Page 35 of One Night of Scandal
A moment later, Jack and Viola walked out onto the Strand. It took only a moment for him to hail a hack. He looked over at her. “Do you mind if I get out at Charing Cross? I need to get back to Westminster.” He felt strange letting her continue alone to Berkeley Square, but reasoned she’d been carrying on as Tavistock by herself for some time.
“Not at all. I’m quite capable of seeing myself home.”
“I wasn’t sure—it is broad daylight, after all. Not your usual time to be out.” He winked at her to show he was teasing. He gave the driver their directions and climbed into the hack after her.
This was a larger vehicle than the one they’d taken last time, and he was able to sit across from her, which was perhaps for the best. The more distance between them, the less he was drawn to her. Or so he’d tell himself.
He scrutinized her across the interior. “Do you really have an engagement on the fourteenth?”
“No.”
“I’m surprised you don’t want to attend the meeting.”
A smile teased her lips, and it was very hard to see Tavistock and not Viola. “Idowant to attend, but I’m eager, not stupid. In all honesty, I’m not even sure I want you to go.”
A hint of joy flitted through him. She cared about him. And he cared about her. Their association had transformed into something he’d never expected.
“I have to go,” he said. “I must find out who is trying to make it look as if I had something to do with the attack.”
She looked at him intently. “Who are your enemies?”
“I wouldn’t say I had ‘enemies.’ I disagree with plenty of other MPs, but there’s a professional courtesy and trust. At least I thought there was.” He didn’t bother hiding his disgust. He couldn’t imagine who would go to such lengths. “I’m apparently a bit naïve,” he said.
“I don’t think so. This is beyond the pale.” She didn’t bother disguising her dismay either.
They were quiet a moment, then she said, “I’m sorry I doubted you. I understand why you didn’t tell me about meeting with the Spenceans and why you didn’t take me to meet them. I comprehended that it’s a dangerous time, but perhaps not as fully as I should have. I do now.”
He smiled across the hack at her. “Good. It was never my intent to keep things from you.”
The hack started to slow and pull to the side of the road. Jack looked out to see they were nearly at Charing Cross.
“I suppose I won’t talk to you until after the fourteenth?” she asked as the hack came to a stop.
“Probably not.” He hoped he didn’t sound as disappointed as he felt.
“Please be careful. I would hate to see you in prison.”
“I would hate that too.” He laughed, then climbed out of the hack.
He stood on the curb and watched the vehicle reenter traffic while he mentally counted four, nofive, days before he would see her again. It felt like an eternity.
Hell.
For the first time in his life, Jack was utterly captivated, and he didn’t have the slightest idea what to do about it.
Viola hoped Grandmama appreciated that she’d danced. With a viscount.
She held Lord Orford’s arm as they left the dance floor. “Thank you for the dance, my lord,” she said politely.
“It was my pleasure. I am only sorry I wasn’t able to attend the Goodrick ball last week as intended. I regretted not fulfilling my promise to dance with you.” It hadn’t been apromise, but she supposed it was nice of him to remember. “Might we promenade for a few moments?”
“Certainly.” She was eager to continue their conversation from the park and wasn’t sure they’d be able to. The quadrille they’d just danced hadn’t lent itself to much in the way of conversation and certainly nothing so weighty as the assassination attempt on the Prince Regent.
She launched right into the topic lest she lose the opportunity. “I hope you don’t find me impertinent, but I wished to ask about our discussion last week in the park. It seems as if you perhaps knew something about that…attack.” She chose her words carefully and kept her voice low as they circuited the ballroom, passing countless people. She registered many familiar faces, but none of them belonged to Jack Barrett.
And that was how she knew she’d been looking for him.
“Lady Viola, it seemed as ifyouknew something about the…incident,” Orford said in a measured tone.
