Page 435 of From Rakes to Riches

“So what are you?” he asked.

“Can’t you tell?” She turned back to face him, holding an elaborate mask up to her face. Feathers curled everywhere.

“A bird?” he said.

“A peacock! Really David, you didn’t try very hard.”

“Sorry.”

His smile could surely cause winter to become spring, and she basked for a moment in its warmth.

“What areyougoing to be?” she asked.

His hand began a slow slide over her hip and up her torso.

“What a man always is. Mysterious.”

Her laugh turned into a moan as he cupped her breast. “Oh, David. Be serious.”

“I am. I’ll be wearing a mask. Very mysterious.”

He started to lean over her, and she held him back. “Now, David, you mustn’t crush my feathers. And we’re slowing down.”

She could see his disappointment, and it gave her a warm feeling of satisfaction.

After they came to a stop, the door was opened by their footman. David stepped down, and Victoria suddenly heard someone calling his name.

“Lord Thurlow, don’t go in. Ye must wait!”

Victoria slid to the edge of the bench so she could lean her head out the door. The boy who worked at Southern Railway was breathing heavily, even though he clutched the reins of a drooping old horse.

“It’s a ’mergency meeting, milord,” he said. “Mr. Bannaster said for you to come to the office.”

David cursed aloud. “Very well. Do you want to ride with us? We can tie your horse up behind.”

“Ye’d never go fast enough, milord. I’ll meet ye there.”

David swung back inside and shut the door.

Victoria watched him solemnly. “What do you think is wrong?”

“I don’t know. We’re all set to announce the merger tomorrow and sign the paperwork. There’s no reason to think the worst.”

“You’re obviously better at remaining calm than I am,” she said with a sigh.

They silently turned to look out their respective windows. She reached for his hand, and he held hers.

When they reached Southern Railway, she said, “I can wait in the carriage if it would be awkward to have me inside.”

He took her hand. “I made that mistake once—I won’t do it again. Come on.”

Southern Railway had an outer office full of paper-strewn desks off a long corridor, and doors leading to several inneroffices. The directors were milling about, talking excitedly, but they went silent when they saw David. Victoria thought they looked worried, not panicked, which made her feel a little better. Some of them gave her puzzled looks, and it took her a moment to remember that she was wearing feathers at her back.

“We were going to a masquerade,” she said with a shrug.

“Were you a partridge?” Mr. Staplehill asked.

Was her costumethatbad? “I’m a peacock!”

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