Page 58 of Seduced

Well, he was doing it right now; but it would be the last bloody time.

“We are going after this gentleman,” Poppy replied calmly, indicating a sorry fellow who was getting his coat from one of the servants.

“Outside?” Alexei asked.

“The sky is clear enough in spite of the fog,” she said. “There might even be stars.”

Alexei shuddered. “My dear, I do not go outside,” he told her. “Not if I can help it.”

“Oh?” Poppy appeared to be considering this for a bit. Her hair fell on her forehead in the most charming manner. Damn her. “Why not?”

“Bored.”

Alexei shrugged, the lie rolling out of his tongue easily.

“I thought you wanted to know what I came here for,” Poppy said, relentless. “Well, this is what I came to do. Tonight, I shall be following the young viscount who was just at the card table with us.” There was something peculiar in her voice, as if it was about to crack.

Alexei’s eyebrows met.

What on earth is she on about?

“DeVere?” He followed the gentleman in question with his eyes. What on earth could possibly interest Miss Wyatt in him? “He is a patron of the Underworld; he’s here every night. He lost quite heavily, as usual,” he said, confused. “What of it?”

Poppy snorted. “You wouldn’t think anything of that, would you?” she said bitterly, and something inside his chest hurt as he felt contempt ooze out of her.

“Excuse me?”

“Could you call your carriage, my lord?” Poppy said in a hurried manner; but he could see that she was really nervous beneath her sternness, so he did as she asked. “As it happens, I sat next to DeVere once before, and I did not quite succeed in following him home that night.” He knew exactly what night she was talking about, damn her. “I am afraid we might already be too late.”

“Too late for what, devil take it?” Alexei asked, confused and irritated past endurance.

Why is she so interested in DeVere, of all men?

And, dear God, is that thing burning in my stomach…That thing that’s eating me alive, stopping my heart…Could it be jealousy?

No, it cannot be. It absolutely cannot. I am not jealous. Others envy me. I have never ever—

“Too late for what?” he repeated, yelling a little bit.

I don’t yell.

“To save his life,” Poppy said.

fifteen

Poppy

The man Hades had called ‘DeVere’ was on foot, which was never a good sign. If anything, it confirmed her suspicions. She and Hades followed him through the London fog on foot as well, the night more miserably cold and damp than any she had experienced so far.

DeVere walked for twenty minutes, until he reached a resplendent townhouse, which he proceeded to enter. Poppy and Hades hid in the shadows, watching the yellow light of his candle travel all the way up to his room.

“Right,” Poppy said. “We need to go in. Now.”

“What, in the gentleman’s house? Have you lost your mind, little seed?”

“I beg your pardon.” Poppy drew herself up, hoping she hadn’t heard him correctly.

She strode across the street and pounded on DeVere’s door with all her might.

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