Page 70 of Dukes Are Forever
Devoncourt laughed, setting his thumb on the middle of her lower lip for a heated second. "That's quite all right, my dear. The fun is in the chase."
And from the look in his eyes, he thought he had her on the hook.
Chapter 15
Going to Hardcastle Lane was out of the question.
Malloryn had made it clear she wasn't to be seen there, and if Devoncourt and his allies were watching the safe house, then her cover would be blown.
So Adele sent a message, and settled into his library to wait.
Hours ticked past.
She tried to still her nerves by flicking through the books he'd piled beside his reading chair. Darwin'sThe Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex.Frankensteinby Mary Shelley.The Origins of Bio-Mechanicsby a Thomas Shelby. Sedgwick'sTravels Through the Orient.
She'd expectedThe Princeby Machiavelli to be more his style, but as she continued perusing the pile, she realized Malloryn didn't seem to have any sort of style at all.
Beyond curiosity, it seemed.
Sharp heels rapped on the hallway floor outside, and Adele instantly setThe Count of Monte Cristoback into place. She'd recognize that impatient stride anywhere and practically launched to her feet.
Where had he been?
She'd said it wasurgent.
Malloryn burst through the library doors, a palm splayed against each door. He wasn't the tallest man she'd ever seen, but his mere presence seemed to swallow all the oxygen in the room. Malloryn drew everyone's eye, simply by existing.
He held her brief missive up between two fingers. "What the hell were you doing with Devoncourt?"
"Flirting," she replied. "And trying to get him to tell me everything."
"Flirting." A cold, hard word. He turned abruptly toward the brandy decanter, as if he needed a moment to gather his emotions.
"It's the only weapon available to me at times."
"I thought I told you tostay awayfrom him. Did you not hear a word I said?" he snarled, turning on her so angrily that brandy sloshed over his sleeve.
"Quite. You were most specific about what you wanted me to do."
"Then why the hell did you disobey me? This isn't a game."
"Oh, silly me. That's precisely what I thought it was."
The swish of skirts had followed him inside the room, but it was only as a woman coughed discreetly that Adele realized he wasn't alone.
His protégé, Miss Townsend, seemed slightly amused as she took in the scene. "Why don't you let her speak, Malloryn? As much as I'm enjoying the byplay, she did say it was urgent. In my experience, your wife's not an idiot."
"Thank you." Adele tipped her head toward the voluptuous brunette, though she wasn't entirely certain what to think of the woman.
"You're welcome."
Adele turned to Malloryn. "Just in case you were interested, I didn't seek Lord Devoncourt out. I.... He was.... Goodness, I should probably start at the beginning."But how?She pressed her fingers to her temples. "It started this afternoon. I went to see my sister—"
Malloryn looked at her incredulously. "Adele, I don't have time for—"
"Can youpleaselet me finish?"
He shut his mouth.
