Page 54 of Honor Unbound

The ten of hearts.

She tried to slow her breathing. It was only a kiss. It didn’t have to mean anything.

Brett stood, circled to her side of the table, and straddled the bench, facing her. He brushed a curl away from her cheek. “Have you ever been kissed before, Marie?”

“I don’t think I should answer that.”

His lips twitched. “It doesn’t matter if I’m not your fist kiss. I’ll be your last.” Slowly, achingly slowly, he lowered his head. His breath danced across her lips a moment before they touched.

Her skin tingled. Her mind blanked. Long moments passed before they pulled apart.

“Well,” she said, her blood pulsing through her veins, “I’ve never been kissed like that before.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Lady Mary

The arch forthe king’s coronation had been taken down, but the newly scrubbed stone walls of Westminster Abbey still gleamed bright. The clock on the left tower of the abbey tolled the hour. Midday in September on a bench in the abbey grounds couldn’t have been more pleasant. The sky was dotted with plump clouds. A cooling breeze stirred the locks framing my face. A nearby rose bush gave the air a lovely scent.

Unfortunately, I could enjoy none of it. While the day had everything a Londoner could want, it didn’t have the man I sought.

“Confound it.” I looked down at Southey. “Can’t you sniff out Mr. Plummer? You’re supposed to be a hunter.”

And I was hunting alone today, much to my chagrin. I didn’t mind Marie or Burton not wanting to accompany me. I was quite accustomed to traversing London on my own. No, it was the mystery of it all. They’d each left a note requesting to take this day as their free one instead of their normal day off, with no indication of why.

The not knowing made me more irritable than usual.

“Lady Mary. Imagine meeting you here,” a familiar voice said from behind me.

I turned.

Mr. Ryder stood before me, leaning on his own walking stick, a plain, unembellished black one.

I ran my thumb along the gold mane of the lion’s head that topped mine. “London is a large city yet we keep running into each other. What are the odds?”

The president of the moralist society inclined his head. “Whatever they are, they seem to be in my favor. How lovely to see you today.”

“And you.” I tilted my head as Southey trotted up to sniff his boots. “Is that a new coat? It’s quite tasteful.” That was a bit of an understatement. The navy-blue morning coat fit snugly around his lean figure, showcasing strong shoulders and a flat stomach.

Mr. Ryder wasn’t wont to spend his money on fine tailoring. I pushed my glasses up my nose. I wonder what had changed.

“It is, thank you.” He cleared his throat. He bent and patted Southey’s side. “What brings you here this fine day? Has this become a usual walk for you? I believe we met here once before.”

So we had. At the time, the meeting hadn’t been welcome. I rose. “I am looking for a man. His office said he liked to walk here.” And thanks to an oil painting of the three partners hanging on the office wall, I knew just what Mr. Plummer looked like. “I am looking for a barrister.”

“I hope you don’t have legal troubles.” The wrinkles at the corners of his chocolate eyes deepened. “I do know quite a few good attorneys if you need a recommendation.”

As a former attorney himself, I would hope so. In fact…. “I’m looking for one in particular. A Mr. Plummer. Do you know him?”

“Moderately well.” Ryder tipped his hat back and scratched at the patch of white hair at his temple. “He’s mainly in business litigation. I hope no one is suing you…. Oh.” He frowned. “This is about Mr. Trent.”

It was irritating when one’s opponents were clever. “Indeed.” I gave Southey a bit more lead. If the dog exercised his teeth on Ryder’s trousers, well, that was the consequence to approachinga woman and her dog in public. “Do you see him? I was told he likes to walk here on his lunch hour.”

“He only likes to walk here because it is on the way to his favorite luncheon spot, the Royal Brew,” Ryder said. “I’ve eaten there with him once or twice.”

I pointed my walking stick north. “It is in that direction?”

“I should say yes.” Ryder resettled his hat on the crown of his head. “It would be more fitting for you to waste an afternoon wearing out the soles of your boots searching for the coffeehouse than continuing your investigation.”