Page 32 of The Viscount's Forgery
14
Two weeks later
“Can you see it?”
Eugenia shushed Lady Amelia as gently as she could, watching as two men carried out a parcel from the gallery. In the last fortnight, Lord Suffolk had declared to as many of his acquaintances as he could that he was to purchase a painting by Thomas Lawrence, though it was not a portrait, as he was well known for. Instead, it was another landscape, entitled ‘A View of Dovedale’, which he had claimed would suit very well with the rest of the paintings on display. Eugenia had helped to advise him on what to purchase, and she had been touched at his determination to seek outherthoughts on the subject. It had been yet another moment of closeness, one that Eugenia feared she would miss a great deal when this mystery reached its conclusion.
“Miss Trentworth has not appeared in the doorway, so it cannot be the right one,” Eugenia said, as the two men continued along the street, the large painting carried between them.“Besides, that one is much too large. The one in question is a good deal smaller.”
Lady Amelia nodded but said nothing more, her eyes darting this way and that. She had her back to the gallery, whereas Eugenia faced it, making it appear as though they were in conversation for fear that someone would be watching them.
“We must hope it will be taken out very soon,” Eugenia murmured, half to herself and half to Lady Amelia. “My sister is to have her dinner this evening, celebrating her engagement, and I cannot be late for it!”
This made Lady Amelia smile. “I was very glad to hear of that engagement, Eugenia. I am sure you are relieved.”
“I am, yes.” Taking her eyes from the gallery door for a moment, Eugenia thought of the moment her sister had declared herself engaged. There had been many happy tears, warm embraces, and words of congratulations, though Eugenia had also sensed the great relief that had swarmed through all of them. “My parents, however, have been all the more attentive to Polly, even more than before!”
Lady Amelia chuckled softly. “Though that, I presume, has done you a great deal of good, given that you need not tell them where you are going at all times?”
Eugenia smiled back at her, albeit a little wryly. “Yes, so long as I have my maid with me, then they do not particularly mind.”
“Except she is back in my carriage and not with us.”
Laughing, Eugenia shrugged. “What can I say? I do not want to always be watched, especially when I have such good friends as – oh!” Her gaze returned to the door of the gallery, only to see Miss Trentworth frantically waving. “We have missed it!”
Lady Amelia gasped, spinning around as Eugenia looked in the direction Miss Trentworth was now pointing in. Hurrying down the street and leaving Miss Trentworth to return to the carriage and follow after them, Eugenia and Lady Amelia lookedall about them for anyone carrying a painting. Mortified that she had missed the one thing she had meant to be watching for, Eugenia prayed desperately that she would be able to find the painting, just as a man crossed the road near to them both.
“There it is!” she exclaimed, grasping Lady Amelia’s arm and pulling her forward. “There, do you see?”
“Then we must go after him!” Lady Amelia exclaimed, just as a carriage drove between them and the man. “Blast these carriages!”
Eugenia waited impatiently for there to be a clear space in the road between them both, her heart in her throat as she was finally able to lift her skirts a little and almost run across to the other side. The man was a good distance ahead of them now, but, as they quickened their steps after him, he began to slow.
“There is Miss Trentworth and Lady Rosalyn,” Lady Amelia gasped, as a carriage moved past them at a slow pace. “Shall we get inside?”
Eugenia shook her head, slowing her steps and walking a good deal more calmly now. “Look. He has come to a stop.”
“And seems to be waiting for something.” Lady Amelia came to stand beside Eugenia, waving the carriage to stop. “What shall we do?”
“We should watch.” Eugenia looked at the carriage. “Lady Rosalyn, might you drive up the road and look out of your window? Mayhap Miss Trentworth might walk back thereafter to join us?”
Lady Rosalyn nodded as she and Miss Trentworth began to speak quickly, the carriage beginning to roll away again.
“Come, take my arm,” Eugenia said, offering it to Lady Amelia. “We must look as though we are taking our time, laughing and conversing and simply enjoying each other’s company.”
“Whilst watching to see who this is,” Lady Amelia murmured, as they began to walk together. “Why is that man waiting? The parcel is meant to be taken to Lord Suffolk’s townhouse, is it not? Surely they would take a hackney or some such thing.”
“I would have thought so.” Eugenia frowned. “Mayhap that is what he is waiting for.”
They continued to walk, not saying anything to each other despite Eugenia’s intention to smile and laugh and pay great attention to all that Lady Amelia said. Her eyes were fixed on the man with the painting, all parceled up and ready for delivery. As they watched, a hackney came up behind Lady Rosalyn’s carriage, coming to a stop. The man climbed in quickly, and the hackney continued, making Eugenia’s heart throw itself upwards in a panic.
“We must follow it!” she exclaimed, aware that the carriage itself was now ahead of the hackney. Miss Trentworth came hurrying towards them, her eyes wide as Eugenia stepped out from the pavement, waving her hand wildly to catch the next hackney. It was not at all what a lady ought to do, but she did not care.
“Did you see who was in the hackney?” Lady Amelia asked as Miss Trentworth joined them. “It must have been directed to stop for that man by whoever was inside.”
Much to Eugenia’s relief, a hackney pulled up very quickly just as Miss Trentworth answered.
“No, I did not. The door opened and closed again much too quickly.”
