Page 128 of The Viscount's Seduction
The talk at the Home Office came back to him. Gunpowder was missing. And the graver danger would be at the ball…
Her brother was nodding at him. “I will thank you for your help with that, Lord Bakeley.”
“You must claim the Glenmorrow title,” Sirena said, “and be just and fair.” She pulled her hand out of her brother’s grasp, and turned, her whisper feathering Bakeley’s ear. “What did you learn today? Will you speak of it in front of them? My head aches too badly to be entirely trusting.”
The others were watching them closely.
“Come, Roland,” Jocelyn said. “Let’s give them a moment. I hear horses outside in the street. We’re expecting a visitor.”
“Hollister?” Sirena asked.
“There’s always the possibility, but I believe we eluded him. No, I imagine Lord Shaldon will send Kincaid.”
When the doorclosed on them, he pulled her close. “I asked Lady Arbrough to lure Hollister with the list of traitors’ names we talked about. I met her at the modiste’s, but only after I was told you had invited her to the ball. I did plan to tell you, but Father has had me running hither and yon.”
She bit her lip, absorbing that information while he held his breath.
“Can we trust them? They are intimate,” she said through clenched teeth. “He is tupping her.”
“Does it bother you?” He stroked her cheek. “Because it doesn’t bother me one whit.”
She hunched her shoulders. “I would know how long they’ve been about this. How long before the musicale? Why? Why did he not seek me out? Why did he go to her?”
“She was one of my father’s operatives. It’s possible your brother knew her.”
Her eyes searched his. “It was all a ruse then, her friendship. Even her…friendship with you?”
He gritted his teeth. He didn’t want his wife’s pity. “It doesn’t matter. She means nothing to me.”
But it wasn’t pity that made her eyes flash. “’Tis dishonest. And what do I know of him, besides the pain that he’s caused? He may have a wife. He may have children.” She pressed her lips together. “It may be the way of these things, but it’s not right.”
His heart swelled, and he took her hand. “It will not be our way.”
She bit her lip and would not look at him. “And when the children come and I am fair drained from chasing them and cross with my lot in life.”
The picture warmed him. “We shall turn them over to their nursemaids, and I’ll take you to bed and uncross you.” He touched his lips to hers and she pulled away.
“Bakeley, I’ve been puking.”
“It isn’t catching.” He retrieved the now tepid tea and handed it to her. “Sip this. Are you feeling at all better?”
“Yes.”
He smoothed a hand down her side to the swell at her hip, provoking a hint of a smile.
“Can we trust them?” she asked again. “Perhaps we should sneak away back to Shaldon House.”
Sneak away. Bink and Paulette had not trusted him when he’d gone to help them, had decided to sneak away from the safe house where he’d placed them, and it had almost cost Paulette her life.
“Let’s see who my father sends in response to her message.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve been through this before with Bink and Paulette. You’ve not heard that story?” He shook his head. “They tried to go it alone and it was a near thing.”
“What happened?”
“Paulette was abducted.”
