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Amanda, for her part, did not look chastened by the exchange; she merely watched it with avid interest, like someone having a simply marvelous night at the theater. Rose and her husband looked a bit more uncertain.

Grace couldn’t let Caleb frighten them away, however, for she could not have asked for a better spy if she’d chosen one herself.

Amanda Rutley was—and Grace said this with the utmost respect—a compete terror, one who adored schemes, plots, and any form of chaos she could set her hands upon. Not only that, but she was close enough to Emily and Benedict to take note of any gossip that dealt with the Dowager Countess of Moore and the plot that surrounded her.AndAmanda was an unmarried young woman.

Everyone always overlooked unmarried young women, no matter how often they were shown that they should not do so.

“Amanda,” Grace said, clasping the younger woman’s hands in hers, “it’s so good to see you.”

Amanda shot Caleb a challenging look, one that said,See? It’s so good to see me. This was brave in a way that bordered on madness, but it was, alas, also hilarious to watch, as this slender little miss smirked saucily up at the glowering Scot.

Grace forced herself to remain focused.

“I have something that I think you can help me with,” Grace said, lowering her voice. “Something that I would prefer to keep away from curious ears.”

Amanda forgot Caleb in an instant, her eyes growing bright at the promise of secrets.

“Of course,” she said, letting Grace lead her over to an arbor that was reasonably protected from the rest of the party. Caleb, Rose, and Mr. Cartwright followed accordingly.

Grace laid out their quest in broad strokes, not bothering with the details, but explaining that they were looking for some gentleman who was tied up in “the whole mess with Benedict’s mother,” who was selling a property in the north using a man of business to be covert about it.

Amanda was impish, impulsive, and loved a bit of mischief, but she was not stupid, and she was not unkind. She did not mention how the dowager countess’ mess was the same as Grace’s mess. Instead, she merely nodded thoughtfully.

“I don’t think I have heard anything related to that,” she said slowly. “But I’ll keep an ear out, of course, Lady Grace.”

Caleb grumbled slightly and Grace justknewit was because Amanda ought to properly be calling herYour Graced, but he managed to contain himself.

“Unless…” Amanda turned to her sister. “You haven’t heard anything, have you, Rosie?”

Rose had clearly already been thinking accordingly, for she didn’t even pause before she shook her head.

“No, I haven’t heard anything either, but I'll listen, too. Sometimes people will say things to married women that they won’t tell unmarried ladies.”

At this, Amanda gave an exaggerated eye roll that was, frankly, a masterpiece.

“Which issofoolish,” she complained, “becauseobviouslyRosie tells me everything anyway.”

Not everything, Rose mouthed from behind her sister’s back. Grace had to bite her lip to keep from smiling too obviously.

“Anyway, consider us the Mayfield Runners,” Amanda said, giving a jaunty and highly incorrect salute that no doubt hurt Caleb down to his bones. “We’ll search high and low for your answers. No stone left unturned. No risk too great.”

“No, no!” Grace said, alarmed. “Don’t take any risks!”

“Of course not,” Amanda replied unconvincingly. “I’ll be safe as a baby bird tucked up tight in its nest. Don’t worry a bit. But, oh, there’s Lady Applethorpe. She knows all kinds of things and sheadoresme. I’ll start investigating right now.”

She hurried off, Rose trailing at her heels to provide a (much needed) voice of reason. Mr. Cartwright paused only long enough to bow.

“Good day, Your Graces,” he murmured before departing. Grace realized it was the only time he had uttered so much as a syllable in the entire conversation.

“Someone might want to tell yon lassie that birds get attacked by all sorts of things in their nests,” Caleb murmured to her.

Grace nearly choked on her laugh.

As they drifted through the party, Grace struggled to ignore the eyes that followed them wherever they went. Caleb never seemed to notice the looks they were receiving.

Grace wondered what it would feel like to be so unperturbed by the reactions of people around her. She knew Caleb’s life hadn’t been without its troubles; Mrs. Bradley had referenced his late brother, after all, and life in the army was not easy, even for an officer.

But somehow it seemed as though none of that could touch him. He just seemed socertainof himself.