He rose hastily to his feet, bowing. “It’s my pleasure, my lady.”
He showed them both to the door, where Lord Griffin bid farewell to Mr. Templeton before helping Hero into the carriage.
“Where will you find more money for your home?” Reading asked.
“I don’t know at the moment.”
“Would you consider a small loan?”
She looked at him, startled. “You know I can’t accept money from you.”
“Why not?” he asked softly. “I wouldn’t tell anyone. It would be a small transaction just between you and me. You could pay me back when you are able.”
Her mouth opened silently. He would have her in his power if he made a loan to her… but that wasn’t what made her curious. “Why are you making this offer to me?”
He blinked. “Do you have an objection to my money?”
“You don’t know me well. I don’t even think you like me.” She opened her hands in her lap. “For what purpose are you making this offer? I don’t understand.”
He tilted his head back, staring at her. “I think it perfectly obvious. I have the money and you need it.”
“Do you make such offers to every lady who needs money?” She began to blush the moment the words left her mouth as she realized the possible double meaning, but she held his gaze defiantly. Would he take the easy way? Turn this into a joke?
But he didn’t. He looked irritated now, but he answered her nonetheless. “No, of course not.”
She simply looked at him.
He leaned forward suddenly, his elbows on his knees. “Money is the one thing I’m good at. You can trust me completely in this matter. I don’t cheat. I don’t steal. When it comes to financial dealings, you can rely on me.”
He said it almost like a confession, and she was strangely touched, as if he’d shared something deeply personal with her.
Yet she’d only known this man for less than forty-eight hours. Years of practicality held her back. “I do appreciate your kind offer,” she said carefully, “but I think I must decline it for now.”
He nodded as if he’d expected her answer and sat back. “My offer is still open should you change your mind.”
She suddenly felt lighter, even though she’d refused his money. He was on her side. She wasn’t working alone anymore. “I haven’t thanked you, have I?”
He shook his head, a smile playing about his mouth.
She inhaled, fighting down her own silly smile. “Well, I do thank you. Mr. Templeton seems like a competent architect and, perhaps more importantly, an honest one. I would never have found him without your introduction.”
He shrugged. “I’m glad to be of service.”
“There is one question I have for you, though.”
“Only one?”
“Why were you in St. Giles yesterday morning?”
If she expected confusion or denials of wrongdoing, that wasn’t what she got. Reading grinned and knocked on the ceiling of the carriage to signal the driver to stop.
“I was in St. Giles on business,” he said as the carriage halted. He opened the door and looked back at her over his shoulder. “Wicked, wicked business.”
He jumped down and tipped his hat to her. “Good morning to you, my Lady Perfect.”
He slammed the door and the carriage started forward.
Hero sat back against the squabs, whispering, “And good day to you, my Lord Shameless.”
Chapter Five
Well, this was quite the problem as you can imagine! For Queen Ravenhair trusted—and distrusted—her advisors, ministers, and men of letters all equally. How to choose which of the three princes would make the perfect husband? After puzzling on the problem for several days, the queen mounted her mare and announced to a gathered throng of her subjects that she had come to a decision. She would invite all three gentlemen to her castle and there hold a series of trials to discover her perfect consort and the man she would wed. All the court cheered.
But the stable master, standing by the head of the mare, was silent….
—from Queen Ravenhair
The first thing Griffin noticed as he entered Mandeville House that night was the multitude of candles. That and the two footmen and the butler who rushed to take his hat signaled that Mater had decided to turn a simple family dinner into an Event.
Griffin sighed.
Dinner with his family was wearisome enough without the extra frills.
“My lady has already sat down,” the butler said, his tone managing to sound both obsequious and disapproving at the same time.
“Of course she has,” Griffin muttered. It wasn’t enough that he’d have to endure a formal dinner with Thomas and his perfect fiancée—he must be late as well.