A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones by Claire Robyns Read Free Book Online

a
valid point. She was rash and brash, a fact she’d never denied. She kept
her sharp tongue on a leash and turned a smile on the man instead as they drew
close. “How charming, Lord Adair, I was hoping we’d see more of you.”
    “Lady Harchings.” He inclined his head in greeting.
    Clearly not trusting her to keep the peace, Lily inserted
breathlessly, “I was just telling Lady Harchings that we were riding in the
park—”
    “And your horses tossed both of you?” Evelyn couldn’t resist.
    Lily rewarded her with a glare. “We were in Lord Adair’s carriage,
but, um, yes, a rabbit or fox must have run across the path because one of the
horses took fright—”
    “You really should train them better,” Evelyn told him.
    “The rabbits or the horses?” Lord Adair riposted dryly, his eyes never
leaving Lily and a grin tugging at his mouth.
    “Since Lord Adair knew I was staying with you as of tonight,” Lily
went on doggedly, “and Harchings House was en route—”
    Evelyn couldn’t let that go. “From Hyde Park?”
    “We were riding in Green Park.”
    “Of course.”
    “And as I was a little shaken from the ordeal, he offered to bring me
directly here so I could recuperate from the shock.”
    “Then we are entirely in Lord Adair’s debt.”
    Lord Adair finally brought his gaze to her. He was not a man to miss
the mocking edge to her tone, and yet it hadn’t chased the laughter from his
eyes. “Not at all, Lady Harchings, I’m always happy to oblige.”
      “I have no doubt of that.”
    “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he said, “I promised to return for Lady
Lily’s belongings…”
    Evelyn’s attention drifted as the door opened to admit the steward. He
caught her eye and managed, as only Mr. Bryns could, to convey an entire
conversation in that one look.
    “One moment, please,” she murmured, moving swiftly across the room. Up
close, she saw the worry in Mr. Bryn’s eyes. The rest of him, naturally, was an
impassive wall of austere fortitude. “What is it, Mr. Bryns? Whatever has
happened?”
    “It’s William, m’lady.” He stepped from the room after her and closed
the door behind them. “He says it’s urgent and concerns Lady Lily, otherwise I
wouldn’t have interrupted. Now,” he went on as he led the way along a narrow
passage, “I did inform him that Lady Lily had arrived shortly after he’d left
to fetch her, but William still insisted he must speak with you.”
    William waited by a set of doors at the top of the kitchen’s service
stairs. His lopsided smile was noticeably absent.
    “William, I’m sorry I sent you on a wasted journey.” Suspecting she
was about to learn something of the puzzle of Lily’s odd day, she prompted with
a smile, “What’s so important that it couldn’t wait?”
    His gaze flickered to Mr. Bryns and back.
    “I’ll take it from here, thank you, Mr. Bryns,” Evelyn said.
    As soon as the steward was out of hearing, William started talking.
“I’ve just returned from Grosvenor Square, Lady Eve, and Mr. Halver is beside
himself. He believes Lady Lily has been abducted and Lady Beatrice has already
departed for Bath and he—”
    “Lady Lily is here and safe.” Evelyn took a deep breath as she
absorbed the shock. “Abducted?”
    William nodded. “By a Lord Adair, if the gentleman’s calling card is
to be trusted.”
    “Lord Adair is here as well.” Evelyn breathed easy again. “This must
all be a big misunderstanding.”
    “I thought as much after speaking to Mr. Bryns, but there’s the matter
of Mr. Halver. He hasn’t raised the alarm yet—”
    “He knows there’ll be no stopping a scandal once he does.” Was that
Lord Adair’s game? Lily had a substantial fortune left for her in trust by her
late father, enough to make her husband a rich man. If so, Lord Adair had
either changed his mind or Lily had thwarted his master plan. Evelyn was
willing to bet it was the latter. Part of Lord Adair’s almost irresistible charm was