“You’re talking nonsense, Mateo. Why are you doing this to me?”
To that, he smiled wryly. “I’m not doing this to you, I am doing it for me. Because there is no time like the present.Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente.”
“What does that mean? No one knows what that means,” Elizabeth snapped.
“It means, the shrimp that sleeps is taken by the current. I don’t intend to sleep now. I’ve been asleep for too long.” He shifted his gaze to Lila. “Tell me about them.”
“That...is not easily explained,” she said, holding up a hand. “But I may have a plan.”
“What plan?” he asked.
“Lila! We don’t need a plan, we need you to talk some sense into him,” Elizabeth all but wailed.
Lila shook her head. “Elizabeth, love, I understand your concern. But in my experience, the heart will not stop loving on command. You are swimming upstream.” She turned to the viscount. “I need to think through a few things. But I will figure it out. I always do.” She had no real plan at all, really. The idea she had was not only improbable, it could be particularly disastrous for Miss Raney. But that was a problem for someone else. It was a fact that sometimes the execution of her services was not pleasant, but the aftermath could be so beautiful. Before she did anything, however, she needed to be assured that if she risked everything, Hattie Woodchurch would marry this man.
Now that Beck had given Hattie a way out of her family’s house, there might be a solution.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
HATTIECOULDN’TCOMPLAINabout her situation at Lady Bradenton’s house. She had her own room on the third floor. It was hot in the afternoons, but there were no cats. There was hardly any room at all for the dresses she’d managed to procure during her spring of trying to be someone, and she’d had to fold a few and put them away. Lady Bradenton had informed her that she would tolerate blue and gray in a dress, but nothing too cheerful or colorful. “Color is not appropriate for the sort of work you’re doing.”
Oh dear, God forbid she wear yellow while reading the Bible to the old woman.
That was the first thing she’d learned—she was to read scripture to Lady Bradenton every day over tea.
This was her second day of reading, but she didn’t hear anything she was saying. She couldn’t think about anything other than Teo. She couldn’t see anything other than him. It was like her mind had divided itself between him and functioning.
She was just about finished with today’s scripture reading when Lady Bradenton’s ancient butler, Darwin, came into the parlor. “A caller, madam,” he said with a bow, and proceeded to shuffle across the room carrying a silver tray with a calling card.
“A caller! But I’m not expecting anyone. Why must people call without giving some notice?” she complained.
“The caller is for Miss Woodchurch,” he said, and held out the tray to Hattie.
“What?”Lady Bradenton exclaimed.
“What?” Hattie said at the same time. She took the card and suppressed a loud groan.
“Well, Darwin? Send them in, for heaven’s sake,” Lady Bradenton said.
A moment later, Lila swept into the room.
“Who, pray tell, areyou?” Lady Bradenton demanded.
“You don’t remember me? You were my mother’s dear friend.”
Lady Bradenton peered at her. “Lila?”
“The one and the same,” Lila said. “So good to see you.”
“What are you doing here?” Lady Bradenton asked.
“Oh, I just needed to speak with Miss Woodchurch. You don’t mind, do you?”
“I do,” Hattie said, but Lila already had her hand on her arm and squeezed it tightly. “We’ll be but a moment.” She pinched Hattie.
“Ouch!”
“Please,” Lila said and smiled again at Lady Bradenton.
