A Little Bit Sinful(10)

“Did you ever find out the truth from Mr. Wilbanks? Why he’d lied about owing me money?”

“I never inquired. It didn’t seem important.”

He could tell by the flicker in her jaw that that wasn’t the precise truth, but he merely nodded.

“No, this isn’t about George at all, but a different matter. It would seem that my dearest friend Ella, well, her father, has made a series of poor investments and is need of some assistance.”

Justin frowned. “You wish me to loan him money?”

“No, of course not. Were it that simple, we could loan them the necessary funds.” She took a deep breath. “What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room. Can I trust you with my secret?” she asked, her blue eyes pierced into his.

It was on his tongue to tell her that she could trust him with anything. Anything save perhaps her virtue, as she was looking increasingly more fetching by the moment in that gown with its plunging neckline that left little to his imagination regarding her breasts. Her pale blond hair was piled intricately on her head in a display of curls and jeweled pins. “How did you get here?” he asked.

“I hired a hack. You didn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, you can trust me,” he said. He sat, realizing he was most eager for what secret she was about to share. He’d known Chrissy since she was but a girl. He’d been schoolmates with her older brother, and Justin had spent many days over at the Kincaid family estate. But it wasn’t until she’d come back into his life a couple months before that’d he’d realized what a fine and beautiful woman she’d become. He’d done his part then to ensure her reputation hadn’t been irreparably damaged before he’d gone back to his days and nights at Rodale’s. He’d missed her though, these past two months. Missed her lovely face and her intoxicating eyes. He couldn’t deny that it had been part of why he’d decided to seek her out tonight at the museum. He could simply take the matter regarding George to Clarissa’s brother, but instead Justin opted to see if he couldn’t persuade her on his own. There were certain techniques he could use to get her mind off George Wilbanks.

And he couldn’t deny that kissing her proved to quite enjoyable for him as well. Before they could get to any more kissing, though, she had come here for a reason. At the moment she sat looking up at him expectedly.

“What is this secret you have, Chrissy?”

“Alright, I’m going to simply start talking so I can get all of this out before I lose my nerve. Before Marcus came home, we, Aunt Maureen and I, were struggling to deal with who had been, up until that point, our family’s solicitor. He refused to have any dealings with either one of us and there was no way to know when or if Marcus would return.” She let out a puff of air. “In a moment of desperation and haste I posed as a new solicitor, hired myself, so to speak, and have been managing the family coffers since then.” She eyed him cautiously.

Well, that, he had not expected. “Are you telling me that you have been posing as a solicitor and making financial investments and the like for the entire Kincaid estate?”

Her chin bumped up a notch. “Indeed, I have.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“How have you done?”

“Quite well. It would seem that my mind is given to such matters.” She smiled broadly. “And I do enjoy it, as unladylike as that might be. ’Tis why this must be a secret. Obviously such news would ruin me for certain.”

He nodded. “Yes, we mustn’t allow them to know that you have a fully functioning mind. Now, then, what is it you would like me to do with said secret?”

“As I mentioned before, Ella’s family is in a bit of a situation. She asked me if I would refer our family solicitor to her father.”

“She does not know the truth?”

“No, I couldn’t afford to confide in her. It was bad enough that Aunt Maureen knew the truth.”

He knew the girls were quite close and the fact that Clarissa was here seeking his assistance with her secret and not her dearest friend gave him pause. “You want me to pose as this solicitor?”

“Heaven’s no, people know you. No, I would merely like for you to pose as another client, so to speak, make a recommendation to her father. Everyone knows you’ve done exceptionally well with your gaming establishment. Your finances are all in order, are they not?”

“My coffers are quite full if that’s what you’re asking.”