“You were too close to the situation to properly analyze it,” Lily said immediately. “And a bit too sentimental.”
Josie scowled at her friend. She loved Lily like a sister, but like sisters, they sometimes fought. Lily said Josie was too emotional, whereas Josie felt Lily could be rather cold when it came to empathizing with others.
One day, Lily was going to meet someone who made her feel deeply, and Josie was going to be there to witness it and rub her nose in it… just a little.
“Yes, well. It has also made me aware I have been remiss in my investigative duties.” She made a face. “Not that the gentlemen ever talk about anything important when I am about. Since I joined the household, they have become far more careful about what they say in private.” That and they were doubtless saving their conversations for when she was out of the house, like now. Newly wed to a future Marquess, there were certain social obligations she could not ignore.
“You should try starting a conversation with them about what we want to know,” Mary suggested. She twirled her parasol thoughtfully. “Ask Elijah about Talbot and Captain Jones. That should be innocuous enough, especially if he does not suspect Captain Jones.”
True. Josie had already meant to, but she had become distracted.
“Have the two of you learned anything further?” she asked and felt relieved, then guilty when both Mary and Josie shook their heads.
“Only that Collins did not have any close friends in the Society,” Mary said, making a little face. “Which I already knew from Rex, but I did want to make sure he had not missed anything. He had no reason to pay attention to Collins before all of this. Unfortunately, Carlisle has departed from London, and I do not think he will be back. I cannot blame him, but there are some questions I wish I could ask him. Rex and I will be touring his estates for our honeymoon as soon as the Season is over. We will find a reason to visit Carlisle’s estates.”
Something else Josie had not thought about—her honeymoon with Elijah. They were taking one, were they not? Probably round to his estates as well. That seemed like the dutiful thing to do. She would rather go to France, but since he had not asked, she would end up doing whatever he decided.
“Do you feel like this Season is slipping by us too fast, and you cannot keep up?” When she had thought of coming to London for her Season, she had dreamed of balls, of Joseph falling in love with her, of gentlemen thronging about her. Well, some of that had happened, but it did seem as though events moved so much faster here than in the country, and she could scarcely keep up. What she really needed was a good, long gallop on a horse. That was how she always did her best thinking.
City living had stuffed her head full of wool. The hours were exhausting, the pace draining, and though she loved the social aspects, she craved some time to herself to sit and think. No wonder she was forgetting so many things—she hardly had time to take a moment for herself.
“Absolutely,” Mary said with a sigh. “I think my Uncle Henry has the right of it, only coming to London every other Season. If Rex is amenable, perhaps we shall follow that example in the future.”
“Trust me, I am very glad this is my one and only season.” Lily turned her head, casting her gaze among the other guests at the tea. Although she appeared to fit in, with her lacy lavender gown and flowered bonnet, parasol at exactly the proper angle held in her dainty gloved hands, Josie knew Lily had been miserable with the constant socializing the Season required. “I will not be returning, no matter what Momma and my godmother want.”
“Perhaps you should hurry and find a husband before the end of this Season,” Josie teased. “That way, you will be able to do as you please.”
Lily made a face. “I will do as I please once I am home and without having a husband to manage. Both you and Mary have been extremely distracted since your marriages. Such a union seems more of a burden, despite the pleasurable compensation you have derived.”
Much as Josie would have liked to argue, there really was too much truth in Lily’s words. Shehadbeen distracted, but from here on, she was determined to fix it. Elijah had done her a favor this morning. She was certain she would find him far less distracting from now on.
Chapter 26
Elijah
Venturing into Hyde Park atop Maximus, a glossy chestnut steed purchased last year at Newmarket, Elijah ignored the admiring looks from the carriages lined up along Rotten Row. Thegrande damesof thetonwatched and gossiped from their barouches with debutantes and their mommas wedged between them.
The sandy path along the row was packed today, probably because everyone wanted to take full advantage of the pleasant weather. The riding paths through the park were equally congested. Elijah frowned as he made his way, looking this way and that for Josie’s apple-red riding gown and matching hat. She should stand out, even in this crowd, but he did not see her as of yet.
She must have been desperate to come here—whether for a ride, to be out of Stuart House, or both.
Hyde Park was not a place one could reallyride, especially at the fashionable hour, and Josie was the type to want to gallop. Coming here, now, would be more of an exercise in frustration for her than anything else.
It was for him as well, mostly because it was so difficult to find the blasted woman. How was he supposed to sufficiently apologize if she would not even speak to him? Tonight, they had dinner at the Carstairs, followed by a ball at the Rochesters. Possibly, he could pull her aside for a conversation, but that was hardly ideal.
The door between their rooms was still locked. Unless he was of a mind to forcibly enter her room—an idea he immediately discounted—he would likely remain locked out tonight unless he could satisfactorily apologize beforehand.
A flash of red caught his eye. Maximus whinnied a small protest when Elijah pulled a little too hard on the reins when his head whipped around. There she was, riding sedately and discontented on one of the bridal paths by the hedges. Elijah’s groom trailed just behind Calpurnia, her spirited filly, who looked nearly as miserable as her rider.
Neither of them was meant to be plodding along. Josie had owned Calpurnia for three years, and Elijah had seen how the two of them moved together through the fields at home. They were even more in tune than he and Maximus, who immediately whickered when Elijah turned his head, and the horse caught sight of Calpurnia.
Sometimes, Elijah would swear his horse had a crush on Josie’s mare, if such a thing was possible. Without his prompting, Maximus picked up the pace to a fast walk and headed straight for Josie and Calpurnia, causing a small stir as he moved a little faster than the rest of the crowd around him.
Josie looked up, their eyes met, and something inside his chest twinged. There was a sadness to her gaze, one he had never seen before, and he knew it was his fault. Before he could truly process it, she had already pushed a smile onto her lips, but it was not a real smile. Her lips had curved, but her eyes did not sparkle, and her cheeks did not lift.
“My lady,” he said, maneuvering Maximus when he reached her, so they were next to each other rather than facing one another. “I came to join you for your ride.”
“I was just finishing.” Josie avoided looking at him directly, keeping her gaze on his chest. To passersby, it would appear to be a congenial conversation between newly wedded husband and wife, but Elijah could feel the tension coming off her. Yes, she was still upset with him.