Chapter 4

Chapter Four

“ I trust you are recovered from yesterday?” Jonathan asked, his lips curved up in a smile.

“Yes, all is well,” Melanie replied, trying not to look directly at that smile. That smile that had practically been emblazoned in her memory. Melanie was seated across from Jonathan on the comfortable brown leather seat in his elegant carriage while her maid Rachel sat on the same side as Melanie but at the other end, gazing out the window, giving them a semblance of privacy.

“And the kitten, how does he fare?”

Melanie couldn’t help but smile as she remembered Smoot’s antics that morning. “I think I know why they say cats have nine lives.” She glanced up and her eyes met his and she suddenly forgot what else she was about to say. Drat! Why does he have to be so gorgeous?

“Cats may well have nine lives, but people do not,” Jonathan said. “You would do well to remember that, Melanie.”

“While I am grateful to you for your assistance yesterday, I do not need to be scolded like a naughty child.”

“If you behave like one, that’s how you will be treated.”

“So much for my hero worship,” she mumbled under her breath.

“I beg your pardon?”

She attempted to school her features into a placid smile and make her voice the epitome of calm. “I was surprised to see that you are back in London.” She chanced a peek at him and noted his eyes continued to regard her with an intensity that she could scarcely interpret. Nevertheless, it left her feeling quite discombobulated.

“Well, you needn’t be surprised any longer. For I am here to stay.”

“You are?”

“Yes, why? Does that surprise you?”

“Er, no. I had just assumed you were set on your top-secret work.”

He grinned. “I wasn’t aware you were so interested in my occupation. Nor was I aware that you had returned from Scotland. Then again, I have not been in touch with your brother since my return. But I hope to remedy that soon.”

“I’m certain Gavin will be happy to see you. You always were two peas in a pod.” Melanie glanced to her right and noticed that Rachel had nodded off.

“How so?” he asked.

“My brother is the same as he has always been—enjoying the company of widows and breaking hearts all over England. Anything to avoid settling down.”

“And you think I am the same? A heartbreaker?”

You broke my heart. “As you know, I have been out of the country, so I haven’t been as attuned to The Town Tattler . I couldn’t say for sure.”

He gave a wry smile. “Ah. I see. I’ve been out of the country, as we’ve both acknowledged. And now, I’m back with the hope of setting down roots.”

Does that mean he plans to marry? Melanie was dying to ask, but bit her tongue, lest she find out something she’d rather not know. Or did she want to know? Four years ago, she had been surprised. Maybe she should ask. She schooled her face to appear as noncommittal as possible, as she pulled at a stray threat on her sleeve. “Does that mean you plan to marry? Or maybe I should offer you congratulations?”

He laughed. “Not so fast. I meant that I plan to stay in England and have completed my last assignment for the Crown. My father wants me to become more involved in the estate business. He and my mother intend to travel the continent, once I am in control of more of the business.”

Strangely, she felt better and glanced up at him. “So, you plan to spend more time in London?”

He gazed at her. “Yes, I do. What are your plans?”

“Gavin insisted I return to London with him for a while. Well, maybe because Lydia and Lilian had written to him, requesting that I spend time with them during the upcoming Season.” She was twenty-one, and with no prospects, Gavin found the idea had merit . Her brother’s conversation came back to her. “He never married Lady Diana Thurston,” Gavin had said out of the blue, as they pulled away from Rochester Castle. Her brother had an uncanny way of understanding her when others could not.

“I hardly care about that,” she had replied.

“It’s me, Melanie. I find your response evasive and avoids much of the actual issue. I’m your brother. I know you better than that. However, I’m not promoting a match. But I wanted to ensure you knew so his presence wouldn’t surprise you.” Truthfully, it shocked her to learn that anyone would leave Jonathan at the altar.

“I was very sorry to hear of your mother’s unexpected passing,” Jonathan said, jolting her back to the present.

She swallowed the huge lump in her throat. Her mother’s illness and subsequent passing had been a shock. “Yes, that has been difficult. However, I am slowly adjusting. My parents made provisions that will allow me access to my dowry in four more years, providing I’ve not married. I plan to use that to create a quiet life for myself.”

He leaned forward and tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. “You plan a future alone, then.”

It was more of a statement than a question. Something fluttered in her stomach and the skin on her chin heated from his touch. “I…I am not sure. As you can well imagine, I’m clearly on the shelf and eligible men are more interested in debutantes that…”

“On the shelf? Who says?” he whispered, with eyes blazing into hers.

She was not the spinster type, and he couldn’t imagine her being on the shelf. It was a stupid saying. As far as he was concerned, she seemed perfect. He wanted desperately to kiss her, and it took all his reserve to ease back into his seat. But they were getting close to their destination. And her maid was in the carriage— even if she had fallen asleep . And he reminded himself, she was his best friend’s little sister.

