Henrietta patted her hand then looked around the room. “Meredith! Tea, please?”
A shopgirl nodded and disappeared with a flurry.
Henrietta turned back to Maggie. “You have returned to my shop. Dare I assume the discussion you and Tobias completed after leaving here earlier was not successful?”
“I don’t know.Ilearned something from it.Hejumped from the carriage and went who knows where.”
“Is there anything I can do for you? Other than make sure your clothes are perfection? I could put horrible flounces on all of Celia’s gowns.” She scrunched her nose. “I can’t really. I musn’t have any garment less than perfect come from my shop.”
“Of course not.” Yet another reason Maggie had to make this bold move. Tobias needed his sister. He knew that, yet he still refused to act. And if he wouldn’t, then Maggie would. She’d explained it all in the note. Had he read it yet? He would view her actions, her threats, as betrayal. She may have just made him hate her. Her heart turned to ash, and she gripped the arms of the chair then bolted to her feet. “I must go.”
Henrietta stood, too. “What? Where?”
“Home. I’ve done something I shouldn’t have, I think.”
Henrietta nodded. “Of course, of course. Did you walk or—”
The bell above the shop door rang, and Tobias stepped through.
Maggie’s heart leapt and then sank. She was too late.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Henrietta said, patting Maggie’s shoulder then slipping away. “I’ll just be over here”—she floated toward some nearby flowers—“watering the plants.”
He strode toward her, pulling a piece of paper from his jacket pocket. Her note. She gulped and fell back down to her seat.
He stood tall in front of her, holding the note out between finger and thumb. “I returned home to apologize to my wife and was handed this note by the housekeeper. Would you care to read it aloud?”
She took it but didn’t dare open it. “I know what it says.”
“It is in your handwriting. I’d recognize your horrific penmanship anywhere. But even if your loops were even and your letter legible, I’d be pressed to make out its meaning. Enlighten me.”
With trembling fingers, she opened the note and read aloud. “Tobias, I cannot bear to see you hide any longer. If you do not pose your question, I will. Either you reveal your secrets, or I’ll reveal them for you. Maggie.”
He knelt before her. “That’s quite the blackmail note. I think you’ve got the hang of it.”
She lifted her chin. “I even have evidence. The Quinns, you know, a roomful of silk.”
“Yes, yes. You’ve improved in this business mightily.”
She wished she could understand the look in his eyes.
“It still needs work, though.” He stroked his chin and took the note from her. “The line about asking a question. I am at a loss as to your meaning.”
She whipped the note back from him and studied it. “Drat.” She crumpled the note.
He lifted her chin. “Are you crying?”
“No. Yes. I was coming to burn the note. I realized I could not betray you in this way. You do not have to ask Henrietta to be your partner.” She threw her arms around his neck and held on tight. “I’m so sorry.” She gulped down her tears and sniffed. “I suppose we’re even now. You kept a secret from me, and I threatened to reveal one of yours.”
“I’m no Mathematical Baron, but that math hardly works out to even. Two secrets of mine are aired, or close to it. But what secrets of yours are at risk?”
She rubbed her face into his chest. “I’m sorry.”
He lifted her away from him and stared into her eyes. “I take it you’ve not asked Henrietta yet, then? I’m not too late?”
“No, no. I won’t say a word, I swear.”
“Good. Because I plan on saying all of them. Henrietta! Stop hiding behind that potted plant as if I can’t see you.”
