To Sketch a Sphinx - Rebecca Connolly Page 0,60
“Meaning what, exactly?”
Hal’s eyes widened, and she tossed her head back on a laugh, one of her naturally curled tendrils tumbling from the hold she’d placed them in earlier. “I didn’t mean that!”
“I’d be most interested to hear what you did mean, then,” John pressed, grinning in the face of her delighted laughter.
There would never be a more beautiful sight to him than that. Never.
“I meant that I could never be brilliant when compared to you, John.” She shook her head, her expression now turning exasperated. “I do not doubt that if you had heard Jean, you’d have leapt to the exact same conclusions as I did, and you undoubtedly would already know how to apply them.”
“I still believe you are the more brilliant one.” He shrugged and leaned his arm on the back of the chair, lacing his fingers together. “I have no complaints about it, my pride is not in the least offended.”
Hal snorted softly. “Well, that is a relief. I was so concerned about your pride. Besides,” she paused, situating herself on the divan in their parlor with a sigh, rolling herself to one side to face him more fully, “I couldn’t be the most brilliant mind in France. They are the ones who devised this system, whatever it is.”
John exhaled a heavy sigh of disappointment, still smiling. “Always determined to minimize your brilliance, Ange.”
“Have you met me, John? I never minimize anything I do.” She flashed an impish grin that made him positively mad to kiss her senseless.
“No,” he murmured slowly, pushing out of his chair and moving towards her, “nor should you, by heaven. All should be in awe of you, as I am.”
Her eyes darkened, her smile deepening. “Are you, indeed? Well, well, Mr. Pratt, what do you intend to do in the face of your awestruck state?”
One of his brows quirked at her blatant teasing, and he leaned close to her. “I’ve an idea or two…”
A knock at their parlor door had them both groaning.
“Infernal interruptions,” Hal grumbled, her expression souring. “What could not wait but five minutes more?”
John chuckled. “It’ll keep, Ange.” He closed the gap between them and kissed her quickly, pulling away when she arched in for more. “Now, now,” he scolded with a warning look, though his legs were presently on fire for her.
Hal scowled further and moved herself to a more proper position on the divan. “We need to have a serious discussion about your priorities, Mr. Pratt.”
“I welcome the discussion the moment it is appropriate, Mrs. Pratt.” He opened the parlor door, politely smiling at the footman there. “Yes?”
“A parcel has arrived for you, monsieur,” the heavily accented voice intoned, extending a gold tray out to him with the wrapped package atop.
John nodded and removed the parcel, his pulse lurching with sudden anticipation. “Merci.”
“And le baron wishes to know if Madame Pratt is feeling improved?”
A wry smile crossed John’s lips. “She is resting at the present, but I daresay she will be well enough to join us for supper this evening. Please thank the baron for his concern.”
The footman bowed in acceptance, snapping his heels together, then moved back down the corridor to deliver his message.
“Next time, inquire as to the menu for supper before promising that I shall attend,” Hal suggested as he closed the door. “My wellness may depend on it.”
John gave her a look as he moved back to the table, tearing the paper off the parcel. He replied with a noncommittal humph.
She swung her legs down from the divan and pushed up to join him. “Did he get it?”
There was no need to respond, as she could see for herself.
The music to Suspendez a ces murs was in hand, and now the true test could begin.
“Remind me to ask the Shopkeepers to increase whatever they are paying Ruse,” John murmured as his eyes darted from note to note and word to word on the page. “Perhaps even double it.”
Hal wrapped her arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Let’s see if this works first. Where will you begin?”
John’s mouth curved on one side. “I have already begun. The moment we returned here, and you placed the candle in the window, I tried the letters using that phrase uttered at the meeting. Vous ne me verrez pas mourir.”
“And?”
“And the difficulty with deciphering is that one cannot know one’s success until the whole puzzle reveals itself.” He turned his face and kissed the top of her head. “But I think the music