“Don’t look so dubious. I appear to much better advantage out of these clothes than I do in them.”
“Blech! Tobias!”
“It’s only truth, dear sis.” He wagged a finger at her. “And don’t try to figure out who she is, sis. It matters not. I’d have braved the social wilds eventually, whether she showed up or not, to save you from Lord Rigsby.”
“Save me? Hmph.”
Tobias strolled toward the window and flipped the curtain back. “I have quite a good view of the garden from up here. It’s educational the things one sees. Children playing, lovers’ arguments, almost embraces.”
Merciful heavens, did he suggest he’d seen the kiss? She let her gaze wander about the room as if she cared not a whit for his words. “Fascinating stuff, I’m sure. I had no idea you were such a voyeur.”
“Oh, quite. I like to obtain pertinent information.”
Henrietta tugged on his arm. “But how did you know he would be here? I had no idea!”
He turned away from the window. “Grandpapa told me. He knew Grandmama would prove an inadequate chaperone, so he sent me to make sure you didn’t fall back into old, painful patterns with Viscount Rigsby. And from what I can see”—he flicked his eyes toward the window and the garden again—“his worries proved prescient.”
Henrietta stood slowly, smoothing her skirts. “Here I was, worried over you, afraid something was amiss.”
He laughed. “Amiss? With me? Never.”
“I see.” And she did. He seemed more dour than usual. This woman, whoever she was, had affected him more than he admitted to. But now her worry for her brother mixed with annoyance. “I don’t need your protection, Tobias. Please do not interfere. Your waistcoat is doing enough to sabotage my purposes as it is.”
He lifted her off her feet in a crushing hug. “Interfere? Sabotage? What an active imagination you have, sis. I’d never!” He managed the little speech while hauling her bodily toward the door.
Henrietta wriggled and hissed in his arms. “Put me down! I’m not twelve anymore!”
“Oof, I see that,” he said, plunking her onto her feet in front of the door. “You must weigh twenty stone at least.”
She swatted his shoulder. “Twenty stone!”
He reached behind her and opened the door. She braced to be pushed out, but he stooped and locked eyes with her. “Stay away from Lord Rigsby, Henrietta. He trampled your heart last time, and if he does it again, I’ll not be so kind.” He straightened to his full height and pulled his cuffs down. Playing with the Belgian lace, he said, “I’ve not dueled in a while, and I’d love to issue a challenge, especially to him.”
“You’ll not duel with Lord Rigsby, Tobias,” Henrietta warned. “He didn’t do anything.Ireleasedhimfrom our engagement.”
“And broke your heart in the process.”
“It matters not, Tobias. I’m mended now. I’m in no harm from the man, I swear.” She narrowed her eyes at her brother. “And even if I were in danger, I’d still do as I pleased.”
“Not in danger? That’s not what the almost kiss suggested.”
Damn. He had seen. She forced a lighthearted laugh. “I’m completely safe from him, Tobias.”
“Stay away from him. He became the heir to a dukedom and left you in tears. He’s ignorant to your worth. I’m quite serious, Henrietta.”
She studied his purple cravat for a moment. If she continued looking at it, she could imagine that no, he was not serious at all. She lifted her gaze to his face, a plane of sharp, cutting edges. She could pretend no longer. He meant what he said about keeping her distance from Lord Rigsby, about the duel.
She patted him on the shoulder. “You worry for nothing, dear brother. Now, do have fun this week. And, if you could, refrain from mentioning the origin of your clothing.” She sighed. “I can’t have you undoing all my hard work.” She left, and he shut the door behind her.
He should not worry so about her. She could help Lord Rigsby find the necklace without getting hurt all over again. She had to. She may not be in love with Lord Rigsby anymore, but she certainly didn’t want him to die at the end of Tobias’s duel-happy pistol. She’d help Lord Rigsby find the necklace, but she’d have to make sure Tobias never found out.
No more almost kisses in fragrant gardens. Item four on her mental list—complete. And her conversation with Tobias laid item five to rest. Tobias was fine; still bossy, still poorly dressed, oddly evasive of a mystery woman, yes, but as confusingly flippant and serious as ever before.
Now on to item three from her mental list: help Lord Rigsby find the Devonmere necklace. Lady Willow could only control her own sartorial choices once she wed, and she could only marry once Lord Rigsby proposed, and he would only propose if he had the necklace. And he, only one man, could not search a house with over a hundred rooms alone. Could not, alone, interview a staff of over a hundred servants.
She trotted down the stairs and found the library. Lord Rigsby interviewed maids behind those doors, or so Annette had told her earlier. She looked over her shoulder. It would be exactly like Tobias to follow her. But he hadn’t. The hallway remained empty except for herself.
Tobias could threaten all he wanted, but his threats would fall on deaf ears. Henrietta needed her shop to succeed, and for that to happen, she needed to find the necklace. Henrietta squared her shoulders, thought of Lady Willow’s future patronage, and opened the door.
