Page 17 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Lady Quincy tittered a laugh. “I can’t imagine his lordship settling for the older sister.”

Disgust rolled over Eve.

“Perhaps the younger sister did not prove to be as tasty as he had hoped,” Lady Consworth said.

“Apparently, Eve Crenshaw was not all that interesting either,” Lady Quincy whispered. “Laura Greenwood was seen leaving Rushton’s hotel room this morning.”

“No,” Willamina breathed. “It seems the earl has no intention of giving up his pleasures even long enough to wed.”

Had she heard right? Lady Greenwood visited the earl’s hotel room today?

“Why should he change simply because he’s marrying?” Lady Quincy said. “After all, they are only daughters of a baron. Getting compromised is the only chance they have of marrying a man like Rushton.” She giggled. “Imagine, if he marries Eve Crenshaw. Why, the three of them might—”

Fury swept through Eve and she nearly stumbled in her haste to circle the column and confront the women. They took a surprised step backwards toward the wall.

“Lady Quincy.” Eve swung her glare onto the older of the two gossipmongers. “Lady Consworth.”

“Miss Crenshaw,” Lady Consworth sputtered.

“We did not see you there,” Lady Quincy said.

“Of course you did,” Eve said.

“Miss Crenshaw—”

“Do not act as if you didn’t say those things just to be spiteful and crude.”

“How dare you?” Lady Quincy hissed.

Lady Consworth cast a glance around them. “Keep your voices down.”

“Why?” Eve demanded, raising hers. “So no one else learns how cruel you are?” The ladies’ eyes widened. “Or perhaps you are worried that people will guess your true feelings?” Eve snapped.

“What true feelings?” Lady Consworth said stupidly.

“Willamina,” Lady Quincy said under her breath.

“That you are jealous Lord Rushton did not make an assignation with you in the gardens.”

A malicious gleam lit Lady Quincy’s eyes. “So it is true, your sister did meet him in the gardens.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Eve retorted.

“But you just said—”

“I did not say Grace met him. I said you wished he had met you. For pity’s sake, are you so dense that you don’t understand plain English?”

Lady Quincy gasped.

“You said those things about me and my sister just to be mean, knowing I was within earshot. So don’t act indignant when I do not remain silent.”

“Miss Crenshaw,” Lady Consworth said. “There has been a mistake. Please—”

“There has been no mistake,” Lady Quincy said in a harsh whisper. “When your sister couldn’t trap him, you decided you could do a better job of it.”

Eve stared. “Are you insane? I did not trap him. He came to my room.”

Triumph shone in Lady Quincy’s eyes. “We heard your father discovered the two of you in bed together, and that you shot Lord Rushton. Frankly, I thought the story was too fantastical to be true. I see I was mistaken.”