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Authors: K.A. Mitchell
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demands wrought darker and darker looks from her brother until Nicky thought he’d enjoy
strangling the blasted chit. Couldn’t she see the way Ian was tying himself into knots of guilt because he thought Charlotte had truly set her cap at his lover?
When Charlotte asked Nicky if he would be so gracious as to retrieve her fan from the gaming table,
Ian popped to his feet as if the sofa’s upholstery were afire. Nicky just had time to gift Charlotte with both fan and glare before Ian bowed. “A word, Lord Amherst?”
Nicky snatched up a candle before following Ian through the doors.
Why the hell had Nicky’s mother settled on winter as a good time for a lengthy house party? The foul
weather meant that there was no sure retreat from an out-of-control game of blind man’s bluff or another guest seeking a change of scenery. Or from Nicky’s budding spymaster siblings. Nicky thought of bringing Ian up to the nursery since the twins had no doubt abandoned it in search of damaging information they could use to extort money from unsuspecting guests.
“Do you mind if we walk?” Nicky set off at a brisk pace toward the south end of the gallery. He’d
only gained a few yards when Ian stayed him with his hand.
“What are your intentions toward my sister?”
“Your sister? How can you even ask that after last night?”
Ian resumed walking. “I know you will soon wish to marry.”
“Wish to?”
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41
K.A. Mitchell
“Must, then. But Charlotte has no female relation to advise her save Rayne’s wife and she is unable to travel.”
“I am afraid I have lost the trail, Ian.”
“What I mean is, Charlotte is not well-versed in the way things are done. She was gently reared.”
Nicky fought back a bark of laughter until it turned to a cough. Ian’s look of concern only made him
cough harder until he was forced to lean against the wall next to the painting of the third marquess.
“Perhaps you should get out of the chill,” Ian said.
“I’m fine. A little desperate for a proper meal, but well enough to sustain further conversation.”
“Very well. I simply do not wish to see Charlotte hurt.”
“I believe your sister may have depths which remain hidden even from those who know her well.”
Ian nodded as if he understood. “I only recently discovered she is quite fond of Shakespeare’s
comedies.”
This time Nicky thought the effort to suppress his laughter would lead to genuine asphyxiation. He
assumed a serious expression. “Let me see if I have this full. You insist that I marry, when you know that any woman will of necessity find herself neglected since I will always choose to take my affections
elsewhere, yet you balk at this lucky woman being your sister.”
Ian paused, mouth slightly agape. Unassailable logic. It would always be Ian’s defeat.
“Well, yes,” Ian said at last.
“Perhaps I won’t marry.”
“But you must. You have a duty to your title and your family and—”
“I have two brothers who will no doubt be willing to leap at the chance of title and duty.”
Ian’s expression of slack-jawed horror would have been amusing if Nicky weren’t so fond of the dolt.
“Aren’t you worried your face will freeze like that? Of course, I know I must marry.”
“And will you?”
“That all depends.”
“On what?”
“On you.”
“No. There is no possible say I could have in the matter. I know—I know I was a bit off my head
where Lewes was concerned but this—I will always regard you warmly, Nicky, and I will treasure what
time we have here, but—no. You must do your duty to the title.”
“Warmly. It seemed far more than tepid to me last night.”
Two dark red spots appeared high on Ian’s cheeks, but he lowered his gaze.
Nicky pressed on. Charlotte had been the one to caution him against rashness, claiming Ian would bolt
if they revealed too much too fast, yet her actions today had precipitated this. “And if my choice
strangling the blasted chit. Couldn’t she see the way Ian was tying himself into knots of guilt because he thought Charlotte had truly set her cap at his lover?
When Charlotte asked Nicky if he would be so gracious as to retrieve her fan from the gaming table,
Ian popped to his feet as if the sofa’s upholstery were afire. Nicky just had time to gift Charlotte with both fan and glare before Ian bowed. “A word, Lord Amherst?”
Nicky snatched up a candle before following Ian through the doors.
Why the hell had Nicky’s mother settled on winter as a good time for a lengthy house party? The foul
weather meant that there was no sure retreat from an out-of-control game of blind man’s bluff or another guest seeking a change of scenery. Or from Nicky’s budding spymaster siblings. Nicky thought of bringing Ian up to the nursery since the twins had no doubt abandoned it in search of damaging information they could use to extort money from unsuspecting guests.
“Do you mind if we walk?” Nicky set off at a brisk pace toward the south end of the gallery. He’d
only gained a few yards when Ian stayed him with his hand.
“What are your intentions toward my sister?”
“Your sister? How can you even ask that after last night?”
Ian resumed walking. “I know you will soon wish to marry.”
“Wish to?”
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41
K.A. Mitchell
“Must, then. But Charlotte has no female relation to advise her save Rayne’s wife and she is unable to travel.”
“I am afraid I have lost the trail, Ian.”
“What I mean is, Charlotte is not well-versed in the way things are done. She was gently reared.”
Nicky fought back a bark of laughter until it turned to a cough. Ian’s look of concern only made him
cough harder until he was forced to lean against the wall next to the painting of the third marquess.
“Perhaps you should get out of the chill,” Ian said.
“I’m fine. A little desperate for a proper meal, but well enough to sustain further conversation.”
“Very well. I simply do not wish to see Charlotte hurt.”
“I believe your sister may have depths which remain hidden even from those who know her well.”
Ian nodded as if he understood. “I only recently discovered she is quite fond of Shakespeare’s
comedies.”
This time Nicky thought the effort to suppress his laughter would lead to genuine asphyxiation. He
assumed a serious expression. “Let me see if I have this full. You insist that I marry, when you know that any woman will of necessity find herself neglected since I will always choose to take my affections
elsewhere, yet you balk at this lucky woman being your sister.”
Ian paused, mouth slightly agape. Unassailable logic. It would always be Ian’s defeat.
“Well, yes,” Ian said at last.
“Perhaps I won’t marry.”
“But you must. You have a duty to your title and your family and—”
“I have two brothers who will no doubt be willing to leap at the chance of title and duty.”
Ian’s expression of slack-jawed horror would have been amusing if Nicky weren’t so fond of the dolt.
“Aren’t you worried your face will freeze like that? Of course, I know I must marry.”
“And will you?”
“That all depends.”
“On what?”
“On you.”
“No. There is no possible say I could have in the matter. I know—I know I was a bit off my head
where Lewes was concerned but this—I will always regard you warmly, Nicky, and I will treasure what
time we have here, but—no. You must do your duty to the title.”
“Warmly. It seemed far more than tepid to me last night.”
Two dark red spots appeared high on Ian’s cheeks, but he lowered his gaze.
Nicky pressed on. Charlotte had been the one to caution him against rashness, claiming Ian would bolt
if they revealed too much too fast, yet her actions today had precipitated this. “And if my choice
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