The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville

of the picturesque!” Thomas recognized the new voice. The Duke of Denford had stolen up on them.
    â€œI’ve never heard of the fellow. But he sounds like a sensible man.”
    â€œHis work on The Worship of Priapus is a brilliant examination of the ancient phallic cults. Otherwise, his ideas are nonsense.”
    â€œI’d like to remind you, Denford,” Thomas said stiffly, “that we are in the presence of a lady.” A lady who was giggling again.
    â€œDon’t worry on my account, Lord Stuffy. I’ve read the book. Robert had a copy. Very dull, though the illustrations were interesting.”
    It was a good thing Denford had appeared. Her response reminded Thomas of Mrs. Townsend’s very real faults, her many charms notwithstanding. Miss Brotherton was now free of the ancient Mr. Ashley. He made his way over to her, hoping for time to converse before the threatened entertainment. Perhaps he could then escape.
    Her perfectly gracious greeting and smile had no unsettling effect on his emotions. Her manner and dress were notable for their propriety, her breeding and fortune impeccable. After a brief exchange of conventional politesse, they stood together without a thing to say to each other.
    â€œI understand,” he said, “that we are to be gratified by an address from a distinguished gentleman on the subject of barrows.”
    â€œAre you interested in barrows, Duke?”
    â€œI don’t know much about them, but I’ve always wanted to learn more.”
    â€œReally? What do you know? Have you ever seen one?”
    She wasn’t referring to a handcart, he was pretty sure. A vision of an artificial hill not far from Castleton crossed his mind.
    â€œA hill, a mound, containing . . .” Containing what? Rubbish perhaps, like that other thing she’d talked about. What was it called? A midden.
    â€œAncient graves,” she said, taking pity on him.
    â€œI look forward to hearing all about them.”
    â€œJust as much as Caro is. It took a lot of persuasion to get her here this evening.”
    â€œMay I ask, Miss Brotherton, why we are not dancing at Almack’s? I understand that having me follow you around London is amusing, but why not simply tell me where you wish to spend the evening? And for that matter, why not Almack’s? I thought you wished to come to London to sample some of the delights of the season.”
    â€œAs you may guess, Duke, I’m not addicted to ton pastimes. I enjoy dancing, but not in a place that might refuse admittance to my cousin.”
    â€œMrs. Townsend was refused vouchers?”
    â€œShe never asked for them.”
    The inference was clear. “Is your cousin not received? How do you come to be in her care, then? Lord Morrissey I know to be a most punctilious man.”
    â€œSince my guardian is in Ireland, he wasn’t in a position to forbid my journey. His co-trustee, Mr. Thompson, my grandfather’s man of business, gave me permission for a visit to London. Knowing that my grandfather received Caro, he had no reason to think her an improper chaperone.”
    She spoke without any shame at deceiving her guardian. As he knew, association with Mrs. Townsend could weaken anyone’s moral fiber.
    He couldn’t leave the subject of this dangerous woman. “Mrs. Townsend told me she eloped as a young girl.”
    Miss Brotherton nodded. “Robert Townsend was her neighbor, a young man of good birth and an excellent estate, but he had a wild reputation, and Caro’s mother disapproved.”
    â€œHer father?”
    â€œMy great-uncle was dead. After the marriage, my aunt Elizabeth cast Caro off, refused to see her. My grandfather, who loathed his sister-in-law, always said it was her fault that the scandal was not forgotten after the marriage.”
    â€œWas the marriage a happy one?”
    â€œCaro was devoted to Robert, and mourned him, still mourns him,