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“Yes. He does not often come to Sunday service, but for some reason, he believes the Anglican church has a confession.” “How very Catholic of him.” Hawkes’s smile was like the flicker of a candle. “Yes. And I honour it. I’ve even set up a booth in a back office for his use.”
Your cousin confesses his sins first, and then he confesses yours—a much longer list—after which he pushes aside the curtain so I might reassess the scar on his forehead.” “He confesses my what?” “Have no fear, Miss Lion”––and Hawkes quirked an eyebrow upward––“you’ve become one of my favourite members of the parish. Your sins are simply marvellous.
There it was again. Ah. It was not a This is a quality card ah. Nor a Now I know who you are ah. No. It was an I should have known ah. Never trust a man who can say so many things with a single syllable.
It wasn’t until much later in the day that I realised that room was built to intimidate. I was the rabbit. The duke was the hound. Rabbit Room, indeed. The indignity. It was worse than Aunt Eugenia’s Third drawing room. I intend to spend a solid week fuming once I can stop being utterly fascinated at its existence.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in a crypt somewhere, for your sins?” Islington asked in a ducal tone. “They evicted me,” I snapped. “Who?” “The dead.”
“You didn’t tell me he was a creature of humour,” Mary said. “He hadn’t told me either,” came my reply.
When Mr. Pierce came out into the garden, he was clean shaven and in a comfortable afternoon suit, dark brown with a herringbone pattern. Not nearly as expensive as Islington’s presentation, but clean and comfortable. And something in me that was tilting sideways, straightened.
Our conversation was very June and very Afternoon, meaning it meandered like a honey bee.
Upon entering the salon, Mr. Pierce opened all the curtains. People say all the time to throw open the curtains, but no one actually ever does it. They simply open them. Well. Mr. Pierce threw open the curtains. All three sets of them. And looked quite lovely doing so. If photography ever fails him, he could consider the route of Professional Curtain Thrower.
