Read Online The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Victoria Alexander
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endeavor. I have nothing to do with it.”
“Then perhaps I should ask Miss West—”
“You can ask her, but I’d wager you won’t get any usable information. Miss West doesn’t trust you.”
Cam gasped. “Me? Why, I’m most trustworthy.”
“Nonetheless, she is not an admirer of your work or your paper.”
“She’s made no secret of that.” Indeed, Miss West’s opinion of the Messenger was much like his father’s.
“If she thinks you’re looking for a story, she won’t tell you anything. She has a very finely developed sense of honor for a woman.” Phineas shook his head.
A sharp rap sounded at the door, followed immediately by the unmistakable sound of a key inserting in the lock.
“And she’s back.” Phineas rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
“So much for your holiday.”
“So much indeed,” Phineas muttered, then lowered his voice in a confidential manner. “The means to pulling information from Miss West is not to directly ask her anything you wish to know. One never knows what one might learn in the course of casual conversation.”
The door opened and Miss West stepped into the room. Both men got to their feet at once, Phineas with a show of some reluctance.
“Good day, Mr. Chapman.” Her gaze slid to Cam. “And Mr. Fairchild. It’s been some time since we’ve seen you.” She nodded and proceeded to her desk.
“Far too long, Miss West.” Cam smiled.
“The two of you look as if you are plotting something.” Her gaze slid from Cam to Phineas. “Are you?”
“Why are you here?” Phineas asked.
She pulled off her gloves. “I am doing quite well, thank you. And you?”
“That’s not what I asked.” Phineas huffed. “I thought we had agreed that you would not be coming here while you are in the employ of the American.”
“I don’t really recall agreeing to that, nor is it something I would ever agree to.” She sat down behind her desk. “However, I shall indeed be too busy accompanying Miss Merryweather to fulfill my usual responsibilities here.”
Phineas slanted Cam a pointed look. It wasn’t necessary. Cam had already noted the name.
“Are you enjoying your new position with the American?” Cam said politely.
“He told you about that, did he?”
“Naturally I inquired as to where you were,” Cam said in a gallant manner. “Mr. Chapman told me you had taken a temporary position as a companion to an American.” He paused. “I apologize if I have overstepped. If this position is confidential in nature or your activities a secret of some sort.”
“On the contrary, Mr. Fairchild.” She scoffed. “It’s the most straightforward and least secretive venture I’ve been engaged in since joining Mr. Chapman.”
Phineas blew an annoyed breath.
She ignored him. “I’ve only started today, so whether or not it will be enjoyable remains to be seen.” She opened a drawer and peered down into it, rummaging through the contents. “She’s a lovely woman and gives the impression of being somewhat scattered, although I suspect that hides an excellent mind. But, yes, Mr. Fairchild, I do expect it to be a most enjoyable employment. Rather like”—she raised her gaze to Phineas—“a holiday, I should think.”
Cam choked back a laugh.
Phineas’s eyes narrowed.
“It will be most refreshing to be around someone with a pleasant disposition for a change.” She smiled and pulled a notebook from the drawer.
Phineas huffed. “I can be pleasant.”
“I know you can be, you simply choose not to be.” She shut the drawer and rose to her feet. “I only came by to fetch my notebook. Now that I have, I’ll be on my way.”
“I assure you, I had no intention of reading it while you were gone,” Phineas said. “It was perfectly safe in your desk.” Phineas prided himself on never needing to write anything down. He never forgot anything he wished to remember.
“And now it is even safer.” She moved toward the door.
“Might I inquire as to
“Then perhaps I should ask Miss West—”
“You can ask her, but I’d wager you won’t get any usable information. Miss West doesn’t trust you.”
Cam gasped. “Me? Why, I’m most trustworthy.”
“Nonetheless, she is not an admirer of your work or your paper.”
“She’s made no secret of that.” Indeed, Miss West’s opinion of the Messenger was much like his father’s.
“If she thinks you’re looking for a story, she won’t tell you anything. She has a very finely developed sense of honor for a woman.” Phineas shook his head.
A sharp rap sounded at the door, followed immediately by the unmistakable sound of a key inserting in the lock.
“And she’s back.” Phineas rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
“So much for your holiday.”
“So much indeed,” Phineas muttered, then lowered his voice in a confidential manner. “The means to pulling information from Miss West is not to directly ask her anything you wish to know. One never knows what one might learn in the course of casual conversation.”
The door opened and Miss West stepped into the room. Both men got to their feet at once, Phineas with a show of some reluctance.
“Good day, Mr. Chapman.” Her gaze slid to Cam. “And Mr. Fairchild. It’s been some time since we’ve seen you.” She nodded and proceeded to her desk.
“Far too long, Miss West.” Cam smiled.
“The two of you look as if you are plotting something.” Her gaze slid from Cam to Phineas. “Are you?”
“Why are you here?” Phineas asked.
She pulled off her gloves. “I am doing quite well, thank you. And you?”
“That’s not what I asked.” Phineas huffed. “I thought we had agreed that you would not be coming here while you are in the employ of the American.”
“I don’t really recall agreeing to that, nor is it something I would ever agree to.” She sat down behind her desk. “However, I shall indeed be too busy accompanying Miss Merryweather to fulfill my usual responsibilities here.”
Phineas slanted Cam a pointed look. It wasn’t necessary. Cam had already noted the name.
“Are you enjoying your new position with the American?” Cam said politely.
“He told you about that, did he?”
“Naturally I inquired as to where you were,” Cam said in a gallant manner. “Mr. Chapman told me you had taken a temporary position as a companion to an American.” He paused. “I apologize if I have overstepped. If this position is confidential in nature or your activities a secret of some sort.”
“On the contrary, Mr. Fairchild.” She scoffed. “It’s the most straightforward and least secretive venture I’ve been engaged in since joining Mr. Chapman.”
Phineas blew an annoyed breath.
She ignored him. “I’ve only started today, so whether or not it will be enjoyable remains to be seen.” She opened a drawer and peered down into it, rummaging through the contents. “She’s a lovely woman and gives the impression of being somewhat scattered, although I suspect that hides an excellent mind. But, yes, Mr. Fairchild, I do expect it to be a most enjoyable employment. Rather like”—she raised her gaze to Phineas—“a holiday, I should think.”
Cam choked back a laugh.
Phineas’s eyes narrowed.
“It will be most refreshing to be around someone with a pleasant disposition for a change.” She smiled and pulled a notebook from the drawer.
Phineas huffed. “I can be pleasant.”
“I know you can be, you simply choose not to be.” She shut the drawer and rose to her feet. “I only came by to fetch my notebook. Now that I have, I’ll be on my way.”
“I assure you, I had no intention of reading it while you were gone,” Phineas said. “It was perfectly safe in your desk.” Phineas prided himself on never needing to write anything down. He never forgot anything he wished to remember.
“And now it is even safer.” She moved toward the door.
“Might I inquire as to
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