her guardian.”
For whatever reason she found that incongruous. The disreputable Andrews was the guardian of a charge he must launch into society in just a few years? As diplomatically as possible she murmured, “I didn’t know, but,then again, though people do talk about you, they don’t mention those sorts of details.”
His mouth twisted a little. “I can only imagine what kind they do mention.”
“Actually, not too much in front of me, but it is easy enough to get the gist of it.”
“Wicked is as wicked does. Is that it?”
She didn’t flinch from looking him in the eye. “Just about right, my lord.”
“Some of it might even be true. How is,” he said with idle inflection, “the season so far?”
How come she got the impression that question wasn’t idle at all? And yet the switch in topic was welcome. “I’m engaged.”
“I thought I saw the announcement recently. Colbert, is it? We’ve crossed paths but we really are not well acquainted. Tell me about him.”
The jeweled light through the windows gave sapphire tints to his dark hair and slanted a ruby streak across one lean cheek, touching the corner of his mouth. Cautiously she asked, “Could you be more specific?”
“I am still trying to make sense of this.”
“How could Lord—”
“Indulge me. What can it hurt? As I said, we have nothing but time.”
That seemed to be unfortunate but true.
Elena regarded him thoughtfully. “You still believe this is directed somehow at me.”
He shrugged, broad shoulders moving under the black silk. “As I said, I don’t know, but we both must admit that someone has gone through a great deal of trouble. For instance, that whiskey”—he pointed to a decanter that had been brought with their luncheon—“isactually rather hard to obtain and a particular favorite of mine. It isn’t a secret, but, also not necessarily common knowledge. Why would our captor bother when I have been deemed replaceable and threatened with bodily harm?”
“I don’t know.” When she remembered the man with the pistol pointed straight at Andrews’s heart, she could hardly disagree. Casting back, she tried to recall anything she could that might be related to their current incomprehensible state of imprisonment. “The season has seemed rather uneventful, if you ask me. I’ve had suitors whom I would deem truly serious in that they seemed more determined than the others, but quite a few eligible gentlemen have sent flowers and called. It happens every day. Lord Colbert had the advantage of my father’s approval. We’ve only just become affianced, and, in truth, I can’t tell you anything remarkable about him. He’s very…pleasant.”
How inadequate it sounded when put that way.
Lord Andrews didn’t comment but something flickered in his eyes. “Can you think of anyone who might resent your choosing him?”
“Another suitor? As you’ve mentioned before, would they lock me in with you as retaliation?”
If the tart tone of her voice bothered him, he didn’t show it. “A valid point, but perhaps if there was another young lady angling for Colbert’s title and fortune, there might be an interest in removing you from the fray, as it were.”
She hadn’t thought of that, but there were flaws in the theory. “Please explain to me,” Elena said with all due practicality, “how a young woman my age could possibly orchestrate something so elaborate and costly. I certainlycouldn’t. My allowance doesn’t include funds for rare whiskey or armed guards.”
“What about one of the ambitious mothers that usually make me run in the other direction when in their company?”
That hadn’t occurred to her either, but neither did she subscribe to the possibility that she was the focus of this absurd abduction. Slowly she shook her head. “I can’t think of anyone who is a rival in the sense you mean.”
“It might not have been obvious. But jealousy is a powerful emotion.”
Elena considered him
For whatever reason she found that incongruous. The disreputable Andrews was the guardian of a charge he must launch into society in just a few years? As diplomatically as possible she murmured, “I didn’t know, but,then again, though people do talk about you, they don’t mention those sorts of details.”
His mouth twisted a little. “I can only imagine what kind they do mention.”
“Actually, not too much in front of me, but it is easy enough to get the gist of it.”
“Wicked is as wicked does. Is that it?”
She didn’t flinch from looking him in the eye. “Just about right, my lord.”
“Some of it might even be true. How is,” he said with idle inflection, “the season so far?”
How come she got the impression that question wasn’t idle at all? And yet the switch in topic was welcome. “I’m engaged.”
“I thought I saw the announcement recently. Colbert, is it? We’ve crossed paths but we really are not well acquainted. Tell me about him.”
The jeweled light through the windows gave sapphire tints to his dark hair and slanted a ruby streak across one lean cheek, touching the corner of his mouth. Cautiously she asked, “Could you be more specific?”
“I am still trying to make sense of this.”
“How could Lord—”
“Indulge me. What can it hurt? As I said, we have nothing but time.”
That seemed to be unfortunate but true.
Elena regarded him thoughtfully. “You still believe this is directed somehow at me.”
He shrugged, broad shoulders moving under the black silk. “As I said, I don’t know, but we both must admit that someone has gone through a great deal of trouble. For instance, that whiskey”—he pointed to a decanter that had been brought with their luncheon—“isactually rather hard to obtain and a particular favorite of mine. It isn’t a secret, but, also not necessarily common knowledge. Why would our captor bother when I have been deemed replaceable and threatened with bodily harm?”
“I don’t know.” When she remembered the man with the pistol pointed straight at Andrews’s heart, she could hardly disagree. Casting back, she tried to recall anything she could that might be related to their current incomprehensible state of imprisonment. “The season has seemed rather uneventful, if you ask me. I’ve had suitors whom I would deem truly serious in that they seemed more determined than the others, but quite a few eligible gentlemen have sent flowers and called. It happens every day. Lord Colbert had the advantage of my father’s approval. We’ve only just become affianced, and, in truth, I can’t tell you anything remarkable about him. He’s very…pleasant.”
How inadequate it sounded when put that way.
Lord Andrews didn’t comment but something flickered in his eyes. “Can you think of anyone who might resent your choosing him?”
“Another suitor? As you’ve mentioned before, would they lock me in with you as retaliation?”
If the tart tone of her voice bothered him, he didn’t show it. “A valid point, but perhaps if there was another young lady angling for Colbert’s title and fortune, there might be an interest in removing you from the fray, as it were.”
She hadn’t thought of that, but there were flaws in the theory. “Please explain to me,” Elena said with all due practicality, “how a young woman my age could possibly orchestrate something so elaborate and costly. I certainlycouldn’t. My allowance doesn’t include funds for rare whiskey or armed guards.”
“What about one of the ambitious mothers that usually make me run in the other direction when in their company?”
That hadn’t occurred to her either, but neither did she subscribe to the possibility that she was the focus of this absurd abduction. Slowly she shook her head. “I can’t think of anyone who is a rival in the sense you mean.”
“It might not have been obvious. But jealousy is a powerful emotion.”
Elena considered him
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