and in all truth, he couldn’t say he was particularly pleased that Justin had offered the woman safe harbor indefinitely. “Considering you informed her she could remain as long as she wants, I do hope this woman doesn’t take it into her head that she can become a permanent houseguest.”
“Well, in that case she would no longer be a guest, would she?”
“In that case, perhaps you can take her with you when you find a town house of your own. You men tioned the possibility not long ago, I believe.”
“Oh, I’m in no hurry.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
“My dear, elder brother, I should like to point out two things. For one, it was you who brought the dear lady Devon here—”
“Thank you for that reminder,” Sebastian put in.
“As for the other, I vow you’d be rather lonely in this monstrous house all alone.”
“Julianna may be off traveling, but she still resides here,” he reminded Justin. “And I must say, I do wish our dear sister were here to tend this upstart!”
“As you said yourself, she’s already on the mend.”
“It will be some time before she’s completely well. She could use some meat on her bones, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“I did. Considering your opinion of her, I’m sur prised you noticed.”
Guilt stabbed inside Sebastian, swiftly set aside. “I am not an insensitive brute, Justin.”
Justin’s expression proclaimed otherwise.
“I daresay there’s a woman in London who might consider you an insensitive brute.”
“Oh, I daresay more than one.” Justin’s eyes gleamed. He paused, the laughter fading from his expression. “She was terrified, Sebastian, and trying very hard not to cry.”
A vision impaled itself in his mind, a vision of eyes glistening like jeweled amber. He’d told himself they weren’t tears. God knew, he didn’t deal well with weeping females. They tore at his heart. They burned his very soul. Julianna could attest to that. A downward glance, a tremulous lip, a smothered sob...he was lost. Not that Julianna was the weak, whimpering type. Far from it. Yet for all that she was staunch and strong, he knew of no one more tender hearted than she. And when she or any woman cried, Sebastian simply could not abide it. He could not remain unaffected. He could not turn his back and walk away. He did whatever he could, whatever must be done, to chase away those tears.
Now his brother’s rare chastisement only made him feel worse. Good Lord, even Justin, who should have been immune to a woman’s tears, who’d bro ken more hearts than all the rakes in London com bined, had been moved.
Oh, hell. Hell . Perhaps he was an insensitive brute.
And indeed, the chit was in dire straits.
“Perhaps some inquiries should be made into her statements,” he said quietly, “in particular, this wretch named Harry.”
Justin nodded. “I’ll see to it.” He turned toward the stairs.
“Oh, and Justin?”
His brother glanced over his shoulder.
“We must take care it isn’t known the inquiries came from us.”
Justin cocked his head. “What?” he drawled. “Am I not a man of the utmost discretion?”
“Never.” Nary a breath was wasted on the obser vation.
“Ah.” His brother’s smile was purely wicked, purely rakish, purely Justin. “You mean rarely, do you not?”
“I think you’re quite aware what I mean.”
Justin’s smile ebbed. His countenance became un usually somber. “I am,” he said. “And rest assured, brother, that you may count on me.”
Their eyes met. A faint smile curled Sebastian’s lips. “I know,” he said softly.
Six
ehind the door, Devon sank back against the pillows with a sob. She was furious. Devas tated as never before, sick to the dregs of her soul. A cold ache settled around her heart. Her mother would have been appalled that she had even pos sessed a dagger, let alone used it. She had prom ised Mama once that she would never steal or whore or beg.
Instead she’d killed a man. Guilt raged
“Well, in that case she would no longer be a guest, would she?”
“In that case, perhaps you can take her with you when you find a town house of your own. You men tioned the possibility not long ago, I believe.”
“Oh, I’m in no hurry.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
“My dear, elder brother, I should like to point out two things. For one, it was you who brought the dear lady Devon here—”
“Thank you for that reminder,” Sebastian put in.
“As for the other, I vow you’d be rather lonely in this monstrous house all alone.”
“Julianna may be off traveling, but she still resides here,” he reminded Justin. “And I must say, I do wish our dear sister were here to tend this upstart!”
“As you said yourself, she’s already on the mend.”
“It will be some time before she’s completely well. She could use some meat on her bones, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“I did. Considering your opinion of her, I’m sur prised you noticed.”
Guilt stabbed inside Sebastian, swiftly set aside. “I am not an insensitive brute, Justin.”
Justin’s expression proclaimed otherwise.
“I daresay there’s a woman in London who might consider you an insensitive brute.”
“Oh, I daresay more than one.” Justin’s eyes gleamed. He paused, the laughter fading from his expression. “She was terrified, Sebastian, and trying very hard not to cry.”
A vision impaled itself in his mind, a vision of eyes glistening like jeweled amber. He’d told himself they weren’t tears. God knew, he didn’t deal well with weeping females. They tore at his heart. They burned his very soul. Julianna could attest to that. A downward glance, a tremulous lip, a smothered sob...he was lost. Not that Julianna was the weak, whimpering type. Far from it. Yet for all that she was staunch and strong, he knew of no one more tender hearted than she. And when she or any woman cried, Sebastian simply could not abide it. He could not remain unaffected. He could not turn his back and walk away. He did whatever he could, whatever must be done, to chase away those tears.
Now his brother’s rare chastisement only made him feel worse. Good Lord, even Justin, who should have been immune to a woman’s tears, who’d bro ken more hearts than all the rakes in London com bined, had been moved.
Oh, hell. Hell . Perhaps he was an insensitive brute.
And indeed, the chit was in dire straits.
“Perhaps some inquiries should be made into her statements,” he said quietly, “in particular, this wretch named Harry.”
Justin nodded. “I’ll see to it.” He turned toward the stairs.
“Oh, and Justin?”
His brother glanced over his shoulder.
“We must take care it isn’t known the inquiries came from us.”
Justin cocked his head. “What?” he drawled. “Am I not a man of the utmost discretion?”
“Never.” Nary a breath was wasted on the obser vation.
“Ah.” His brother’s smile was purely wicked, purely rakish, purely Justin. “You mean rarely, do you not?”
“I think you’re quite aware what I mean.”
Justin’s smile ebbed. His countenance became un usually somber. “I am,” he said. “And rest assured, brother, that you may count on me.”
Their eyes met. A faint smile curled Sebastian’s lips. “I know,” he said softly.
Six
ehind the door, Devon sank back against the pillows with a sob. She was furious. Devas tated as never before, sick to the dregs of her soul. A cold ache settled around her heart. Her mother would have been appalled that she had even pos sessed a dagger, let alone used it. She had prom ised Mama once that she would never steal or whore or beg.
Instead she’d killed a man. Guilt raged
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