The Unlikely Lady(84)

The butler returned with a tea tray. He set the elaborate service on the table in the center of the room.

Jane pursed her lips. Only one thing would make this beyond heaven. “You don’t happen to have any teacake, do you?”

“We do, miss. I shall be pleased to fetch some for you.” He left again and Jane had to force herself not to clap her hands. Teacakes and a giant library? She might just stay in here indefinitely and devil take Upton if he tried to forcibly remove her.

Jane set her reticule and gloves on the side of a settee and took a deep breath. Like an athlete preparing for a sport, she needed to ready herself. She marched up to the closest wall and ran her fingers along the titles of the leather bound volumes. Alphabetical by author, he’d said. The book she wanted was written by a fellow named Brandon.

She turned toward the far wall. She’d just pop over there and see how close she was to the Bs.

Fifteen minutes later, Jane had eaten two teacakes and realized that finding a book in the vast expanse of Upton’s library was not nearly as simple a task as one might expect. She’d managed to narrow her search to the BRs and had climbed up a spiral staircase to the third level—third level!—in search of the book. Upton, she thought with some irony, was sorely in need of a librarian. Surely any of his friends or acquaintances who came into this room would require similar assistance. Of course, his affianced bride wouldn’t pose much trouble. The woman didn’t read. Jane doubted Upton had many copies of La Belle Assemblée tucked away in here.

Regardless, a librarian was in order. Perhaps he’d hire Jane. She could spend all day in here sorting and browsing and reading and—

The dogs barked as the door opened. Jane swiveled on the balcony. Had the butler returned with more teacake? What a helpful chap.

“Jane?”

She sucked in her breath.

Upton.

She briefly considered her original plan. Could she hide in this house for the rest of her natural life or was she, indeed, required to declare herself? “We don’t know what became of Jane,” she could hear her mother’s voice saying years from now at a party. “She went out to the library one afternoon and never returned.” Because she had told her mother the library was her destination. She just hadn’t mentioned which library. Mrs. Bunbury, that poor darling, remained in bed with a head cold.

In the end, she decided she must make her presence known. If for no other reason, the idea of the future Mrs. Upton being told that Jane had gone missing in the library would no doubt spur that particular lady into launching an all-out search that would not end until Jane was discovered.

“I’m here,” she called back softly.

He tilted his head and looked up at her. His smile was warm and welcoming. “I’m glad you came,” he said. Her heart, that traitorous organ, beat quickly, and for a moment she could almost believe he meant it. Almost. But the memory of him kissing Isabella Langford rendered in Jane’s mind. She wished she could scrub it away, but it remained like a hideous scar.

The dogs wagged their tails, obviously waiting to be greeted by their master. Garrett bent over and slapped his hands on his thighs. The dogs wiggled up to him and he petted each of them in turn.

Jane slowly made her way down the staircase. She came to stand a few paces from Garrett. She arched a brow. “Dogberry and Verges?”

His grin hit her in her middle. “The stars of the play if you ask me.”

“Not Hero and Claudio?”

“Certainly not.”

She tapped her slippered foot against the rug. “What about Beatrice and Benedick? They would be the names I’d choose. You surprise me, Upton. I didn’t know you were partial to dogs.”

“I’m not. My friend, the Countess of Merrill’s sister, Miss Andrews, gave me these two. She works with the Royal Society for the Humane Treatment of Animals and she’s forever rescuing animals in need. When I saw these two little scoundrels, I couldn’t say no.”

“They are darling,” Jane allowed, scratching Dogberry behind the ear.

“Would you care to sit?” Garrett asked her.

Jane followed him to the settee near the center of the room. She sat on one end. He sat on a chair at right angles to her. He looked handsome today, blast him. Unbearably so. His long legs were encased in buckskin breeches, his feet in black top boots. He wore an emerald green coat and white shirttails and cravat. His dark hair was a bit mussed and it looked as if he hadn’t shaved in a day or two, which Jane quite liked, actually.

“You’ve been keeping a large secret from me, Upton.”

His forehead burrowed in a frown, but his hazel eyes sparkled. “Secret?”