Page 45 of Dukes Are Forever
"Bergamot," he murmured. "I'll never forget the scent."
It haunted every single one of his nightmares.
"In that case, maybe I should join Perry?" Byrnes's expression hardened. "You might need adhampirto counter her."
Malloryn nodded.
"Find her," he said, locking down the sharp fury that bit at the back of his throat. "If we find Jelena, then we find Balfour."
"Yes, Your Grace," they both echoed.
* * *
This time,Lena came to her.
Adele led her into the gardens behind Malloryn House, where they could have some modicum of privacy. "Will was successful? He tracked my husband?"
She hadn't seen him since that moment in her bedchambers, beyond a brief note saying he had "business" to attend to. The question of precisely what he'd been up to last night niggled through her brain like a worm spreading rot.
"You wouldn't know what your husband's style is."
Devoncourt's words bothered her more than they should.
Because I know my husband likes games and he played me like a fiddle. What if this entire act is a game?
What sort of business required Malloryn stay out of all hours?
"Yes." Lena squeezed her hand, and her entire demeanor made Adele swallow. "I'm sorry, Adele. So sorry. Malloryn led him a merry chase across half of town, but Will managed to track him. There's a small, discreet house in Hardcastle Lane in Clerkenwell. Malloryn went in the back door as if he knew the place well. Will doesn't know what Malloryn was doing there, but there were several others coming in and out, and... a woman. A very beautiful woman with black hair."
Adele's heart fell. "He told me he'd let Mrs. Danner go."
"It wasn't Mrs. Danner. The butler called her Gemma. Gemma Townsend."
That lying wretch.
Adele turned around abruptly, pressing her knuckles to her lips. She couldn't believe she'd ever let him touch her. Kiss her. Press her down on the bed and ravish her, the way he'd done....
And the entire time he'd been lying to her.
Though technically, she supposed it wasn't lying. He hadn't been with Mrs. Danner, but no wonder he'd been able to promise her—with a completely straight face—that he'd ended things with the opera singer.
"It might not have been an assignation." Lena curled her arms around Adele's waist and rested her chin on her shoulder. "Will doesn't know what it was. There were other people there—"
"He told me he was seeing to business," she snarled, leaning back into Lena's embrace. "Matters to do with running thecountry."
"Well, at least you know." Lena kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry."
"I'm not." Adele broke away from her, pressing a hand to her forehead. "At least I haven't completely humiliated myself by attempting to use some of your seduction techniques upon him." She shook her head. It could have been worse. "Though perhaps you might be able to teach me to shoot a pistol?"
"I hope you're joking."
"Of course."
Perhaps.
"What are you going to do?" Lena asked.
Adele paced across the grass. The not knowing was the worst part. Perhaps this Gemma Townsendwasanother woman in her husband's life. But what if she wasn't? What was he doing there? Why did he seem so familiar with the house?
