Page 32 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
“Have you changed your mind?” he asked softly.
As the words skated over her skin, Louisa shivered. She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and replied, “Hardly.”
Edith and Diana approached them, glasses in hand. Nathaniel had merely waved at the new arrivals, looking content to remain on the other side of the room.
“What are you two whispering about?” Diana asked coyly.
“I was hoping Lady Louisa was ready to part with the clock she recently won at auction.”
“And why would I want to do that?” she asked grumpily.
“It didn’t have any clues to the mythical riddle.”
“Riddle?” Diana asked. “I do love a good puzzle.”
“Then you would be sorely disappointed in my clock,” she replied quickly. “Edith and I found no markings or secret notes hidden inside the clock.”
“How disappointing,” Diana replied.
The dinner gong sounded, and they filed into the dining room. Louisa was startled to see her place was next to Lord Wycliffe, as she'd expected Edith to keep them far apart as they didn’t get on. The viscount looked as surprised as she felt being seated together.
“We must talk further about the clock,” the gentleman said in a low voice.
“I’m not going to change my mind. Either I see the other clock and study it, or you will not see my clock again.” She paused to add with a grin, “Leopold regards you as a marriage prospect, Lord Wycliffe. If you hoped he would not allow you in my presence, you are very wrong. There is no excuse for not bringing your clock to Carstairs.”
* * * * *
He’d had a feeling Lady Louisa would not yield. As much as he didn’t want her involved further with the clocks, he might have no choice. As for Leopold- The man desperately wanted to see his sister married if he was so quick to let bygones be bygones.
Nathaniel hadn’t mentioned Cecil’s missive informing him of his plan to steal the clock, and he had yet to find a moment to speak privately with his friend.
Cecil found himself drumming the fingers of one hand on the table. An idea had come to mind: Courting the lady beside him would be an excuse to return to her home and see the clock again. As for his clock, she could not visit his bachelor lodgings. How could he secretly get the timepiece to Carstairs?
After dinner, Edith instructed her guests to proceed to the music room, where their hostess played a few popular songs for her audience to sing along to. Lady Louisa could not be prevailed upon to perform.
“My lack of skill at the pianoforte is only eclipsed by my off-tune caterwauling,” the lady said with a sigh.
He was seated near Lady Louisa and whispered, “If I pretend to court you, we shall more easily find an opportunity to bring both clocks together.”
“Court me?” Louisa asked quietly, her cheeks turning a becoming shade of pink.
He nodded, although the lady was staring down at the hands folded in her lap. “You did say Leopold saw me as a marriage prospect.”
After a moment Louisa looked up and replied, “Lady Edith can accompany you to Carstairs and bring along a hat box. Place your clock inside the box, and nobody should be the wiser.”
It was a good plan. Cecil just had to get his clock inside the hat box. “Has Lady Edith spoken with her husband about the clocks?”
He would not wish to have Nathaniel upset with him by involving Edith further.
“No, but she told me she will, as they don’t keep secrets.”
He didn’t reply but merely pursed his lips.
“It’s what married people do, Lord Wycliffe.”
The lady’s voice sounded like Ashford’s when he was rebuking him teasingly.
“Please advise me through Lady Edith when and where you would like to examine my clock,” he replied.
