The Lady Travelers Guide To Scoundrels And Other Gentlemen. Victoria Alexander

toward her. “I do.”

      “And have Professor and Mrs. Greer their luggage?”

      “As far as I know.”

      “Then, as our luggage traveled together, mine should be somewhere in the house. Delivered to the wrong room perhaps. Don’t you think?”

      “One would think that. I know,” he said brightly. “Why don’t I check for you?”

      She breathed a sigh of relief. “I would be most grateful.”

      “I am happy to do it, as any responsible friend would.”

      “In the meantime, I will wait for Suzette to return.”

      “And I will see you downstairs whenever you are ready.” He smiled and took his leave, closing her door behind him.

      It did indeed stand to reason that her trunk would be somewhere in the house. If, of course, it had arrived at the house in the first place. Which was contingent upon whether or not—when it was checked at the beginning of their journey—it was appropriately labeled for Paris and not, oh, say, Prague. An understandable mistake really. There was nothing more annoying than to have to delay one’s travel plans and be compelled to stay longer in a city than intended in hopes of recovering one’s luggage. But if one wished to ever see one’s belongings again, there was little choice. And who knew how long it might take?

      Derek ignored a tiny twinge of guilt. When all this was over, he would replace India’s wardrobe and anything else she might have brought along with her. And there was always the possibility that her errant trunk would make its way back to England. Eventually.

      Uncle Edward would argue that, ultimately, this was in India’s and her cousin’s best interests as well as Aunt Guinevere’s. His resources were far more likely to track down Lady Heloise than Derek and India were. Still, she would never see it that way.

      Even so, diverting her luggage off to the ends of the earth was not the best way to start a friendship.