Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(4)

“No, you did, I heard it,” Cam said.

Dev sighed loudly, then dropped his calm fa?ade and cast his siblings a look, the quelling sort that told them he was in no mood for their taunts. They of course merely smiled at him.

He was escorting his brother and sister to the Alverston ball. Of the seven Sinclair siblings, all except Eden had dark hair and green eyes. Essie, his sister, sat across from him. She had recovered from her broken heart; well, at least she told her family she had. But one year on, and Dev believed she still harbored the scars deep inside. She looked pretty in pale blue silk with ivory trim.

Cambridge, his younger brother, was tall with broad shoulders. He had not yet reached Dev's size, but one day he would. In buff breeches, red and black silk waistcoat, ridiculously high shirt points, and a black evening jacket, he looked as any young rogue should. His eyes were finally cleared of the demons that had until recently haunted him. It had been a hard few months for the Sinclair family. Essie had fallen in love only to have her heart crushed, and Cam had suffered the aftereffects of their father's perfidy.

“To answer your question, Dev, yes. Eden and I do know Miss Braithwaite. Anyone you expressly forbid us to talk to is well worth our time.”

Dev eyed his sister's cheeky smile with some relief. Perhaps that bastard had not broken her spirit as he had feared. Now he just had to work out a way to get her to tell him what he wanted to know without arousing too much curiosity.

“Why the interest in Miss Braithwaite? I thought you disliked her intensely. You even told me not to bother asking her to dance, as she would bore me to tears in seconds, and that my title was not lofty enough to interest her. There is also the small matter of her dress sense, which I assure you is enough to repel any man.”

“Yes.” Dev shuddered. “Those colors she wears hurt my eyes. However, I'm sure I did not say those things, Cambridge.” Dev pinched the bridge of his nose. He was a pompous twit. “Besides, you don't have a title.”

“I fear you did, brother. Of course I ignored you and danced with her anyway,” Cam added. “And yes, she did rattle on, but once I got past the fact she wore that hideous puce dress, I did not find it taxing, as she laughed at several of my jokes. And on the matter of my title, some men don't need them. I can scintillate a lady with mere looks and words.”

Essie crowed with laughter as Dev rolled his eyes.

“Indeed, Cam,” Essie added. “As you say, she does have a silly way to her, but I have found that eases with familiarity. She is harmless.”

“Eases?” Dev questioned.

“I believe it means to give respite, brother.”

“I know what it means, Cam,” Dev snapped.

“Why the interest in Miss Braithwaite?” Essie asked him.

“Keep what I tell you to yourselves,” Dev said, and then he related what he had seen out on that London street.

“Good God,” Cam said. “And you say she was running after the carriage, and you believe she saved that boy?”

“She was, and did. Since then I have wondered if there is a chance that I may have been harsh in my original summation of Miss Braithwaite's character. Until I gather all the facts, I cannot be certain.”

The only sound in the carriage for several seconds was the rumble of the wheels and clip-clop of hooves.

“Do you have any smelling salts, Ess? I'm sure Dev just said he was wrong.”

“Very amusing.” Dev glared at his brother. “What else do you know about her?”

“Well, Eden and I, like Miss Braithwaite and her aunt, all knit for the children who are less fortunate than ourselves.”

Cam looked at Dev, who in turn shrugged.

“How come we don't know about this?” Dev asked, watching his sister's chin elevate.

“You are both busy, and this is a small thing we wish to do. We have so much and they so little.”

“But there is more, isn't there, sister?” Dev said. He knew when his sister was holding back.

“I am unsure of all the details, but I have a suspicion that Miss Braithwaite is more involved than she appears. One day I had the carriage stop at this little house in Temple Street to drop off some things we had for the children, and I saw her entering the building.”

“Well that suggests nothing other than she was there dropping off things as you were,” Cam said.

“Indeed. However, Eden was with me, and she overheard Miss Braithwaite say she would be in the parlor looking over the accounts.”

“Now that changes things,” Cam added.

“Who approached you about the knitting?” Dev questioned his sister.

“We were visiting the Countess of Gripley, and she told us about this charity she knits for. Eden, Aunt, and I were interested in helping too. Miss Braithwaite was there also, and it was she who said she knew the person to contact, and sent round a note with the details the following day.”

“Is knitting all you do, Essie?”

“I have visited orphanages, and sometimes while I am there I will help if a child is sick.”

“You've visited orphanages?” Dev felt ill at the prospect of his sister in such areas.

“You cannot stop me, Dev. I won't let you, and anyway, I am in no danger. I take a footman and a maid if Eden cannot come with me.”