A Novel Disguise by Samantha Larsen

Author:Samantha Larsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

CHAPTER 22

Monday morning came, and Tiffany was no closer to coming up with a plan to keep her beloved cottage and her position as librarian. At first, she’d only come to the palace so that Uriah’s absence would not be missed. Now she came every day because she loved it—loved every single thing about being a librarian. She adored organizing, classifying, cataloguing, purchasing, and—most of all—reading the books. There could be no greater profession in the world than that of a librarian, a position reserved (like so many) only for males.

Her mood was not improved by the ending of Clarissa. It seemed that women in fiction only died. They did not rescue themselves or chart their own course. Even in novels, it seemed as if men had all the power. Even the authority to read the banns without a lady’s express permission.

Tiffany was early to the servants’ two o’clock dinner and found Bernard leaning suggestively over the older redhead. She laughed, but they parted when Mr. Ford entered the room. From his jacket pocket, Bernard took out the rose-painted snuffbox and sniffed a pinch before standing by his seat at the servants’ table. As far as she could tell, he seemed to show no remorse at his lover’s death. Instead, he’d taken one of her possessions and used it as his own. For all of his good looks, he was a most unpleasant young man.

She took her place at the head of the table by Mr. Ford, but couldn’t help casting a glance down at Emily, sitting at the bottom of the women’s table. So far, the young maid had not spoken of Tiffany’s masquerade. Tiffany hoped that she never would; however, such knowledge was dangerous. Emily could accidentally share it without any malintent. Fear of Emily or herself slipping up, and of the possible addition of poison to her meal, took all the joy out of Monsieur Bonne’s lovely dinner. The food for the servants wasn’t as delicate as the courses served to the duke and duchess, but it was still delicious and much heartier.

Glancing at Thomas, she saw the grief on his handsome face. There were circles underneath his eyes and a slackness to his jaw. He said nothing and ate barely more. Her gaze was not the only one that watched him with concern. Emily’s darted to his face between every bite, and Mrs. Wheatley gave him several motherly looks of concern from her table. Tiffany was relieved to know that the footman had people within the house to care for him.

Returning to the library, Tiffany spent a rather unfruitful afternoon. She tried to organize the natural science section of the library, but her mind was muddled with her own problems. How could she get out of an engagement that she’d never entered into in the first place? How long could she possibly keep up the masquerade of being both her brother and herself? And what were the consequences under the law for not reporting his death nor assuring him a church burial? She cringed when she thought of Samir coming to arrest her.

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