Page 92 of The Art of Sinning
“Milady?” her maid asked, dragging her from her thoughts.
She glanced around to see the servant offering her a choice of shoes. “The ones with the purple embroidery. And I’ve changed my mind about my hair. Just tie a ribbon about it and leave it at that.”
“Milady, you’re a grown woman!” her maid said, scandalized yet again. “Do you want to shock his family?”
“Oh, all right, but make it quick.” At the moment, his family was lucky she wasn’t going down in her night rail and wrapper.
When her maid wasfinallydone, Yvette forced herself to descend the stairs with some decorum. But her composure faltered when she reached the foyer to find no one was there.
Hearing sounds from the breakfast room, she went there first. As she entered, she spotted Edwin at his usual spot at the table. He wore a forced smile as he spoke to the diminutive woman seated next to him, who looked like a sprite from the forest. Or from Ireland, given her red hair.
It had to be Miss Keane. Despite the woman’s entirely different coloring and size, she had Jeremy’s gorgeous blue eyes. And there was something in her smile that reminded Yvette of him, even though Miss Keane’s fashion choices were utterly different.
Edwin rose. “Ah, there’s my sister now.”
As Yvette walked forward to greet them Edwin seemed to watch her with more intensity than usual, as if assessing her mood or something. It alarmed her exceedingly. Could he tell what she’d spent half her night doing? Did it show in her face? What if he knew? Oh,Lord!
Beside him, Miss Keane smiled affably. “So you’re the woman my brother has been painting.”
And swiving.
She swallowed hard. She had to get hold of herself, before she gave everything away. Edwin was now wearing his polite endurance-of-strangers face, and clearly he wouldn’t be wearing that if he suspected anything. He’d be wearing an I’m-going-to-kill-Keane face.
Yvette held out her hand to Jeremy’s sister. “Yes, I’m the subject of your brother’s latest portrait. We’re delighted to have you here. Mr. Keane has told us so much about you and your family.”
The woman’s smile faltered as she took Yvette’s hand and released it. “Has he? I do hope it wasn’t all bad.”
“No, not bad at all.” Yvette flashed the woman a reassuring look, though he really hadn’t said much about his sister. She sifted through their conversations to find something complimentary. “He told me you’re very capable of taking care of yourself.”
“That sounds like something he’d say. It’s his way of rationalizing the fact that he refuses to come home to Montague and help me with the mills.”
Because his wife and child died at Montague.
Yvette bit back the words, though the sudden realization settled hard in her chest. Time to change the subject. “So when was the last time you saw him?”
“The week he set sail for England, earlier this year. He met me and Mama for the day in Philadelphia, as he often does.” Miss Keane sighed. “That’s when he told us he was making this trip. He said he’d be gone a few months... but...” She forced a game smile that barely masked the worry in her eyes. “A few months turned into eight. As he likes to say, he blows with the wind.”
A painful pressure squeezed Yvette’s heart. “Yes, I gathered.” And men who blew with the wind didn’t marry earl’s daughters and settle into comfortable existences on country estates.
“Lady Yvette,” said a rumbling voice from behind her.
She whirled around to find Mr. Bonnaud standing there. Why was Jane’s brother-in-law here? Oh, right. He was also cousin to the Keanes by marriage. He must have accompanied Miss Keane to Stoke Towers.
“Good morning, Mr. Bonnaud,” she said brightly. “I hope you had good weather for your journey.”
“Yes.” The word was clipped. “Actually... er... Mr. Keane is in your brother’s study and sent me to fetch you. There’s a matter he wishes to discuss with you privately.”
Panic gripped her. What was wrong with Jeremy? Didn’t he know that her brother would suspect something if he was setting up private meetings with her?
But oddly, Edwin didn’t look upset. He wore a fond expression that was utterly unlike him. “Go on, then,” he said. “Don’t keep the man waiting.”
This was strange. Since when was he pushing her toward Jeremy?
Then her stomach sank as she realized why. Jeremy wanted a moment alone to say his farewells before he left with his sister. And Edwin was so ecstatic over the man’s leaving that he couldn’t wait for it to be done.
Her temper rose the closer she got to the study. She refused to let Jeremy go without a fight. She had a trick or two up her sleeve.
Breezing into the study, she said, “You can’t leave yet. You still owe me a portrait.”
