The River Knows Read Free

lady’s arm.”
    Quinby’s eyes narrowed. He did not like taking orders, Anthony thought.
    “At once,” Anthony added very softly.
    Quinby released Louisa.
    “I’ll be needing an answer to my question,” he growled, his attention still fixed on Anthony. “Why did you come up here?”
    The question was clearly aimed at him, Anthony realized. Quinby was no longer concerned about Louisa.
    Anthony captured Louisa’s elbow in a proprietary manner, a lover’s manner. “I should have thought the answer is obvious. The lady and I came up here to find some privacy.”
    He could tell that Louisa was not thrilled with the implications of that explanation, but she clearly knew that she had no alternative other than to follow his lead. To her credit, she did not miss a beat.
    “Evidently we shall have to go elsewhere, sir,” she said.
    “So it appears,” Anthony agreed.
    He tightened his grip on her elbow, turned her around, and started toward the main staircase.
    “Now, see here,” Quinby said behind them. “I don’t know what you two are about, but—”
    “Precisely,” Anthony said over his shoulder. “You have no idea at all what my very good friend and I are doing up here, and that is the way it will remain.”
    “I was hired to keep an eye on things around the mansion,” Quinby announced, pursuing them down the hall.
    “I understand,” Anthony said. “However, the lady and I were unaware that the upper floors of the house were forbidden territory. We certainly saw no signs to that effect.”
    “Of course there aren’t any signs,” Quinby growled. “Folks like Mr. Hastings don’t go around posting signs in fancy houses like this one.”
    “Then you can hardly blame us for wandering up here when we concluded that we desired to get away from the crowd downstairs,” Anthony said pleasantly.
    “Hold on,” Quinby said.
    Anthony ignored him. “I believe my carriage will provide the seclusion that we are looking for,” he said to Louisa in a voice that was loud enough to carry back to Quinby.
    She slid him an uncertain look, but mercifully she kept her mouth shut.
    They started down the staircase. Quinby stopped at the top. Anthony could feel the guard’s eyes boring into his back.
    “We’ll have to leave now,” he said very quietly to Louisa. “If we don’t, he will be even more suspicious.”
    “I came here with Lady Ashton,” Louisa said uneasily. Her voice was equally low. “I cannot simply disappear; she’ll be frantic.”
    “I’m sure one of the footmen will be happy to convey a message to her informing her that you left with me.”
    She stiffened. “I cannot do that, sir.”
    “I don’t see why not. The night is young, and we have so much to talk about, do we not?”
    “I do not know what you mean. I appreciate your timely intervention back there in the hall, but it was not at all necessary. I could have handled that man. Now I really must insist—”
    “I’m afraid I am the one who must insist. You have aroused my curiosity, you see. I will not be able to rest tonight until I obtain some answers.”
    She gave him another quick, suspicious look. He smiled, letting her see his resolve. Her expression tightened, but she did not argue further. She was too busy plotting her escape, he thought, timing it, no doubt, to coincide with their arrival back in the ballroom, where the presence of the crowd would discourage a scene.
    “You will have to forget any notion you might have of abandoning me, Mrs. Bryce,” he said. “One way or another you will allow me to take you home this evening.”
    “You cannot force me to get into your carriage.”
    “I wouldn’t dream of using force. Not when calm reason will very likely work just as well.”
    “What is the nature of this calm reason?”
    “Why don’t we start with the observation that you and I appear to have a mutual interest in our host’s private affairs.”
    He felt her take in a quick, startled breath. “I have no idea what