Page 33 of The Undesirable Duke
“And your sister?”
Lord Timothy’s brow furrowed, and he looked at Samuel in confusion.
“What of my sister?”
“Is she well?”
“As far as I know.”
Samuel straightened his shoulders, and he was careful not to show too much concern. He did not want Timothy to grow suspicious of his interest in Lillian.
“She appeared distressed when your mother ordered her to leave the dining room.”
“My sister has a curious mind and tends to ask many questions without thinking. My mother does not care much for that, and she swiftly puts an end to it.”
Samuel nodded quietly, and his thoughts trailed back to the night he’d had dinner at Welsford House, especially the moment when he’d sat in his carriage and noticed Lady Lillian in her window. She was truly a beautiful young lady, and what made her even more exceptional was her curiosity. Samuel knew that he had never met someone quite like Lady Lillian before, and he wanted to get to know her better. Of course, that would never happen, since Lady Welsford had made it clear that she did not want Lady Lillian anywhere near him. He considered it to be rather unreasonable of her, as she had judged Samuel purely by the rumors she had heard of him around Town. They were not true but, despite Lord Timothy’s attempt to prove his innocence, Lady Welsford had not appeared convinced in the least.
“As long as she is well,” Samuel said, averting his gaze away from Lord Timothy.
Lord Timothy grinned with amusement.
“You are concerned about my sister’s well-being. Do not tell me that you are fond of her, Yarmouth?”
“She is a pleasant young woman, but I would not say that I am fond of her. I did not come to London to find a wife.”
“Of course. And how goes the search for the scandalous writer?” Lord Timothy asked with a simple nudge of his elbow.
“Not well at all. I have not found anything which is of help to me. I may need to give up my search and return to Cornwall early, still bearing a wrongfully tainted reputation.”
Lord Timothy stared at his friend and shook his head in disapproval.
“You cannot give up so soon.”
“But I am not certain what to do. My visit to the printers was fruitless, and I am not sure what I can do next.”
“Perhaps you ought to engage an investigator.”
“I do hope that you are not serious,” Samuel scoffed. “I would rather live with a ruined reputation than give out coin to someone who knows even less than I do.”
“Perhaps they are more resourceful than you are,” Lord Timothy pointed out.
“Do you know of such a person?”
“I can think of someone who knows an awful lot about finding information.”
Samuel stared at Lord Timothy and shook his head.
“Please do not say that you are thinking of your mother.”
Lord Timothy burst out laughing and looked out in front of him.
“You amuse me, Yarmouth. And while my mother knows of many sources who would be able to assist in your pursuit, I doubt very much that she will agree to assist you in clearing your name.”
“Indeed. Who were you referring to, then?”
Before Lord Timothy was able to answer, Samuel noticed a familiar figure hastily walking toward them.
“Brother,” Lady Lillian called out, waving her hand in the air.
