Read Online Slave to the Night (The Brotherhood Series, Book 2) by Adele Clee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Adele Clee
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consider all you have said."
"Excellent," Evelyn beamed. "Let us return to the gentlemen. We will break with convention and tell Mrs. Anderson we'll eat in the parlour."
As they walked back into the parlour, Grace's attention was drawn to the empty sofa.
Evelyn looked about the room as Lord Hale stood. "Are you alone?" she asked with a hint of surprise.
Lord Hale cleared his throat. "Elliot offered his apologies. He has a prior engagement and has taken his leave. He asked me to tell you, Mrs. Denton, that he will make some enquiries whilst out in the hope of finding your sister."
"What could be more important than his engagement here?" Evelyn sounded most put out.
"Erm … Lady Fortescue's ball. I believe he agreed to accompany Leo."
Grace suppressed her disappointment. She was familiar with the distraction techniques of men. Avoidance was by far the simplest way of dealing with any emotion.
Grace turned to Evelyn. "Would you mind if I went upstairs for a while?"
"Of course not. Would you like Mrs. Anderson to bring your dinner up to you?"
Grace forced a smile. "If it's no trouble."
"It's no trouble at all. And if you need anything more don't hesitate to ask."
As she climbed the stairs to her room, her thoughts were drawn back to her rogue of a dead husband. No one had spoken up for her. No one had come to her aid. She had been pushed and cajoled into a situation that had brought nothing but heartache.
Caroline had acted selfishly — Grace refused to let bitterness cloud her judgement and behave the same way.
Henry had acted abominably — never again would she be ignored by a man or be treated as a worthless object, someone unworthy, inferior.
If Elliot Markham expected her to sit at home with her embroidery frame and wait for news, then he was sorely mistaken.
Chapter 7
"I want to hear it all," Leo said as they stared nonchalantly at the hordes of happy couples dancing. "Caroline Rosemond, who would have thought." He gave a drawn-out whistle. "And you said nothing could tempt you to accept an offer from such a celebrated courtesan."
"Nothing did," Elliot remarked cryptically, offering Lady Fortescue a respectful nod as she sauntered by.
For some unfathomable reason, he was tired of their usual antics. Looking for the next conquest had lost its appeal. Leo pointed out a few ladies alerting them to their availability by tapping their fans to their hearts. The irony of the gesture was not lost on him and brought to mind Grace Denton's insistence that lust without sentiment left her cold.
"You should avoid the ones with wigs and powdered faces," Elliot said with some amusement, "as you're sure to find nothing but frogs and toads beneath."
Leo raised a curious brow. "You're in a strange mood this evening." When Elliot didn't bother to reply, he added, "Well. Are you going to tell me why you took Miss Rosemond into your home? Why you have broken two of the rules you so rigidly observe."
"I did not break them both," Elliot said with a sigh. "The lady you saw was not Caroline Rosemond." He did not give Leo a chance to show his surprise as in a stern tone he added, "You're not to say a word of it to anyone. As a brother, I am asking for your discretion in the matter."
"Of course. Although I fear you were either in your cups or may be in dire need of spectacles."
Just as there were similarities between the sisters, the differences were just as striking. As her name suggested, Grace possessed a natural elegance. Everything about Caroline was contrived. Grace's inner beauty shone through, whereas Caroline radiated nothing but conceit.
"The lady you met was Mrs. Denton, Caroline's sister. Miss Rosemond has not been seen for a few days. There's a fear something untoward has occurred."
As expected, Leo made an odd puffing noise. "She's probably off on some jaunt with her latest beau, lounging naked in front of a warm fire whilst being fed exotic fruit. Or perhaps she's in Brighton,
"Excellent," Evelyn beamed. "Let us return to the gentlemen. We will break with convention and tell Mrs. Anderson we'll eat in the parlour."
As they walked back into the parlour, Grace's attention was drawn to the empty sofa.
Evelyn looked about the room as Lord Hale stood. "Are you alone?" she asked with a hint of surprise.
Lord Hale cleared his throat. "Elliot offered his apologies. He has a prior engagement and has taken his leave. He asked me to tell you, Mrs. Denton, that he will make some enquiries whilst out in the hope of finding your sister."
"What could be more important than his engagement here?" Evelyn sounded most put out.
"Erm … Lady Fortescue's ball. I believe he agreed to accompany Leo."
Grace suppressed her disappointment. She was familiar with the distraction techniques of men. Avoidance was by far the simplest way of dealing with any emotion.
Grace turned to Evelyn. "Would you mind if I went upstairs for a while?"
"Of course not. Would you like Mrs. Anderson to bring your dinner up to you?"
Grace forced a smile. "If it's no trouble."
"It's no trouble at all. And if you need anything more don't hesitate to ask."
As she climbed the stairs to her room, her thoughts were drawn back to her rogue of a dead husband. No one had spoken up for her. No one had come to her aid. She had been pushed and cajoled into a situation that had brought nothing but heartache.
Caroline had acted selfishly — Grace refused to let bitterness cloud her judgement and behave the same way.
Henry had acted abominably — never again would she be ignored by a man or be treated as a worthless object, someone unworthy, inferior.
If Elliot Markham expected her to sit at home with her embroidery frame and wait for news, then he was sorely mistaken.
Chapter 7
"I want to hear it all," Leo said as they stared nonchalantly at the hordes of happy couples dancing. "Caroline Rosemond, who would have thought." He gave a drawn-out whistle. "And you said nothing could tempt you to accept an offer from such a celebrated courtesan."
"Nothing did," Elliot remarked cryptically, offering Lady Fortescue a respectful nod as she sauntered by.
For some unfathomable reason, he was tired of their usual antics. Looking for the next conquest had lost its appeal. Leo pointed out a few ladies alerting them to their availability by tapping their fans to their hearts. The irony of the gesture was not lost on him and brought to mind Grace Denton's insistence that lust without sentiment left her cold.
"You should avoid the ones with wigs and powdered faces," Elliot said with some amusement, "as you're sure to find nothing but frogs and toads beneath."
Leo raised a curious brow. "You're in a strange mood this evening." When Elliot didn't bother to reply, he added, "Well. Are you going to tell me why you took Miss Rosemond into your home? Why you have broken two of the rules you so rigidly observe."
"I did not break them both," Elliot said with a sigh. "The lady you saw was not Caroline Rosemond." He did not give Leo a chance to show his surprise as in a stern tone he added, "You're not to say a word of it to anyone. As a brother, I am asking for your discretion in the matter."
"Of course. Although I fear you were either in your cups or may be in dire need of spectacles."
Just as there were similarities between the sisters, the differences were just as striking. As her name suggested, Grace possessed a natural elegance. Everything about Caroline was contrived. Grace's inner beauty shone through, whereas Caroline radiated nothing but conceit.
"The lady you met was Mrs. Denton, Caroline's sister. Miss Rosemond has not been seen for a few days. There's a fear something untoward has occurred."
As expected, Leo made an odd puffing noise. "She's probably off on some jaunt with her latest beau, lounging naked in front of a warm fire whilst being fed exotic fruit. Or perhaps she's in Brighton,
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