Weather Mechanics (Crown & Country Book 2)

Excerpt:

Gideon entered the assembly room and searched the sea of women for the remarkably attractive Olivia Brass. Attention of those assembled shifted from the speaker on the podium to him as he cut through the audience. So much for remaining unobtrusive.

Few men had attended. What kind of meeting he still did not know, though a banner over the podium proclaimed a welcome for Derinda Haxx. If he remembered correctly, the formidable Miss Haxx was a staunch suffragette.

Any woman who complimented a man for his purchase of a building set for a little girl most likely had leanings toward the suffragette movement.

Gideon believed in the movement. It did not serve the country to have a queen on the throne while telling other women they were not strong or smart enough to hold public office or vote for those who did. However, he’d never been to a meeting. 
Until now.

He spotted Miss Brass in the front row. That shimmery ginger hair of hers looked softer under the gaslights. Everything inside him went tight. Hot.

There were no empty seats beside her. He would have to wait until after the speaker concluded before he approached her. He leaned against a wall and listened intently to the speech.

He’d heard the same rhetoric before. Nothing new or even interesting. If Miss Haxx thought to convert the non-believers, she was preaching in the wrong pulpit.

The speaker finally wound down to thundering applause. She took a bow and then made her way off the stage. The audience came to their feet.

Another woman came to the stage and lifted her hands to gain the crowd’s attention.
“If you will please make your way to the Sunshine Room for refreshments and fellowship.”

A tide of people flowed toward a door on the other side of the room and exited. Gideon positioned himself to intercept Miss Brass, but she stood speaking with another woman.

Her head bobbed as she nodded to something the woman said. With her back to him, he had no idea what she said, though if he used his animute sense he would be able to filter the sound of her voice. 
He stood behind her.

“So nice to see you made it this evening, Mr. Aldridge,” she said without turning around. 
When she did turn, she removed a pair of small round spectacles.

Gideon smiled. “Spy specs? Now what would a nice, respectable woman like yourself need with a pair of those?”

Her eyes gave her away as they widened slightly. She grabbed him by the arm and guided him to a private corner. “Shhh. Not so loud. These little spectacles come in handy.”

Handy for what, he wanted to ask but was afraid she might tell him, though he admitted to himself that he had a healthy dose of curiosity where the glasses were concerned.
“You do realize that possession of such spectacles is prohibited by law?”

Her face paled save the slashes of red that bloomed across her cheeks. “Only if a member of the constabulary were to know I have them.”

“Then you should be very careful they do not find out.” Gideon held out his arm. “May I escort you into the Sunshine Room?”

She rubbed her stomach. “I think I would prefer to have a quiet pot of tea. I’m afraid I stuffed myself on my housekeeper’s mulberry cakes today.”

Gideon laughed. “Then allow me to escort you to a favorite place of mine. Have you ever been to the tearoom at the Valmont?”

Her eyes grew wide again. “I’m not dressed for the Valmont.”
He made a slow survey of her apparel.

“There is nothing wrong with your dress, Miss Brass. I would be proud to be seen with you.”

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