Page 1 of The Viscount's Code
CHAPTER1
“We cannot welcome that man into our home.”
Hope bit her lip, staring up at her sister’s set jaw, the hard line of her lips, the steely determination in her eyes.
“We would be doing so to help Cassandra and Gideon, Faith. It is not for ourselves.”
Faith turned her stare away from the man in question toward Hope, hands on her hips and a disapproving frown on her face. “One of these days, Hope, you will have to start thinking of yourself instead of everyone else.”
Hope sighed as she glanced across the room at Anthony Davenport, Viscount Whitehall. She agreed with her sister – she would rather not welcome to their home a man who had just called their father a thief, even if he hadn’t meant for her and Faith to overhear. However, to refuse would not only disappoint one of her closest friends in the world but would also put a stall to this entire treasure hunt.
For that was what it appeared they had embarked upon – willingly or not.
“Hope, there you are.” Cassandra stepped between them and wrapped Hope’s hands in her own, a warm smile on her face. “I was never able to properly thank you for all you did to bring Devon and I back together. I’m not sure that I would ever have forgiven him had you not intervened.”
Heat crept up Hope’s cheeks. “It was nothing, Cassandra, truly. I simply told him the truth.”
“But had you not sought him out, the two of us would have been far too hard-headed to ever admit to our faults, I’m sure,” Cassandra said, although the look she sent her fiancé’s way was nothing but endearing. “You are quite the peacemaker.”
Hope simply nodded. Cassandra was correct in that it had taken a great deal of courage for Hope to approach the earl and tell him what her friend had believed of him, but it had been tearing her apart to see Cassandra so distraught over what Hope had been sure was a misunderstanding.
Fortunately, Lord Covington, who was best friends with Cassandra’s brother, Gideon, had taken her seriously and repaired their relationship. Along the way, they had led the rest of them on a rather interesting quest which had resulted in not a treasure as expected, but rather a second clue to this puzzle that had begun at the beginning of the summer.
“Cassandra?” Hope asked now, looking around the room. It was not as though this was a great secret, as all ten of them were in on it. There were the five women whose relationship with one another had centered around their interest in reading inappropriate novels and a penchant for brandy, and the five men who, apparently, had created a club in which they sought out daring schemes and pursuits.
“Yes?” Cassandra asked, raising her eyebrows as she pushed a strand of her auburn hair back behind her ear.
“Do you truly believe the viscount is the only man who can solve this code that appears to exist in the latest clue? And are you sure it evenisa code?”
Cassandra’s initial sigh turned into a chuckle. “I am not actually certain of anything – except that the viscount seems quite convinced that the book we found will match a second, and my father was certain that your father possessed an identical volume. Do you think it will be an issue for the viscount to visit your estate?”
“I certainly think so,” Faith huffed. “Do you know what he had to say about our father?”
Hope quelled her sister’s words with a look, shaking her head slightly. It wouldn’t do to upset Cassandra on this day that was supposed to be for her and her soon-to-be husband.
“It will be fine,” she said, attempting to smooth it all over. “Our mothers are such good friends. I should see no issue.”
“Thank you,” Cassandra said, relief evident on her face. “Gideon is so counting on us finding a treasure of value to restore the family’s fortunes. He was utterly disappointed when the riddle we found only led to another clue, but at least it was not the end of it.” She turned when her name was called from across the room.
“I best go speak to my soon-to-be mother-in-law. Thank you again for helping us in this.”
As she walked away, Hope turned to her sister. “Do you see? We cannot disappoint Cassandra.”
Faith sighed. “Fine. But if the viscount says anything further untoward about our family, I shall have to tell Father.”
Hope cringed. Their father was not a man who many wanted to cross.
“Very well,” she said, hoping the viscount would behave himself. He was rather surly, though she hadn’t spent much time with him. If he did visit their estate, he would hopefully keep to himself. “Now, what do you suppose we should say to Mother to convince her to invite them?”
“Since you are so keen on this idea, I am sure you shall come up with something,” Faith said primly. “You’re always rather good at convincing others to do as you please, are you not?”
“Faith—”
But Faith had walked away to join their friend Madeline, leaving Hope to sigh and make her way alone to her mother. Faith was right. It wouldn’t be difficult to put the idea into her mother’s mind – she loved to show off Newfield Manor. As it happened, the estate, near the sea at Harwich, was at its very best this time of year. All Hope needed to do was convince her mother that it was her own idea. And as she was currently speaking with Lady Whitehall, it likely wouldn’t take much but an innocent comment or two for the women to decide a visit was imperative.
She stole one last glance at the viscount as she walked across the room. He was cantankerous and gruff and rather scared her, though she would never admit it to anyone. Nor would she share her thoughts that he was rather handsome. Suddenly, as though he could sense her gaze, he turned and locked eyes with her – his so hard and unrelenting that she snapped her head back around as quickly as she could, running from him with an “eep!” that she hoped no one else heard.
Cassandra was wrong. She was a coward.
