Page 18 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
The voice belonged to Lord Wycliffe.
* * * * *
Cecil’s investigations were at a standstill. The people he’d identified as members of the RA were either dead or had fled Town and the reach of the organization.
After leaving Edith’s supper party, Cecil had paced his bedchamber for hours. He would not yet tell Bones about the clocks. He would find a way to ingratiate himself with Lady Louisa.
That would be a challenging task, as Leopold wouldn’t like Cecil calling on his only sister. It wasn’t because he was known as a rake; he’d had little time for women in the last three years. His focus had been on finding his brother’s killer. Leopold simply didn’t like him.
By the time he fell into a restless sleep sometime after midnight, he’d come up with an excuse to approach Lady Louisa. Bones would alert him whenever the young woman left her home and apprise him of her destination. Cecil would endeavor to happen upon the lady the next time she was in public.
He was finishing a weak cup of coffee and a piece of burnt toast when a missive arrived from Bones.
The lady has decamped to Thorne’s Lending Library.
Louisa would probably be in Edith’s company; it would be less awkward, he supposed, to ask both women for their assistance rather than speaking to Lady Louisa alone.
Although the library had been instrumental in bringing his friend and future spouse together, Cecil had visited the lending library Ashford and Charlotte saved from closing last year only once.
Thorne’s was a bright and cheery shop with window coverings and furniture upholstery in shades of green. It was neither masculine nor overly feminine. He imagined Lady Louisa had a hand in decorating the premises as the décor was in good taste.
After Cecil greeted the young clerk behind a counter, Edith turned in her stuffed chair to look his way. Lady Louisa continued to peruse a periodical in her lap.
“Cecil!” Edith gifted him a welcoming smile.
Lady Louisa looked up, her smile, despite appearing perfunctory, gave him pause as it caused her lips to curve most becomingly.
He bowed. “Lady Harbury, Lady Louisa, good afternoon. May I sit with you?”
“Of course,” Edith replied, waving her hand at an adjoining chair. “And remember, you must call me Edith. We are well enough acquainted now to use Christian names.”
“Good afternoon, Lord Wycliffe,” Louisa said faintly from her place on the sopha.
He took a seat in the chair.
“Have you been to Thorne’s before, Cecil?” Edith asked him.
He nodded. “But once. The shop is very stylish compared to many other libraries in London. Would I be remiss in thinking you helped decorate the library, Lady Louisa?”
“You would not.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color, which he’d noticed happened whenever she received the tiniest compliment. Cecil decided he liked to see Louisa blush. He told himself it wasn't because she looked fetching with color in her cheeks- he merely enjoyed catching the woman off guard as she often seemed overly self-confident.
“Truth be told, I came here today hoping I might encounter you ladies.”
“You did?” Louisa raised her brows. He now had her full attention.
“I need some advice,” he replied slowly, attempting to look neither too eager nor too detached. The ladies must believe he needed their help.
“How can we assist you?” Edith asked brightly.
“As you probably know, Ashford and I have been friends for many years. We were at school together, along with your husband.” He paused. “Because of our close friendship, I want to procure a special gift for Ashford’s child. The problem is that I have no idea what an appropriate gift is.”
“You want us to tell you what present you should give Charlotte’s baby?” Louisa frowned, her tone of voice skeptical.
“I am not particularly good with social niceties. Charlotte has been kind to me, and I want to please her. If I were to ask someone, say, my mother, she would probably suggest an impersonal gift. I only ask you ladies because I know how much you care for your friend.”
Cecil realized as he spoke that he had convinced himself. He would have to give the child something; better to make a good impression with his gift.
