Nothing But Scandal by Allegra Gray Page A

her family.
    Brian signaled a servant for port and cigars.
    When the two men were alone, Brian swirled his port, intently studying the dark liquid.
    “I’ve seen the way you look at her,” he said meaningfully.
    “Marian?” Alex echoed. Revulsion flooded him. She was his sister .
    Brian laughed. “Of course not—though you should have seen your face just now. I know your soul is black, Alex, but if I thought for one moment that were the case, you wouldn’t be here.” He selected a cigar. “Unless I invited you here to kill you with my bare hands. No, I was referring to our pretty young governess.”
    Alex, a longtime card player, knew when to keep his expression neutral. He didn’t deny the accusation—Brian was no fool. Instead, mirroring his brother-in-law’s sudden fascination with his glass, he traced the rim of his own, coolly meeting Brian’s gaze as though waiting for him to finish.
    The men passed a minute in silence. Brian lit his cigar, took a few experimental puffs.
    “Marian told me she’s Quality,” Brian finally said. “I hardly ever go into London during the Season, so I’m not familiar with her family. I take it you are.”
    “We’d met.”
    “And?”
    Alex shrugged. “I gambled with her father a few times before he passed.”
    “I see.” But the assessing look in his brother-in-law’s eyes said he knew Alex wasn’t being entirely forthcoming. “I thought perhaps you’d been personally acquainted. You do, after all, have a reputation with the ladies.”
    Alex had a good idea where Brian was going with this conversation, but he wasn’t going to make it easy on him. “Miss Medford was not among my closest acquaintances, though I’m sure we attended some of the same functions.”
    Brian shifted tack. “Marian tells me her qualifications are excellent.”
    “I’m sure they are.”
    “It’s important to her—Marian—that the children are looked after well.”
    “Marian’s a good mother.”
    Brian shifted in his seat, his discomfort apparent as he adjusted his jacket. “Must be tough on the girl if her family’s fallen on hard times. Marian says she prefers to keep to herself. Attractive chit like that, having to work for a living.”
    “A shame,” Alex allowed. “Though she seems to manage it all with grace.”
    Brian leaned back in his chair. “I’m a simple man, Alex—I just like to keep peace in my household. And it occurred to me that you probably unsettle her, remind her of how much she’s lost.” The merest hint of warning invaded his pleasant tone. “Better to let her be. She doesn’t have much left to lose.”
    Alex narrowed his gaze. The rebel in him, the duke, bristled at having his behavior challenged. The man in him held a grudging respect for his brother-in-law’s devotion to his family and staff.
    Brian cleared his throat, sipped his port. “Well, no matter. You’ve already said you leave on the morrow.”
     
    Elizabeth was confused. She’d been certain, absolutely certain, after their aborted carriage ride, that Alex would redouble his efforts to seduce her.
    Instead, he’d disappeared.
    Telling herself it was for the best didn’t help. She’d been on the verge of complete capitulation—and had been eagerly anticipating how he might contact her next—only to wake on Monday and discover he’d departed for London.
    She’d stumbled through morning lessons with Henry and Clara, gladly turning the children over to the nurse at luncheon. Now she paced her little room, wondering what had gone wrong.
    She should be relieved Alex was gone. Every moment spent alone with the duke was a threat to her reputation. But her heart refused to listen to her mind’s logic.
    After what had happened in the carriage, why had he not stayed to complete the seduction?
    She flushed guiltily. It was true she’d dreamed of the duke for years, but recently her dreams had taken a rather wicked turn. She wanted to know what it was to lie with a man. Beatrice had