Mysterious Seduction

XVI. The Game Plan

"You never told me where you live," Ellie spoke one night.

Byron looked at her, mind reeling with questions. What was she planning now?

"It is not far," was all he could say.

"Would you ever take me there?"

He smiled. "Would you dare?"

She wrapped her arms around him. "With you, I would."

-Above and Below

*****

"You are serious," Samuel slowly said, looking Emma in the eyes.

"I am," she replied, breathless and anxious.

Samuel was looking quite stupefied and then, slowly, Emma saw the disbelief and doubt begin to appear. And suddenly, the realization.

He blinked and asked, "How—how did you find out?"

Emma swallowed and cleared her throat. She had thought this through the entire night and she knew he would ask this question if he were to believe her.

"He has always been acting odd."

"He is always odd."

"And during the times you have been asking him to send me gifts, I have caught him unguarded on several occasions."

Samuel nodded. "And curious that you are, you began to observe him more closely."

"I even followed him."

His eyes rounded in surprises. "You did what?"

"A few times, actually," she admitted further.

"Emma, if he is who you say he is, then it would have been—"

"I was being careful, Sam."

Samuel sighed. "What else did you find out? Surely you know that there ought to be more."

Emma moistened her lips. "We have gotten quite close, if I must say."

She saw something flash in his eyes but he closed them and collected himself before he asked, "How close?"

"We formed a bond of... friendship?"

He stared at her. "You are not certain about the friendship?"

"No, because it also involved quite a lot of banters."

"Bloody hell..." he said, running his fingers through his hair. "The bastard took advantage of my incompetence and neglect and if he is up to something—"

"It is quite true that you were quite neglectful for a time, Sam, but I do not hold that against you. You have been preoccupied of late."

"Still, the bastard—" he stopped himself and looked at Emma. "Very well, go on. Tell me how you found out."

Emma shifted her weight on her other foot. "Well, as I have said, I followed him a few times." When Samuel merely waited with patience, she continued, "I learned that he is the secret writer of the gossip section."

His brow shot high. "Of the Herald."

"Of the Town Herald, yes," she said. "He confirmed it."

His jaw tightened. "Bloody tarnation."