Read Online Last Night's Scandal by Loretta Chase - Free Book Online

he had no more idea this morning how to deal with his parents than he’d had yesterday when Olivia galloped away.
    Everyone beamed at him as he entered the breakfast room.
    Lisle prided himself on having no imagination. He didn’t believe in a sense of impending doom.
    Until now.
    He went to the sideboard and filled his plate. He walked to the table and sat down next to Lady Withcote and opposite Olivia.
    “Olivia has been telling us of your plan,” said Mother.
    Lisle’s insides went cold. “My plan,” he repeated. He looked at Olivia.
    “To take me to Scotland to help you with the castle,” she said.
    “ What?”
    “I thought you would have told them already,” she said. “I’m sorry I spoiled the surprise.”
    “Everyone understands, child, I’m sure,” said the dowager. “You were carried away with excitement and couldn’t wait.”
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    “ What? ”
    “It was a surprise, indeed,” said Mother. “And I will confess I was not altogether enthusiastic at first.”
    “But—”
    “She thought it wasn’t the thing,” the dowager told Lisle. “A pair of young people setting out for Scotland together. Not at all suitable for a young lady, she said. As though we didn’t know that and hadn’t already worked it out.”
    “Worked out—”
    “Lady Cooper and Lady Withcote have kindly agreed to act as chaperons,” Olivia said.
    “We’ll each take our lady’s maids. Great-Grandmama has agreed to lend us some housemaids and footmen until we can hire permanent ones. And I shall borrow Mama’s cook and butler, since they won’t be needed while the family is in Derbyshire.” Lisle looked about him at the cheerful faces. She’d done it. She’d gone ahead and done it after he’d told her in no uncertain terms. . .
    No, this was a nightmare. He wasn’t awake.
    Were his parents blind? Was he the only one who noticed how suspiciously well the dowager was behaving? Did no one else see the evil gleam in her eye? No, they saw nothing, because Olivia had completely bamboozled everybody.
    It was mad, mad.
    Cooper and Withcote as chaperons! Like all of the dowager’s friends, they lived to gossip, drink, gamble, and ogle young men. There couldn’t exist more unsuitable chaperons outside of a brothel.
    This was absurd. He would have to bring everybody to their senses.
    “Olivia, I thought I made it clear—”
    “But you did ,” she said, all wide-eyed innocence. “I understand completely . If I had a calling, as you do, only a matter of life and death could distract me from it. Your calling is ancient Egypt. A Scottish castle does not seize your imagination.”
    “I have no imagination,” he said. “I see what’s there and not what isn’t.”
    “Yes, I know, and that would make it excruciating for you to try to discover the beauty in a ruined castle,” she said. “What you need is an expert eye, and an imagination. I shall supply them, while you supply the practical side of things.”
    “I’m so sorry I didn’t understand the difficulties, my dear,” said Mother. “As Olivia said, sending you alone would be like sending a soldier into battle with a rifle but no ammunition.” He looked at his father, who smiled indulgently back at him. Indulgent! Father!
    And why not? Olivia had merely done to his parents what she did to everybody: She’d made them believe.
    “It’s a brilliant solution,” his lordship said. “You’ll be there to protect the ladies from any dreadful things that may be lurking about the place, and to get to the bottom of whatever has set off the unfortunate series of events.”
    “And Olivia will be there to protect you from decorating,” Mother said. She laughed. They all laughed.
    “Ha-ha,” said Lisle. “I find I’m too excited to eat my breakfast. I think I’ll take a turn in the Page 35
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