Page 68 of The Trouble with Tigers
He returned with a footman. “He’ll escort you to your chambers.”
The footman looked at her expectantly.
A dismissal if ever their was one. She stuck her nose in the air and started for the doors.
“Kitty?”
She tossed Zeke a withering look.
“Try not to get into any trouble between here and your bedchamber, hmm?”
She decided not to dignify his question with an answer.
Zeke watched her flounce away, head held high, hips swaying in an entirely too appealing fashion. He shook his head and started for the private parlor.
***
He hadn’t intended to insult her. Had, in fact, wanted Caden to meet her. But then he’d considered the possible ramifications of Randall’s presence.
He reached the parlor, and poked his head through the doorway. “Gentlemen.”
Caden, standing with one hip propped on the back of the sofa, jumped up, an expectant look on his face. He craned his head to peer past Zeke. “Where is she?”
“She?”
Caden crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. “Very poorly done, mate.”
His brother looked good. He’d filled out during Zeke’s absence, and his complexion had a healthy cast—the product of a sport-filled summer, no doubt.
A flash of movement drew Zeke’s attention to the window.
Viscount Sterling Randall uncoiled his body from the window seat to fix Zeke with a mocking accusatory stare. “Come now, Thurgood, don’t play dumb. Where is this fiancée the papers claim you’ve acquired? Surely she’s the lovely creature in whose company we just caught you.” He shook his head, making a tsk-tsk sound even as his eyes gleamed with amusement.
Zeke sauntered into the room, hands tucked into his trouser pockets. “The lady sends her apologies. She’s looking forward to meeting both of you at pre-dinner cocktails.”
“Riddle me this: Where the devil did she come from? By God, you’ve only just returned from halfway ’round the world.” Caden spread his arms.
“It’s good to see you, too, brother.”
With a huff of laughter, Caden wrapped his arms around Zeke’s shoulders to thump him on the back. “Welcome home.”
He returned to his perch on the sofa and crossed his arms over his chest. “Randall tells me you’ve been in town several weeks. Nice of you to send word.”
“I would’ve gotten ’round to it once I discovered your whereabouts. Been a bit busy. But now you’ve saved me the trouble by showing up.” He flashed Caden a smile, then slanted Randall a glance. “Randall. Rather surprised to see you here. Last we spoke, you had pressing business in town.”
“As did you,” Randall replied, not missing a beat.
“Curiosity compels me to ask how the two of you joined forces.” Zeke’s gaze flicked from one man to the other.
Caden spoke up. “One minute I’m breakfasting with Prinney, the next I’m reading about my brother’s engagement. Naturally I made haste to London, only to find you and the earl had quit the city for Derby. At the club I ran into Randall, who informed me he’d seen you only last week. We both found it extremely interesting you’d made no mention of an imminent engagement at the time.”
Randall grinned. “I do recall you being in a bit of a snit over the identity of your grandfather’s servant.” He paused briefly to study his nails. “Kit, wasn’t it?”
Zeke nodded slowly. So Randall had reasoned out his fiancé and Kit were one and the same. Too smart for his own good.
“Kit’s short for Christian, isn’t it?” Caden asked in a too-innocent tone.
Zeke concentrated on unfurling his shirtsleeves as two sets of unblinking eyes honed in on him.
