“My sister is far more intrepid. She never faints in perilous situations.”
“Oh?” Gryff raised a brow.
“Georgie, you are being impertinent again,” said Sophie in a tight whisper.
“I hope that you don’t often find yourself in perilous situations, Miss Lawrance,” said Gryff.
“My sister is the one with the vivid imagination, sir,” answered Sophie. “I lead a very quiet life—”
“Ha! You and Cam were always embroiled in some exciting adventure. Remember the time you had to crawl through a bat-infested cave to rescue him. Both of you smelled like…bats for the next week.”
“Eat your ice cream, Georgie,” snapped Cameron as Connor swallowed a snort of laughter.
“It’s more fun conversing with your friends.”
Gryff moved a touch closer to Sophie’s chair. “Refresh my memory, Miss Lawrance,” he said casually. “Did Mr. Daggett leave Terrington to attend university? Or was it to…” He let his voice trail off.
Cameron cleared his throat, hoping she would pick up on the subtle appeal to keep quiet about his past.
“To see the world?” finished Sophie. “Mr. Daggett has always had an adventurous and independent spirit. Whatever he did, I am sure it was very interesting.”
Oh, well done. Cameron snapped her a mental salute. Sophie was clever, careful, and loyal to a fault in protecting her friends. She could always be counted on in a pinch.
Which was why, come Hell or high water, he was going to rescue her from the sordid cesspool of Dudley and Morton’s plotting.
But first, he needed to extract himself from this uncomfortable meeting without further ado. His friends had already learned far too much.
“Interesting as this conversation is, I must be going. And you—” he took hold of Gryff’s sleeve “—are in danger of being late for your appointment as well. So let us be off.”
Connor, who rarely bothered with such niceties, inclined a gentlemanly bow to the ladies. “It was a pleasure meeting you, ladies. I look forward to seeing you again.”
“Daggett—I thought the name sounded familiar and now I know why.” Hermione sighed as she watched the three men walk away. “Oh, to think I’ve met the Hellhounds, the three most notorious rakes in London.”
“Rakes!” Georgiana’s eyes widened.
Sophie choked on a spoonful of her strawberry ice.
“Oh, good heavens, yes. The newspapers are always full of gossip about those rogues and their scandalous exploits.” Hermione pursed her lips in thought. “Though the stories seem to have quieted down. Perhaps that’s because both the earl and the marquess were recently married.”
“What of Mr. Daggett?” asked Georgiana after a tiny hesitation.
“I don’t recall reading anything about his nuptials. “But then, I don’t pay much attention to Society gossip,” replied Hermione. “Not that there would be much mention of Mr. Daggett’s personal life in the newspaper columns unless he is titled and wealthy.”
“No, he is neither,” said Sophie in a low voice.
“I wonder how he came to be friends with Lord Haddan and Lord Killingworth?” mused her aunt.
So do I.
“I can well imagine that there’s a fascinating story to it,” said Georgiana.
Sophie set down her spoon. “Your imagination—not to speak of your tongue—is becoming far too exuberant for a well-bred young lady. You must keep your passions in check, Georgie, else they may land you in the suds.”
Her sister scowled but had the good sense not to argue.
Ha—who am I to talk about keeping passion in check? Praying that the telltale flush on her cheeks would not give her away, she dropped her gaze, feeling a little like a hypocrite.
Hermione fished a pair of spectacles out of her reticule and consulted her neatly penciled shopping list. “Oh, dear.” She made a small clucking sound. “We have a few more stops to make than I realized, girls. If you are finished with your treats, we had best be off.”
After the packages had been
“Oh?” Gryff raised a brow.
“Georgie, you are being impertinent again,” said Sophie in a tight whisper.
“I hope that you don’t often find yourself in perilous situations, Miss Lawrance,” said Gryff.
“My sister is the one with the vivid imagination, sir,” answered Sophie. “I lead a very quiet life—”
“Ha! You and Cam were always embroiled in some exciting adventure. Remember the time you had to crawl through a bat-infested cave to rescue him. Both of you smelled like…bats for the next week.”
“Eat your ice cream, Georgie,” snapped Cameron as Connor swallowed a snort of laughter.
“It’s more fun conversing with your friends.”
Gryff moved a touch closer to Sophie’s chair. “Refresh my memory, Miss Lawrance,” he said casually. “Did Mr. Daggett leave Terrington to attend university? Or was it to…” He let his voice trail off.
Cameron cleared his throat, hoping she would pick up on the subtle appeal to keep quiet about his past.
“To see the world?” finished Sophie. “Mr. Daggett has always had an adventurous and independent spirit. Whatever he did, I am sure it was very interesting.”
Oh, well done. Cameron snapped her a mental salute. Sophie was clever, careful, and loyal to a fault in protecting her friends. She could always be counted on in a pinch.
Which was why, come Hell or high water, he was going to rescue her from the sordid cesspool of Dudley and Morton’s plotting.
But first, he needed to extract himself from this uncomfortable meeting without further ado. His friends had already learned far too much.
“Interesting as this conversation is, I must be going. And you—” he took hold of Gryff’s sleeve “—are in danger of being late for your appointment as well. So let us be off.”
Connor, who rarely bothered with such niceties, inclined a gentlemanly bow to the ladies. “It was a pleasure meeting you, ladies. I look forward to seeing you again.”
“Daggett—I thought the name sounded familiar and now I know why.” Hermione sighed as she watched the three men walk away. “Oh, to think I’ve met the Hellhounds, the three most notorious rakes in London.”
“Rakes!” Georgiana’s eyes widened.
Sophie choked on a spoonful of her strawberry ice.
“Oh, good heavens, yes. The newspapers are always full of gossip about those rogues and their scandalous exploits.” Hermione pursed her lips in thought. “Though the stories seem to have quieted down. Perhaps that’s because both the earl and the marquess were recently married.”
“What of Mr. Daggett?” asked Georgiana after a tiny hesitation.
“I don’t recall reading anything about his nuptials. “But then, I don’t pay much attention to Society gossip,” replied Hermione. “Not that there would be much mention of Mr. Daggett’s personal life in the newspaper columns unless he is titled and wealthy.”
“No, he is neither,” said Sophie in a low voice.
“I wonder how he came to be friends with Lord Haddan and Lord Killingworth?” mused her aunt.
So do I.
“I can well imagine that there’s a fascinating story to it,” said Georgiana.
Sophie set down her spoon. “Your imagination—not to speak of your tongue—is becoming far too exuberant for a well-bred young lady. You must keep your passions in check, Georgie, else they may land you in the suds.”
Her sister scowled but had the good sense not to argue.
Ha—who am I to talk about keeping passion in check? Praying that the telltale flush on her cheeks would not give her away, she dropped her gaze, feeling a little like a hypocrite.
Hermione fished a pair of spectacles out of her reticule and consulted her neatly penciled shopping list. “Oh, dear.” She made a small clucking sound. “We have a few more stops to make than I realized, girls. If you are finished with your treats, we had best be off.”
After the packages had been
Similar Books
