briefly behind him, toward the front of the shop—“I would put that away on your person somewhere until you leave the shop.”
Mrs. Dombrell promised faithfully to keep her greasy packet secret, going so far as to stuff it into the pocket at her waist, and after several rounds of effusive thanks, she departed.
Tommy, however, lingered among the shelves, pulling off books and appearing to read bits of them. It was remarkably pleasant watching him, though Eliza knew she ought to stop. Also, it was possible that someone she knew might pass by and address her, and Tommy would hear. Or, more likely at the rate he was plowing through books on sculpture and architecture, he might shortly move along to the aisle where she stood. She needed to leave.
Quietly she began making her way out of the aisle, intending to turn left at the end to avoid his direction.
Her efforts at discretion were ruined when her reticule brushed against a protruding book as she moved past it and the book fell to the floor with a thud. Tommy, who apparently had the reflexes of a cat, was on the scene in a heartbeat.
He did not look delighted when he saw who was standing in the aisle next to his.
“Lizzie?” he said in a voice that held none of the playful warmth he’d showed Mrs. Dombrell. “What are you doing here?”
She decided on misdirection as her best course. “It’s Eliza now, actually. I haven’t gone by Lizzie for years. Are you shopping for something in particular?” It was a stupid question that made her sound as though she worked at the shop and was offering assistance, but with any luck it would distract him.
It didn’t, and his eyes narrowed. “Were you there the whole time I was with Mrs. Dombrell? Were you spying on me?”
She flushed. “What a thought!” she said, managing a laugh. “I’m simply passing the time before I meet a friend. But perhaps you are up to something nefarious that you wish to hide by attacking me .”
He just stared at her for several long moments, an effective method of intimidation that made her want to squirm.
“You must have been lingering in that aisle for some time—and very quietly, too—because I have perfectly good hearing, and the only person I’ve noticed around that aisle was a lady who emerged several minutes ago. Perhaps she was a friend of yours?”
Eliza willed herself not to flush again. The last thing she needed was to make Tommy interested in who Nancy was.
“I don’t know who you mean. I was simply looking for books about Italy,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to go there. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be on my way.” She stuck her nose in the air and took a step forward, but he grabbed hold of her arm and drew her close.
“You’re up to something, aren’t you? You might have my brother charmed into thinking you’ve changed into a virtuous woman, but I’m not so easily fooled.”
This was all wrong, the way things were between them. Maybe he’d known she wanted to apologize yesterday and he hadn’t wanted to hear it, but he deserved her apology—and she really needed to offer it.
Besides, at this rate, they wouldn’t even manage to be pleasant when Will and Anna eventually thrust them together, as now seemed inevitable. And, equally important considering what she was planning to do that night was that Tommy not be suspicious of her. She looked him in the eye.
“Tommy, I want you to know that I’m very sorry about what I did six years ago when you proposed.” She thought he flinched at the word proposed , but she made herself keep going. “I sent a letter to apologize, but I don’t know whether you ever received it.”
“I did, nine months later.”
She winced, but she’d known it would take a long time for a letter to reach India. Her letter had been stiff and formal, because she hadn’t known how else to express herself.
“A letter was inadequate as an apology, and far too easy for me. I hope you’ll accept my apology now for the
Mrs. Dombrell promised faithfully to keep her greasy packet secret, going so far as to stuff it into the pocket at her waist, and after several rounds of effusive thanks, she departed.
Tommy, however, lingered among the shelves, pulling off books and appearing to read bits of them. It was remarkably pleasant watching him, though Eliza knew she ought to stop. Also, it was possible that someone she knew might pass by and address her, and Tommy would hear. Or, more likely at the rate he was plowing through books on sculpture and architecture, he might shortly move along to the aisle where she stood. She needed to leave.
Quietly she began making her way out of the aisle, intending to turn left at the end to avoid his direction.
Her efforts at discretion were ruined when her reticule brushed against a protruding book as she moved past it and the book fell to the floor with a thud. Tommy, who apparently had the reflexes of a cat, was on the scene in a heartbeat.
He did not look delighted when he saw who was standing in the aisle next to his.
“Lizzie?” he said in a voice that held none of the playful warmth he’d showed Mrs. Dombrell. “What are you doing here?”
She decided on misdirection as her best course. “It’s Eliza now, actually. I haven’t gone by Lizzie for years. Are you shopping for something in particular?” It was a stupid question that made her sound as though she worked at the shop and was offering assistance, but with any luck it would distract him.
It didn’t, and his eyes narrowed. “Were you there the whole time I was with Mrs. Dombrell? Were you spying on me?”
She flushed. “What a thought!” she said, managing a laugh. “I’m simply passing the time before I meet a friend. But perhaps you are up to something nefarious that you wish to hide by attacking me .”
He just stared at her for several long moments, an effective method of intimidation that made her want to squirm.
“You must have been lingering in that aisle for some time—and very quietly, too—because I have perfectly good hearing, and the only person I’ve noticed around that aisle was a lady who emerged several minutes ago. Perhaps she was a friend of yours?”
Eliza willed herself not to flush again. The last thing she needed was to make Tommy interested in who Nancy was.
“I don’t know who you mean. I was simply looking for books about Italy,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to go there. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be on my way.” She stuck her nose in the air and took a step forward, but he grabbed hold of her arm and drew her close.
“You’re up to something, aren’t you? You might have my brother charmed into thinking you’ve changed into a virtuous woman, but I’m not so easily fooled.”
This was all wrong, the way things were between them. Maybe he’d known she wanted to apologize yesterday and he hadn’t wanted to hear it, but he deserved her apology—and she really needed to offer it.
Besides, at this rate, they wouldn’t even manage to be pleasant when Will and Anna eventually thrust them together, as now seemed inevitable. And, equally important considering what she was planning to do that night was that Tommy not be suspicious of her. She looked him in the eye.
“Tommy, I want you to know that I’m very sorry about what I did six years ago when you proposed.” She thought he flinched at the word proposed , but she made herself keep going. “I sent a letter to apologize, but I don’t know whether you ever received it.”
“I did, nine months later.”
She winced, but she’d known it would take a long time for a letter to reach India. Her letter had been stiff and formal, because she hadn’t known how else to express herself.
“A letter was inadequate as an apology, and far too easy for me. I hope you’ll accept my apology now for the
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