Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (18 page)

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Pickpocket Countess

What had he caught her at? Brandon wondered, waiting for her return from the shop. She had meant to give him the slip, but to what purpose? Was she merely trying to win the little game being played between them or was she attempting to keep an assignation on The

behalf? He'd gone around

back to wait for her because he'd been trying to win. When she'd disappeared, he had felt certain she was up to no good.

In hindsight, he wished he'd let the scene play out a bit longer. He could have followed her and known with surety where Miss Habersham was going and what her connection to The Cat was. It wasn't like him to exchange short-term suc-cesses for long-term goals. But the look on her face when she'd collided with him had been worth it. Even more priceless was the abject horror on her face when he mentioned the satin. It wasn't nice to tease spinsters. But this one hadn't played fair all day and he had the sore arm to prove it.

to her word, Miss Habersham reappeared out the front door of the shop after only five minutes. Her hands were empty, for which Brandon was both thankful and suspicious. He'd half-expected Miss Habersham to buy a whole bolt of flannel just to spite him. Since she hadn't, Brandon could only conclude that whatever business she'd needed to conduct had been done quietly and had most likely been for The Cat.

Miss Habersham took a moment to look at the watch pinned to her dress beneath her cloak. 'Oh, my, it's four-thirty already! My, how the day flies. I promised Alice Bradley and the girls I'd join them for tea before we set off back home. I thank you for your help today, my lord. It's been a rare treat. I can't wait until I write to my friends and tell them all about my day with an Earl!' Miss Habersham enthused. 'Good day, my lord.'

Did she think he could be dismissed that easily after all

Scott

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they'd been through today?

walk with you. Where are you

meeting them?'

'The Blue Boar,' Eleanor said. 'But you needn't bother. I am sure you'd enjoy something more fortifying like a hot toddy at a gentleman's club.'

'Oh, tea would be just the thing on such a cold day. Thank you for the invitation, Miss Habersham.' Brandon jumped on the opening with alacrity. She could not protest now without like she was retracting an invitation. He wanted to crow with victory. The fleeting look on her face was enough to know he was the last person she wanted to have tea with.

His victory was far too brief. He'd been prepared for an hour of Alice Bradley showing off her daughters' wifely talents. He had not been prepared for Miss Habersham's latest gambit.

'Girls, the Earl has been regaling me with all of tales

about London during our shopping today. Perhaps he can share with you the latest fashions.' She fixed him with a knowing stare that said she knew exactly what she'd unleashed.

Brandon wanted to strangle her. For the next hour he was peppered with questions: Did he prefer hats with ribbons or feathers for trimmings? What were all the ladies in London wearing for the Little Season?

Finally it looked as if the girls were satisfied. His torture was nearly over when Miss Habersham gushed insipidly, 'Oh, my lord, you haven't told them about the satin yet.'

Brandon shot her a quelling look. At what point had he lost control? For a spinster of limited experiences, Miss Habersham had quite a large amount of the devil in her.

Stockport Hall had never looked so welcoming. By the time he returned, Brandon was more than willing to put himself in the very capable hands of Cedrickson and his valet, Harper.

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Pickpocket Countess

They knew exactly what he needed-a hot drink and a hotter bath to thaw him out.

Brandon gratefully sank into the steamy retreat of his large copper tub and gave himself over to the luxury of being warm.

He let his mind wander over the events of the day while he soaked, eyes shut. Sometimes he thought better when his didn't take a particular direction, but were free to wander along their own paths.

There was something that niggled him about each of Miss Habersham's interactions. He had it! Brandon's eyes popped open and he sat upright, sloshing water on the floor. Money.

He'd spent a considerable amount of time thinking about Miss Habersham's financial situation, how carefully budgeted her funds were. Yet she was shopping in Manchester for items that could easily be obtained at stores in Stockport-on-the Medlock.

Going into the larger city for fashionable clothing or rare food items was understandable, but those were not the items Miss Habersham had spent her day shopping for. Brandon focused his thoughts with a probing question. Why would someone with few funds make the effort to travel to a large city and pay more for items that could be bought at local shops?

Brandon squeezed his eyes shut and sank back down into the water, now actively replaying each visit to the shops. What had she done at each stop? Was there a single habit she had repeated each time? Each visit did follow the same pattern: she'd give the shopkeeper her list, she'd carry on some overlong conversation and then pay for her purchases. In his mind's eye he could see her handing over her banknotes for payment.

Nothing unusual there. Wait.

He slowly opened his eyes as if not to lose the threads of his idea by rushing. Not once today did he see her receive any change. He saw her reach into her reticule, but never did he see a shopkeeper move to a cash box for change or go to a back room and retrieve smaller notes. It seemed highly unlikely that