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curly-haired woman again.
    â€œMiss Bailey?”
    She turned, her expression guarded, and gave him her hand. “Mr. Rutledge. Thank you for your fine presentation this evening.”
    â€œI’m all too happy to oblige.” He bent over her hand to kiss it. Heaven help him, but she smelled good, like an intoxicating perfume mixed with… Was that a faint aroma of engine grease? Realizing he was lingering, he stood back up again and released her hand. Her guarded expression had been replaced with one of amusement. “So, Miss Bailey, what is it you do?”
    â€œI’m an inventor, actually.”
    So that explained the engine grease. “What do you invent?”
    The curly-haired woman next to her smiled against her teacup as she took a sip. Astrid shot her a look that seemed to be a warning, then turned back to Eli. “All sorts of things.” She waved her hand dismissively, avoiding the question. “Mr. Rutledge, have you met my dear friend Mrs. Josian Bird?”
    â€œCharmed.” He kissed Josian’s hand, his attention still focused on Astrid. “So you’re going to enter the World’s Fair, I imagine?”
    Astrid’s lips tightened slightly. “We’ll see. There are a lot of variables to consider.”
    â€œOf course.” Interesting. What might those variables be? “Have you ever attended a World’s Fair?”
    Astrid arched one delicate eyebrow. “I’m flattered that you think so highly of my station, Mr. Rutledge. Where were the last ones?” She tapped a finger to her lips. “Oh, right. St. Petersburg and New-Atlantic. No, I can’t say I’ve had the means or the opportunity to make either of those flights.” She flicked her gaze upward with a slight sigh and took a sip of her tea.
    â€œMiss Bailey, have I said or done something to offend you?” Her sarcasm and hostility were completely unreasonable given their circumstances. “If so, I’m terribly sorry. I’m just trying to make polite conversation here.”
    Astrid blinked, seeming surprised by his directness, and looked down into her tea before setting the cup on a nearby table. Had he taken her off her guard at last? When she met his eyes again, her gaze was resolute. “Mr. Rutledge, I don’t mean to give the wrong impression. It’s very kind of you to come meet with us, when I’m sure there are other things you could be doing.” Astrid put her shoulders back slightly, straightening. “But whether you realize it or not, you’re the very reason we women need groups like this.” With a wave of her hand, she gestured to the other ladies gathered in the room. “You have nothing in common with us. You inherited a successful business from your father, who was already a prominent businessman, and your greatest achievement is to not yet have run it into the ground. Other people have given you everything you’ve ever needed. As a man, you can get a position on the Chamber of Commerce or the Fair Board or the IFCT or the London Business Council or whatever, and know that when you talk, people will listen. And I’m very happy that you have the money to own a shop and rent a booth at the World’s Fair, but to assume that everyone else is in the same position as you demonstrates how completely clueless you are about the plight of women business owners in this city. So no, you haven’t said anything to offend me. Everything about you offends me.”
    The room had gone silent, and Eli stood frozen, staring down into Astrid’s face, into her dark eyes that suddenly widened as she realized the magnitude of what she had just said. She flushed, her face and neck and collarbones turning a rosy shade of pink, and she pressed one hand to her lips before turning and rushing from the room.
    As she left, Eli watched her go with numb shock. Her words had been incredibly rude, and he couldn’t help but feel