Page 47 of The Secrets of Lord Grayson Child
The carriage turned onto Edgware Road, and the familiar weight of social obligation settled more definitely on her shoulders. She shifted, drawing his gaze. “Would you care to dine with Mama, Marietta, and me—perhaps tomorrow evening?” She hadn’t mentioned his reappearance in her life to her mother and sister, but there was a reasonable chance that, by now, Cottesloe had done so. “If you’re free?”
In the poor light, she couldn’t make out his expression, but he straightened his legs and inclined his head. “I am free, and I would be honored to dine with you and your family.”
She nodded as the carriage drew up outside her home.
He descended first and handed her down.
On gaining the pavement, she caught his gaze. Slightly breathless, she retrieved her hand from his unsettling clasp and waved at the carriage. “Fields can drive you home if you like.” She assumed he was living somewhere in nearby Mayfair.
Gray glanced briefly at Fields, but shook his head. “I can easily catch a hackney on Edgware Road.”
“Very well.” She nodded a dismissal to Fields.
As the carriage drew away, she looked at Gray.
Smiling, he tipped his head toward the front door, plainly waiting to see her safely inside.
She inwardly sighed, walked up the steps, knocked on the door, and turned back as if to say, “Are you satisfied?”
His smile widened, but he dallied until the door opened, then he raised a hand and saluted her before finally turning away.
She paused on the porch, her gaze lingering on his broad shoulders until he neared the corner, then before he could glance back and see her, she walked inside.
Cottesloe shut the door behind her.
She paused to unbutton her gloves. Gray hadn’t mentioned whether he intended to turn up again tomorrow morning, but… Stripping the leather from her hands, she glanced at Cottesloe. “Did you happen to mention my morning visitor to my mother?”
“No, my lady. I assumed you would explain to her ladyship in good time.”
“Indeed, I’m about to do just that. However, so that you’re not caught out, I won’t be surprised if his lordship appears tomorrow morning at the same time. If he does, please admit him, and unless my mother has other plans, he will also be dining here tomorrow evening.”
“Very good, my lady.” Cottesloe accepted her gloves and bonnet, then the coat she shrugged off. “I will inform Mrs. Hagen that we will have another at table, both for breakfast and dinner.”
Izzy nodded and made for the drawing room door. Johnny, their young footman, hurried to open it, and she glided through to find her mother seated by the fireplace in her favorite wing chair and Marietta relaxing on the sofa.
Both looked up with smiles of welcome.
Izzy smiled back and took a moment to drink in the sight of the pair looking so unconcerned and at ease, then she sat beside Marietta and said, “I have news.”
That, of course, was a massive understatement, given that she hadn’t, until then, told them about Quimby’s murder. When she’d requested their help identifying the people in the photographs, she hadn’t explained why she’d needed the information, and accustomed to her researches, they hadn’t asked.
As she related the tale of how the notice of her upcoming exposé had brought Gray to her office, and how, together, they’d subsequently found Quimby’s body, her sister’s eyes grew rounder and rounder. Even her mother, not one to show her emotions, looked aghast.
Izzy didn’t give them time to exclaim but rolled on, outlining what happened next and Gray’s assistance, both on that fateful evening and subsequently.
“I need to warn you that, in seeking information about the people in the photographs, Child consulted the Alvertons—Therese and Devlin—so they now know my secret, and today, Child and I visited the Winchelseas—Drake and Louisa—so they know, too. However, all four have sworn themselves to absolute secrecy on the issue, so”—she shrugged fatalistically—“we have to trust in their discretion, and realistically, there was nothing else we could do.”
Without waiting to be asked, she described the idea of the hue and cry edition and explained that, with the staff’s active assistance and Gray’s support, it was well underway.
“So,” she finally said, “given all that, I felt obliged to invite Child to dine tomorrow evening.” She looked at her mother. “If you approve?”
Her mother had slumped back in her chair, her hand at her throat, regarding Izzy in faintly stunned fashion, but at the question, she regrouped and declared, “Of course I approve, dear. Why, if his lordship hadn’t been there… Well, it really doesn’t bear thinking about.”
“No, indeed.” Marietta blew out a breath, her expression suggesting she was rapidly regaining her usual sunny equilibrium. “How fortunate that Child thought the exposé was about him and so was there to be your alibi for the murder.” She grinned at Izzy. “You do have the most amazing adventures, Izzy.”
“While I will agree it’s been amazing, I assure you it hasn’t been pleasant.” She rose and waved at her day dress. “I need to go and change. I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Yes, of course, dear.” Her mother smiled benignly. “You’ll feel much more the thing once you’ve washed and changed.”
