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He’d known that they weren’t going to find anything Or if he hadn’t known it, he had been alht mostly just to humor her Hyacinth decided she loved him all the more for that

But now, his expression, his aspect, everything in his voice see—We tried, we lost, can we please just move on?

There was no satisfied smirk, no “I told you so,” just a flat, matter-of-fact stare, with perhaps the barest hint of disappoint to be proven wrong

“Hyacinth?” Gareth said, when she didn’t reply

“I…Well…” She didn’t knohat to say

“We haven’ton a steely expression Clearly, her ti his hands against each other to rid them of dust The baroness’s bedchaular cleaning schedule “Tonight is the baron’sclub”

“Hound-breeding?” Hyacinth echoed “In London?”

“They meet on the last Tuesday of theit for years To keep abreast of pertinent knowledge while they’re in London”

“Does pertinent knowledge change very often?” Hyacinth asked It was just the sort of random tidbit of information that always interested her

“I have no idea,” Gareth replied briskly “It’s probably just an excuse to get together and drink The s always end at eleven, and then they spend about two hours in social discourse Which means the baron will be home”—he pulled out his pocket watch and swore under his breath—“now”

Hyacinth nodded gluive up,” she said “I don’t think I’ve ever uttered those words while not under duress, but I give up”

Gareth chucked her softly under her chin “It’s not the end of the world, Hy And just think, you may resume your mission once the baron finally kicks off, and I inherit the house Which,” he added thoughtfully, “I actually have soine that”

“Do you think Isabella meant for anyone to find them?” she asked

“I don’t know,” Gareth replied “One would think that if she had, she e for her final hint than Slovene”

“We should go,” Hyacinth said, sighing “I need to return hoe in the wedding date, I want to do it nohile she’s sleepy and easy to sway”