Page 22 of A Duchess to Unravel
“They are not my responsibility, Theo,” Tristan said through gritted teeth, his hands tightening on his fork and knife. “And last night your behavior embarrassed this family.”
“Oh, stop,” Theo insisted, “You are the only one embarrassed. You wanted to impress the new Duke of Caldermere last night, yes? Strike a deal or two with him?”
Tristan’s jaw worked in agitation, but he nodded.
“And did you?”
He rolled his eyes.
“Yes,” he begrudged.
“Are you seeing him today or in the near future to finalize those contracts?” Theo asked.
“Today,” he agreed, looking as if the admission pained him.
Theo tilted her head and leaned forward, enjoying how much this was torturing her brother.
“And did he say anything in regard to my behavior ruining the meal for him after he returned from apologizing to me?” she asked, more for her own curiosity than to prove him wrong.
“No,” Tristan bit out, working his jaw, “In fact he said he found your company refreshing.”
Theo tucked her relief deep inside and shrugged as if she did not care, leaning back into her chair.
“Well then, it seems I am correct,” she replied haughtily.
Tristan closed his eyes and breathed through his nostrils, looking as if he was trying to grapple with his rising agitation. The sight of him as such made her giggle, and her appetiterenewed, she took another bite of her breakfast. She’d forgotten how much fun she used to have arguing with her brother.
“Either way,” Tristan pressed on, his eyes snapping open as soon as he heard her giggle, “This behavior must be at the very least suppressed until you find a match. I received some other news last night, and it seems the matter is a bit more pressing than we predicted.”
Theo’s triumphant smirk faded slowly.
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“Our new Duke is not only excellent in business but also highly perceptive. He has his ear to the ground for a wealth of information, and last night he told me of a masked party that was discovered by a journalist. Can you guess which one?” Tristan asked.
She did not have to guess. But she did have to pretend this was new information. Just as Alistair had obviously pretended that he heard the news from a secondary source, and not seen it unfold with his own eyes.
“I know I said I would let you find a match on your own,” Tristan went on after she did not speak, “But perhaps my assistance would move things along.”
Theo’s brow tensed and she frowned.
“If there has not been anything written about yet then there won’t be,” she replied, “There is no need for me to rush into a marriage.”
“You have that much trust that another Masquerade member would not sacrifice you in order to save their own reputation?” Tristan asked. “There might have only been one journalist, but now that word is out, others are going to start hunting members down, coercing those identified to reveal other members. If I recall correctly you weren’t always a strict obeyer of their rules, Theo. Did you not take off your mask once?”
Though panic skittered up her spine, Theo gave another careless shrug. “I do not recall.”
Tristan’s expression darkened.
“One of us is lying, dear sister, and it is not me.” Tristan stated, his tone laced with warning.
“I do not know what you speak of, brother,” she replied, trying to appear careless.
Tristan’s fist slammed into the table, startling her.
“Do not play a fool when I know you are not!” He roared. “You attended the Masquerade far more often than you’ve let me know, haven’t you? You are known there, sought after, even.”
“My alias is known, I am not,” she fired back, throwing her cloth napkin upon the table.
