Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey

Author:Cindy Anstey [Cindy Anstey]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: 2016-04-19T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

11

In which Mr. Northam mulls over erroneous information while Miss Telford continues to shoulder the blame for … pretty much anything that can be laid on her doorstep.

“NO, I WILL NOT.” Bobbington fixed Spencer with what was likely meant to be a piercing glare. He looked more like a ruffled pup. “If you had kept to your seat for more than five minutes at a time, you would have enjoyed the play and not feel the need to return. It is upon your own shoulders.”

Bobbington sat across from Spencer almost lost in the tall, dark wingback chair that had been placed in the grouping by the fire. There was room for four, but none of the other men in Brooks’s at the time seemed inclined to intrude upon the friends’ terse discussion.

Spencer allowed it was always best to let a man spill his spleen before interjecting a little sense. However, Bobbington had been huffing and puffing since breakfast. “It was not my fault.” He started to introduce reason, but it was still a little too soon.

“How can you say that? It was most certainly your fault. Indeed, you hardly looked at the stage, jumpy as a Belgian rabbit and more interested in everything around you. It was like being with a ten-year-old.”

“It is not my fault,” Spencer tried again, “that Miss Pyebald was not there.”

Bobbington opened his mouth to disagree and then clamped it shut with a snap. He looked slightly sheepish and then sighed. “It was my understanding that it was a planned outing for the Reeves family and the Pyebalds. I intended to put myself forward. I thought it the perfect place to be noticed. Was I wrong? Did you not tell me that—?”

“Yes, yes,” Spencer interrupted in a tone sharper than he had intended. “That was my understanding as well. Miss Telford indicated that they would be attending, although I had had my doubts.” He contradicted his severe tone by curling the corners of his lips up and lifting his shoulders.

“Your doubts! Well, you could have had the courtesy to inform me. My heart was set.” He glared once more at Spencer; however, his frustration was finally winding down. “Oh devil take it, never mind. I know you must be vastly disappointed as well. I have never known you to take an interest in a lady such as Miss Telford before.” He tried to laugh, but it came out as a snort. “Little minx for telling us they would attend.”

Spencer shrugged again, as if it truly were not disturbing that Juliana had lied. He knew that she had fibbed the moment the words left her mouth in Hyde Park. She had looked decidedly uncomfortable. He had not expected it of her. He thought her above the common. His only comfort was that she was not practiced at cutting shams. He hoped there was some reason for her subterfuge other than being in league with the Pyebalds.

“I was simply not in the mood for Hamlet, is all, a temporary condition.

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