acquaintancesin low places as they think they do. I begin to believe that’s where we’ll find our Mistress Nell’s proper—or, rather, improper—place.”
Camille drew in a startled breath. How could Belle know what Nell had just confessed to her? She wasn’t superstitious, but she was ready to believe her sister-in-law was a witch until she spoke again.
“I don’t know why I don’t trust her,” Belle mused. “But I know a conniver when I see one.” She sighed. “Oh, lud. I suppose once I was one myself. I wasn’t happy unless I won every masculine heart I came across. I didn’t like myself much then, but I certainly didn’t care for anyone else either, not even the men I was after.” She turned a sober blue stare on her sister-in-law. “Let’s get our heroine united with her family, Camille. I’m willing to bet anything that Eric won’t think twice about her after we do.”
Chapter 7
T he summons came at dinner.
Miles took the note from the silver salver his butler brought him. He read it and smiled. “It seems we’re invited to Eric’s house this evening,” he announced.
“Is he sick again?” Camille blurted, starting up from her chair, her face growing pale.
“He’d scarcely send us an invitation to view that,” Belle said, giving Camille a pained look. Camille sat down, though she didn’t give up the white-knuckled grip she had on her napkin. “But it is late, Miles,” Belle said, turning her attention to her husband. “Why does he want us to fly over there now, at the drop of a hat?”
“He apologizes for that,” Miles said. “But it’s avery nice hat, one I don’t think you’d want to miss seeing. He’s also invited Rafe and Brenna. And our old friend Drum. The earl of Drummond,” he explained to Nell, who was watching, wide-eyed. “Seems he just arrived in London for the Season. He and Rafe were thick as thieves in the old days. Come to think of it, the rumor is they were thieves and worse—or better, in their case—in the service of His Majesty in the wars. They have many a tale to tell and as time goes by they tell more of them. So shall we go there even at such short notice?”
“Of course,” Belle said eagerly. “I’ll just change my gown.”
“You look very well,” he said.
“But you know I always want to look very, very well,” she laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be quick about it. I’m as curious as you are.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or are you? You know something I don’t know. Confess!”
“And take the fun out of it? Never. Coming, ladies?” he asked Camille and Nell.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Camille said excitedly. “Can I wear this, Belle? Or should I put on the pink? Or my new ice-blue or—”
“The new blue,” Belle said.
“Am I invited too?” Nell asked timidly.
“Oh, I don’t think we could get in without you,” Miles said. “You see, the other guest will be your cousin Dana.”
Nell went stone-still; her face became impassive.“Dana?” she finally said. “I didn’t know I had such a cousin.”
“You do,” Miles said, offering the note to her. “We’re very sure of that, and so is he. He’d be in a position to know. Your cousin, Dana Bartlett, is a barrister. A lawyer, Nell.”
“How very…how very wonderful,” Nell said, although the look on her face was not glee.
Camille was beyond gleeful. She was ecstatic. Nell’s family had been found! She’d be leaving, they might not see her again, and there was every chance that once she was gone, Eric wouldn’t be seeing her again either. Camille’s racing pulses slowed. Well, maybe he would. And if he did? There was nothing she could do about it. She had to deal with what was. And what was—was that she was free again. She didn’t have to look after Nell or feel guilty for not doing so, and best of all, there’d be less opportunity for Eric to look at her at all.
She whirled in front of her mirror, dancing in place with her new blue gown held
Camille drew in a startled breath. How could Belle know what Nell had just confessed to her? She wasn’t superstitious, but she was ready to believe her sister-in-law was a witch until she spoke again.
“I don’t know why I don’t trust her,” Belle mused. “But I know a conniver when I see one.” She sighed. “Oh, lud. I suppose once I was one myself. I wasn’t happy unless I won every masculine heart I came across. I didn’t like myself much then, but I certainly didn’t care for anyone else either, not even the men I was after.” She turned a sober blue stare on her sister-in-law. “Let’s get our heroine united with her family, Camille. I’m willing to bet anything that Eric won’t think twice about her after we do.”
Chapter 7
T he summons came at dinner.
Miles took the note from the silver salver his butler brought him. He read it and smiled. “It seems we’re invited to Eric’s house this evening,” he announced.
“Is he sick again?” Camille blurted, starting up from her chair, her face growing pale.
“He’d scarcely send us an invitation to view that,” Belle said, giving Camille a pained look. Camille sat down, though she didn’t give up the white-knuckled grip she had on her napkin. “But it is late, Miles,” Belle said, turning her attention to her husband. “Why does he want us to fly over there now, at the drop of a hat?”
“He apologizes for that,” Miles said. “But it’s avery nice hat, one I don’t think you’d want to miss seeing. He’s also invited Rafe and Brenna. And our old friend Drum. The earl of Drummond,” he explained to Nell, who was watching, wide-eyed. “Seems he just arrived in London for the Season. He and Rafe were thick as thieves in the old days. Come to think of it, the rumor is they were thieves and worse—or better, in their case—in the service of His Majesty in the wars. They have many a tale to tell and as time goes by they tell more of them. So shall we go there even at such short notice?”
“Of course,” Belle said eagerly. “I’ll just change my gown.”
“You look very well,” he said.
“But you know I always want to look very, very well,” she laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be quick about it. I’m as curious as you are.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or are you? You know something I don’t know. Confess!”
“And take the fun out of it? Never. Coming, ladies?” he asked Camille and Nell.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Camille said excitedly. “Can I wear this, Belle? Or should I put on the pink? Or my new ice-blue or—”
“The new blue,” Belle said.
“Am I invited too?” Nell asked timidly.
“Oh, I don’t think we could get in without you,” Miles said. “You see, the other guest will be your cousin Dana.”
Nell went stone-still; her face became impassive.“Dana?” she finally said. “I didn’t know I had such a cousin.”
“You do,” Miles said, offering the note to her. “We’re very sure of that, and so is he. He’d be in a position to know. Your cousin, Dana Bartlett, is a barrister. A lawyer, Nell.”
“How very…how very wonderful,” Nell said, although the look on her face was not glee.
Camille was beyond gleeful. She was ecstatic. Nell’s family had been found! She’d be leaving, they might not see her again, and there was every chance that once she was gone, Eric wouldn’t be seeing her again either. Camille’s racing pulses slowed. Well, maybe he would. And if he did? There was nothing she could do about it. She had to deal with what was. And what was—was that she was free again. She didn’t have to look after Nell or feel guilty for not doing so, and best of all, there’d be less opportunity for Eric to look at her at all.
She whirled in front of her mirror, dancing in place with her new blue gown held
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