Page 85 of The Duke's Mysterious Lover
“And why not?” Danielle nudged him. “Weare here, and Sophia has a right to see Blackrose punished. She was one of his agents, remember. She was the one who collected the evidence we will use to bring him down.”
“It’s no’ enough,” Thorne confessed, sharing a glance with Kit. “The Crown willnae accept it. We need to set a trap for him, to make him act. We have some…ideas.”
“The Crown?” murmured Griffin in surprise, as Demon blurted, “Corpulent twatmuffins!”
When Thorne turned to him, the scarred man scowled in response, and explained. “I just mean, should we be announcing our plan in front of the help?”
It wasn’t until he turned his glare at Kit that Thorne realized what he meant. His protective instincts bristled, and he moved to step in front of her…and he would have, had Kit not grinned at Demon.
“I’m more than a bit of help, Your Grace,” she quipped.
“Absolute bananas, these Americans,” Demon muttered, readjusting Rosie on his shoulder. “Thinking ye’re special.”
“Sheisspecial,” Thorne announced, taking Kit’s hand in his.
Demon’s gaze dropped to their joined hands, then raked Kit from shoes to cravat and back down to trousers. “Yer tastes have changed, Thorne. What’s that Rourke said about fooking the servants?”
While Thorne bristled, Georgia groaned, “Tryto be polite for once in your life, Demon. I don’t ask for much!”
Demon shrugged mulishly, one hand on his daughter’s bumto hold her in place. “I dinnae care what ye do in yer private time, Thorne, but surely yertravestilover doesnae need to hear secret plans.”
Kit seemed incapable of being insulted. In fact, her grin grew. “Bull’s here, isn’t he? Once he hears secret plans, you can bet they won’t stay secret for long.”
“She’s right,” Bull called out. “I tell my mother everything. And I do lookfabulousin a gown.”
Griffin snorted softly as Fawkes shook his head.
Kit raised a brow at Demon in challenge. “Thorne called you here because ofmyplan. I’m going to be bringing Blackrose down.” She tilted her chin to one side almost indulgently. “You can help, if you’d like.”
“Yerplan?” growled Demon. “Gooey shitenuggets! Who the fook are ye?”
“Oooh,” hissed Bull from the side, “This is going to begood.”
And Thorne realized aye, aye itwasgoing to be good.
To hell with social niceties which claimed rank determined who was introduced to whom. He turned to Kit and lifted her hand, brushing a kiss across the skin.
“Kit, love, allow me to introduce Demon Hayle, the Duke of Lickwick.”
“Demon Hayle?” she repeated dryly, that single brow raised. “It suits him.” They were speaking as if Demon wasn’t standing right in front of them, and judging from his low growl, he knew it.
Thorne’s smile increased. “That’s the Duke of Peasgoode standing beside Bull—his given name is Griffin Calderbank. Ye ken Fawkes, of course. That’s his wife, Danielle, sister to Lady Georgia, seated. Both ladies are daughters of the previous Earl of Bonkinbone, and brilliant in their own rights.”
He was being deliberately rude, and of course Demon didn’t let him forget it. “Thorne, ye’re lucky I’m holding my daughterand thus cannae get my hand around yer throat. Who thefookis she?”
“Och, allow me to continue the introductions.” He turned Kit toward the room. “This is Katherine Pastorino, who goes by Kit. Her mother is the famously talented soprano, Gloria Pastorino, and her father…”
He glanced around the room, meeting everyone’s eyes, dragging out the moment. “Kit’s father is William Stoughton, the Earl of Bonkinbone.Blackrose.”
Chapter 17
Leaveit to Thorne to drop an unexploded cannonball like that, then rock back on his heels with a smug grin.
Kit should have been irritated, but she herself was fighting a smug grin at the reveal, so she could hardly fault the man.
It had positively been worth it, to see the look of shock flicker across the Duke of Lickwick’s scarred face.
Demon. Thorne calls him Demon, and told you all about how he got that scar. If he’s Thorne’s friend, then you can damn well claim him asyourfriend too.
