Read Online Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick - Free Book Online Page B

interest gleamed in his eyes. "Did the nanny say how he died?" 41some sort of sudden illness while he was visiting one of his estates, I believe. I did not inquire into the details." "I see." Tobias set the cup very carefully into the saucer. "You say she did not admit to being blackmailed?" "No." Lavinia hesitated. "She did not actually say she had received extortion threats. But her manner convinced me that she knew very well what I was talking about. I believe she is quite desperate and I would not be surprised to hear from her soon." It was still early when Tobias walked into the club later that day. The hushed atmosphere was disturbed only by the faint rustle of newspaper pages being turned, cups clattering in saucers, and the occasional clink of a bottle of port against a glass. Most of the heads visible above the backs of the large, cushioned reading chairs were fringed with gray At this hour most of those present tended to be of an age when a man took more interest in whist and the funds than in mistresses and fashion. The younger club members were either shooting pistols at the targets set up at Manton's or paying calls on their tailors. Their wives and mistresses were no doubt occupied with shopping, Tobias reflected. The two categories of females frequently patronized the same modistes and milliners. It was not unheard of for a gentleman's lady to come face-to-face with his ladybird over a bolt of fabric. in such cases the wife, of course, was expected to ignore the demirep. But if the wife in question happened to be of Lavinia's reckless, fiery temperament, he thought, the bit-o'-muslin would likely be well and truly shredded before the end of the encounter. For some reason the image amused him in spite of his dark mood. Then it occurred to him that when she had finished with the mistress, Lavinia would no doubt corner her husband, who would likely get the worst of it. He stopped smiling. "Ah, there you are, March." Lord Crackenburne lowered his newspaper and peered at Tobias over the rims of his spectacles. "Thought I'd see you here today" "Good day to you, Sir." Tobias took the chair on the other side of the hearth. Absently he started to rub his right leg. "You are very wise to have taken up residence here by the fire. This is no afternoon to be running all over town. The rain has turned the streets to mud." "I have not engaged in anything so strenuous as running all over town for over thirty years." Crackenburne's gray brows rose and fell above his spectacles. "I prefer to let the world come to me.1) "Yes, I know." Crackenburne had more or less lived here at his club since the death of his beloved wife a decade earlier. Tobias made it a point to visit with him often. Their friendship went back nearly twenty years, to the day when Tobias, fresh from Oxford and quite penniless, had applied to become Crackenburne's man of business. To this day he did not know why the earl, a man of impeccable lineage, extensive resources, and personal connections to some of the highest-ranking members of Society, had agreed to employ an inexperienced young man with no references and no family But Tobias knew he would be eternally grateful for Crackenburne's trust. He had ceased to handle Crackenburne's financial and business affairs five years ago when he had gone into the private inquiry line, but he continued to value the older man's advice and wisdom. In addition, Crackenburne's penchant for spending most of his time here in his club made him a useful source of rumors and gossip. He always seemed to know the latest on dit. Crackenburne rattled his paper and turned a page. "Now then, what is this I hear about the murder of a certain gambler last night?" "I'm impressed." Tobias smiled wryly "How did you come to learn that piece of news? Is it in the papers?" "No. I eavesdropped on a conversation that was conducted over a game of cards this morning. I recognized Holton Felix's name, naturally, since you had asked me about the man