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Authors: Karen Hawkins
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Lady Bertram?”
Reeves reached into his coat and produced a small, folded swath of silk. “Her Ladyship’s chemise. It has her name monogrammed upon the hem. I found it beneath the seat of your carriage and had it washed. I thought perhaps you might wish to return it when, of course, Lord Bertram is once again out of town.”
Christian took the chemise and tossed it onto the table beside him. “Thank you, Reeves,” he said dryly. “I appreciate your efforts.”
“It was nothing, my lord. May I ask if you succeeded in your efforts this evening?”
“Perfectly.” Christian looked into his glass, noting the firelight sparkling on the amber liquid. “When I find the information I seek…it will be my finest hour.”
“Yes, it does add a certain panache to one’s life, does it not, seducing an innocent woman?”
Christian choked on the port.
Reeves stepped forward and delivered a solid thwack on Christian’s back.
“Ouch!” Christian rubbed his back, glaring at Reeves.
Reeves picked up the decanter he’d left on the small table and calmly returned it to the sideboard. “I was merely attempting to clear your mind a bit, my lord.”
“Clear my mind? Why would you think I need such a thing?”
Reeves raised his brows.
“I don’t need your help.” Christian held his cigar between his teeth, though he made no move to light it. “For the love of Zeus, Reeves, if you’ve something to say, just say it.”
Reeves sniffed. “There is no need for such a tone, my lord.”
Christian scowled.
“Do not worry, my lord. I shall keep my ruminations to myself, as befitting a man of my station. Far be it from me to infringe upon Your Lordship’s existence with meaningless comments that you obviously do not wish to hear.”
Christian cocked a brow at the butler. “Are you done?”
Reeves pursed his lips. “No.”
“I didn’t think so. What is it that has you in such a lather?”
The butler sighed heavily. “Very well, my lord. But only because you insist—”
Christian snorted.
“—it is simply this. I cannot decide which I dislike more, your plan to seduce a virgin or”—Reeves closed his eyes and turned away—“that waistcoat.”
“What’s wrong with my waistcoat? Black silk is—Hold one moment. I have no plans to seduce a virgin!”
“Ah, what a relief! I must have misheard you, then. In the coach on the way here, I thought you said you were going to attempt to ingratiate yourself with Lady Elizabeth, the Duke of Massingale’s granddaughter. I am quite sorry, my lord. My hearing is not as good as it once—”
“I am going to ingratiate myself with Lady Elizabeth, as you so succinctly put it. But that does not qualify as a seduction.”
Reeves appeared perplexed. “Is this the same Lady Elizabeth just entering society this season?”
“Yes, but do not think she’s a chit of seventeen. She’s twenty-five. Her uncle died the year she was to come out, and her entry into society was delayed.”
Reeves met his gaze steadily.
Christian set down his glass. “Do not look at me like that. She is no green girl. In fact, she is the most self-assured woman I’ve yet to meet.”
“Indeed?”
“Indeed. Not that it matters, because I have no intentions of actually seducing anyone.” Not unless he had to. He glanced back at Reeves. “I am only going to pretend to be her suitor.”
“What if Lady Elizabeth succumbs to your pretend blandishments?”
“She won’t; she has a dragon-faced cousin standing guard. My lady’s virtue is well protected. Even from me.”
“I am glad the lady’s grandfather understands the dangers involved in launching a delicate young lady in a town where there are so many”—Reeves’s gaze flickered over Christian—“wolves.”
Christian quirked a grin. “Are you calling me a wolf, Reeves?”
“I wouldn’t dare, my lord. It would be presumptuous.”
“That has never stopped you before.” Christian eyed the butler for a long moment, and
Reeves reached into his coat and produced a small, folded swath of silk. “Her Ladyship’s chemise. It has her name monogrammed upon the hem. I found it beneath the seat of your carriage and had it washed. I thought perhaps you might wish to return it when, of course, Lord Bertram is once again out of town.”
Christian took the chemise and tossed it onto the table beside him. “Thank you, Reeves,” he said dryly. “I appreciate your efforts.”
“It was nothing, my lord. May I ask if you succeeded in your efforts this evening?”
“Perfectly.” Christian looked into his glass, noting the firelight sparkling on the amber liquid. “When I find the information I seek…it will be my finest hour.”
“Yes, it does add a certain panache to one’s life, does it not, seducing an innocent woman?”
Christian choked on the port.
Reeves stepped forward and delivered a solid thwack on Christian’s back.
“Ouch!” Christian rubbed his back, glaring at Reeves.
Reeves picked up the decanter he’d left on the small table and calmly returned it to the sideboard. “I was merely attempting to clear your mind a bit, my lord.”
“Clear my mind? Why would you think I need such a thing?”
Reeves raised his brows.
“I don’t need your help.” Christian held his cigar between his teeth, though he made no move to light it. “For the love of Zeus, Reeves, if you’ve something to say, just say it.”
Reeves sniffed. “There is no need for such a tone, my lord.”
Christian scowled.
“Do not worry, my lord. I shall keep my ruminations to myself, as befitting a man of my station. Far be it from me to infringe upon Your Lordship’s existence with meaningless comments that you obviously do not wish to hear.”
Christian cocked a brow at the butler. “Are you done?”
Reeves pursed his lips. “No.”
“I didn’t think so. What is it that has you in such a lather?”
The butler sighed heavily. “Very well, my lord. But only because you insist—”
Christian snorted.
“—it is simply this. I cannot decide which I dislike more, your plan to seduce a virgin or”—Reeves closed his eyes and turned away—“that waistcoat.”
“What’s wrong with my waistcoat? Black silk is—Hold one moment. I have no plans to seduce a virgin!”
“Ah, what a relief! I must have misheard you, then. In the coach on the way here, I thought you said you were going to attempt to ingratiate yourself with Lady Elizabeth, the Duke of Massingale’s granddaughter. I am quite sorry, my lord. My hearing is not as good as it once—”
“I am going to ingratiate myself with Lady Elizabeth, as you so succinctly put it. But that does not qualify as a seduction.”
Reeves appeared perplexed. “Is this the same Lady Elizabeth just entering society this season?”
“Yes, but do not think she’s a chit of seventeen. She’s twenty-five. Her uncle died the year she was to come out, and her entry into society was delayed.”
Reeves met his gaze steadily.
Christian set down his glass. “Do not look at me like that. She is no green girl. In fact, she is the most self-assured woman I’ve yet to meet.”
“Indeed?”
“Indeed. Not that it matters, because I have no intentions of actually seducing anyone.” Not unless he had to. He glanced back at Reeves. “I am only going to pretend to be her suitor.”
“What if Lady Elizabeth succumbs to your pretend blandishments?”
“She won’t; she has a dragon-faced cousin standing guard. My lady’s virtue is well protected. Even from me.”
“I am glad the lady’s grandfather understands the dangers involved in launching a delicate young lady in a town where there are so many”—Reeves’s gaze flickered over Christian—“wolves.”
Christian quirked a grin. “Are you calling me a wolf, Reeves?”
“I wouldn’t dare, my lord. It would be presumptuous.”
“That has never stopped you before.” Christian eyed the butler for a long moment, and
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