man’s clear eyes, his high cheekbones, the harsh set of his brow. The lines next to his mouth hinted at dimples, except the blighter never smiled.
Oh, bother. As she looked at him, her insides melted into jelly. She hadn’t left behind either one of her peculiar reactions to the man: lust and incivility. Why would he create such nonsensical responses in her?
Calverson frowned down at her. “Do you come out and greet the customers every night?”
She heard his odious disapproval. “No, sir. Perhaps once a week. Only when the most elite clientele visit.” She reined in her servant’s reaction to his commanding tone. Why should she explain herself to him? “Or as some of the men who work here say, when high-flying mugs come to be parted from their cash.”
He raised his eyebrows. “And you associate with the men who work here?”
Annoyance overpowered the uncomfortable curling awareness of him. How dare he, of all people, condemn her? “Did you have anything else you wished to discuss, sir? Might I ask why you grabbed me?”
An odd expression flickered across his face. Guilt, perhaps ? Not likely. “I wanted to assure myself that you wouldn’t tell Mr. Kane that you saw me in the hall tonight.”
“Certainly, no, I won’t.” She remembered her mission and chewed on her lower lip. She drew in a deep breath. “What are you doing, sir?”
“In a few moments, I shall go back and lose some more money in Mr. Kane’s front parlor at the roulette wheel.”
“I meant why are you here, sir? Are you friends with Mr. Kane?”
“Not at all.” His voice was filled with disgust.
The vision of Olivia’s bruised cheek and temple came to her, and her own weakness in his presence seemed a petty concern. She realized she’d been holding her breath and allowed it to escape in a deep exhale. “Then I own that I’m glad to meet you—”
Footsteps and voices echoed in the corridor from the back of the house.
Araminta twisted around to see who was coming. Probably some of Kane’s assistants, on their way to the gaming rooms. When she turned back, Griffin Calverson had disappeared.
She had a flash of disappointment, but she dismissed it. There was work to do, and she didn’t want to be caught fraternizing with a customer. She’d pushed Kane far enough tonight. If he raised a hand to Olivia because of her, Araminta could not bear it.
She continued on to the kitchen, feeling absurdly glad she was not wearing her usual work garment. She smoothed the velvet on her sleeve, mussed from Calverson’s grip. Her arms remembered the strength of his hands.
He was up to something here. Though she didn’t know the man well, she guessed his presence meant te we for Kane. And perhaps salvation for Olivia.
Tomorrow she’d track Calverson down in his lair and find out.
CHAPTER 2
The next afternoon, Araminta slipped into the spare room off the kitchen. As she changed into her plain navy walking skirt and matching overdress, her nervous fingers fumbled on the pearl buttons of the bodice. She poked her finger with the hatpin while she pinned the matching blue felt hat to the bun at the back of her head. Silly of her to be rattled by a man like Calverson. He was a businessman. She would speak to him in a businesslike manner and ignore the fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach.
She told her kitchen staff she would return in an hour, and set off on her errands. She’d stop in and set up deliveries from the new butcher and then go in search of help for Olivia.
As the streetcar rolled downtown, Araminta considered why Griffin Calverson had caused an internal uproar in her from the first time she’d set eyes on him two years earlier. Not even the man. His image. She’d surreptitiously studied a portrait of him that his sister, a talented photographer, had taken.
The picture by Timona, her friend and former employer, revealed a glimpse of Calverson’s personality. Anyone glancing at the image would see a typical
Oh, bother. As she looked at him, her insides melted into jelly. She hadn’t left behind either one of her peculiar reactions to the man: lust and incivility. Why would he create such nonsensical responses in her?
Calverson frowned down at her. “Do you come out and greet the customers every night?”
She heard his odious disapproval. “No, sir. Perhaps once a week. Only when the most elite clientele visit.” She reined in her servant’s reaction to his commanding tone. Why should she explain herself to him? “Or as some of the men who work here say, when high-flying mugs come to be parted from their cash.”
He raised his eyebrows. “And you associate with the men who work here?”
Annoyance overpowered the uncomfortable curling awareness of him. How dare he, of all people, condemn her? “Did you have anything else you wished to discuss, sir? Might I ask why you grabbed me?”
An odd expression flickered across his face. Guilt, perhaps ? Not likely. “I wanted to assure myself that you wouldn’t tell Mr. Kane that you saw me in the hall tonight.”
“Certainly, no, I won’t.” She remembered her mission and chewed on her lower lip. She drew in a deep breath. “What are you doing, sir?”
“In a few moments, I shall go back and lose some more money in Mr. Kane’s front parlor at the roulette wheel.”
“I meant why are you here, sir? Are you friends with Mr. Kane?”
“Not at all.” His voice was filled with disgust.
The vision of Olivia’s bruised cheek and temple came to her, and her own weakness in his presence seemed a petty concern. She realized she’d been holding her breath and allowed it to escape in a deep exhale. “Then I own that I’m glad to meet you—”
Footsteps and voices echoed in the corridor from the back of the house.
Araminta twisted around to see who was coming. Probably some of Kane’s assistants, on their way to the gaming rooms. When she turned back, Griffin Calverson had disappeared.
She had a flash of disappointment, but she dismissed it. There was work to do, and she didn’t want to be caught fraternizing with a customer. She’d pushed Kane far enough tonight. If he raised a hand to Olivia because of her, Araminta could not bear it.
She continued on to the kitchen, feeling absurdly glad she was not wearing her usual work garment. She smoothed the velvet on her sleeve, mussed from Calverson’s grip. Her arms remembered the strength of his hands.
He was up to something here. Though she didn’t know the man well, she guessed his presence meant te we for Kane. And perhaps salvation for Olivia.
Tomorrow she’d track Calverson down in his lair and find out.
CHAPTER 2
The next afternoon, Araminta slipped into the spare room off the kitchen. As she changed into her plain navy walking skirt and matching overdress, her nervous fingers fumbled on the pearl buttons of the bodice. She poked her finger with the hatpin while she pinned the matching blue felt hat to the bun at the back of her head. Silly of her to be rattled by a man like Calverson. He was a businessman. She would speak to him in a businesslike manner and ignore the fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach.
She told her kitchen staff she would return in an hour, and set off on her errands. She’d stop in and set up deliveries from the new butcher and then go in search of help for Olivia.
As the streetcar rolled downtown, Araminta considered why Griffin Calverson had caused an internal uproar in her from the first time she’d set eyes on him two years earlier. Not even the man. His image. She’d surreptitiously studied a portrait of him that his sister, a talented photographer, had taken.
The picture by Timona, her friend and former employer, revealed a glimpse of Calverson’s personality. Anyone glancing at the image would see a typical
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