“Now, I think you’ve gone a bit too far.”
“Goodness, Mr. Montague.” She sighed. “You are a difficult man to please. First, you think my suggestion of an adventure isn’t truly an adventure and then you think my next idea is entirely too much. Let me think.” She tapped her forefinger on the table thoughtfully. “You must agree, travel itself is fraught with adventure.”
He nodded. “I do.”
“Simply setting foot in a place one has never been before is exciting and exhilarating. Even when difficulties arise, there is an element of adventure. Why, any one of the trains we will be taking could break down and we could be stranded. And perhaps forced to survive by our wits alone. Which would be something of a problem but would certainly be an adventure nonetheless. One never knows what is around the next corner.”
“Indeed.” He nodded. “Still, this tour does seem a bit, oh, tame for you.”
“Ah.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “My reputation precedes me, I see. And here I was hoping legendary was the worst of it.”
“Come now, Lady Bascombe, you can’t expect me to entrust my dear sister and niece into the hands of anyone whose background I have not thoroughly checked.”
“Then you no doubt know all there is to know about me.”
“I doubt if there is anyone who knows all there is to know about you, Lady Bascombe.”
“With any luck at all, Mr. Montague.” A knowing smile played on her lips.
“But I confess I am still puzzled as to why you agreed to host this tour.”
“It’s really quite simple,” she said smoothly. “One of the founders of the Lady Travelers Society—Mrs. Persephone Fitzhew-Wellmore—is my godmother. This trip was in danger of falling apart and, as American lady travelers are seen as a lucrative prospective clientele, my godmother was quite eager to see it proceed as planned. Apparently, one thing that appeals to Americans is the presence of a fellow traveler with a title.”
“True enough.” He nodded. It really was an excellent business strategy and quite perceptive given his own business dealings with Americans. There was nothing more impressive to them than a lady or lord attached to someone’s name.
“One thing led to another and here I am.” She paused. “As fate would have it, I was planning to travel to Venice in the near future so this was not the least bit inconvenient.”
“Still, leading a tour is not the sort of thing that comes to mind for a woman like yourself.”
“Hosting a tour, Mr. Montague,” she said and frowned. “And I do wish you would stop saying that. That ‘woman like you’ nonsense. I am not a stock character in a drawing room comedy.”
“I do apologize. I didn’t mean—”
“I would do anything for my godmother. She has been a rock of support for me in recent years. More so than anyone else I can name.”
“Fair-weather friends I suspect?”
She heaved a sigh. “Mr. Montague—”
“Why Venice?”
“Why not?”
“Have you ever been to Venice?”
“Goodness, Mr. Montague. Hasn’t everyone?”
He chuckled. “You’re evading my question. And it was a remarkably innocent question. Not one I would imagine anyone would ignore.”
“I’m not ignoring it. I simply find it curious that someone who has had my background thoroughly checked would not know the answer to that. And I think it’s my turn in this fascinating conversation of ours to ask you a question.”
“My life is an open book.”
“No one’s life is an open book, Mr. Montague.” The slightest hard note edged her words. “We all have secrets. Even those closest to you have secrets. Only a fool thinks they don’t.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t quite sure what to say, given he did indeed have a secret of sorts. “Perhaps you’re right. Although I can assure you whatever secrets I harbor are minimal and barely worth the effort to keep.”
“Your sister said you’re financing her trip as a bribe.” She propped her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand and smiled into his eyes. “What is said bribe for?”
“My sister was just being annoying.” He drew his brows together. “Roz takes great joy in annoying me. She is five years my senior and has always delighted in doing whatever she can to set my teeth on edge.”
“So it’s not a bribe?”
“No,” he said firmly. “It’s simply in gratitude for a favor. Saying it was a bribe was her convoluted idea of a joke. And not especially amusing either.” He shook his head. “One would think as an adult with a grown daughter she would set such childish pursuits aside.”
“Some of us never quite grow up.” She smiled in a manner that struck him as a touch wistful. It did the oddest things to his stomach. “Have you?”
“Now, that is an interesting question.”
“You wished for interesting conversation, Mr. Montague. I can think of no more interesting question. Or answer. Of course, if you prefer not to answer...”
He laughed. “I’m not quite sure why you asked the question.”
“Because, Mr. Montague.” Her gaze met his. “I have known any number of charming, handsome men with their slightly wicked manners, the suggestion in the tone of their voices that indicates what they are saying goes far beyond their words and the look in their eyes not unlike a connoisseur evaluating his next morsel. I am neither fooled by them, nor am I the least bit interested.”
He stared at her. Roz was right—his concerted effort to be charming had perhaps gone further than he intended. Why, she didn’t think he was at all the serious, responsible man that he was but rather some kind of rake or rogue or scoundrel. This was not the way to earn her trust. Still, he rather liked it.
He tried and failed to keep a smile from his face. “I shall keep that in mind, Lady Bascombe.”
“Furthermore, Mr. Montague—” she met his gaze directly “—most men of that nature are not quite as obvious about it.”
“I wasn’t...” He chuckled in a wry manner. “I simply thought a woman like...a woman who has had an exciting life would be more inclined to—” he shrugged helplessly “—like a man who was more...likable than I usually am.”
Her eyes widened and she straightened. “You wanted me to like you?”
He nodded.
“Why?” Suspicion sounded in her voice.
“Because you may well be the most interesting woman I have ever met.” Even as he said the words he realized he had indeed been fascinated by her ever since he’d first read the dossier. Regardless, his goal was not to win her affections, simply her friendship. And that was a means to an end, nothing more. “And I hope to be friends.”
She sat back in her seat and stared at him. “I’m not sure what to say.”
“You must admit this confession of mine is extremely charming.”
“Nor am I sure what I believe.”
He arched a brow. “You don’t trust me?”
“Trust needs to be earned. And I don’t know you well enough to trust you.”
“Perhaps by the time we reach Venice you will.”
“And will I like you, as well?”
“Without question.” He grinned and rose to his feet. That would do for now. It was an excellent start.