Page 52 of A Little Bit Dangerous
Aldgate Street
Isabella was used to dining alone, not being the focus of five people’s attention. She was used to a basic bill of fare, not the range of sumptuous dishes laid out on the long oak table.
Of the four men who studied her intently, two made her heart race but for very different reasons. Under the weight of Aaron Chance’s unforgiving gaze, she was aware of every drawn breath. Christian’s visual caresses had her fanning her cheeks to cool her heated blood.
Thank heavens for Delphine, the sister they’d adopted off the street. Relieved to have a female companion, she chatted constantly. “Christian has never brought a lady home. In fact, none of my brothers have.”
“Christian has not brought Miss Lawton home,” Aaron Chance corrected coldly. He took a long sip of wine. “Necessity calls for her to remain here until we’ve dealt with our current problem.”
Delphine’s wide mouth curled into a teasing grin. “Well, it’s certainly no ordinary night. I’ll not be surprised to find Miss Scrumptious enjoying supper with us tomorrow.”
Aaron ground his teeth. “Her name is not Miss Scrumptious. And I’d rather eat my own eyeballs than entertain that woman.”
Aware of Isabella’s confusion, Christian said, “Delphine is referring to Miss Lovelace. Her father owns the gaming establishment across the road. Aaron had a doll made in her likeness to which he adds pins daily.”
“Perhaps you’ve been conspiring with Miss Lovelace, too,” Aaron challenged. “Why not invite all our enemies to dine at our table?”
Aramis was keen to explain the reason for his brother’s temper. “Aaron accosted Miss Scrumptious in the street this morning and demanded to know why she’d spent the night at her father’s gaming hell. She stuck her nose in the air and said she refused to discuss business with her competitor.”
“She made it sound like she owned the damn place,” Aaron growled.
For the first time in an hour, Isabella’s shoulders relaxed. At least she wasn’t the only one to feel the depth of Aaron Chance’s disdain.
Delphine laughed. “Miss Scrumptious is—”
Aaron thumped the table with his fist, the cutlery jumping to attention along with his kin. “She’s not bloody scrumptious. She’s an annoying bluestocking who’s used to getting her own way. Now, change the damn subject before I flip this table on its head, and you’re forced to eat off the floor.”
Delphine seemed to find her brother’s volatile reaction pleasing. She brushed a lock of ebony hair behind her ear. “Christian tells me you knew each other as children, Miss Lawton.”
Before Isabella could answer, Aaron snapped, “We do not talk about the past, Delphine.”
Delphine slammed her cutlery down on the china plate. “Can I talk about scones? Or did you almost choke on one in a previous life?”
Isabella bit back a chuckle and cleared her throat. “I must thank you, Mr Chance,” she said, keen to bring an order of calm. “It can’t be easy having me here, and I know you do so purely out of concern for your brother.”
The tension in the air dissipated slightly.
Aaron Chance looked at Christian, the hard angles of his face softening. “I would die for my brother, Miss Lawton. He would do well to remember it.”
That was the cue to stop talking and eat their meal.
Delphine filled the silence by asking Isabella questions about Italy. “I’ve always wondered if my mother was Italian,” the dark-haired beauty said. “We have the same complexion, do we not, Miss Lawton?”
“You have no memory of your parents?” Isabella asked.
“None at all.”
The men glanced nervously at each other, but it was Christian who spoke. “Delphine had a plum-sized lump on her head when she found us. She couldn’t recall her name or address, and no one had reported her missing. Delphine was the name sewn into the back of her tatty dress.”
Isabella stared in wonder.
Fortune’s Den wasn’t a gaming hell.
It was a house full of secrets.
“Are you not curious to know—”
“That’s enough, Miss Lawton. Can a man not eat without suffering the scourge of indigestion?” Aaron Chance scrunched his napkin in his fist and threw it on the table. “Before we open for business tonight, I must collect Mrs Maloney. Why the woman insists on bringing boxes of books is beyond me.” He fixed his impenetrable gaze on Christian. “You’ll accompany me. I trust you have nowhere else to be tonight.”
