The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener Read Free Book Online Page B

with you tonight, they would have told you nothing you could not easily have found out for yourself. What you probably already know. They were asking in all the wrong places, and if they had asked in the right ones, they’d still have ended up dead.”
    “How do you know this?” Edward had to force himself not to swear. “How could you possibly know where they asked their questions?”
    “I have a little army around me, Lord Durnham.” She smiled, but it was cold, and searingly alone. “No one comes near me or asks about me who isn’t vetted, and checked, and either allowed to go on their way … or not.”
    Edward stared at her. “Who does this?”
    “My old lover. The boy who sat watch over me while I slept as a child, who fought off anyone who tried to touch me, and who was sent to Old Bailey because he struck out at someone who did me harm. The person to whom I owe my life.”
    “Why are you not with him, then?” The question exploded from him, because he did not want some other man to have this claim on her. It was wrong that she appeared free, able to give her affections where she chose.
    “He wants that very much. But I … I do not love him that way. I never did. To me, he has always been my family.”
    “But you called him your lover?” He knew this was themost inappropriate conversation he had ever had, and yet, he had to have the answer.
    She dipped her head. “I think I can be forgiven, Lord Durnham. I certainly have forgiven myself, if there is anything to forgive. I became Luke’s lover because it was the only thing he wanted, and it seemed wrong to deny him when he had done so much. I was twelve years old.”

    S he had shocked him, which made her anger at him even stronger. Did he live in such a cloistered little world, this ignoramus? She had thought him more real, more insightful, more grounded than the idiots who attended the balls and soirees of the ton.
    If he spent just one hour in the rookeries, or half an hour talking to the boys imprisoned in the Bailey, or the Hulks, he would know boys took lovers, had girls who kept house in the small corner of a room they might have for themselves, girls who tried to keep their little place, pay the rent on it, while the boys were in prison.
    When you had to earn your living like an adult, go to prison like one, too, then you behaved like one in all areas of your life. Even if you were only twelve or thirteen. That was how it worked. That was how reputation and pecking order were established.
    “Would you please leave.” She eventually turned from the window, away from the horses walking placidly by in the high summer heat, to face him.
    He hadn’t moved. Was still sprawled in his chair, his eyes closed, a frown etched deep in his forehead. But she’d seen the look on his face as she’d told him about Luke. There was shock there. And something else. Horror. Whether for her, or for Luke, or simply the situation, she didn’t know.
    Shouldn’t care.
    “Where are you from, that you are mixed up in this?” He didn’t open his eyes.
    “The rookeries, just like Luke. I’m no lady, Lord Durnham.”
    “You pretend to be.”
    “She does not pretend.” Catherine stood in the doorway, and her eyes were hard when they looked at Durnham. He sat straight in his chair at the sound of her voice.
    “My Charlotte is more lady than most of the overdressed, overstuffed women of the ton, Lord Durnham. And I will not have anyone in this house who says otherwise.”
    Durnham’s lips thinned. “You are right. What I said is inexcusable. I should have more control over my temper and I apologize.”
    Catherine stared him down with cool, cool eyes. Walked past him and sat at her usual spot. “You sister is tending Ned in the nursery. Perhaps you’d like to go to her?”
    He rose slowly. Reluctantly. He had been maneuvered out of the room, and did not like it one bit. He gave a half bow and left.
    Charlotte let her shoulders slump, and heard Catherine rise