Page 89 of The Viscount's Seduction
“But a week—“
“It may be too much for you and Perry alone.” He snapped his fingers. “Lady Jane Monthorpe. We shall ask her to move in here and help with preparations.”
“But—“
“Yes, I know, you’ll need a dress. You may spend as much as you want, my dear. Take Perry and Lady Jane and buy yourself a wardrobe, everything you need. Feathers, flounces, some of those bloody pleats.”
“And she’ll need your mother’s jewels, Bakeley.”
He stared at his father. His mother’s exquisite diamonds had been stored away so long they’d slipped from his memory.
He nodded. “Our marriage has been a whirlwind, and I had forgotten. They’re yours now. I shall show you them tomorrow, Sirena.”
She waved a hand as if the jewels didn’t matter. “How shall we lure him? What if he doesn’t come?”
“He’s here, taking a seat in the Commons, so he’s ambitious. Father, can you muster up some influential guests?”
Shaldon nodded. “Most certainly. We’ll make sure he won’t want to miss it.”
Sirena’s breath quickened. “Shall I write him a note? I can tell him I’ve found something among...” she tapped her chin “among my father’s personal papers? Something my brother gave father that concerns him?”
“That may be too obvious,” Shaldon said. “Perhaps we’ll have a dinner before the ball, with select guests. He’ll be one of them. Let me think on this and we’ll talk again. We know your cousin is dangerous. We must be crafty.”
“And what of Donegal?” she asked.
“He’ll be back. We have a man who can drop a story around the East End, where he turned up before.”
“You’ll need to be careful on any excursions, Sirena,” Bakeley said.
“I’ll bring my dagger.”
“And several body guards.”
“They’ll discourage him from making contact.”
“If he’s clever, he’ll find a way. We’ll need to be on our toes to look out for him.”
“How nice if we could invite him to the ball also, and kill two birds with one stone.”
“I believe Father does not want Donegal dead. I believe he wants totalkto him.”
She smiled, and he felt a rush of...blast it, he was about to saylove. Such a trite emotion. What he was feeling was lust. They’d been here quite long enough.
His father scowled. “You’re quite right. We want Donegal alive and talking.”
He made no mention of keeping Sterling Hollister alive.
“And the new Earl of Glenmorrow?” Bakeley asked. “Does he have much to say of interest, or...”
Sirena paled. Perhaps she was not so bloodthirsty after all. Which meant that after the inevitable marital disagreements, he would be able to sleep with both eyes closed.
“If there are charges we choose to file, he shall be tried,” Shaldon said. “Perhaps.”
And perhaps he’d be too dead for a public trial. He caught Sirena’s eye and she nodded grimly, no doubt picking the platter for Sterling’s head.
“So, a ball,” she said. “Seven days hence.”
“Or perhaps ten. Make it a fortnight if you must.”
