Page 13 of The Seduction of Lord Sin
As he studied those around the table, he noted Toobury deep in conversation with Lady Flora. Toobury would be a strong competitor, along with Devlin. Toobury was a nice, kind, and gentle man who made the mistake of falling in love with a woman he could never marry. He had young children for Charlotte to raise as her own, too.
Devlin had some competition. He would just have to ensure Devlin became the victor at week’s end.
* * *
“That went well, don’t you agree?” Flora asked her as they climbed the stairs to retire for the evening, leaving the men to their port and billiards.
She nodded. “I’m surprised Lord Sinclair has decided to stay.”
“I take that as an excellent sign.”
She shook her head at Flora’s hopefulness. “He’s merely bored. He thinks this is a lark. Besides, he probably wants to help Devlin win my favors. He knows his friend is about to lose everything.”
“And now I have to deal with Dharma. Why has she returned? It could ruin her if word of this event reached society’s ears. She has to leave.” She stopped outside Flora’s bedroom. “Or perhaps, tomorrow, if Devlin wins the archery and we have our private outing, I shall ask him directly if he is interested in the match. If he says yes, then we’ll announce our engagement immediately and end this fiasco.”
Flora opened her bedchamber door, but before she slipped inside she said, “I wish you’d wait until the end of the week. I saw the way Lord Sinclair was studying you. He’s interested.”
“Oh, Flora. He might be interested, but not in marriage. He won’t be considering me. He will have heard the gossip. If he hadn’t earlier, he will tonight. He has no heir. He’s unlikely to risk taking a wife who cannot bear him a son.”
“Then let’s hope he wins the private outing and you can tell him your secret.” Flora closed the door on her stunned face.
Then she heard the door further along the corridor click shut.Dharma.She forgot all about Lord Sinclair as she marched to her stepdaughters door and knocked on it briskly. “Dharma, open this door at once.”
“Come in, Mama.”
She entered, closing the door firmly behind her. “Don’t you Mama me. What are you doing back here? I told you to stay with Lady Devlin until next Tuesday.”
“You wish to hide me away for my protection. Your reputation can as easily be ruined as mine. Or is it the fact you are selling yourself off with this silly house party that embarrasses you?”
Charlotte sank into one of Dharma’s chairs placed by her fire. “We have had this conversation and I shall not have it again.”
“I am not leaving. Flora is here, and soon James will be here too—”
“I need Tobin here to protect your reputation. Perhaps I’ll send for him. Why did you return? You gave me your word—”
Dharma sighed. “I didn’t, actually. I swore I would not interfere, not that I would stay away. When a missive arrived saying I was needed, I came.”
She rubbed her head, willing the gathering headache to go away. “What missive?”
On a sigh, Dharma unfolded her legs and gracefully made her way to her reticule, which lay on the side-table near her bed. When she returned, she handed the parchment to Charlotte. “It has the Clayton seal. I thought it was from you.”
It was on parchment found in the writing desk in the billiard room. It had yellowed a bit with age as she didn’t use the desk in there much. She kept a seal in the draw too. Or Tobin did. Who sent it? Why was it sent? Who wanted Dharma to be here? An icy dread seeped inside. If one man wanted her here in order to compromise her… But then she realized a note would have had to have been sent yesterday. The only guests here yesterday were Lord Sinclair and Lord Devlin.
A bright light went off in her head—or Flora!
With this pounding headache, she couldn’t think straight. She rubbed her temples and her ribs throbbed. She’d done well to get through the day and night without giving into the pain.
She stood and grimaced. “You should have known the note was not from me if I did not sign it. You should never have come home. We will discuss this in the morning when I’m rested, in case I say something I regret.”
“Aren’t you even a little interested in who sent the note and why?” She hesitated at the door with her hand on the handle when Dharma added, “My money is on, Lord Sinclair.”
Her head snapped up. “Don’t be ridiculous. He has no cause to.” What pained her was if not Sinclair, could it have been Devlin? It would seem her money wasn’t enough. “It was most likely Flora. She, too, wishes me to wait and find love. I’m too old to wait.”
“You are not too old. I agree with Flora.”
“Well, I hope you and Flora will not do anything to destroy what I have taken several months to organize?”
“Oh, Charlotte. We both just want your happiness.”
