Bedding Lord Ned by Sally Mackenzie Page B

long-sleeved, high-necked, unfashionable dark frock. The red drawers could not be hers.
    But she’d admitted they were.
    He’d risen when he’d seen her—he was a gentleman, though he wasn’t feeling very gentlemanly at the moment. He gave her a curt bow. “Looking for Mr. Cox, Ellie? I’m afraid he must still be abed.”
    She flushed and scowled at him. “I wasn’t looking for Mr. Cox. I saw him in the breakfast room.”
    â€œMr. Humphrey, then?”
    â€œNo.” She sniffed. “Nor Percy or Jack or Ash or your father—and certainly not you.”
    That hurt, but it also made him angry, and anger was a much safer emotion than ... whatever the hell he’d been feeling. “You are unpleasantly pert.”
    â€œI don’t believe I asked your opinion.”
    He wanted to shake her; instead he clasped his hands behind his back and looked down his nose at her. “You are quite right—you didn’t ask. I offered my opinion freely. And here’s another bit of free advice—guard your possessions more closely.”
    â€œGuard my possessions?” She raised her brows, no doubt trying to look haughty, but she couldn’t quite manage to mask her confusion. “What do you mean?”
    â€œReggie has been busy again.”
    She shrugged. “I know that. Your mother made the announcement at breakfast. She put the things he took on a table in the little yellow salon, and I’m happy to tell you I just checked. Nothing of mine is there.”
    â€œNothing of yours is there because I still have the item in my room.”
    Now she was beginning to look a little alarmed, though she tried hard not to show it. “You do?”
    â€œYes. It’s of a rather personal and, er, scandalous nature. I thought you might not wish the company to know about it.”
    Her eyes widened—and then she laughed. “You are teasing me, Lord Edward. I’m sure I don’t own anything s-scandalous that Reggie could possibly have taken. The item is probably Lady Heldon’s or Ophelia’s.” She arched a brow. “Or perhaps it is Lady Juliet’s.”
    He hated this false, brittle gaiety. What had happened to her? Ellie had always been direct and truthful. Well, and he supposed he was being rather less than direct himself. “Oh, no, it’s yours all right. It’s quite distinctive.” He paused. His better self insisted he stop, but his better self was easily silenced. “It’s very ... red.”
    Ellie gasped and turned pale just as Mama and the rest of the party entered.
    Mama focused on them immediately. “Oh, there you two are. Having a bit of a tête-à-tête, then?”
    â€œNo.” Damn it, he felt like a blackguard. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Ellie was upset. “We were just discussing Sir Reginald’s bad habits.”
    â€œYes.” Ellie gave him a small smile of thanks, which only made him feel worse. “Lord Edward was reminding me to secure my possessions.”
    Mama laughed. “I’m afraid that’s a hopeless task, as nothing is secure from Sir Reginald. I don’t know how he does it, but if Reggie wants something, he’ll get it.”
    Humphrey sniffed. “Permit me to say, your grace, that it seems highly unlikely a mere animal could make off with so many objects of such various sizes and shapes. I’m very much afraid one of your guests”—here he looked frowningly at the gathering—“is playing an ill-considered joke on us, and I must register my extreme displeasure at having someone paw through my personal effects.”
    Ned would wager a goodly sum that the false calf belonged to Humphrey. Hmm. He did look a trifle lopsided.
    â€œPaw is the exact word,” Jack said. “Reggie was caught red-handed—or perhaps I should say ‘red-mouthed’ as that’s how he carries his loot—last year.