Deadly Engagement: A Georgian Historical Mystery (Alec Halsey Crimance) by Lucinda Brant

of coffee with all those prying eyes upon us. Especially with Edward not an arm’s length away and staring daggers at me for flirting with you. But I couldn’t let him get away with ogling Selina’s breasts throughout soup, even if they are bigger than mine.” She laughed. “You should’ve seen the way he stomped out onto the balcony after you and little Emily! I’d no idea you’d been out there alone with his silly betrothed until he brought her back inside.”
    “You said you saw Jack the day before the duel…”
    “Don’t you want to know what Lady Margaret said about you? It’s all over town.”
    “First tell me about Jack.”
    She sighed impatiently. “Very well. Only if you come over here.” She smiled when he complied but made no effort to give him any room on the sofa. “I saw Jack Belsay in Hyde Park. He was with Selina; they’re cousins, y’know. Then Simon came up—”
    “Your brother?”
    She nodded. “He didn’t seem to know Selina because I remember watching Lord Belsay introduce them. I remember particularly because I thought it odd that Simon should even know Jack Belsay. Simon knows Edward, y’know.”
    “In passing, or something more?”
    Lady Gervais looked at him from under her lashes. “Oh, I’m sure not in that way. Edward loathes petit-mâtres .” She traced the intricate pattern on the sleeve of his dressing gown. “Don’t trust Simon. He and Edward have known each other for years; since before you went to—to—The Hague? Simon is in Edward’s pay. Edward asks and Simon tells.”
    Alec slowly let out a breath. “I see. Thank you for telling me. I don’t know why you did but I am grateful.”
    She smiled saucily. “Don’t you? You see, I can’t resist the promise in a man’s muscular thighs,” she confessed on a purr as she undid the horn buttons of his white shirt. “It was Simon who blurted it about town you were courting Emily. Strange, that you would be interested in her too… Edward’s not in love with her. He doesn’t have strong feelings for any female, except perhaps Selina…”
    “Is that so? And you want to share my bed so you can throw it in his face in the morning? That’s hardly a novel approach, is it, Cindy?”
    She slid a hand inside his unbuttoned shirt and said at her most seductive, “That is a direct way of putting it. Perhaps that was my original thought… But once I set eyes on you… Well, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share your bed.”
    He caught up her hand. “I’m flattered, naturally. But I want you to tell me what Lady Margaret told you.”
    Lady Gervais pouted. “We’re wasting a perfectly lovely evening. I’d much rather—”
    “Please,” he asked and kissed the inside of her wrist, the smell of strong perfume mingled with stale smoke unpleasant and lingering.
    “Very well,” she sighed, snuggling into him. Her free hand found the buttons of his breeches. “Of course Lady Margaret is furious with Edward for killing her son. That’s not surprising. But what I don’t understand is why Jack and Edward fought a duel over Emily in the first place. I mean, she has nothing to recommend her but her youth!”
    “Then why did they fight a duel? Over you perhaps?”
    “Oh! You are sweet!” she gasped looking up into his eyes. “I wish it had been over me. But it wasn’t. I’ve no idea why they dueled. But you want to know about my interview with Lady Margaret…” She deftly undid two breeches buttons. “Are you really the eldest brother? It’s amazing to me that you can be, after all how can one make a younger brother an elder brother, if you understand my meaning? Your mother must’ve planned such a deception and with the blessing of the attending physician! And how could such a circumstance be kept from your father? And then there’s the servants. And why would she want to make such a switch unless she had a very good reason to do so—”
    Alec stayed her hand at the third button. “I wouldn’t