Page 9 of The Gilded Heiress

I frowned at the back of her head as we pushed through the exit, but kept quiet. Who was I to tell her how to live her life? She was an orphan. No doubt she’d taken some knocks during her time on earth. And we all had to get by somehow. Christ, I was a confidence man. What did I know?

I flagged a hansom and handed her up. After I gave the driver Josie’s address, I followed her inside. She barely waited for

me to sit before demanding, “Tell me what you and Lotta talked about.”

“You.” I settled my derby on my lap. “She gave me the card of a man in New York to see.”

Josie’s shoulders relaxed. Had she been worried? My suspicion was confirmed when she said, “Good. I thought she was telling

you I was terrible or that I’d never make it on Broadway.”

“No, none of those things. She’s a great believer in your talent.”

“So that’s all? Just the card?” I hesitated and Josie pounced. “I knew it! There’s more. Tell me what she said.”

There was no reason for me to lie, not about this. “She warned me to keep our relationship entirely platonic.”

Josie’s mouth fell open. “As opposed to what? Us sleeping together?”

“Yes.”

I expected outrage or embarrassment. Instead, she threw her head back and laughed. “Imagine, me and you in bed!”

I could, actually. Josie was beautiful and bold, and I could see luscious curves under her drab dresses. I’d have no objections

to stripping her naked, wrapping her legs around my hips, and feeding my cock inside her. Most healthy men I knew wouldn’t.

Still chuckling, she nudged my foot with the toe of her boot. “Come on. You don’t think that’s funny?”

This was veering into dangerous territory. I tried to brush it aside with a casual grin. “You certainly know how to bruise

a man’s pride.”

That quieted her down. A flush worked its way up her neck as the moment stretched. “Are you saying you want to sleep together?”

Josie

Leo wore a strange expression and didn’t meet my gaze. “Of course I don’t want to sleep with you.”

I didn’t believe him. His shoulders were stiff, like he was a statue sitting across from me. Granted, I hadn’t spent much

time around men, but Leo was smooth and easy. Good-looking, a real people person. He was tea with lots of sugar and cream.

I bet everyone liked him.

Stood to reason he didn’t get turned down much by the ladies.

But I was careful, more distrustful and wary. I watched out for myself. Twice I’d been intimate with a man, but nothing serious.

I had big dreams and men only got in the way.

Would I like to get into bed with Leo? Maybe, if he wasn’t my manager. I bet he could show a girl a good time, with those

long limbs and lean, strong hips. But things were too tangled up now. My future rested in this man’s hands. He could easily

derail it, if he chose.

“So that’s settled then,” I announced. “When do we leave for New York?”

“I don’t know.” His gaze remained on the passing street through the window.

“Well, what’s your plan?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

I pursed my lips and stared at his hard jaw. A muscle jumped under the skin, like he was clenching his teeth. I was never

one to keep quiet, so I said, “You’re bothered by it, me not being interested in you physically.”

“Please,” he scoffed, his upper lip curling ever so slightly.

Oh, yes. Bothered, indeed.

Well, too bad. Even if it wounded his pride, I wasn’t interested in him that way. At least, I hadn’t been until a few minutes ago. Now I was thinking about it, wondering if all that charm and smooth talk extended to his bedroom skills.

Damn it.

“Are you tired?” he asked after a few moments.

Tired? My blood was humming with excitement, the day more than I’d ever dreamed. Lotta’s instruction—already committed to

memory—had been invaluable. Not only had she provided valuable insight into performing onstage, she’d passed along the name

of a man to see in New York. I wanted to run through the city streets, swim the length of the St. Charles River, then go jump

into the harbor. I felt like I might never fall asleep again.

“Hardly,” I answered. “I feel like celebrating. This has been the best day of my life.”

“I’m glad, but let’s not celebrate yet. Instead, I want to take you to see a friend of mine.”

A friend? That deflated my happiness a tiny bit. “What for?”

“Polish.”

“What does that mean?”

He cracked the knuckles on his right hand, one by one. “You’ll see.”

Did he mean clothes, like Lotta suggested? And why was he so surly and quiet all of a sudden? “Can’t we eat first?”

“We’ll have food there.” Leaning up, he pulled open the tiny window to speak to the driver. Leo gave the man an address on

Queensberry Street, which seemed odd. That was a nice neighborhood.

He didn’t say anything when he resettled. Instead, he proceeded to crack the knuckles on his other hand. I tried not to react,

but the popping sound grated on my nerves. Who knew men could be so annoying?

I closed my eyes and remembered Lotta’s lessons. I couldn’t wait to recount the entire day for Pippa.

“What are you doing?”

I didn’t look at Leo as I answered his question. “Remembering.”

“Remembering what?”

“Everything Lotta said today.”

“Ah. I could get you a journal. Then you could write it all down.”

I lifted my eyelids and met his gaze. “I don’t need to write it down. After I repeat it to myself, it’s locked inside my brain.”

He nodded, his lips pursing like he approved. “But you’d remember more if you wrote it down.”

“You don’t understand. I can recall every word of a conversation once it’s committed to memory.”

His eyebrows flew up and his mouth fell open. “That can’t be true. Surely you can’t... You can remember every word Lotta

spoke today?”

