“How did you spend your evening?” Mick asked.

“I had dinner at the Jolly Roger. When I returned to the shop, I stacked five books on my head and walked up the stairs balancing them—”

“Did you really?” Aslyn asked. “Five?”

Fancy smiled softly, imagining her sister-by-marriage had spent a good deal of time balancing books atop her head because she possessed one of the finest postures around. “No, I was only jesting. I think I have my walk down pat. I didn’t practice anything at all. I simply read.” She thought about mentioning Mr. Sommersby, finding out if Mick knew anything at all about his tenant, but she wanted to hold the gentleman close, keep him just for herself. She also wanted to avoid an inquisition. How had she met him? How well did she know him? Was he trustworthy? How did she know? And it wouldn’t do at all for it to be known she’d spent time in his company without a chaperone, although she could effectively argue she’d been watched over by the staff at the Jolly Roger. He might even take it upon himself to send Mr. Sommersby packing if he thought the man would distract Fancy from reaching the goal her family had set for her.

“You will have little time for reading once your Season gets underway,” Aslyn said. “I’ve been making a list of the women on whom we’ll make morning calls after your introduction into Society. And I’ve no doubt some will make calls upon you. I’m wondering if it might be better if you spent your days here, since we’ll let it be known that ours is the residence where you will take callers. We’ll certainly want the gentlemen to visit you here, so you can be properly chaperoned.”

“You’re optimistic. I think it’ll work exceedingly well if you simply send a servant over to fetch me when I’m needed.” She didn’t want to give up any more time in her shop than she had to because a day would arrive when she’d have to give it up altogether. “Perhaps I’ll even entertain a few in the shop. I could serve tea in the reading parlor.” It was a room above the shop set aside for people to lounge about in comfortable chairs and read to their heart’s content. “It would only require having one of your maids come over to prepare tea in the kitchen in my lodgings.”

“I suppose that’s an option. Shall we see how it goes?” Which meant Aslyn didn’t much like the option. “And, of course, there are always the gardens here.”