The Season(81)

Vivi stretched, then assumed a similar position on the couch, leaning her head against Alex’s shoulder. “It’s true. Your mother covered up the missing men extremely well. I just wish she could have covered up our sneaking in a nap. I thought I was going to fall asleep at the supper table this evening.”

Ella lay down, placing her head on Alex’s lap and saying, “A nap sounds wonderful! I think I’ll take one right now…wake me when there is news?”

Alex smiled wearily and placed one hand on Ella’s shoulder and the other on Vivi’s knee, saying, “If nothing else, today taught me that you are the most wonderful friends a girl could ask for. Thank you for ignoring my instructions not to tell my parents about my heading to the hall. I don’t know that we would have succeeded in capturing Gavin’s uncle without my father, the baron, and Will.”

At that moment, the door to the library opened and Will entered, looking surprised to find the trio. “I assumed you’d all be asleep!”

Alex straightened and said, “What happened? Are you through?”

“For the time being, yes,” he replied. “There’s much work to be done, but the earl left remarkably detailed logs of all the illegal activities taking place on Sewell land over the months leading up to his death—he thought someone was smuggling weapons to the French, then information as the war quieted. It appears that the earl had suspected the culprit was Lucian, but only very close to the date of his death.”

“Why did he not tell anyone?” Vivi asked, “He was so close to our fathers—they were like brothers to him. They could have helped.”

“Pride,” Will replied. “Desire to protect his family name. Perhaps even a misguided belief that he could protect his brother.”

“What about Sewell’s partners?” Ella asked.

“There is enough evidence to incriminate several wealthy En glishmen and a few Frenchmen who have clearly been meeting with Sewell to exchange money for information. We received word from the constable that Sewell has already given up the names of a half dozen of his partners in the hope that he will receive a less severe punishment.”

“No matter what he admits, he’s still a traitor and a murderer,” Vivi said, sounding very much like her father’s daughter. “It’s difficult to be lenient with such crimes.”

“Indeed,” Will said, relaxing into the large leather chair across from them. “Now, little sister,” he said, allowing a teasing tone to enter his voice, “would you care to explain what exactly has happened between you and Blackmoor in the last few weeks?”

Alex leveled him with a frank look. “Not particularly.”

“Come now! It’s obvious you are…enamored of each other.”

“Is it?” She attempted to appear bored, to little effect.

Will laughed. “You forget I have known you your entire life, Scamp. I can tell when there is something of import in that lovely head of yours.”

She stayed quiet, willing herself not to rise to her brother’s bait.

“You also forget,” he said in a deceptively casual tone, “that I spent the day with Blackmoor.”

Alex sat up straighter, causing Vivi to lose her headrest. She was unable to hide her eagerness. “Did he say something about me? What was it?”

Will laughed, enjoying the power he held over his little sister. “My, my. Is this the same sister who spent much of her time prior to this season expounding on both the irrelevance of men to her future and her marked lack of interest in marriage and the trappings of romance?”

“I didn’t say men were irrelevant to my future. That’s ridiculous. Nor did I show a lack of interest in romance.” She ignored the three sets of eyebrows that rose in a silent yet eloquent response to her statement. “What happened? Was Father difficult with him?”

“I thought you weren’t interested in discussing Blackmoor?”

“Oh, William, I do wish you would be quiet if you have nothing to say,” Alex growled in irritation, then sat back and said, “I’m not interested. I was merely being conversational.”

All three of her companions snorted with laughter. “You cannot honestly think that he’d actually believe that, can you?” Vivi asked before turning to Will. “Take pity on her, my lord. Have you never wondered what a girl thought of you?”

“Never.” He lied baldly, a broad smile on his face, then pressed on. “Well, I shall simply say that our father and he are currently having a serious conversation.”

“What?!” She leaned forward, squashing Ella’s head on her lap, causing her friend to cry out and sit up. Alex’s “I beg your pardon, Ella” was followed immediately with, “William! What are they talking about?”

“I haven’t any idea.” Will leaned back in his chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him. “It seems to me that it would likely have something to do with your inappropriate display this morning.”

Alex stood. “Oh, no! Do you think Father is angry? Do you think Gavin is being lectured? Do you think I should go to him?”

“In order: No, I don’t think Father is angry. Yes, I do think Gavin is being lectured—that’s what Father does, remember? And no, I definitely do not think you should go anywhere near the study while they are locked in there. I think you should sit down and attempt to relax,” Will said, finally sounding more like the brother she loved and less like the one she wanted to murder.