understand—”
“Yes, Spencer, I understand,” she said tightly. “Never fear—I’m not as naive as my servant. I realize this will never be anything more. Though you didn’t help her notions any by having your butler move my things to the bedchamber adjoining yours.”
“I have my own servants to consider—keeping a secret among so many will be virtually impossible, so it’s better to let them think you’re my wife in every respect. If you’d asked, I would have cautioned you not to confide in Mrs. Graham.”
She shook her head. “It wouldn’t have worked. I lack your talent for lying. The minute she asked me for details—”
“You would tell her it’s none of her concern. She’s your servant—it’s her duty to follow your orders without question.”
“I see.” With a swish of satin skirts, she shifted in her seat.“Just as it’s the duty of your family—and those soon to be your family—to do what you tell them without question?”
He stiffened. “I have their best interests at heart. Because they know that, they allow me to guide their actions.”
“Do they? Nathaniel seems to have missed that point.”
He curled his fingers into the seat, struggling not to show that she’d struck a nerve. “Not for want of my trying to explain it to him.” He cast her a false smile. “Let me worry about my family, all right? You just concentrate on playing your role convincingly.”
“I think I’ve got the harder job,” she said with a sniff.
“Come now, how can you complain? Serving as wife to a grouchy old statesman is every young woman’s dream.” When his sarcasm gained him a small smile, he added, “And anyway, think how hard it would have been if you’d married me in truth. You’d have years of my high-handedness to look forward to.”
“Perish the thought.” She tipped up her chin, eyes alight. “And thank you for reminding me that this is fortunately temporary.”
“You’re welcome.” The coach joined a long line of other coaches and slowed to a crawl. “We’re nearly to the theater, my dear. Prepare to act your part.”
She shot him a quizzical glance. “But you told Lady Brumley we had to pick up Lady Tyndale and her daughter.”
“I had to get rid of the woman somehow, didn’t I?”
With a roll of her eyes, she sat forward on the seat. “You certainly have a penchant for lying.”
“It’s common in my business, I’m afraid.”
Her pretty eyebrows arched high on her forehead. “I thought statesmen were supposed to be honest.”
“Not that business, my dear. The spying business.” The coach shuddered to a halt. “Don’t bandy this about, but I was once a spy and later a spymaster.”
“Really?” She shook her head as the footman opened thedoor and pulled down the step. “I should have known. It explains why you’re so good at the lying. You’ve had plenty of practice.”
He climbed out, then helped her down, bending low to murmur, “Some gentlemen fence, some play cards…I lie.”
She shot him a chastening look. “And so very well, too,” she said sweetly.
After that, speech was impossible. Thanks to Lady Brumley, they’d arrived too late to avoid the crowds. Half the ton seemed to be entering Covent Garden, and even more of them were jammed into the theater’s vestibule once they got inside.
He guided Abby through a throng of highly ornamented, heavily perfumed, and ostentatiously dressed patrons toward the grand staircase that rose to the lobby of the lower tier of boxes. Staving off any questions with a dire look at anyone who neared them, he planted his hand in the small of Abby’s satin-sheathed back to lead her along. But he could scarcely keep from smoothing his fingers lower, following her gown’s descent to the perfectly rounded bottom. Good God, this was going to be a bloody long night.
Then they reached the stairs, and the crowd forced him to let her ascend ahead of him. Wonderful. Now her sweet behind was at eye level
“Yes, Spencer, I understand,” she said tightly. “Never fear—I’m not as naive as my servant. I realize this will never be anything more. Though you didn’t help her notions any by having your butler move my things to the bedchamber adjoining yours.”
“I have my own servants to consider—keeping a secret among so many will be virtually impossible, so it’s better to let them think you’re my wife in every respect. If you’d asked, I would have cautioned you not to confide in Mrs. Graham.”
She shook her head. “It wouldn’t have worked. I lack your talent for lying. The minute she asked me for details—”
“You would tell her it’s none of her concern. She’s your servant—it’s her duty to follow your orders without question.”
“I see.” With a swish of satin skirts, she shifted in her seat.“Just as it’s the duty of your family—and those soon to be your family—to do what you tell them without question?”
He stiffened. “I have their best interests at heart. Because they know that, they allow me to guide their actions.”
“Do they? Nathaniel seems to have missed that point.”
He curled his fingers into the seat, struggling not to show that she’d struck a nerve. “Not for want of my trying to explain it to him.” He cast her a false smile. “Let me worry about my family, all right? You just concentrate on playing your role convincingly.”
“I think I’ve got the harder job,” she said with a sniff.
“Come now, how can you complain? Serving as wife to a grouchy old statesman is every young woman’s dream.” When his sarcasm gained him a small smile, he added, “And anyway, think how hard it would have been if you’d married me in truth. You’d have years of my high-handedness to look forward to.”
“Perish the thought.” She tipped up her chin, eyes alight. “And thank you for reminding me that this is fortunately temporary.”
“You’re welcome.” The coach joined a long line of other coaches and slowed to a crawl. “We’re nearly to the theater, my dear. Prepare to act your part.”
She shot him a quizzical glance. “But you told Lady Brumley we had to pick up Lady Tyndale and her daughter.”
“I had to get rid of the woman somehow, didn’t I?”
With a roll of her eyes, she sat forward on the seat. “You certainly have a penchant for lying.”
“It’s common in my business, I’m afraid.”
Her pretty eyebrows arched high on her forehead. “I thought statesmen were supposed to be honest.”
“Not that business, my dear. The spying business.” The coach shuddered to a halt. “Don’t bandy this about, but I was once a spy and later a spymaster.”
“Really?” She shook her head as the footman opened thedoor and pulled down the step. “I should have known. It explains why you’re so good at the lying. You’ve had plenty of practice.”
He climbed out, then helped her down, bending low to murmur, “Some gentlemen fence, some play cards…I lie.”
She shot him a chastening look. “And so very well, too,” she said sweetly.
After that, speech was impossible. Thanks to Lady Brumley, they’d arrived too late to avoid the crowds. Half the ton seemed to be entering Covent Garden, and even more of them were jammed into the theater’s vestibule once they got inside.
He guided Abby through a throng of highly ornamented, heavily perfumed, and ostentatiously dressed patrons toward the grand staircase that rose to the lobby of the lower tier of boxes. Staving off any questions with a dire look at anyone who neared them, he planted his hand in the small of Abby’s satin-sheathed back to lead her along. But he could scarcely keep from smoothing his fingers lower, following her gown’s descent to the perfectly rounded bottom. Good God, this was going to be a bloody long night.
Then they reached the stairs, and the crowd forced him to let her ascend ahead of him. Wonderful. Now her sweet behind was at eye level
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