“Yes.”

“Is this something you do often?”

“Every time I think there’s something worth remembering, yes.”

“Have you always been able to do this?”

I lifted a shoulder. “I suppose. The nuns used to test me by reading long passages to see if I could recall every word.”

“And could you?”

“Yes, but it isn’t hard for me. The nuns said I must have more space in my brain to memorize things because I had no family

memories.”

A strange expression skimmed over his face, so quick I almost missed it. Did he feel sorry for me?

I kept talking, unwilling to accept anyone’s pity. “It’s a useful skill. And annoying because there are often things I can’t

forget but wish I could.”

“As in?”

“Like platitudes and false compliments. Phrases people say to ease their conscience but don’t mean. When they give you false

hope.”

For years the nuns said the right family would come along eventually and adopt me. I just had to remain patient, be a good girl. I could still hear Sister Catherine telling me, A family will want you someday, Josie. Believe in God’s plan, child.

But the family never came.

And I stopped believing.

I swallowed the old bitter memories. “It’s devastating when you realize the words are nothing but a lie.”

Leo put his elbows on his knees and studied his shoes for a long time. “I’ve tried to always be square with you—”

“I wasn’t talking about you. I’m not a rosy-cheeked kid who believes in the goodness of mankind anymore. That naivete was

sucked out of me eons ago.”

“Yeah, me too.” His glance slid toward me. “What about me? Are you able to remember every word I’ve said to you?”

“Pretty much.”

I could tell he didn’t believe me by the way the lines around his mouth deepened. “You remember everything I said at the ice

cream saloon?” When I nodded, he ordered, “Repeat it back.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m curious.”

“I’m not one of Barnum’s oddities, Leo.”

“I never implied that you were. Come on, for me.” He nudged his boot against the toe of my shoe, as I’d done earlier to him.

Closing my eyes again, I repeated every word he said that day, from the offer to buy me ice cream and purging Boston from

his voice, to his five sisters and our discussion of vanilla. Top to bottom, I recited it like a play, deepening my voice

to perform Leo.

At the end, I exhaled and folded my hands.

He was staring at me as if I had two heads. “Holy shit, Josie.”

“I know.” I couldn’t help but grin. “It’s quite all right if you find me amazing.”

“Amazing doesn’t cover it.”

“Aw, go on.” I pushed his knee with mine. “Seriously, do go on.”

He chuckled. “I see humility is not one of your best qualities.”

“Says the very handsome man who uses his looks to get whatever he wants.”

His shoulders jerked. He opened his mouth, then promptly closed it.

“I know I’m right,” I told him. “So don’t bother denying it.”

“Have you tried to use your memorization skill to make money?”

I allowed him to change the subject from himself to me. “Isn’t that what we are doing? How do you think I memorize song lyrics?

Soon I’ll memorize parts for plays and musicals, too.”

As the carriage slowly turned up Queensberry Street, Leo said softly, “You are nothing like I assumed, Josie Smith.”

God only knew what he’d first thought of me, then. I was pretty much an open book. Easy to read, nothing to hide. I spoke

my mind and didn’t lie.

When the wheels stopped, Leo pushed out the carriage door. “Wait here. I’ll return in a moment.”

After he gave directions for the driver to hold at the curb, Leo strode up the walk of a charming three-story town house.

Petunias bloomed in a box on the windowsill and a small plant rested on the stoop. The residence looked nice and comfortable,

a decent place on a fancy street. This was where his friend lived?

He rang the bell and a woman answered the door. At the sight of Leo, the woman’s face broke out into a wide grin and she reached

to embrace him. There was something intimate and familiar about the way he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

Warning bells went off inside my head. Was this...? No, he wouldn’t bring me to his paramour.

Would he?

They spent a few minutes chatting, but I couldn’t hear what was being said.

The woman was beautiful and well dressed.

Probably in her late twenties. No wedding ring that I could see.

I liked her hair, the way it was swept up in a soft bouffant with curls.

Gibson Girls, they called the ladies who styled their hair in such a fashion.

And her dress was fancy, probably expensive.

The two of them continued to go back and forth, with Leo laughing at one point. His expression was relaxed, easy. Genuine.

He liked her.

So, this was the type of woman Leo bedded. It made sense, actually. No doubt I was as appealing as spoiled porridge to a man

like him—which was fine and dandy with me. I liked to know where I stood with people, and seeing this woman with him helped

make it clear.

Leo bounded back to the carriage and opened the door. “I have a friend I want you to meet. I think you’ll like her.”

“Why?” He’d said “polish” earlier, but I had no interest in meeting the women he slept with.

“She’s agreed to show you a few things.”

Now I was definitely on edge. I folded my arms across my chest. “Like what?”

Confusion wrinkled his brow. “Tea, dresses, society rules. That sort of thing.” Then he cocked his head. “What did you think

I meant?”

I didn’t want to answer that, so I pushed out of the carriage and he helped me to the walk. “Sounds good to me. Let’s go.”

I started up the walk without waiting for his arm. I didn’t need his help, not for this. I’d been looking after myself for

a long time. A pretty face wouldn’t fool me into changing that fact.