A study in scandal by Robyn DeHart Page A

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Chapter 6
    “There is no part of the body which varies so much as the human ear.”
    The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
    A melia slid into the carriage and Colin took a seat next to her, but left enough space between them to prevent touching. She looked pretty and sharp today wearing a crisp blue and tan suit with matching toilette. He attempted not to notice her gloves, but failed miserably.
    One glance and he knew they had eight buttons. He swallowed hard and tried to keep his eyes focused forward.
    “This weather is dreadful, do you not agree?”she asked, all the while wiping rain droplets from her cloak.
    “’Tis damp,” was all he managed. He was already distracted, which could potentially be a disaster. He needed to keep focused, remember why he was in this carriage with Amelia Watersfield and her eight-buttoned gloves. He tugged at his collar.
    The reason was, of course, the case of the missing Nefertiti, not to find out how many ways he could push Amelia into the seat cushion and kiss her senseless. Though three had come to mind in the last five minutes.
    “I don’t mind the rain usually, but today I’m afraid it is fraying my nerves. I feel as if I am about to crawl out of my skin.”
    He could sympathize. He certainly felt anxious and aware and a million other sensations since sitting beside her. Simply speaking, she put him on edge, leaving him feeling quite unsettled.
    She tilted her head and met his gaze. “I don’t suppose I should admit that to anyone, that my nerves are frayed.”
    “Why?” he blurted out.
    She looked surprised. “Because you’re not supposed to allow your opponents to see your weaknesses. But I suppose you’re not an opponent, are you, Colin? You’re more like a friend.”
    A friend. He hadn’t had a friend since school. Hadn’t needed any, hadn’t missed having one that often. So why then did the thought of having one now warm his insides?
    Yet, she was wrong about the nature of their relationship. She was an opponent, to a degree. She was a distraction—one he had to fight in order to keep his focus where it needed to be—on the case. Not on her and her extremely kissable lips. Lips that right now were lifted, ever so slightly, into a smile. Lips that right now practically begged to be kissed.
    This was getting out of control. All would be well once they reached the antiquities shop. Once he was able to get his mind on the case at hand, he’d forget about Amelia’s tempting mouth.
    “Oh, dear.” Her hand flew to that very tempting mouth. “You do see me as an opponent. I can assure you that I am here to learn from you, Inspector. I realize that while my detecting skills might be more advanced than the average person’s, you are the principal inspector here. I am merely your assistant.”
    Should he play along with her and agree to hersilly train of thought, or tell her he’d been thinking about kissing her and see what she’d do?
    No, telling her he’d been thinking about kissing her would most likely elicit bad behavior from her. Today that was more temptation than he could handle.
    “Amelia, you may rest easy knowing that I do not consider you an opponent.” Thankfully, the carriage rolled to a stop before he had to offer any additional explanation. “Ah, we’re here. Shall we?” He quickly stepped down from the carriage and held his hand out to her.
    Flinders’s Shop of the Old and Mysterious sat on Cambria Street, neither a particularly good nor safe area. Another reason why it was best that he accompany Amelia on this visit. Mr. Flinders himself might not want to discuss his details with Colin, but Colin doubted he actually wanted to discuss details in the first place.
    Amelia had the sweet disposition of seeing the good in everyone around her, thus her refusal to consider anyone she knew as a suspect in her father’s case. But this sweet disposition also came with a heavy dose of naïveté, which made her a prime target for lecherous old