The Gentleman Who Loved Me (Heart of Enquiry Book 6) by Grace Callaway

Author:Grace Callaway [Callaway, Grace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical regency romance mystery
Publisher: Grace Callaway
Published: 2017-06-14T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Two days later, Rosie perched on a chair on the premises of Kent and Associates. She’d always loved visiting her father’s office located near Soho Square. Sandwiched between a bakery and a pianoforte maker’s shop, the building had been remodeled due to a fire a few years back, and the understated elegance of the present suite with its oak paneling, studded leather seats, and stone fireplace suited her papa perfectly.

At present, no discordant sounds came from the piano maker’s, but the tantalizing scent of fresh gingerbread wafted from the bakery. While the moist, spicy-sweet treat had been her favorite as a girl, as an adult her ubiquitous slimming plan curtailed such indulgences. At the moment, however, she would have given her eyeteeth for a slice. Knowing what was to take place this morning, she’d been too nervous to take more than a cup of tea at breakfast.

Next to her, Polly murmured, “You’re fidgeting worse than Violet.”

Botheration. Rosie stilled her tapping slipper. She slid a glance at Mama, who sat in a chair by Papa’s desk, embroidering a handkerchief. This was not a good sign: Mama only did needlework when she was upset and needed distraction. As Rosie watched, her mother put in precise pink stitches that formed Sophie’s initials, a complex garland surrounding them.

Since the attack, Mama had sewn a dozen of these handkerchiefs.

She’d also had been glued to Rosie, the present danger dissipating the tension between them. For Rosie, reconciliation was a relief. While she didn’t like that the other had kept the truth from her, she understood why. And she loved her mother too much to sustain the separation.

She’d decided to bury the hatchet—and the whole business of Coyner along with it. Nothing had happened, so what was the point in excavating such ugliness? Dwelling upon the horrid business would only lead to further friction with her mother.

No, she decided, she would not think about the matter ever again.

Anyway, she had more important things to contend with: Andrew would be arriving shortly.

Immediately after the attack, he’d apprised Polly and Revelstoke of the truth. Calm as could be, he’d told them that he’d been escorting Rosie home when they’d been shot at. He hadn’t said what they’d been doing together (thank goodness!), but he also made no effort to hide the fact that, whatever it was, they’d been doing it alone and in the middle of the night.

Luckily for Rosie, Polly and Revelstoke had been more concerned about the attack on her life than her less than proper behavior. If they didn’t ask, there was no way she was going to tell. Besides, being a widow, she had new freedoms, so perhaps she could just brazen the whole thing out.

When Andrew had announced his intention to alert Papa, however, she’d protested.

To no avail.

“Your life is in danger, and I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe,” he’d said in a tone that brooked no refusal. “My guards will arrive directly, and you will stay here and under their protection until I’ve made arrangements with your father.

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