Only an Earl Will Do by Tamara Gill

Author:Tamara Gill [Gill, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: earl, historical romance, scandal, Regency, england, lady, select historical, entangled publishing
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2016-07-24T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder onto Bond Street as a pricking of unease slithered down her neck. She watched the busy crowd of shoppers but couldn’t see anything to raise her suspicion. And yet, for some absurd reason, the notion that someone was watching her, following her, would not dissipate.

She came to the door to Hatchards, her favorite bookseller, and motioned for Tippy, her maid, to follow her inside. Elizabeth breathed deep the delightful smell of leather and paper as she walked toward the nearest window. Looking outside, she took in the street and noted a large man wearing laborer type pants and a grimy linen shirt leaning against a wall across the way. Such a gentleman wouldn’t normally catch her attention, but that his consideration was fixed on Hatchards—not an establishment he looked to visit often—was odd.

“Tippy, do you know who the man across the street is by any chance? The big one, leaning against the milliner shop.”

Tippy leaned past Elizabeth and looked to where she pointed. “No, my lady. I’ve never seen him before.” She turned back to her expectantly. “Should I know him?”

Elizabeth bit her lip and frowned. “No. I don’t believe you should. I just wondered, that’s all.”

Tippy went to pick some books of her own to read, while Elizabeth stayed at the window and watched the burly fellow. He seemed content to stay where he was, but why a man who looked more suited to the bowels of London would be interested in a bookshop was strange. Just as strange as the notion the same man was possibly following her.

With a resigned sigh, Elizabeth went about looking for something to read.

A little while later, pleased with her assortment of books, she stepped from the shop, pulling on her gloves with a false air of calm. Her body, on the other hand, was coiled tight with nerves. Within her peripheral vision, the man leaned away from the wall and made a show of looking about the street. Maybe he was following her, but why?

Elizabeth looked over at him and took in his every detail. She studied, with blatant curiosity, his features and dress. If he were following her, Henry and Josh would question her about him, and she needed to remember what she saw.

The man, not expecting her to pick him out of all the people on the street, shuffled about and then took off down a lane between the stores. Elizabeth marked the direction he went and watched him until he was out of sight.

She headed for the family carriage parked a little away, wondering who would need to spy on her. Not that he was a competent spy, in any case, but it was absurd. She’d certainly never done anything to warrant such attention. She stopped at the thought, and her maid let out a little yelp at having nearly run into her. Unless Lord Riddledale had taken it upon himself to keep tabs on her every move. It was not without warrant, and she certainly wouldn’t put it past the unrelenting gentleman to act so high-handed.

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