Page 35 of Burning Secrets of a Lady's Pen
He didn’t need to look at Spencer’s face to know that he at least guessed at half of the ill-begotten thoughts and feelings that had seized Corin holding Imelda so close. He didn’t need to. He knew he probably wore the evidence of it on his face as surely as his pants had become tighter than he cared to admit.
“Oh! Spencer!” Imelda didn’t even seem to notice the precariousness of the situation that they had been caught in. She whirled about as Corin set her back on her feet, throwing her arms around her brother as well.
“I take it that it went well then?” Spencer asked breathlessly as Imelda squeezed the life out of him.
Corin smiled despite himself. He was sure that the three of them made an odd picture standing outside of the row of offices as they were. They had all dressed for the soiree at Tristan’s home due to the timing of the meeting in correlation to the affair, in their finest evening clothes and embracing like they were mad.
It was a strange juxtaposition, and Corin found himself unbothered by the eyes on them as Imelda squealed.
“Yes! Oh, yes! He agreed to send the story off!” She pulled back from her twin with an ear-to-ear grin, her hair tumbling prettily down one side of her face.
Corin found himself entranced.
He thought he must have looked rather like Spencer staring at his cousin, in that moment. And it hit him. As ridiculous as he thought that Spencer was being so enamored by his cousin Charlotte…he was equally, if not more so, by Imelda.
All his best intentions to leave their past romance where he had been forced to drop it all of those years ago, all his attempts at only righting the wrongs that he had made were only a farce. He still loved her.
“Isn’t that right, Corin?” Imelda’s voice cut through the sudden fray in his head, her wide smile jerking him back to the present as he looked between her and her twin.
“You’ve really got to start using his proper titles, Imelda,” Spencer reminded her smartly, shaking his head as he led her from the offices and toward Corin’s waiting carriage.
“She remembers when we are in company that would care,” Corin responded with a shrug, opening the door of the carriage for the both of them with a slight smile.
Imelda beamed, but Spencer eyed him oddly for a moment.
“I can’t decide if that was a reprimand or if you were being conversational,” Spencer finally said as Corin entered the carriage after them. His tone was even, his lips tilted just slightly, and Corin got the distinct impression that perhaps he had underestimated the young Mr. Merrit.
“Neither,” Corin admitted. “It does get tiring to be my lord this and my lord that all the time, though.” And Imelda and he were far closer than that, anyhow.
“Oh, I’m sure,” Spencer rejoined jokingly. “I can’t imagine the burden.”
“Spencer!” Imelda sounded torn between being scandalized and amused.
“No,” Corin chuckled. “He’s right. It’s a heavy burden being waited on my whole life.”
The three of them all laughed, a new kind of appreciation filling Spencer’s eyes as he looked over at Corin.
“This singer,” Spencer asked as it died down. “Your cousin is very fond of him?”
There was a layered question to his words, his intention clear. No doubt he’d heard Charlotte speak of Tristan. She was fond of him, as a performer. But that wasn’t what Spencer was asking.
“Tristan is a friend of the family,” Corin explained as they pulled up in front of Tristan’s home. “My aunt helped him get his start here in London. His fiancée should be present as well. She’s a lovely starting actress.”
The subtlety that Imelda claimed to hate. He could see the appreciation in Spencer’s eyes as he opened the door, though, his relief palpable as he stepped down out of the carriage and held a hand up for his sister to step down as well.
Charlotte could do worse than Spencer Merrit.
Corin smiled as he followed the queue of guests into the home, spying his cousin, Charlotte, and their host almost immediately. It was easy enough; they stood next to one another not far off from where people were entering, their heads bowed in friendly conversation.
Corin could see Spencer pause, his hesitation obvious in the few moments before he seemed to remember Corin’s words from only a few moments before.
“Lord Salthouse!” Tristan greeted them warmly as they approached, his grin wide and welcoming as he held both arms dramatically to either side. “And you’ve brought guests!”
“Yes.” Corin laughed. “Miss Imelda Merrit and her brother, Mr. Spencer Merrit. You’ve met Imelda before, I’m told.”
“Only briefly,” Imelda effused, leaning forward and taking Tristan’s proffered hand for a short moment.
“You arrived just in time!” Charlotte said happily as she kissed either of Corin’s cheeks. “Tristan just told me that he was planning to play for us!”
