Read Online How to Entice an Earl by Manda Collins - Free Book Online
Authors: Manda Collins
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with their husbands? What must it be like to share one’s burdens like that? She and her cousins had always been a team of sorts, struggling against the strictures that society placed upon them, and those members of the ton who found them wanting in some respect.
But since their marriages she had felt her cousins begin to pull away a bit. Which was to be expected, she knew. After all, they were part of their husband’s families now, not just their own. She could not deny the fact that she felt some sadness at their new situation, however.
Recalling herself to the conversation at hand, Maddie said, “No. You are correct. Linton was perfectly dreadful to leave me behind as he did last night. Especially given that one of his oldest friends was lying stabbed on the floor.”
“Why would he do such a thing?” Juliet asked, biting into a ginger biscuit. “I know that Linton has been a bit of a hellion, but I have never known him to be so lost to propriety and brotherly concern before.”
“I must admit that I am disturbed by his disappearance, as well,” Maddie said. “He didn’t come home last night. It makes me wonder if there was more to Mr.Tinker’s death than a simple argument over gaming losses.”
Cecily paused, her voice gentle as she asked, “You don’t suppose that Linton…?”
Maddie felt her heart clench. She was disappointed in her brother, but she was not yet ready to assume him guilty of murder. Was she?
“I cannot imagine why he would,” she said aloud. “As far as I know James was not losing badly enough last night to make him wish to do such a thing to his friend. And they were playing at different tables anyway. He could hardly have lost money to Tinker if they weren’t playing with one another.”
“It might have been over something that happened at another time,” Juliet said glumly. “Perhaps your brother owed him from before.”
“It’s a possibility,” Maddie admitted. “And I am not so foolish as to believe that the authorities will look that carefully into their history together. The very fact that Tinker is dead and Linton is missing seems to indicate that he is responsible for his friend’s death.”
“I’m just glad you were unharmed,” Juliet said with a shudder. She, too, had come into close contact with a killer recently. “It would have been just as easy for whoever killed poor Mr. Tinker to harm you, as well. After all, you were close enough to hear what happened.”
“But I didn’t hear anything,” Maddie protested. “Or at least I don’t believe I did. I was too busy adjusting the bosom of my gown in the retiring room after what Gresh—That is to say, after a comment by another guest.”
“Gresham didn’t approve of your gown?” Cecily asked innocently.
“He thought it was too low cut.”
“That doesn’t sound like our Gresham,” Juliet said with a raised brow. “I have it on good authority from Alec that he is what is known among gentlemen as a brea—”
“As I was saying,” Maddie interrupted, before Juliet could continue with what promised to be a very alarming revelation about the earl. “I was too busy adjusting my gown to hear anything that happened in the hallway. So there is little danger that the killer will come after me. And I will tell anyone who asks the same thing.”
“That would be best,” Cecily said. “In fact, I will put it about this evening at the Marchfords’ ball. And you and Juliet will, too. You are both coming, are you not?”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Juliet said with a grin. “I plan to dance a waltz with my husband.”
“And it would seem that I have a rumor to spread about myself,” Maddie said with a frown. She did so detest balls.
“Cheer up,” Cecily told her with a grin. “I hear Gresham will be in attendance, as well.”
That, of course, was what Lady Madeline was afraid of.
Five
After his conversation with Winterson, Christian made his way to the Gresham town house in
But since their marriages she had felt her cousins begin to pull away a bit. Which was to be expected, she knew. After all, they were part of their husband’s families now, not just their own. She could not deny the fact that she felt some sadness at their new situation, however.
Recalling herself to the conversation at hand, Maddie said, “No. You are correct. Linton was perfectly dreadful to leave me behind as he did last night. Especially given that one of his oldest friends was lying stabbed on the floor.”
“Why would he do such a thing?” Juliet asked, biting into a ginger biscuit. “I know that Linton has been a bit of a hellion, but I have never known him to be so lost to propriety and brotherly concern before.”
“I must admit that I am disturbed by his disappearance, as well,” Maddie said. “He didn’t come home last night. It makes me wonder if there was more to Mr.Tinker’s death than a simple argument over gaming losses.”
Cecily paused, her voice gentle as she asked, “You don’t suppose that Linton…?”
Maddie felt her heart clench. She was disappointed in her brother, but she was not yet ready to assume him guilty of murder. Was she?
“I cannot imagine why he would,” she said aloud. “As far as I know James was not losing badly enough last night to make him wish to do such a thing to his friend. And they were playing at different tables anyway. He could hardly have lost money to Tinker if they weren’t playing with one another.”
“It might have been over something that happened at another time,” Juliet said glumly. “Perhaps your brother owed him from before.”
“It’s a possibility,” Maddie admitted. “And I am not so foolish as to believe that the authorities will look that carefully into their history together. The very fact that Tinker is dead and Linton is missing seems to indicate that he is responsible for his friend’s death.”
“I’m just glad you were unharmed,” Juliet said with a shudder. She, too, had come into close contact with a killer recently. “It would have been just as easy for whoever killed poor Mr. Tinker to harm you, as well. After all, you were close enough to hear what happened.”
“But I didn’t hear anything,” Maddie protested. “Or at least I don’t believe I did. I was too busy adjusting the bosom of my gown in the retiring room after what Gresh—That is to say, after a comment by another guest.”
“Gresham didn’t approve of your gown?” Cecily asked innocently.
“He thought it was too low cut.”
“That doesn’t sound like our Gresham,” Juliet said with a raised brow. “I have it on good authority from Alec that he is what is known among gentlemen as a brea—”
“As I was saying,” Maddie interrupted, before Juliet could continue with what promised to be a very alarming revelation about the earl. “I was too busy adjusting my gown to hear anything that happened in the hallway. So there is little danger that the killer will come after me. And I will tell anyone who asks the same thing.”
“That would be best,” Cecily said. “In fact, I will put it about this evening at the Marchfords’ ball. And you and Juliet will, too. You are both coming, are you not?”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Juliet said with a grin. “I plan to dance a waltz with my husband.”
“And it would seem that I have a rumor to spread about myself,” Maddie said with a frown. She did so detest balls.
“Cheer up,” Cecily told her with a grin. “I hear Gresham will be in attendance, as well.”
That, of course, was what Lady Madeline was afraid of.
Five
After his conversation with Winterson, Christian made his way to the Gresham town house in
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