Page 26 of The Unfortunate Debutante
“How awful for you,” Rachel teased. “But be kind to Mrs. Morton. She is a dear family friend.”
“I’m well aware of that,” Emma said, rising from the bed. “Hopefully, if all goes well, I won’t fall into a puddle or get inebriated at the garden party.”
Laughing, Rachel picked up Matthew. “You will shine like the woman we know you to be.”
Emma smoothed out her gown and walked towards the door. She picked up the reticule and ensured her overcoat pistol was inside. If the garden party was boring, as she anticipated, no one would notice if she disappeared over the back wall for an hour or so and took a short walk to The Tubby Wench.
After all, it was only a short jaunt to the public house. She’d be back before anyone knew she was gone.
5
Simeon was questioninghis life choices… again. He owned a highly profitable merchant company and had amassed a sizeable fortune. Still, he maintained his position as a Bow Street Runner because he needed a distraction from Martha’s memory. Solving crimes and socializing with miscreants gave him the reprieve from his thoughts that he craved.
And yet, here he was, standing in front of Caddington Manor, waiting for a peculiar debutante to make an appearance so he could escort her to a garden party. He hated garden parties. Well, to be fair, he hated any type of social gathering.
The Marquess of Downshire’s crested coach came to a stop on the paved courtyard as the door to Caddington Manor opened. An older, nicely dressed woman with white hair exited first, walking down the few stairs before spinning back around.
“Are you coming, dear?” she asked in a kind voice.
Simeon turned his gaze towards the door to see Miss Pearson step out of the manor with a bright smile on her face. He took a moment to admire her fair, oval face, and comely figure, but a vision of Martha flitted through his mind, causing his mood to turn sour.
Miss Pearson’s smile dimmed when she saw him. “Mr. Martin,” she said, her voice strained, “what a pleasure to see you again.”
He wanted to laugh at her blatant lie, but instead replied, “I have agreed to stay on as your guard until another can be secured.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy garden parties,” she teased, walking gracefully down the steps.
“I do not.”
She stopped in front of him, and he detected the aroma of rosewater. “Then we have something in common, Mr. Martin.”
He lifted his brow. “Every lady enjoys garden parties.”
“I am not a lady,” she replied as she brushed past him.
“You look like a lady to me.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” she said over her shoulder as she accepted the footman’s offered hand.
Glancing up at the main door, he saw Lady Downshire smiling, holding a baby in her arms as she waved down at him. He tipped his hat to acknowledge her, and her smile grew. The Beckett family was quite odd. Some were agents of the Crown, some were obnoxiously cheerful, and they all held secrets. Secrets that weren’t his business to know.
Simeon walked up to the carriage and stepped inside. “Ladies,” he said as he sat down on the opposite bench.
The older woman smiled back at him. “Aren’t you a handsome young chap?”
He shifted in his seat uncomfortably as he saw Miss Pearson bring her gloved hand up to her lips to cover a growing smile.
“I am Mrs. Morton,” the woman said, introducing herself.
He didn’t smile at the nice woman, but he didn’t frown either. “I’m Simeon Martin, ma’am.”
His lackluster introduction didn’t seem to bother the woman, and she pressed on. “I understand that you will be guarding Miss Pearson from that sneaky Mr. Lockhart.”
“We don’t know if Mr. Lockhart is behind this,” Simeon responded, amused despite himself.
“Back in my day, this whole situation would be rectified with a steely round of fisticuffs,” Mrs. Morton declared, punching the air in front of her.
Miss Pearson giggled at the antics of her chaperone.