When they stopped, Jonathan helped Melanie alight from the carriage. She was behaving rather prickly toward him, and he couldn’t fathom why. He thought back over what they had talked about. He felt sure he should know but couldn’t think of anything that would cause her to be out of sorts with him. What was he missing? Melanie was beautiful. She had grown from a girl into a beautiful woman in the four years he’d been away, and he couldn’t help being helplessly drawn to her since rescuing her in front of this very spot only yesterday.

“I appreciate you accompanying me today, she said as they entered the shop. I meant to go yesterday before Smoot and the whole er—carriage incident.”

Jonathan’s chest tightened at Melanie’s calling it an incident. She’d almost died, for God’s sake! He’d almost lost his temper earlier when she’d talked about cats and their blasted nine lives. He couldn’t let himself think what would most certainly have happened if he hadn’t been there. Honestly, she was the most stubborn woman. He’d known Melanie all his life, she was his best friend’s little sister. Hell, she was the dearest friend of Lydia and Lilian. He’d always had a soft spot in his heart for Melanie. As a child, she had a habit of rushing headlong into rescuing various wounded creatures. The problem was she never seemed to be aware of the danger to herself. Luckily, Jonathan had been nearby whenever Melanie had gotten herself into one scrape or another.

But Melanie was no longer a little girl. He became painfully aware of that fact yesterday as he’d held her in his arms. Her lush beauty had taken him completely by surprise. When had she grown up? He couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen her…and then he remembered the ball four years ago when he’d announced his engagement to Diana. He tried never to think about that woman. Besides, he was far more concerned with how he could make Melanie see that she needed to be more careful.

As they stepped into the warm, inviting atmosphere of the bookstore, the manager stepped forward to give them a friendly greeting and offer his assistance.

“I’m Mr. Conners. Please let me know if I can be of help,” the man said.

Jonathan thanked him and told him they were browsing at the moment, discreetly offering a slight nod to the older man. The manager was the informant who’d sent Jonathan a note while he was at Slade’s office. As Jonathan bravely rushed into the road to aid the woman, the manager took advantage of the commotion, slipping silently into the darkness of the alley and escaping through the inconspicuous back door of the bookstore. The unpredictable twists of yesterday’s events had caught everyone off guard, leaving echoes of surprise and uncertainty hanging in the air, and he’d been unable to speak to the informant.

He noticed Melanie’s maid had found a quiet corner near the entrance and pulled a frame of needlepoint from her basket.

“Are you looking for something in particular?” Jonathan asked Melanie. “Perhaps I can help you find it.” Gavin had mentioned to Jonathan the last time he’d been in England for a brief visit that Melanie was pursuing a writing career. Interestingly, Jonathan got the impression that Gavin was trying to gauge his reaction to the news. He’d made a point of telling Jonathan not to mention Melanie’s pursuit to become a published author. Jonathan was pleased to hear she had found something she was passionate about—especially, having lost her mother, to whom she was very close. He admired women who sought to break free from traditional roles. As an agent, he recognized the strength that women displayed—both in his colleagues and in his informants.

“Nothing and everything. It’s been such a long time since I’ve been here, I wanted to experience it again,” she replied, looking around the shop with eyes aglow and filled with excitement. He couldn’t help but smile.

He had the feeling she was evading his question, perhaps because she was worried about his reaction. “It’s been my experience that women who push the boundaries of what Society dictates for them are worthy of admiration,” he said, chancing her reaction.

Her velvety-brown eyes widened in surprise, and she opened those full rosy lips as though she were about to say something. But then the bell above the door jingled as an older couple stepped into the shop. Jonathan saw a flicker of hesitation on Melanie’s lovely face, and she looked away as she perused the leather-bound tomes on the shelf in front of her.

“What section do you want to peruse first?” While the shop offered an array of books, it was a treasure, specializing in antiquated finds, and fit well with the ambiance of the quaint, historic London street.

The store manager walked past them returning a book to the shelf and slid a note into Jonathan’s palm. While he was ready for it, he was a little surprised. The man had expected he would return. Jonathan itched to read it, but that would have to wait for a private moment.

“I’m interested in the new book by Sir Walter Scott— Ivanhoe . I heard that there might be some signed copies here. I had planned to look for them yesterday,” she said.

“Let me inquire,” Jonathan said. Walking toward the desk where the manager, Mr. Tom Connors, was unpacking several books, Jonathan quickly scanned the note.

DL ~

Be wary. Noise of insurgent partner already in London.

