Page 102 of Must Love Scoundrels
Chapter Twenty-Four
Duncan had never seenLucy look so fragile. He’d barely recognized the woman who entered Baron’s study a quarter hour before. Where were her dimples? Her flashing eyes? She looked pale and tired. Even now, as she spoke about their mission, she didn’t seem herself. There was no animation in her voice, and she kept glancing at Duncan as though waiting for him to say something.
What did she want him to say? Did she expect him to tell Baron they’d been lovers? If that was her fear, he wished he could put her mind at ease. He hadn’t told anyone that. He hadn’t even allowed himself to think of it. If he started remembering what it was like to make love to her, he’d make himself miserable.
And so he didn’t remember. He had plenty of practice ignoring his feelings for her, and so he didn’t expect this last debrief to be anything more than a formality. But she was acting so strangely.
Baron asked her more questions, and Duncan tried to pay attention to what she said and not how her hand shook as it held the teacup. Finally, Baron asked Duncan questions, and it was a relief to speak and look at Baron and not Lucy.
“Very good,” Baron said. “I think that ties up the Vanderville matter. There’s just one more thing.”
Duncan glanced at Lucy, but her gaze was fixed on Baron. “What’s that, Uncle Winn?”
“Your next assignment.”
Duncan’s heart sped up. He’d just come from London and assisting Margaret Vaughn with the completion of her assignment there. He hadn’t expected to be given another mission so soon. The revelation was a relief. The last thing he wanted was to spend days or weeks at the Farm, watching Lucy and thinking about what might have been. He needed to stay busy and focused so he could forget her.
“My next assignment?” Lucy asked. “Or his?”
Duncan went cold. Leave it to Lucy to dive right to the heart of the matter. Duncan had assumed Baron meant his next assignment, but he could have easily been referring to Lucy’s.
“That depends,” Baron said, shifting his weight and leaning more heavily onto the mantel.
“On what?” Duncan asked.
“Your choices. I have two assignments.”
Duncan blew out a breath. Duncan would allow Lucy to choose which she preferred, and he’d take the other.
“I can’t give you any details until you have committed, of course.”
“How do we decide which to choose, then?” Lucy asked.
Baron glanced from one to the other. “Mission A requires one agent. Mission B requires two.”
“What are you saying?” Duncan asked, but he already knew. Baron was giving them the opportunity to work together again.
“Choose an option,” Baron said.
“B,” Lucy said at the same time Duncan said, “A.”
Duncan looked at Lucy, who looked right back at him. “B?” Why the devil would she choose B?
