Somewhat Scandalous (Brambridge Novel 1) by Pearl Darling Page B

executed another quick step turn and laughed nervously.
    “Just ribbing you my dear. After your joke about approaching the Royal Academy of Science last week I thought you might laugh. Everyone knows the Royal Academy doesn’t take women.”
    They didn’t? Agatha inhaled and went back to counting her steps. Henry had tried to warn her. A novelty with scandalous ways. They’ll want to have fun with you.
    Six… seven… as she reached the count of eight she stepped out of his arms, a step to the left, back into his arms and twirl .
    Charles caught her neatly in his arms again. “I say. Couldn’t help admiring that marvelous new pair of greys Anglethorpe’s bought. Who did you say his dealer was?”
    Aha. Appeal to his self-interest . Charles had asked several times about Darkangel, Henry’s race horse. Hmm. “I’m really not sure, but I could ask.” Smiling sweetly, she cocked her head on one side. “That is, if you would be so kind as to get me a lovely glass of champagne?” Pulling back, she executed, to her mind, the best quadrille she’d ever done.
    Charles watched her with wide eyes, before taking her in his arms again. “Agatha m’dear,” he murmured. “No need for that. You should have just said. Go to the blue salon in fifteen minutes, the glass will be waiting for you there.”
    As Agatha whirled to a stop, Charles bent over her gloved hand and kissed it as usual before giving her a long intent look, and striding purposefully towards the ballroom door. Agatha continued to hold her hand out, not sure what to do with it. The back of the glove was wet . Glancing up at the roof, she wondered disbelievingly if there was a leak. Perhaps the workmen hadn’t quite finished off the building yet. It was all rather new.
    Grimacing, she bent and rubbed her hand along the part of her hem that skimmed the floor. Standing again, she gazed back through the crush and picked out Victoria’s long blond hair. Her friend started towards her with an uncustomary frown on her face. With a flick of her head, Agatha signaled to her to meet her by the curtained stage.
    “Charles is going to get us a glass of champagne,” she said breathlessly as Victoria arrived. “Meet me in the blue salon in ten minutes.”
    Victoria snapped open a fan and leaned forward, covering their faces. “Are you sure, Agatha? You don’t think Charles will tell anyone, do you?” Her frown deepened. “I’ve been hearing some things…”
    “No, don’t worry at all,” Agatha broke in. “Charles acted like it was the most natural thing in the world. I know he won’t tell anyone either, I gave him quite an incentive.” Her scientific examination of male human nature had been extensive. After all, most of the household at Hope Sands had been male. “I must go. He told me to go to the blue salon five minutes ago.” Pushing back Victoria’s fan, Agatha edged towards the door. “Who are you dancing with next?”
    “Lord Colchester.” Agatha winced. Lord Colchester was a man of advanced years whose only advantage was his immense wealth. Victoria tapped her fan on her skirts. “But what of…”
    Victoria’s last words were lost in the crush as Agatha pushed through the door from the ballroom. Once outside, she stopped to look around. The hall was deserted yet again. Hurrying down the hallway, she didn’t even give her favorite pot plant a cursory glance. She did not want to be discovered—she only had a few moments to grab the glass of champagne and wait for Victoria.
    The blue salon was located further down the long hall. In fact, it was further away than she had thought. She tried the doors to several rooms down the corridor but they were all locked and no lights shone beneath the doors. Each time she rattled the handles her heart thumped loudly in her ears.
    The last door at the end of the hallway stood slightly ajar; the wallpaper that glinted through the crack was a deep azure blue. Gulping in relief, she peered through to see