Read Online Before The Scandal by Suzanne Enoch - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Suzanne Enoch
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Aunt Ernesta that anyone had been lurking outside Donnelly House. He hadn’t carried off the pianoforte—or anything else, as far as she could tell. And as far as she was concerned, her relations deserved a bit of ill luck.
If she ever came across this Frenchman again, then she would worry about him. For now, she would call it an odd, not entirely unpleasant experience, and put the red rose in a vase. Neither would she be informing Colonel Phin Bromley that a masked Frenchman had stumbled across her in the night. She had enough trouble in her life. At this point causing bloodshed would do no one any good, herself least of all.
Chapter 6
Phineas deliberately delayed heading downstairs for breakfast. He wanted time enough for the rumors to spread.
He’d intended to be seen last night, though Alyse had been the very last person he’d expected to encounter. And her presence had altered his plans. He’d intended to break a few windows, roust some of the stableboys, and make the appearance of a masked stranger obvious. If he could rattle some cages as a supposed burglar, he would have the opportunity as Phin Bromley to see what might fall into the open. A guilty man reacted differently than an innocent one. But he absolutely hadn’t wanted to frighten Alyse. She’d literally turned him into a gentleman just by sitting in her family’s garden last night.
“Good morning,” he said as he finally entered the breakfast room at half past nine.
Beth and William were bent over a pamphlet of some kind, and both looked up as he walked in. “Good morning,” Beth said, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.
“What’s so interesting?” he asked, gesturing at the paper and prepared to show the appropriate amount of cynical surprise.
“We’re going to the theater tonight,” his sister said with a grin. “An opera. Please say you’ll join us, Phin.”
He blinked. “Of course.”
“Don’t answer too hastily,” his brother commented. “This is an entire evening’s commitment.”
Phineas clenched his jaw. It was only words, just William attempting to drive him away. Why, he didn’t know yet. But he supposed the worse the attacks became, the closer he must be getting. At the moment he clearly had barely a clue. “I expect it is the height of excitement in Lewes,” he returned, hoping one of his siblings would contradict him with the story of how Alyse had just last night encountered a masked intruder.
“The very height,” Beth said, giggling. “What are your plans today?”
He’d intended to go see the burned-out tenant cottages. Now he needed to see Alyse. And not just because he’d wanted to kiss her last night. “I sent Sergeant Gordon into town this morning to fetch me a horse that won’t drop if I try for a trot. I thought I might take Alyse riding when he returns.”
His sister frowned. “But—”
“Don’t make trouble for Alyse,” William said, returning to the remains of his breakfast. “She’s seen enough.”
Taking his seat and digging into the pile of sliced ham, Phin looked up. “Care to elaborate?”
“I don’t gossip. Andrews?”
Silently the valet stepped forward and took the handles of the wheeled chair. In a moment both the viscount and his servant had left the room for the office. “Splendid,” Phineas grumbled. He glanced at Beth. “And what are your plans for the day, since you won’t tell me why I’m here?”
“I can’t tell you, Phin, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need you here.” She stood up and left the room.
“Bloody wonderful.”
Before he’d finished breakfast, Gordon reappeared. “I used the blasted back door,” the sergeant grumbled as he walked into the breakfast room. “Came to the front of the house and walked all the way around. Bloody English customs.”
“Here,” Phin said, tossing him a peach and rising. “What did you find for me?”
“Ye said nothing too fine,” his valet commented, falling in behind as Phin made his way
If she ever came across this Frenchman again, then she would worry about him. For now, she would call it an odd, not entirely unpleasant experience, and put the red rose in a vase. Neither would she be informing Colonel Phin Bromley that a masked Frenchman had stumbled across her in the night. She had enough trouble in her life. At this point causing bloodshed would do no one any good, herself least of all.
Chapter 6
Phineas deliberately delayed heading downstairs for breakfast. He wanted time enough for the rumors to spread.
He’d intended to be seen last night, though Alyse had been the very last person he’d expected to encounter. And her presence had altered his plans. He’d intended to break a few windows, roust some of the stableboys, and make the appearance of a masked stranger obvious. If he could rattle some cages as a supposed burglar, he would have the opportunity as Phin Bromley to see what might fall into the open. A guilty man reacted differently than an innocent one. But he absolutely hadn’t wanted to frighten Alyse. She’d literally turned him into a gentleman just by sitting in her family’s garden last night.
“Good morning,” he said as he finally entered the breakfast room at half past nine.
Beth and William were bent over a pamphlet of some kind, and both looked up as he walked in. “Good morning,” Beth said, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.
“What’s so interesting?” he asked, gesturing at the paper and prepared to show the appropriate amount of cynical surprise.
“We’re going to the theater tonight,” his sister said with a grin. “An opera. Please say you’ll join us, Phin.”
He blinked. “Of course.”
“Don’t answer too hastily,” his brother commented. “This is an entire evening’s commitment.”
Phineas clenched his jaw. It was only words, just William attempting to drive him away. Why, he didn’t know yet. But he supposed the worse the attacks became, the closer he must be getting. At the moment he clearly had barely a clue. “I expect it is the height of excitement in Lewes,” he returned, hoping one of his siblings would contradict him with the story of how Alyse had just last night encountered a masked intruder.
“The very height,” Beth said, giggling. “What are your plans today?”
He’d intended to go see the burned-out tenant cottages. Now he needed to see Alyse. And not just because he’d wanted to kiss her last night. “I sent Sergeant Gordon into town this morning to fetch me a horse that won’t drop if I try for a trot. I thought I might take Alyse riding when he returns.”
His sister frowned. “But—”
“Don’t make trouble for Alyse,” William said, returning to the remains of his breakfast. “She’s seen enough.”
Taking his seat and digging into the pile of sliced ham, Phin looked up. “Care to elaborate?”
“I don’t gossip. Andrews?”
Silently the valet stepped forward and took the handles of the wheeled chair. In a moment both the viscount and his servant had left the room for the office. “Splendid,” Phineas grumbled. He glanced at Beth. “And what are your plans for the day, since you won’t tell me why I’m here?”
“I can’t tell you, Phin, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need you here.” She stood up and left the room.
“Bloody wonderful.”
Before he’d finished breakfast, Gordon reappeared. “I used the blasted back door,” the sergeant grumbled as he walked into the breakfast room. “Came to the front of the house and walked all the way around. Bloody English customs.”
“Here,” Phin said, tossing him a peach and rising. “What did you find for me?”
“Ye said nothing too fine,” his valet commented, falling in behind as Phin made his way
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