every one. To say nothing of the number of paintings and light fixtures … and she couldn’t trust her phantom to tell the truth. There could be cameras anywhere.
‘Kel?’
She gave herself a mental shake. ‘Sorry – what did you say?’
‘I asked about your excursion.’ Tom placed a teacup on the small round table beside her chair. ‘I gather you still prefer coffee?’
‘Please,’ she replied, favouring him with a grateful smile before she took a sip. ‘Mmm. Heavenly.
‘The trip this morning was pleasant enough. Richard turned up at the pub and took me to lunch. Plus, I had an interesting little run-in with one of his lady friends.’
Nancy’s brows shot up. ‘A run-in? With whom?’
‘A girl named Deanna. Told me to keep my paws off.’
‘Deanna?’ Tom asked as he and Nancy exchanged a frown so similar that Kelly almost laughed out loud.
‘Apparently she works at the local bakery.’
Nancy seemed quite taken aback. ‘Yes. We know Deanna, she’s just a kid.’ Again they exchanged a strange look. ‘And what did Richard say to her demand?’
‘Actually, he knows nothing about it. The girl waylaid me as I was going to the ladies’ restroom out back. I can’t really blame her if she wants to protect her territory.’ She looked away almost wistfully. Perhaps if she’d been a bit more diligent in protecting her marriage to Frank … no, best not to go there. All she’d get was more pain.
‘Somehow I don’t think Richard would see it that way. From what I know of him, he is a confirmed bachelor and has a real reputation as the local playboy. If he ever does marry, it’ll be to some titled lady, a model or a socialite perhaps – certainly not a teenage waitress in a bakery – definitely not his style.’
‘Well style or not, she sounded extremely proprietary. I told her she was welcome to him, but she didn’t appear to believe that I wasn’t interested.’
Nancy’s head bobbed up. ‘You aren’t? Don’t you find him attractive?’
‘Do you?’ Kelly fired back.
‘That’s different – I’m a respectable married lady,’ she shot a glance toward her husband who was grinning into his teacup.
Kelly couldn’t help baiting her. ‘I’m not respectable?’
‘Oh, you know what I meant. You’re a free agent. There’s no-one to prevent you having a short affair … get back your sea-legs, so to speak.’
Tom sprayed his mouthful of tea all over the side table in an attempt not to choke.
‘For goodness’ sake, Tom, we just had this piece French-polished,’ Nancy chided, trying to keep a straight face as she mopped the tea with her napkin. Tom jumped up and began wiping at a spot on the rug. Nancy left him to it.
Rolling her eyes at the pair of them Kelly counted to ten before she felt able to respond. ‘I don’t think a fling would be very sensible right now, Nance … so I’m going to assume that you said that in jest.’
Nancy met Kelly’s gaze for a long moment. ‘I just thought it might help you get over Frank. You know, a “no strings attached” diversion – a little therapeutic sex – can do a great deal for one’s self esteem.’
‘I think my self-esteem will survive without any help from the viscount. Besides … I’ve got a mission here, haven’t I?’
‘Made any headway?’ Tom asked, his expression devoid of any hint of complicity.
Against her better judgement, Kelly decided to give them both the benefit of the doubt for the time being. But she wouldn’t mention John Tarrant either. If they were involved, they’d undoubtedly learn what passed between John and her, in which case, she was sure they’d make some kind of slip before too long. And if they weren’t, then they wouldn’t be in any position to help at this stage anyway.
‘I’ve organised to do some research at the National Archives tomorrow. It seems you must go in person to make document requests, so I’ll do some preliminary research then fill out the paperwork to get access
‘Kel?’
She gave herself a mental shake. ‘Sorry – what did you say?’
‘I asked about your excursion.’ Tom placed a teacup on the small round table beside her chair. ‘I gather you still prefer coffee?’
‘Please,’ she replied, favouring him with a grateful smile before she took a sip. ‘Mmm. Heavenly.
‘The trip this morning was pleasant enough. Richard turned up at the pub and took me to lunch. Plus, I had an interesting little run-in with one of his lady friends.’
Nancy’s brows shot up. ‘A run-in? With whom?’
‘A girl named Deanna. Told me to keep my paws off.’
‘Deanna?’ Tom asked as he and Nancy exchanged a frown so similar that Kelly almost laughed out loud.
‘Apparently she works at the local bakery.’
Nancy seemed quite taken aback. ‘Yes. We know Deanna, she’s just a kid.’ Again they exchanged a strange look. ‘And what did Richard say to her demand?’
‘Actually, he knows nothing about it. The girl waylaid me as I was going to the ladies’ restroom out back. I can’t really blame her if she wants to protect her territory.’ She looked away almost wistfully. Perhaps if she’d been a bit more diligent in protecting her marriage to Frank … no, best not to go there. All she’d get was more pain.
‘Somehow I don’t think Richard would see it that way. From what I know of him, he is a confirmed bachelor and has a real reputation as the local playboy. If he ever does marry, it’ll be to some titled lady, a model or a socialite perhaps – certainly not a teenage waitress in a bakery – definitely not his style.’
‘Well style or not, she sounded extremely proprietary. I told her she was welcome to him, but she didn’t appear to believe that I wasn’t interested.’
Nancy’s head bobbed up. ‘You aren’t? Don’t you find him attractive?’
‘Do you?’ Kelly fired back.
‘That’s different – I’m a respectable married lady,’ she shot a glance toward her husband who was grinning into his teacup.
Kelly couldn’t help baiting her. ‘I’m not respectable?’
‘Oh, you know what I meant. You’re a free agent. There’s no-one to prevent you having a short affair … get back your sea-legs, so to speak.’
Tom sprayed his mouthful of tea all over the side table in an attempt not to choke.
‘For goodness’ sake, Tom, we just had this piece French-polished,’ Nancy chided, trying to keep a straight face as she mopped the tea with her napkin. Tom jumped up and began wiping at a spot on the rug. Nancy left him to it.
Rolling her eyes at the pair of them Kelly counted to ten before she felt able to respond. ‘I don’t think a fling would be very sensible right now, Nance … so I’m going to assume that you said that in jest.’
Nancy met Kelly’s gaze for a long moment. ‘I just thought it might help you get over Frank. You know, a “no strings attached” diversion – a little therapeutic sex – can do a great deal for one’s self esteem.’
‘I think my self-esteem will survive without any help from the viscount. Besides … I’ve got a mission here, haven’t I?’
‘Made any headway?’ Tom asked, his expression devoid of any hint of complicity.
Against her better judgement, Kelly decided to give them both the benefit of the doubt for the time being. But she wouldn’t mention John Tarrant either. If they were involved, they’d undoubtedly learn what passed between John and her, in which case, she was sure they’d make some kind of slip before too long. And if they weren’t, then they wouldn’t be in any position to help at this stage anyway.
‘I’ve organised to do some research at the National Archives tomorrow. It seems you must go in person to make document requests, so I’ll do some preliminary research then fill out the paperwork to get access
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