An Unexpected Pleasure (The Mad Morelands #4)(54)

“Hmph.” Kyria raised an eyebrow. “Did you like her, though?”

Anna laughed. “No, not at all. I certainly would not choose her for Theo.”

“No, nor would I,” Olivia agreed in her soft voice. A small woman, with soft brown hair, large, intelligent eyes, and a surprisingly mischievous smile, Olivia was a warm person whom Megan could not help but like. Quieter than her two sisters, she struck Megan nevertheless as having a great strength of will.

She went on now, “But, you know, Kyria, perhaps you should have asked Miss Henderson before you committed her to going to the charity ball.”

“I’m sorry.” Kyria turned toward Megan contritely. “I did not mean to be impolite. Sometimes I get a little carried away.”

“But I—surely you do not mean for me to actually go with you,” Megan said, surprised. “I thought you only said that to put Lady Scarle’s nose out of joint.”

Even as she said it, Megan realized that her words were far too blunt for an employee to deliver to a titled lady, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I should not have said that.”

Kyria laughed, joined by the other women in the room. “Don’t apologize. You are exactly right. I did want to put her nose out of joint. But I certainly intended for you to come. Please say you will. It should be quite lovely. Lady Cavendish is getting rather old, but she still has a wonderful sense of style. Her parties are always quite fun. You would enjoy it.”

Megan was a little surprised by how much she would indeed like to go to the party. She had never been one who had envied the wealthy their glittering galas and elegant balls, but as she thought now of sweeping out onto the floor in a lovely ball gown, she was aware of a rush of longing. She decided not to consider why the man in whose arms she saw herself dancing was Theo Moreland.

With an inward sigh, however, she pushed aside that dream. “I’m sorry. I would love to go, but I have nothing appropriate to wear to a ball.”

“Don’t worry about that.” Kyria waved away her objection. “We shall come up with something for you. My maid can alter one of my dresses. She is a wizard with a needle.”

“No, one of mine,” Olivia put in. “We are nearer the same size.”

“We are, as well,” Anna said. “And I just bought a whole hoard of gowns when I came to London. You are most welcome to wear one.”

“There, you see?” Kyria said triumphantly. “I am sure we will be able to find something quite lovely.” She studied Megan, her head to one side. “A warm color, gold or—no, perhaps that rust-colored satin that you wore last summer, Livvy.”

Megan looked at them, warmed by their generosity. “I—I don’t know what to say. You are so kind.”

“Why, say you’ll come. That is all,” Olivia told her.

Megan smiled at her, unable to resist. “All right. I will go with you.”



*

MEGAN SPENT MUCH of that evening pacing in her room, worrying about what she was doing. She felt increasingly guilty. She hated the fact that what she was planning to do would hurt the Morelands. They had been terribly kind and generous to her, and she knew that when she revealed what Theo had done, they would all regard her as a traitor.

On the other hand, she felt as if she were letting down her own family by even worrying about Theo’s family—and how could she let herself join in their activities, even enjoy them? She should be searching for evidence about Dennis’s death, not eating meals that melted in her mouth with the family of his killer, or jaunting off to charity balls in a dress that probably cost more than her entire year’s salary.

On the other hand, she argued with herself, going to the charity ball was not without purpose. She could get Julian Coffey alone and talk to him there, something that was obviously difficult to do while she was staying at Broughton House.

With a sigh, she sank down into the chair beside her bed. The fact was, she knew, she could bring this whole problem to a close quickly. She might not even have to talk to Julian Coffey again or remain as the Morelands’ tutor if she could put her hands on the pendant that Barchester has seen Theo holding after Dennis’s death. And she knew where she was most likely to find that pendant—in Theo’s bedchamber.

She was holding back only out of fear. Not just fear of getting caught. Megan felt that, of course, for there was absolutely no reason for her to be in Theo’s bedchamber, and if someone walked in on her there, it would probably lead to her immediate dismissal.

But more than that, she knew, she was afraid of finding the pendant, for it would be more evident that Theo had killed her brother. No matter how sure she was in her head that Theo had been responsible for her brother’s death, something in her heart stubbornly refused to accept it. Even today, when she had seen the look on his face as he stared at the exhibit, she had struggled against the obvious interpretation of his moody gaze. She had wished for some other explanation for the crisp, almost unfriendly way he spoke to Julian Coffey, or the way he turned aside questions about the trip he had made, or his knowledge of South America. Could it not be that he was simply remembering the sorrow of her brother’s death? she urged in her inner dialogue.

Still, she knew she had to look for the pendant. She could not simply go on not knowing the truth. She had to sneak into Theo’s room and search it thoroughly. And the sooner she did it, the better. She needed to bring this to a close before her tangled emotions got even more confused.