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unnerve her so ignited her temper. "Unhand me, sir." "Not until you agree to a partnership." "Why would you want to work with me when you have such a low opinion of me?" "We are going to work together, Mrs. Lake, because today's events prove that I cannot take the risk of allowing you to continue on your own. You require close supervision." She did not like the sound of that. "Really, Mr. March, you cannot hold me here in midair indefinitely." "Do not depend upon that, madam." "You are no gentleman, sir.". "You have already mentioned that fact on a prior occasion. Do we have an agreement to work together on this affair of the diary?" "I have very little interest in forming any connection what- soever with you. Nevertheless, as I cannot seem to turn around without tripping over you, I am willing to pool our resources and exchange information." "A wise decision, Mrs. Lake."
"However, I must insist that you refrain from this sort of rude behavior." He was not hurting her, but she was intensely aware of the strength in his hands. "Now set me down, sir." Without a word, Tobias lowered her until her feet touched the floor, then released her. She shook out her skirts and put a hand to her hair. She felt flustered and angry and oddly breathless. "This is an outrage. I expect an apology, Mr. March." "I beg your pardon, madam. There appears to be something about you that brings out the worst in me." "Oh dear," Emeline murmured. "This partnership is not starting off well, is it?" Lavinia and Tobias both turned to look at her. Before anyone could speak, the door opened. Mrs. Chilton barged into the study with the tea tray. "I'll pour," Emeline said quickly She rushed forward to seize the tray. By the time three cups had been filled, Lavinia had her temper back under control. Tobias stood at the window, hands clasped behind his back, and looked out into the tiny garden. The remnants of his rather dangerous and unpredictable mood were still evident in the set of his shoulders. She told herself that the fact that he had made no more remarks about featherbrained idiots was a good sign. When the door closed behind Mrs. Chilton, Lavinia took a fortifying sip of tea and set down her cup with great precision. The tall clock ticked heavily in the thick silence. "Let us start again at the beginning," Tobias said flatly. "What, exactly, did you say to Mrs. Dove?"
"I was very forthright with her." "Bloody hell." Lavinia cleared her throat. "I merely said I had been a victim of blackmail and had tracked the extortionist to his lair, only to discover that someone else had got there first. I explained that the diary Holton Felix had mentioned in his blackmail notes was gone and that I had found her address tucked into a disgusting novel in the bedchamber." Tobias turned swiftly to face her. "So that was what you discovered in that room. I knew you had found something. Damnation, why did you not tell me?" "Mr. March, if you are going to berate me at every step of the way, we shall not make much progress." His jaw tightened, but he did not argue. "Continue." "Unfortunately, that's about all there is to tell. She admitted no knowledge of the blackmail affair, but I'm convinced she was one of Felix's victims. I offered to take her on as a client. She refused." Lavinia spread her hands. "I left the house." There was no need to mention that she had been ordered to leave under threat of being physically tossed out the front door, she thought. "Did you tell her that I was with you last night?" Tobias asked. "No. I told her nothing about your involvement in the business. " Tobias contemplated the information in silence for a moment. Then he went to the small table near the big chair and picked up his cup and saucer. "She is a widow, you say?" "Yes. One of the nannies in the park told me that her husband died nearly a year ago, shortly after the daughter's engagement was announced at a grand ball."
Tobias paused, the cup halfway back to the saucer. Acute
"However, I must insist that you refrain from this sort of rude behavior." He was not hurting her, but she was intensely aware of the strength in his hands. "Now set me down, sir." Without a word, Tobias lowered her until her feet touched the floor, then released her. She shook out her skirts and put a hand to her hair. She felt flustered and angry and oddly breathless. "This is an outrage. I expect an apology, Mr. March." "I beg your pardon, madam. There appears to be something about you that brings out the worst in me." "Oh dear," Emeline murmured. "This partnership is not starting off well, is it?" Lavinia and Tobias both turned to look at her. Before anyone could speak, the door opened. Mrs. Chilton barged into the study with the tea tray. "I'll pour," Emeline said quickly She rushed forward to seize the tray. By the time three cups had been filled, Lavinia had her temper back under control. Tobias stood at the window, hands clasped behind his back, and looked out into the tiny garden. The remnants of his rather dangerous and unpredictable mood were still evident in the set of his shoulders. She told herself that the fact that he had made no more remarks about featherbrained idiots was a good sign. When the door closed behind Mrs. Chilton, Lavinia took a fortifying sip of tea and set down her cup with great precision. The tall clock ticked heavily in the thick silence. "Let us start again at the beginning," Tobias said flatly. "What, exactly, did you say to Mrs. Dove?"
"I was very forthright with her." "Bloody hell." Lavinia cleared her throat. "I merely said I had been a victim of blackmail and had tracked the extortionist to his lair, only to discover that someone else had got there first. I explained that the diary Holton Felix had mentioned in his blackmail notes was gone and that I had found her address tucked into a disgusting novel in the bedchamber." Tobias turned swiftly to face her. "So that was what you discovered in that room. I knew you had found something. Damnation, why did you not tell me?" "Mr. March, if you are going to berate me at every step of the way, we shall not make much progress." His jaw tightened, but he did not argue. "Continue." "Unfortunately, that's about all there is to tell. She admitted no knowledge of the blackmail affair, but I'm convinced she was one of Felix's victims. I offered to take her on as a client. She refused." Lavinia spread her hands. "I left the house." There was no need to mention that she had been ordered to leave under threat of being physically tossed out the front door, she thought. "Did you tell her that I was with you last night?" Tobias asked. "No. I told her nothing about your involvement in the business. " Tobias contemplated the information in silence for a moment. Then he went to the small table near the big chair and picked up his cup and saucer. "She is a widow, you say?" "Yes. One of the nannies in the park told me that her husband died nearly a year ago, shortly after the daughter's engagement was announced at a grand ball."
Tobias paused, the cup halfway back to the saucer. Acute
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