Page 43 of The Secret Identity of the Lord's Aide
Everett ambled back to stand just beside Nathaniel. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?” he asked, giving Nathaniel a wry smile.
“Absolutely,” Nathaniel said, half-stuttering. “May I introduce Irene Follett, the mastermind behind The Rising Sun paper. Editor-in-chief. Irene, this is my very old friend, a member of Parliament, Lord Everett Beauchamp.”
Everett bowed his head at the introduction, while Irene curtsied with a flat back, her eyelashes fluttering slightly—her form that of the greatest debutante.
“What a unique pleasure,” Everett said. “It’s a rarity to meet a woman of your intellect, Ms Follett. I’ve been a long-standing reader of The Rising Sun, I’ll have you know, and have taken incredible interest in several of your political columns.” He leaned closer, squinting slightly. “Although I haven’t seen much from old Marvin Tartmen in recent weeks.”
Irene’s smile faltered. Nathaniel remembered that bumbling fool, the older writer he’d encountered at the speech on the day he’d sent the then-mysterious L.B. a letter. His eyes met with Lady Elizabeth’s, but she immediately turned her attention towards Lord Beauchamp, instead. It was as if he’d caught her in the act of something. Of looking too long.
“Mr Tartmen has left us, in fact,” Irene said, her voice a bit cold. “And good riddance, as far as I’m concerned. The man was weighing down The Rising Sun, no longer bringing any sort of insight. One must trim the fat, I believe.”
“How right you are, Ms Follett,” Everett said. “Although I dare say it’s remarkable to hear a woman such as yourself say such a thing.”
“Well, I wouldn’t call myself a traditional woman,” Irene said.
For a moment, Nathaniel felt a strange surge of embarrassment at what Everett had said. But then, he remembered that Everett wasn’t necessarily the type to look the other way at a “businesswoman.” In fact, the woman he loved had been earning her keep as a painter when they’d met. He wasn’t the type to expect a woman to sit in the corner, waiting her turn to speak.
What kind of men did that make them, then?
“And may I also introduce Lady Elizabeth Byrd,” Nathaniel said, bowing his head towards Lady Elizabeth. “Secretary of The Rising Sun. I can say, very truly, that the paper wouldn’t be the same without her.”
“It’s absolutely certain,” Irene echoed.
Everett gave Lord Linfield a strange glance before bowing his head to Lady Elizabeth. “The pleasure is certainly mine,” he said. “Lady Elizabeth.”
“I believe I recognise you,” Lady Elizabeth said, her voice light. “From long ago. Perhaps I was a debutante alongside you. I seem to remember you asked me to dance, but once.”
Lord Nathaniel was shocked to hear this. His eyes tore from Everett’s face back to Lady Elizabeth’s, sensing the memory between them.
“Although, a lady can always tell when she’s not wanted,” Lady Elizabeth said, cutting Everett a whimsical smile. “It didn’t quite keep, did it?”
“Oh goodness me, now I’m terribly embarrassed,” Everett said, chuckling good-naturedly. “I believe I remember you, now, Lady Elizabeth. How could I forget? For you were one of the only ones with a proper brain. I seem to remember we had quite the conversation about literature, am I correct?”
It was Lady Elizabeth’s turn not to remember. “Of course, it was a long time ago.” She sighed, batting her eyelashes in a near-flirtatious way.
Nathaniel had the strangest suspicion that she was attempting to make him jealous. But he couldn’t be certain. Besides, it wasn’t as though there was anything between them.
Or, if there were any romantic feelings, they certainly only stirred in his own belly. And he could push back at those.
“You’ll have to excuse him, not remembering you at first. He’s terribly romantic,” Nathaniel heard himself say.
“I’m afraid it’s true.” Everett sighed. “When I have my sights on a woman, on one woman, I’m afraid I’m stuck to her.”
Lady Elizabeth gave Everett a genuine smile. “I can’t imagine that’s a bad thing. You must be happily married, then.”
“I’m afraid not, Lady Elizabeth.” Everett sighed. “Although I can say that my heart still beats for just one woman. The very same one as before. What a tragedy, eh?”
“Only a tragedy if you don’t believe in love, I suppose,” Lady Elizabeth offered.
Something deep within Nathaniel stirred. His stomach clenched at her words. “And I don’t suppose we’ve met before?” he asked, speaking directly to the gaunt boy beside Lady Elizabeth.
“Of course. How rude of me. May I introduce Peter Banner, my new assistant,” Elizabeth said.
“The assistant needs an assistant?” Everett said, reaching for Peter’s hand and shaking it. “My, Lady Elizabeth, you must be more important than you let on.”
Peter shook first Everett, then Nathaniel’s hands, looking meek, yet eager. “She’s been awfully kind to me over the years,” he said. “But I’m nearly fifteen. It’s time I start earning her kindness.”
Everett paused. He glanced at Nathaniel, who, realising he’d been caught yet again, hurriedly looked away from Lady Elizabeth. He couldn’t keep his eyes from her luscious, curly hair, her glowing face beneath her hat. To him, she seemed the warmest being in the world. A creature he suddenly yearned to protect from the rain.
