Page 82 of A Lady's Lesson in Scandal
Yes. I see you. I know how brilliant you are. I just hope I’m not too late.
‘Iamproud, but that’s hardly the point.’ Philippa glared at Drake.
‘Don’t you trust her to make her own decisions?’ God, it felt good to throw Philippa’s wisdom back in her face. Even if the duchess reached into her pocket and murdered him with whatever weapon she hid amongst the silk and lace.
‘Smug men are highly annoying and tend to end up with a bullet in their chest. I’d try to remember that, Major General Drake.’ Philippa returned her gaze to Millie. ‘We must apprehend St George immediately. Before he catches wind of this and attempts escape.’
‘I’ve an idea.’ Millie glanced at Drake, the worry in her eyes alerting him that he wasn’t going to like her plan.
Either I trust her, or this doesn’t work.
‘Tell us.’ He nodded.
She should never have told them her silly idea. Now, not only must she speak with St George. She needed to pretend a seduction.
I might be ill.
But it would work. She knew it.
For Queen and country, I suppose.
St George still hadn’t come down for breakfast despite the hour approaching noon. His valet informed them he stayed up late playing cards with some of the men and fell a little too deeply into his cups. Millie asked the valet to deliver a note to Franklin while he helped the bastard get dressed.
The servant gave her a quick nod, showing little loyalty to his employer. She could hardly blame the man. Her guess was Franklin treated his servants as poorly as his wife.
Millie waited for St George in the gardens. Philippa secreted herself behind a holly bush while Drake found a helpfully wide-trunked oak. They weren’t close enough to where she sat on a stone bench to reach Millie if Franklin became violent, but Philippa was an excellent shot, and Drake promised he could cover the distance in a moment if she needed him.
Do I need him?
She didn’t have an answer. Reynard’s words came back to her. She was Drake’s equal.
But can we become partners?
Another question with no easy answer. And one that depended on him as much as Millie. Could they trust each other so fully?
She shook her head. She didn’t have time for such musings when St George still needed to be contained and a masked man needed to be found.
She refocused on the garden path, waiting for Franklin to arrive.
Hopefully, her note would work. She indicated she could no longer fight her attraction to St George. With her wedding looming – less than two days away – she wanted to indulge in her passions before her monster of a fiancé became her husband.
It appealed to the man’s vanity while also giving him what he wanted.
Millie.
Just the idea was enough to make her toss up her accounts in the dormant rose bushes. But when she saw Franklin emerge from the house, she forced her lips into an eager smile.
St George strutted down the gravel drive like a peacock preening. He approached her, blocking her view of the oak.
‘I knew you couldn’t resist me forever, Millicent. But the question is, do I still want you after having to wait so long?’ He lifted his failure of a chin so he could look down his nose at her.
Millie stood, knowing her height always intimidated St George. She was taller than him, even when he wore lifts in his shoes. His gaze locked onto her breasts.
Lovely. I’m going to enjoy this next bit.
Millie rested her hand near the slit in her skirts. She spoke before he had a chance to make any advances.
‘I know about the girl, Franklin. If you tell me who you’re working with, I won’t tell anyone about your part in this.’ It was a lie, but one she hoped he would buy.