Has integrated into Society.

X

Johnathan nodded at Connors and touched the side of his nose. Thankfully, the initials DL were used. Had the note passed into the wrong hands, he doubted anyone would have known it had been meant for him. “The lady would like to pick up copies of Ivanhoe for friends and had heard you might have signed copies.”

“My lord, most of them sold out yesterday. I have only two or three copies left. I also have a first-edition copy of Frankenstein if the lady is interested. It’s used, but it’s quite rare to find a first edition for a book so popular. Part of the charm of our establishment. We have both rare books and unique treasures.”

“How wonderful,” Melanie exclaimed.” She’d followed him to the desk and now stood by his side, her slender frame vibrating with excitement.

“I never imagined I’d find an original… I mean first edition. Lydia and Lilian will love them. By chance, do you also have some books by Austen that might also be original copies?”

“I believe the lady is interested in seeing many of your fine books,” Jonathan said, amusement lacing his voice.

“I may have a couple of Austen’s first editions. I was rearranging stock and was surprised to find them the other day. They were hidden behind a small stand of books on the shelves.”

“Oh! My best friend, Lady Angela Wilde, would love a copy of Sense and Sensibility . She still laments not having found an original edition,” Melanie whispered. “I wish we had known who “By a Lady” was before her death. When she died, her brother Henry Austen revealed her identity. It seems unfair that she had to keep her name quiet to sell her books.”

Jonathan nodded, choosing not to comment further about the pseudonym Austen had taken. It was unfortunate that women’s skills were not valued in Society as they ought to be.

An hour later, they walked out of the shop. Jonathan was carrying a stack of books neatly wrapped. Melanie’s maid walked a few steps behind them. “There’s a tea shop across the street. I don’t know about you, but they have the best strawberry tarts and sticky buns.” Her eyes lit up and he recalled how much she loved strawberries, biscuits, and sweets in general.

“Shall we go?” she asked.

He realized he was hedging. He had had such a wonderful time at the bookshop, seeing things through Melanie’s eyes, and realized he wanted to spend more time with her. She had changed so much since the days she and his sisters followed him and Gavin around the estates, spying on them and listening in on their conversations.

She beamed at him. “I’d love some tea,” she coaxed.

“Then, by all means, let’s enjoy a hot cup before we return home. Besides, I’d like to see if you have the same sweet tooth you always had,” he said with a wink.

“Thank you for accompanying me today,” Melanie said as she poured cream into her tea. Your advice was most helpful. I am so pleased to have found the most perfect Christmas gifts for Lillian and Lydia.”

“I suspect my sisters will be thrilled. But what is it about Frankenstein that makes the book so appealing?” Jonathan asked, sincerely interested. He hadn’t read it but knew of the book’s popularity.

“Besides being very entertaining, I think it makes the reader think about the dangers of playing God,” Melanie said, biting into the sticky bun. “This is delicious, by the way,” she added, chasing the sweet treat with her hot tea.

“I didn’t realize what it was about,” he admitted.

“Then you must read it! She perused the stack of wrapped purchases and set one on the table next to Jonathan.

“No…this is a present for your family and friends. I would rather read your copy,” he said, giving her a lopsided grin. He couldn’t help but be fascinated by Melanie. Her mind was like quicksilver, and he wanted to know more about the books she’d read. She got such excitement from stories; it was no wonder she wanted to write them.

Melanie blushed but seemed to warm to the idea. “Well…all right. I think I may have my copy at Grandmama’s. I’ll look for it.”

He nodded. As they sat together, the warm steam rising from their fragrant tea mingled with the sweet smell of freshly baked biscuits and sticky buns. He would forever associate this mix of glorious scents with the beautiful young woman sitting across from him. Their laughter filled the cozy room as they discussed their favorite books.

“I cannot recall the last time I’ve had such a good time talking about books,” Jonathan said, looking at the empty plate in front of him. “It appears there are no more biscuits and sticky buns. Shall I order a refill of hot tea and biscuits?”

“Goodness! I have talked so much, I don’t even recall eating the last biscuit,” Melanie said.

“You didn’t. I did.” He flashed a smile. “The orange biscuits and strawberry tarts were especially delicious.”

Melanie smiled, a pretty blush suffusing her cheeks. “They were delicious. Truly.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “But we should probably make our way back to Grandmama’s.”

Jonathan felt warmed by her smile. He nodded to the server, who came with the bill. “And can you give us a dozen of those delicious biscuits?”

“Yes, milord,” the server said, disappearing into the kitchen.

He winked at Melanie. “I think the dowager countess will enjoy them.”

Melanie giggled, and Jonathan thought it was the prettiest sound he’d ever heard.