I have been entertaining gentlemen in my room, while I am still in my bed, dressed in my nightclothes—which even you would agree is the height of impropriety—”
He nodded.
“I believe you should rescind your description of me as stuffy.”
“Well.” He grimaced. “You did scream.”
“My scream was directed more at encouraging his lordship to leave than any concern about proper behavior on my part.”
“I’ll give you that. Very well then.” This was actually going far better than he’d expected. “You are not nearly as stuffy as one would have thought.”
“Thank you. Now, perhaps you would consider—”
“I should leave you to dress.” He rose to his feet. “I think we should start our efforts today at the hotel Lady Heloise mentioned in her letters. I suggest we depart as soon as you are ready.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“One more thing we have in common.”
“Unfortunately...”
“Unless you have another idea?”
“It’s not that. But my maid—Suzette—says she has not seen my luggage. I was forced to borrow this—” she glanced down and winced “—garment to sleep in last night.”
“I see. Then the nightclothes are not yours?”
“Dear Lord, no.” Indignation rang in her voice. “I would never wear something this...this flimsy. And suggestive. And indecent.”
“No, of course not.” It was a pity really. He suspected what he could not see of her in the nightgown was even more delicious than what he could. “I would imagine your nightclothes to be of good solid linen, unencumbered by silliness like lace or ruffles.”
“Simply because one is abed doesn’t mean one should abandon good judgment and proper attire,” she said primly. “But that is beside the point. As I was saying, Suzette has not seen my luggage.”
“She hasn’t?” He knew this was coming. It might have been wiser for him to have said something right away, but while Derek considered himself fairly courageous under most circumstances, this was not one of them.
“No, which means I am forced to wear the same clothes I wore yesterday, and they are being freshened. I’m afraid we will have to delay our start until Suzette returns with my clothing.”
“Oh well.” He sighed. “It can’t be helped I suppose. We can’t have you running about the streets naked. Even in Paris, that would be frowned upon.” He started toward the door.
“Derek.”
He paused. “Yes?”
“I can’t help but notice you are not wearing what you wore yesterday.” Her brow furrowed. “Am I to assume you have your luggage?”
He winced and turned back toward her. “I do.”
“And have Professor and Mrs. Greer their luggage?”
“As far as I know.”
“Then, as our luggage traveled together, mine should be somewhere in the house. Delivered to the wrong room perhaps. Don’t you think?”
“One would think that. I know,” he said brightly. “Why don’t I check for you?”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “I would be most grateful.”
“I am happy to do it, as any responsible friend would.”
“In the meantime, I will wait for Suzette to return.”
“And I will see you downstairs whenever you are ready.” He smiled and took his leave, closing her door behind him.
It did indeed stand to reason that her trunk would be somewhere in the house. If, of course, it had arrived at the house in the first place. Which was contingent upon whether or not—when it was checked at the beginning of their journey—it was appropriately labeled for Paris and not, oh, say, Prague. An understandable mistake really. There was nothing more annoying than to have to delay one’s travel plans and be compelled to stay longer in a city than intended in hopes of recovering one’s luggage. But if one wished to ever see one’s belongings again, there was little choice. And who knew how long it might take?
Derek ignored a tiny twinge of guilt. When all this was over, he would replace India’s wardrobe and anything else she might have brought along with her. And there was always the possibility that her errant trunk would make its way back to England. Eventually.
Uncle Edward would argue that, ultimately, this was in India’s and her cousin’s best interests as well as Aunt Guinevere’s. His resources were far more likely to track down Lady Heloise than Derek and India were. Still, she would never see it that way.
Even so, diverting her luggage off to the ends of the earth was not the best way to start a friendship.
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