Page 23 of A Scandal in Homeroom
“About why you’re not sleeping. Why you’re leaving the house at ungodly hours to exert yourself physically. Why you missed something that was right in front of your face.”
He wouldn’t like the real answer. Maybe I could use subterfuge.
“You thought it would be a good idea to cultivate Fitz Darcy as an ally. I’m working on that.”
“That so? How?”
How much to tell? I wasn’t worried my brother would interfere with any school activities. I’d already told him about the Freshman Bait List, and I could tell he’d already filed it away in his mind under the category of silly nonsense. Still, I hadn’t told him about Fitz’s personal interest in the List or my dealings with Wick.
“His sister might be in some jeopardy. I’m looking for a way to remove her from that situation.”
Croft nodded. “That’s good. He’ll owe you a favor. From someone like him, that will have real value.”
I returned my attention to my book when it occurred to me my brother might have had significantly more experiences in his lifetime than I’ve had in mine. I’d never known him to spend time with a particular woman. I’d once asked him if he had any thoughts of marriage, which he had quickly rejected out of turn.
Holmes men did much better as bachelors, according to him.
Except, if we all remained bachelors indefinitely, there would be no more Holmes men.
Still, my brother was a man of wealth, education and some political power of note back home. Surely that had to be attractive to a certain subsection of women.
“Croft, have you ever gone on a date?”
“Ah ha! I knewthiswas aboutthatgirl.”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to with eitherthisorthat.”
I didn’t often lie to Croft. Mostly because he was so astute there was no point. But I was feeling churlish that he might have detected a change in my behavior. It would signify that, somehow, Irene Adler was getting to me.
I didn’t like that.
“The pretty one. The one you danced with,” he said, not dissuaded from his point. “I told you not to let your head get filled with silly nonsense. We’re only here to broaden—”
“My education, yes, I know,” I said, cutting him off. “But doesn’t that also include women? They’re over half the population of this country and it seems if I’m to learn anything about American life, I should know something about half her citizens. I asked a simple question. If you’re too embarrassed to answer…”
“Embarrassed?” he huffed. “I’m not embarrassed. Of course I’ve been on dates. I date quite frequently actually. Do we need to have a conversation about…shall we say…male appetites?”
“Please. God. No.”
My brother quickly nodded.
“I want to know how a man behaves on a date,” I said. “Is there a protocol? Are there rules?”
Her thing about the opening of doors I’d seen in enough movies so I knew it to be true. However, it felt like Irene had a playbook she was working from of which I was woefully ignorant. I needed more data.
“Yes, and yes. There are understood rules. Unwritten rules. It’s all rather complicated if you ask me.”
“You’re not helping.”
Croft sighed. “It’s very simple. You need to be polite and attentive.”
That seemed easy enough.
“But not too polite as to be obsequious and not so attentive you appear desperate. You want to be inthecommand of the date, yet you should also do everything she asks. Your cues come from her, but you shouldn’t be led by her. She’ll see that as a sign of weakness.”
“Are you serious right now?” I asked him, wondering if he could hear the babble coming from his mouth.
He frowned. “I told you. It’s complicated. I take it this means you’re going out. Withher.”
