An Honorable Thief by Anne Gracíe Read Free Book Online

but it seemed perfect for the character she had adopted, the simpleton he thought her. She had not yet looked him in the eye. Innocent debutantes were often bashful and shy. Miss Kit Singleton was the shyest and most bashful imaginable.
    It was working beautifully. Mr Devenish had very good, if brusque, manners, but there was a growing note of asperity to his questions.
    "You have not been in London long. I understand you arrived recently from New South Wales?"
    So far she had offered him no fewer than seven "yeths" in a row. She expanded her conversational repertoire dramatically. "Qh, New Thouth Waleth ith a long way from here," she murmured to his phoenix tie-pin. He really was very tall.
    "And was your father an officer there?"
    Kit managed a quiver and a sob without losing her step. "My papa ith... ith... dead."
    Above her head, Devenish rolled his eyes and danced grimly on, silently cursing the length of these wretched Viennese dances. It was worse than he had expected —getting information out of this little dullard was like getting blood out of a stone. Lord knew what his nephew saw in her. A man needed more in a wife than a pretty face or a fortune.
    Not that she was all that pretty —oh, she was well enough; small, dark-haired, which was the fashion just now, and passable enough features—a straight little nose, a cu riously squared-off chin and slender arching dark brows set over a pair of very speaking blue eyes. Yes, the eyes were her best feature...so very blue...
    But Lord! If he had to look at that vapid smile and listen to those simpering "yeths" over the breakfast table every morning, he would strangle the woman inside a month! Less. He would infinitely prefer that he never had to speak to her again.
    But he had promised her another interminable waltz, he recalled gloomily. And then supper. At least there might be crab patties at supper to compensate. He was very fond of crab patties.
    "Well, Hugo?" Amelia glided up to him, a beaded silk scarf trailing behind her in elegant disarray. "What do you think? Have you learned all about the diamond mine in New South Wales? I hope you didn't tell her you were Thomas's uncle!"
    He glowered at her from under dark eyebrows. Five minutes' conversation with the Singleton chit had caused him more frustration and annoyance than he had experienced in a long time. But he was not going to give in so easily. He was loath to admit he had discovered almost nothing about the wretched girl.
    Yet.
    Hugo Devenish was not a man who would let himself be defeated by a pretty widgeon. Defeated? He blinked in surprise, and caught himself up. An odd word to use.
    Amelia tugged his sleeve impatiently. "Hugo! What did you tell her? If she discovers your tradesman's blood..."
    He withdrew his arm and smoothed the crumpled fabric in irritation. "The girl is a dead bore."
    "But —"
    "In fact, much more of Miss Singleton's company would drive me to Bedlam. Thomas must be desperate indeed to
    consider wedding such a dreary little simpleton, rich or not."
    Amelia looked at him in surprise. "Simpleton? I do not think she is simple, Hugo."
    He shrugged. "Well, either she is simple-minded, or so shy that it cannot make any difference." He rolled his eyes. "And that lisp! Infuriating."
    "What lisp?" said Amelia, confused. "Are you certain you have the right girl, Hugo? Miss Singleton has no lisp. And I've never thought her shy."
    Hugo frowned down at his cousin. "No lisp? Are you deaf? All I got out of the wretched girl was a dozen 'yeths' —addressed to my waistcoat."
    Amelia's eyes narrowed. "Did she indeed? How very intriguing." A faint worldly smile curved her discreetly painted lips. "Hugo, you've flustered the poor little creature. How very, very interesting. She has never once lisped in my hearing, and Thomas has certainly never mentioned it —and I do believe he would have." She frowned suddenly. "So...Miss Singleton is not immune to the charms of an older man, then—''
    "Older man!"