Part 25 (2/2)
In every wicked, delectable, sinful way possible.
Sliding out of the bed, she padded barefoot and naked across to the bellpull and gave it a tug. She needed a bath and something to eat, since she was utterly famished. Then she was going to dig through her meager wardrobe and find something pretty to wear.
She wanted to look attractive for Leo.
Her new lover.
Smiling, she went to fetch a robe.
”You're whistling again.”
Leo jogged down the last of the stairs at his and Lawrence's town house, the tune he'd been accused of harmonizing still on his lips. He offered a final tonal flourish, then looked at his twin. ”Am I?”
Lawrence raised an eyebrow. ”Which means, I take it, that you had a good evening last night.”
”I did, yes.” A smile moved over Leo's mouth as thoughts of Thalia replayed in his mind.
”I also presume this good evening was had after you got into an argument with Lord Kemp and strangled him in front of several dozen witnesses at Drury Lane?”
Leo strolled into the study.
Lawrence followed.
”I didn't strangle him,” Leo clarified in a casual tone. ”It was more of a corrective throttle.” He took the stopper off the wine decanter. ”Claret?”
”No, thank you.”
Leo shrugged and poured himself a gla.s.s.
”Corrective throttle?” Lawrence asked.
”Kemp insulted Thalia. I was correcting him.”
Lawrence gave a short laugh. ”Gallant of you, I'm sure, but given her history and reputation, insults will unfortunately come her way.”
”Well, they had better not come her way around me.” He drank a large swallow of wine, his other hand squeezing into a fist. ”You'd have throttled Kemp too if you'd heard how he spoke to her. It was unpardonable.”
Lawrence sobered. ”I'm sure it was. Just don't let your defense of her get out of hand.”
”In what way? What do you mean?”
”Just that I heard there was talk of a duel between you and Kemp last night, but that he refused your challenge.”
Leo scowled. ”You seem amazingly well-informed and here it is only”-he paused and reached for his pocket watch, clicking open the case-”eleven twenty-three in the morning.”
”It's the talk of the town-how could I not be well-informed? I had a letter about it over breakfast from one of our friends. It won't be long before the news wends its way to the family.”
”Let it wend. Kemp is a villain and a coward. I am only sorry I didn't have a chance to put a bullet in him at dawn this morning.”
”I, for one, am glad you did not.”
Leo tossed back the rest of his wine. ”That's what Thalia says. She told me to let it go.”
”Then listen to Lady Thalia. It sounds as if she has a great deal of wisdom.”
”She's not what you think, you know,” Leo said, meeting his brother's eyes. ”She's not what anyone thinks. She's gentle and intelligent and kind. She's quite the most fascinating woman it has ever been my privilege to know.”
Lawrence stared for a long moment. ”I realize this is none of my business, but just how serious is this . . . relations.h.i.+p between you and Lady Thalia?”
”I'm going to keep seeing her, if that's what you're asking. As for anything more, I don't know. We're taking things as they come and it's still early days yet. Don't worry, it's not as if I'm in danger of falling in love with her.”
Or am I?
He stilled, the idea tumbling through his mind. He discarded it seconds later. He liked her, yes. And he desired her-last night was vivid proof of that. But anything more, well, he was looking forward to a heated affair, but the fire between them would burn out soon enough and then it would be over.
They would be over.
An odd constriction gripped his chest. He set down his gla.s.s, using the movement to hide his unexpected reaction. He forced a carefree smile that he hoped his brother couldn't see past.
Lawrence gave him another appraising look, then nodded, apparently satisfied. ”Sorry. I promised not to meddle, didn't I? Just be a bit more discreet in future, will you? I don't relish having to exile myself in France with you when you do something hotheaded enough to set the law on our tails.”
”You're a barrister. So am I, come to that. We'd think of a way out before it came to exile.”
Lawrence laughed and relaxed. ”I suppose we would. And speaking of the law, I have a visit to conduct.”
”Meeting about a new client?”
”No,” Lawrence admitted with mild chagrin, ”going next door. Northcote has agreed to see me about Lady Higgleston's complaints.”
Leo grinned. ”Has he, now? That should prove interesting. Fruitless, but interesting.”
”And you will be with Lady Thalia, of course.”
Leo's grin widened. ”Of course. Where else would I want to be?”
”What a pretty day for a drive,” Thalia remarked a couple of hours later as she sat next to Leo in his curricle.
Gazing upward, she watched a trio of cottony white clouds lumber past in the pristine blue sky, a flock of sparrows winging this way and that as if they too were celebrating the fine weather. Only the cool, late October temperature offered any sort of challenge, but even that was easily moderated with the help of warm gloves and a thick woolen cloak.
”Are you taking me somewhere in particular?” she ventured as it became increasingly clear that they were leaving the city behind.
”Perhaps,” Leo said cryptically. ”You'll simply have to wait and see.”
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