Was he just a courier? But who in the world would send her a note with no address on it, only her name? Mabena, perhaps? But she would have put Lady Elizabeth on it—unless she was trying to obey, at least in small part, Libby’s desire to go unnoticed.

She forced a smile and took the letter. “Thank you, Mr. Here. Oh—here.” She reached into her pocket and fished around for one of the coins she always kept there for such purposes.

Pressing it to his palm earned her another look of supreme consternation. “Em . . . thanks?”

A strange courier. Maybe the Scillonians just always ran errands for each other, as friends, and didn’t expect tips for it. That would be rather lovely of them, wouldn’t it? Her smile feeling a little brighter, she said, “You’re welcome. Good day.” And closed the door.

Not until she turned back to the table, gaze falling to the envelope, did she look closely enough to recognize that this was most assuredly not Mabena’s handwriting. It was, in fact, masculine rather than feminine. But what man would be writing to her? The only one she could think of was Bram, but it wasn’t his hand either. And he never called her Elizabeth. He had, in fact, been the one to nickname her Libby when they were children.

She flipped it over, looking for some clue. But all the turn revealed was that the envelope was sealed. No indication of who had sent it or from where.

Her gaze flicked to the table, where the lead ball rested on its paper. Where the book sat with its odd notes in the margins. Where some other Elizabeth’s possessions invaded Libby’s world.

The envelope wasn’t for her—of that she was suddenly quite certain. Whoever the previous tenant had been, she was still getting deliveries, as surely as her belongings had still been in the drawers. And while curiosity pricked, Libby set the envelope on the table beside the cannonball without opening it.

It was one thing to have unwrapped the paper and string when she didn’t realize it wasn’t meant for her. It seemed somehow different to unseal a letter intended for someone else. And though she was many things of which society disapproved, she’d never been the sort to go snooping through someone else’s post.

When Mabena got back this evening, she’d tell her all about the two strange men with their unsolicited gifts and see what she thought they should do about it.