Page 36 of Cousin Conundrum

“No. If Louisa caught you passing me a note…” He trailed off with a wince.

Kitty waved a hand. “I will find a way.” Or she would not, if she discovered why he wanted the information and how she could use it for her work. She battled down a grin, feeling decidedly devious. Perhaps, once she discovered which of her fellows he was, she would draw him being fooled by a cat. Simply to torment him.

This could be the beginning of a delightful rivalry.

“We should decide on a location to—” He broke off, holding up a hand for silence even though he was the one speaking. His eyes flew wide. “I know those footfalls. Hide. Quickly. Get out of sight.”

Spurred by the panic in his voice, Kitty plunged into the wall of outerwear. She pressed her back to the plaster of the room, yanking cloth about her.

“Steven?” a woman’s voice called.

“Your slippers,” Mr. Hurst hissed.

Kitty looked down to the sight of her cream slippers peeking from under the coats and cloaks. Suppressing a yelp of dread at being spotted, she went up on her toes. She braced her heels against the wall, bringing her toes into the shadows.

“Steven?” the woman, presumably Mrs. Hurst, called again.

“Here, dearest,” he replied and stepped from the room.

“Whatever were you doing in there?”

“Seeking a few more bills in my coat, if you must know. I have had the devil’s own luck at the tables tonight.”

Oh, he lied easily, this Mr. Hurst. Kitty would do well to keep that in mind.

“You have been wagering? I thought the games here friendly. For mere pennies.”

“Ah, yes, well, it seemed more entertaining to raise the stakes.”

“And I looked for you in the card room.” Mrs. Hurst’s voice grew tight. “No one had seen you for ages.”

“I cannot think why not. I was there.”

“Why are you standing in the doorway to the cloak room?”

“Ah, because I moments ago left the cloak room?”

“Who is in there?” Mrs. Hurst demanded, high pitched now with indignation. “Who?”

“No one. Louisa, on my honor, there is only you.”

“We will see about that.” Footfalls clattered into the cloak room.

Kitty held her breath, her back pressed against the wall and her toes straining.

“There is no one here,” Mrs. Hurst said incredulously.

“I told you as much.”

“Yes. Well. No more cards tonight, and we will be departing soon. Caroline has put up with all the rusticated partners she can endure, and Mr. Darcy is quite obviously dismayed to even be in attendance. He has spent half the evening evading that Mr. Collins. The man insisted on introducing himself and foisting his attention on Mr. Darcy.”

Kitty stifled a snort.

“Darcy could stand to be a bit less aloof.”

“He danced with two of those Bennet creatures and two Archers. What more do you wish of him?”

“Yes. Well, let us go locate him and your sister, and Bingley.”