Page 35 of Duke in Darkness

Emily Castlereagh. All at once a clever eccentric, rigid Almack’s patroness, and rather gifted diplomatic hostess. Yet also one of the kindest women he’d ever met. Emily had been a dear friend of his beloved mother, apparently the pair had been infamous in the Georgian court for their exclusive literary salons discussing risqué books and poetry. After his mother passed, Emily had been the one to send clean handkerchiefs, packages of candied fruit, and gossipy, lecturing letters to wherever he was on campaign. He considered her an honorary aunt, and the thought that he’d missed or misplaced an invitation from her irritated him greatly.

“What are you reading?” said Lilian, putting down her empty chocolate cup.

Gabriel held up the parchment between two fingers. “Invitation from the Castlereaghs. A private ball.”

“Good heavens,” she replied, looking impressed. “The cream indeed.”

“Would you like to attend?”

Her eyes widened. “Could we? You wouldn’t mind an evening out?”

“Emily will be happy…if we debut as husband and wife at her party. It won’t be a crush. Plenty of officers who won’t stare. Decent brandy. Many reasons to say yes.”

“Quite. I didn’t realize you knew Lady Castlereagh.”

“She was a dear friend of my mother’s. Very well, then. Consider us going. Only four days away.”

Lilian clapped her hands together, rewarding him with a beaming smile. Damnation she was a beautiful woman. Then she stilled. “Oh dear. If it’s that soon, I’ll need that modiste appointment at once. I hope Daisy can fit me in at such short notice.”

“You’re a duchess now. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to assist. Especially if you clink some extra guineas.”

“My goodness, Exton. Are you implying money and a lofty title open doors? Well I never!”

Gabriel’s lips twitched. Two pert comments in one morning. To say he much preferred this more relaxed Lilian was an understatement; it seemed their conversation the previous evening, after such satisfying bedsport, had lowered her walls somewhat. Yet while a part of him wanted so much more, in bed and out, the whole thing was bloody complicated with his injuries and related issues.

How could he ever reconcile the two?

“THIS IS ALL VERY FURTIVE, Your Grace. I am both intrigued and baffled, because let’s be honest, the day you turn criminal is the day I frolic naked along Rotten Row.”

Lilian sighed, and shifted for the thousandth time in the luxury town carriage. In contrast, her younger brother sat sprawled in his best leisurely lord about town pose, completely at ease. “I do not need that thought in my mind, thank you very much. And let’s be honest, Xavier, if you weren’t pursued by Grandmother’s footmen, you would strip and frolic anytime, anywhere, for any reason.”

His eyes widened. Then he grinned. “Touché. And now I’m even more intrigued, because you almost sounded saucy. What on earth has Exton been teaching you?”

A hot blush raced across her cheeks. “Never you mind. But he is the reason I need your help today. And why Dawn is currently shopping for hair ribbons, and you are in this carriage.”

“Oh?”

Lilian took a deep breath and absently smoothed her green gown, the one Exton disliked. He would like what she was about to do even less. “My husband thinks I am going to visit the modiste. But I’m not. Well, not right away. First of all I want to, er, behave…badly.”

Xavier sat forward, all trace of amusement gone from his face. “Bloody hell, Lilian, you haven’t even been married a fortnight. Bad form to be considering an affair before you have a son in the nursery. I won’t be a shield for that. Why can’t you wait until you’ve birthed an heir like every other ton wife? Then he’ll go his way, you’ll go yours, perhaps you’ll meet at the odd soiree and give each other a polite smile. All thoroughly civilized.”

Lilian’s jaw dropped, both at the accusation, and his uncharacteristic bitterness. “You think I wish to commit adultery?”

“You just said you did.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. You are clearly spending far too much time with the Marlborough House set. I said behave badly. Meaning…inflict a public setdown.”

Her brother tilted his head, and thankfully London’s most notorious blue-eyed rogue returned. It had been disconcerting seeing a cold stranger. “Humblest apologies. On whom do you wish to inflict a setdown? Grandmother? Because I would hand over all I had to witness that.”

“No,” she replied hesitantly, and explained what had happened when Exton went to Rundell, Bridge and Rundell.

“No,” breathed Xavier once she’d finished. “Called Exton a drunk and threw him out? Appalling.”

“Precisely. I won’t have it. Yes, he has been reclusive, but he must be accorded every respect due a duke. Even more because he is a hero who faithfully and brilliantly served king and country for twelve years.”

“My, my. If I didn’t know better, I might declare you held a candle for His Grace.”

As the carriage came to a halt, Lilian looked out the window toward the familiar and imposing cream stone façade of the jeweler rather than face her brother. “He is very different from the previous duke. And I find myself…liking him,” she finished awkwardly.