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new Viscountess Hunterston.”
    Edmund leaned an elbow on one knee and rested his round chin in his hand. “Isn’t she a reformer of some sort? Someone said something to me about that just last week.” He frowned. “Wish I could remember.”
    “She works with the Society for Wayward Women,” said Alec shortly. The quicker it was out in the open, the better.
    Edmund sat bolt upright and snapped his fingers. “I remember! Dunston’s sister, Lady Nottley, told it to me. Daresay you don’t know Lady Nottley, but she is a sharp-tongued harridan, twice your size, Lucien. Used to be married to old man Nottley before she drove him insane. Dunston runs every time he sees her coming. He says she’s got a deadly left hook, but I think he could take her on. He’s not really fat, just big boned and—”
    “Is there a point to this?” asked Lucien acidly.
    Edmund looked affronted. “Well, yes. Lady Nottley said Therese was complaining that the Frant Dra—” He swallowed and cast an apologetic glance at Alec. “I mean Lady Hunterston— disappears for hours on end. Said she comes home dirty, her gown all mucked up, looking like a scullery maid. Apparently she visits the slums and don’t come home ‘til after dark. 1 don’t care what you say, Alec, people’re bound to talk if she keeps that up.”
    Alec scowled. “Nonsense.”
    “She’ll have to stop,” said Edmund, matter-of-factly.
    “You can’t have a scandal and you never know what will put people off.”
    Alec set his glass on the table. “How could Julia cause a scandal sponsoring a charity? Many members of the
ton
have favorite charities. Lucien’s aunts have half a dozen between the lot of them.”
    “Yes, but they give money,” Lucien said. “Much as I hate to say it, the stripling is right. Such odd behavior is bound to cause talk. Do you think you could speak with her? Perhaps warn her off about being so public with her ventures.”
    “By Jove, that’s the very thing,” said Edmund, beaming. “No need to raise a dust; just tell her to be more discreet.”
    From the little Alec knew of Julia Frant, he doubted she would take a hint any better than she took a direct command. He shifted in his chair. “She’s very dedicated.” Far more than he liked, now that he thought about it. Though he had been married to Julia less than twenty-four hours, he had already discovered she was a woman of incredible determination. From causes to kisses, she committed herself passionately or not at all.
    Of all the things he knew about Julia, that scared him the most. For the first time, he wondered how much of his funds would be going to her charity. Far too much, he supposed, feeling glum. He wouldn’t be surprised to find that she meant to squander half her portion on such things.
    “I don’t suppose she’d be willing to find another charity? One that meets in a better part of town?” Edmund saw the answer in Alec’s flat stare and sighed his sympathy. “I know how it is. Once a female gets a maggoty notion in her head, there’s no reasoning with her.”
    “There is also the matter of Therese,” Lucien said. “She’s bound to cause trouble once she realizes what’s happened.” ‘
    A pucker appeared on Edmund’s smooth forehead.
    “You should have seen her last night, crowing like a rooster and looking so smug it was all I could do to speak with a civil tongue.”
    “I’m not worried about Therese,” said Alec impatiently. “Nick is the one to watch. He will stop at nothing to win the fortune.”
    Lucien blew a ring of smoke and watched it ascend to the ceiling in a lazy cloud. “What our Julia needs is a champion.”
    “A champion?” echoed Edmund. “Like one of those knights who used to run amuck, riding white horses and challenging people to duels and God knows what else?”
    A faint smile curved the duke’s mouth. “Nothing quite that drastic. Julia needs someone who has her interests at heart. Someone who will smooth the path for