pulpit, Reverend.” Trinity leaned forward. “Tell me something, Irma Lou. Why’d you strike a deal with Chase?”
“ I’m fond of his grandmother, but I’d also like to see if he’s got the same straight backbone as his grandfather.”
“ But if Chase is willing to protect Miss Sheridan’s reputation, wouldn’t you say that’s backbone enough? Hell, I’d call that decent of the man.”
“ Few noblemen are rarely decent without a motive, and I’ve no cause to think Chase is any different until he proves me wrong. He might be one of those gents who protects his family’s good name with a sword in one hand and fondles a young servant girl with the other.”
“ You sure you’re not talking about Grandpa Godfrey and--”
“ Do not speak her name, Trinity. You know very well it’s forbidden. Tell me more of Leah Sheridan.”
He shrugged. “There’s not much to tell.”
Her gaze narrowed. “What was she doing in the duke’s room?”
“ Being comforted, I guess.”
Irma grunted. “Is that what the nobility are calling it now?”
“ Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Crandle, but what I witnessed appeared to be genuinely innocent.”
“ How the devil would you know? You were likely soused to the gills.”
“ Not half as much as I’d like to be.” He purposely downed the rest of his whiskey in two swallows. “When I entered the duke’s room, it looked as though Miss Sheridan was upset. Not falling into a passionate embrace.”
“ You think she confessed?”
“ About the child? It’s possible.”
“ If Chase knows the truth, he’ll want to keep Miss Sheridan’s indiscretion a secret.”
“ He mentioned your bargain.”
“ You spoke to the duke?”
“ He did most of the talking.”
“ Got yourself caught, did you?”
“ Yeah. He said to tell you he expects you to honor your part of the bargain. You intend to humor him, or is this story too big to keep under your bonnet?”
“ Oh, I’ll go along with the charade until I have all the facts, but a man like Chase ought to squirm a bit before he hangs himself. You go back to the Imperial Inn. Keep both eyes open and one ear to the ground.”
“ There’s only one problem with that request. The duke threw me out.”
“ Then get chummy with Greyson’s driver. Servants love to gossip about their employers.”
“ Shall I sleep under the carriage?”
Irma grinned. “Now you’ve got the idea, boy. Whatever you do, make sure you’re close by when that vehicle departs for Kent.”
###
Nicolas placed the stack of letters on the night table beside his bed. He found it difficult to believe such hateful words had come from Leah Sheridan. The lady he’d comforted half an hour ago seemed more in control of her emotions. Apparently Anne Ashburn knew about the child. Did Lord Greyson?
Something wasn’t right about those letters. He ran his hand over his eyes. Would Leah have confessed if O’Connell hadn’t barged into the room? She claimed she trusted Nicolas. He would like to think she did.
He sipped his cold tea, noting again the odd taste. Perhaps he should’ve stressed his preference for a non-herbal concoction.
Had Adrian fallen in love with his mistress? Did his son have fair hair? Was his laughter as warm as Adrian’s? Did dimples appear with his smile? Were his eyes brown? Or green like his mother’s?
Pulling Leah into his arms had felt more natural than breathing. Touching her, inhaling her lavender scent, had ignited an unexpected fire in his blood.
If only his imagination had stopped there.
Her full mouth had looked so inviting. So much so he could almost taste it. His arms had ached to draw her body tight against his. When he held her, his one maddening thought had been to have her writhing beneath him.
Thank God he had come to his senses! Still, he could not erase that incredible feeling of ecstasy, and he could not recall any other woman affecting him so.
Stifling a yawn, Nicolas burrowed into his
“ I’m fond of his grandmother, but I’d also like to see if he’s got the same straight backbone as his grandfather.”
“ But if Chase is willing to protect Miss Sheridan’s reputation, wouldn’t you say that’s backbone enough? Hell, I’d call that decent of the man.”
“ Few noblemen are rarely decent without a motive, and I’ve no cause to think Chase is any different until he proves me wrong. He might be one of those gents who protects his family’s good name with a sword in one hand and fondles a young servant girl with the other.”
“ You sure you’re not talking about Grandpa Godfrey and--”
“ Do not speak her name, Trinity. You know very well it’s forbidden. Tell me more of Leah Sheridan.”
He shrugged. “There’s not much to tell.”
Her gaze narrowed. “What was she doing in the duke’s room?”
“ Being comforted, I guess.”
Irma grunted. “Is that what the nobility are calling it now?”
“ Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Crandle, but what I witnessed appeared to be genuinely innocent.”
“ How the devil would you know? You were likely soused to the gills.”
“ Not half as much as I’d like to be.” He purposely downed the rest of his whiskey in two swallows. “When I entered the duke’s room, it looked as though Miss Sheridan was upset. Not falling into a passionate embrace.”
“ You think she confessed?”
“ About the child? It’s possible.”
“ If Chase knows the truth, he’ll want to keep Miss Sheridan’s indiscretion a secret.”
“ He mentioned your bargain.”
“ You spoke to the duke?”
“ He did most of the talking.”
“ Got yourself caught, did you?”
“ Yeah. He said to tell you he expects you to honor your part of the bargain. You intend to humor him, or is this story too big to keep under your bonnet?”
“ Oh, I’ll go along with the charade until I have all the facts, but a man like Chase ought to squirm a bit before he hangs himself. You go back to the Imperial Inn. Keep both eyes open and one ear to the ground.”
“ There’s only one problem with that request. The duke threw me out.”
“ Then get chummy with Greyson’s driver. Servants love to gossip about their employers.”
“ Shall I sleep under the carriage?”
Irma grinned. “Now you’ve got the idea, boy. Whatever you do, make sure you’re close by when that vehicle departs for Kent.”
###
Nicolas placed the stack of letters on the night table beside his bed. He found it difficult to believe such hateful words had come from Leah Sheridan. The lady he’d comforted half an hour ago seemed more in control of her emotions. Apparently Anne Ashburn knew about the child. Did Lord Greyson?
Something wasn’t right about those letters. He ran his hand over his eyes. Would Leah have confessed if O’Connell hadn’t barged into the room? She claimed she trusted Nicolas. He would like to think she did.
He sipped his cold tea, noting again the odd taste. Perhaps he should’ve stressed his preference for a non-herbal concoction.
Had Adrian fallen in love with his mistress? Did his son have fair hair? Was his laughter as warm as Adrian’s? Did dimples appear with his smile? Were his eyes brown? Or green like his mother’s?
Pulling Leah into his arms had felt more natural than breathing. Touching her, inhaling her lavender scent, had ignited an unexpected fire in his blood.
If only his imagination had stopped there.
Her full mouth had looked so inviting. So much so he could almost taste it. His arms had ached to draw her body tight against his. When he held her, his one maddening thought had been to have her writhing beneath him.
Thank God he had come to his senses! Still, he could not erase that incredible feeling of ecstasy, and he could not recall any other woman affecting him so.
Stifling a yawn, Nicolas burrowed into his
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