themââthat I am spending Christmas at Millworth Manor.â
âWell, well, are you now?â Win studied him for a moment. âI suspect Iâll need something stronger than brandy for this.â
âPour two.â
Win pulled a bottle of fine Scottish whisky from the bottom drawer of the desk where Uncle Roland had long kept it as Aunt Margaret, while known to indulge in wine and the occasional glass of brandy, did not approve of harder spirits. Nonetheless, she knew exactly where Uncle Roland kept his whisky, and he knew she knew.
âSoââWin filled two glassesââI gather the baked goods were appreciated.â
Gray accepted a glass and sank down into one of the leather wing chairs facing the fireplace. âYou might say that.â
âWhile Cook does make excellent scones, they have never elicited responses like this before. Which does indicate a welcoming Christmas basket has nothing to do with the matter at hand.â Win settled in the chair matching Grayâs and considered his cousin. âWell?â
âWell, what?â Gray grinned.
âYou know âwell, what?â Are you going to tell me everything, or are you going to make me guess?â Win raised his glass to the other man. âSurely, you remember that I have a very fertile imagination.â
âNot this fertile. Even you could not conceive of this.â
âMy, my, now I am intrigued.â
âCan you keep a secret?â
âDepends on the secret, I would think. My third fiancée used to say I was very good at keeping the best secrets and not good at all at keeping everyday sort of secrets.â
âThird fiancée?â Gray raised a brow. âYou never wrote to me of a third fiancée.â
âBut I do believe I mentioned in one of my letters that I had begun to think telling you I was to wed was somehow bad luck.â He sipped his whisky. âAs it turns out, apparently not.â
Gray stared. âHow many fiancées have you had?â
âOfficially?â Win grinned.
âWhatever you prefer.â
âJust three.â He thought for a moment. âAs far as I can recall, although you should not hold me to that.â
âI suspect you and I need to have a long talk about all those things that were omitted from your letters.â
âNo doubt. But as you have returned for the foreseeable future, there will be time. Long evenings sitting by the fire with Fatherâs good whisky and nothing to do but rehash the last eleven years.â Win shuddered. âSounds entirely too domestic for my way of thinking. Still, I imagine your adventures are much more stimulating than mine have been.â
âI wouldnât wager on that.â Gray laughed. Lord, he had missed this man.
âAnd speaking of returning home . . .â Win eyed him curiously. âWhy are you staying at Millworth Manor?â
Gray considered the question. On his return ride, he had tried to think of something believable to explain his stay at the manor. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. Nothing that made sense, that is. Still, if he trusted no one else in the world, he trusted Win. âI need your word that you will not repeat to anyone what I am about to tell you.â
âThat good, is it?â
âBetter.â
âVery well, then.â Curiosity sparked in Winâs eyes. âI shall carry your secret to my grave.â
âItâs not really my secret.â
âEven better.â
âYour word, then.â
âSuch as it is.â Win shrugged. âYou have it.â
âWell . . .â Gray sipped his whisky and thought for a moment. He wasnât sure where to begin. The whole thing was so preposterous. âCamille has set her cap for a prince.â
âThat comes as no surprise.â
âSheâs not quite as shallow as you think.â
âShe couldnât possibly be.â
Sarah M. Eden
Vicki Keener
Terah Edun
Chris Ewan
Andrea Domanski
Joe Abercrombie
Olivia Brynn
Brian Lumley
RaeAnne Thayne
Lanie Bross