In Bed With the Devil by Lorraine Heath

need to investigate that.”
    â€œI don’t care about her father or her brother. Concentrate on the girl. She’s all I care about.”
    He realized what he’d said, considered rewording it, then decided against it. Making an issue of it would only serve to give his words credence they didn’t deserve. He took a long swallow of the whiskey. It was tempting, but he couldn’t afford to overindulge in spirits tonight.
    â€œWhat if the answer concerns her father or brother?”
    Luke sighed. “Do what you think best. Just find out who she wants me to kill and why.”
    â€œWhat if she’s the only one who knows?”
    â€œShe has to have told someone.”
    â€œYou didn’t. Not until the deed was done.”
    â€œNot true. I told someone.” Jack. His confessor in all things. And more often than not, his conspirator.
    â€œJack. You told Jack. You always trusted him more than you trusted the rest of us.”
    â€œHe’s the one who found me, shivering, starving, wretchedly afraid. I daresay I’d have died if he’d not taken care of me, taken me to Feagan.”
    â€œYou know as well as I that Feagan paid us for recruitments. You were merely threepence in Jack’s pocket.”
    â€œAre you jealous of my friendship with Jack?”
    â€œDon’t be absurd. But you speak as though his motives in rescuing you were pure. Nothing about Jack is pure.”
    â€œHe saved your arse on more than one occasion.”
    â€œAnd I like him, but I don’t trust him, not completely.”
    â€œWith our upbringing, with what we learned about the world, do you think any of us completely trusts anyone?”
    â€œI trust you. I’d follow you into hell without questioning why we were going.”
    â€œYou’ve just made my point, because I’m the least trustworthy of us all. No one can be completely trusted. No one’s motives are pure. Which brings us back to Catherine Mabry. Find out all you can about her.”
    Because Luke had a feeling she was leading him straight into hell, but unlike Jim, Luke wanted to know why.
    Luke downed his whiskey and got up to pour himself another glass.
    â€œHow did the lesson go?” Jim asked as he walked over and held out his glass.
    Luke splashed some whiskey into it. “Catherine won’t speak of it. She said I’ll see the results when I see the results. She vexes me as I’ve never been vexed. Do you know she actually had the audacity to question my selection of a wife? She’s impertinent. I’ve never known a woman such as her.” He rubbed his brow. “She makes my head hurt.”
    â€œYou’ve always been troubled with head pains.”
    â€œIt’s been awhile. I’ve some powder to relieve it. Not to worry.”
    Jim set down his glass. “I’ll be off then. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll have more luck.”
    â€œPerhaps we both will.”

Chapter 7
    â€œI have it on good authority that Mr. Marcus Langdon has filed a bill in the Court of Chancery in order to reclaim his English estates. It is a start toward reclaiming his rightful title,” Lady Charlotte said.
    Catherine and Winnie, along with the Countess of Chesney, were having afternoon tea in Lady Charlotte’s garden. While she’d only recently had her coming out, her father, the Earl of Mill-bank, was most anxious for her to marry. Who could blame him? She was the first of four gossipy daughters, which was one of the reasons she had frequent visitors. She seemed to know things before most people did.
    â€œThen you mustn’t do anything to discourage his interest,” the Countess of Chesney said.
    Lady Charlotte smiled knowingly. Obviously her good authority was Mr. Langdon himself. Catherine had seen them dancing together at balls and walking through Hyde Park. Still, she hadn’t realized Lady Charlotte’s interest in the untitled gentleman was so