
“I need my luggage.”
“I can see that, but
why
do you need your luggage? I hope you’re not planning another escape.”
“
I’m
not the one who needs to escape, my lord.”
The driver managed to lower the trunk without help and Claire opened it, rifling through the garments and muttering to herself.
What did she need here, at Place Dauphine? Somehow he doubted she was here to peruse the baubles and gems the area was famous for. In the two days he’d known her he’d yet to see her wear any jewels. Besides, she had no money in which to purchase them. How could she possibly think she could stay in France with no money and no letters of introduction? The woman was mad and had to eventually realize it was best for her to return to her brother.
“Do you need assistance?” He eyed her silk undergarments, discomfited at his visceral reaction upon seeing a woman’s most private clothing. Clothing he’d seen too many times to count. He shifted, uncomfortably aroused.
“Of course I don’t need your help. Aha, here it is.” She pulled out a dingy brown gown that had certainly seen better days. Why in the world would she ever pack such an ugly garment? That piece of refuse should have been cast off years ago.
Nevertheless she climbed back into the carriage with the gown clutched in her hand. The driver looked at Nathan, but all Nathan could do was shrug his own confusion and follow her.
When he entered, her head was bent over the gown pooled in her lap. She was muttering again, pulling at the seams. Nathan made himself comfortable on the opposite side of the carriage and settled in to watch and wait. From his vantage point she almost looked like a young girl in her first blush of womanhood, but he knew firsthand that wasn’t true. He didn’t precisely know her age but guessed it to be in her midtwenties. If he remembered correctly, Hartford had been married to the chit for nearly half a decade. Sebastian had said it wasn’t a love match, so what type of marriage did they have?
What business is it of yours, old fellow?
None whatsoever. Or so he tried to tell himself, and yet he couldn’t let the thought go. Nathan was a good enough mathematician to know that things didn’t add up. Hartford passed not long ago. A year at the most and yet here was his widow out on an “adventure.”
Claire began pulling things out of the ripped hem, and as she placed them on the seat beside her, Nathan could only stare dumbfounded.
Emeralds and rubies glinted at him in the morning sunlight. Sapphires followed, woven into lacy golden chains. A diamond ring rolled off the seat and fell to the floor of the carriage.The matching earrings quickly followed.
Nathan sat forward. “What the hell is all this?”
“Jewelry.” She looked at him with a grin of triumph. “See? I’m not as destitute as you believed. I can well afford to stay in Paris indefinitely if I so choose.
And
hire the best chaperone.”
Claire would have gloated at Nathan’s shocked expression but she’d been told that gloating was
The carriage pulled over. Claire jumped out before Nathan had a chance to move. Quickly he scrambled out, fearing he looked most undignified to be seen chasing after a woman. Luckily the famous street was dark, the shops not yet opened for the day, nor would they be for another hour at least. He searched the shadows more carefully than he would have a few days ago. Claire had left Marchant’s in a hurry so Nathan doubted the miscreant who he thought was following them had time to pursue. They may have lost him, but Nathan wasn’t taking chances.
Claire was directing the driver to lower her trunk to the ground.
Nathan cleared his throat but neither paid him any mind. In fact, the driver kept looking at him with a suspicious eye. What was that all about? “Excuse me, my lady.”
Claire barely afforded him a glance. “Yes?”
“May I ask what you’re about?”
“I need my luggage.”
“I can see that, but
why
do you need your luggage? I hope you’re not planning another escape.”
“
I’m
not the one who needs to escape, my lord.”
The driver managed to lower the trunk without help and Claire opened it, rifling through the garments and muttering to herself.
What did she need here, at Place Dauphine? Somehow he doubted she was here to peruse the baubles and gems the area was famous for. In the two days he’d known her he’d yet to see her wear any jewels. Besides, she had no money in which to purchase them. How could she possibly think she could stay in France with no money and no letters of introduction? The woman was mad and had to eventually realize it was best for her to return to her brother.
“Do you need assistance?” He eyed her silk undergarments, discomfited at his visceral reaction upon seeing a woman’s most private clothing. Clothing he’d seen too many times to count. He shifted, uncomfortably aroused.
“Of course I don’t need your help. Aha, here it is.” She pulled out a dingy brown gown that had certainly seen better days. Why in the world would she ever pack such an ugly garment? That piece of refuse should have been cast off years ago.
Nevertheless she climbed back into the carriage with the gown clutched in her hand. The driver looked at Nathan, but all Nathan could do was shrug his own confusion and follow her.
When he entered, her head was bent over the gown pooled in her lap. She was muttering again, pulling at the seams. Nathan made himself comfortable on the opposite side of the carriage and settled in to watch and wait. From his vantage point she almost looked like a young girl in her first blush of womanhood, but he knew firsthand that wasn’t true. He didn’t precisely know her age but guessed it to be in her midtwenties. If he remembered correctly, Hartford had been married to the chit for nearly half a decade. Sebastian had said it wasn’t a love match, so what type of marriage did they have?
What business is it of yours, old fellow?
None whatsoever. Or so he tried to tell himself, and yet he couldn’t let the thought go. Nathan was a good enough mathematician to know that things didn’t add up. Hartford passed not long ago. A year at the most and yet here was his widow out on an “adventure.”
Claire began pulling things out of the ripped hem, and as she placed them on the seat beside her, Nathan could only stare dumbfounded.
Emeralds and rubies glinted at him in the morning sunlight. Sapphires followed, woven into lacy golden chains. A diamond ring rolled off the seat and fell to the floor of the carriage.The matching earrings quickly followed.
Nathan sat forward. “What the hell is all this?”
“Jewelry.” She looked at him with a grin of triumph. “See? I’m not as destitute as you believed. I can well afford to stay in Paris indefinitely if I so choose.
And
hire the best chaperone.”
Claire would have gloated at Nathan’s shocked expression but she’d been told that gloating was
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