The Carfax Intrigue by Tracy Grant

Author:Tracy Grant [Grant, Tracy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-64197-208-6
Publisher: NYLA

10

Edith Simmons left the dance floor on Sandy Trenor’s arm, and went still as the stir of movement from couples leaving the floor gave her a sudden view of a familiar figure across the room. For a moment her delightfully impractical satin dancing slippers seemed stuck to the floorboards. Thomas Thornsby’s gaze locked on her own, or at least it seemed that way. He inclined his head. How could one attempt to read so much into a simple nod? Edith nodded back just before a sea of dancers in gauzy pastel frocks and sleek dark coats blurred the distance between them. Should she cross the room and speak with him, or wait and let him make the decision? After all, in a sense he was the injured party. Well, he certainly was; she’d been spying on him, and polite as he was, there was certainly a restraint in his manner that hadn’t been present before January. Difficult to tell how much was because of her actions and how much because of the impossibility of anything’s developing between them. Thomas was so faultlessly well-mannered it was difficult to tell anything.

"Miss Simmons?" Sandy asked. "Did you see someone you know? Shall we cross the room?"

"No. Yes. That is, I’m not sure—"

"Edith."

The familiar voice sounded from one side, taking Edith back to another part of her past that was inextricably bound up with Thomas and her time as a reluctant agent of the Elsinore League. She turned and found herself looking at the woman who had employed her five months since. Alice Wilton. Lady Wilton. She had been a kind mistress and a good mother, if more detached from both the nursery and the nursery staff than the Rannochs and the Davenports. And the new Carfaxes, from everything Edith had seen.

"Lady Wilton." Edith smiled, unsure if she should curtsey or shake hands, and convinced she’d make a mull of either. "I believe you’re acquainted with Mr. Trenor?"

"Lady Wilton." Sandy, who also had beautiful manners, sketched a faultless bow. They exchanged pleasantries. Sandy looked between the two women and met Edith’s gaze with the faintest lift of his brow, which managed to question if she was comfortable being left alone with her acquaintance. Edith inclined her head. She wasn’t sure why Lady Wilton had sought her out, but she sensed the other woman needed to talk.

Sandy gave a quick smile. "If you’ll excuse me, ladies, I should see how Miss Simcox is getting on."

Edith met Lady Wilton’s gaze. She had once lived in the other woman’s household, but she had had relatively few conversations with her, and certainly not at occasions such as a ball where they were both guests and on equal footing. "How are Winston and Sally?" she asked.

"They’re well." A smile broke the well-bred composure on Lady Wilton’s face, though concern lurked in her eyes. "They’ve been asking to meet you in the park again with the Davenport girls."

"I’d like that. I’m sure Livia and Drusilla would as well." Though last

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