Page 7 of Charming the Accidental Suitor
She cut him off with a scoff that had him reconsidering the ‘young lady’ part of his speech. She was most definitely female, and she was of a young, marriageable age. But lady did not seem to fit. Especially now as a pink hue tinged her cheeks and her lips pinched. “I’d say itmostconcerns a young lady.”
He frowned and lowered his voice. “Miss McG—Felicity,” he altered when she pursed her lips. “Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You see…” He paused to consider how much he might tell without revealing too much. “I’ve been tasked with looking into a criminal matter?—”
“Yes, yes, the smuggling.” She waved a hand as if smuggling was a topic she was so familiar with, it didn’t bear repeating. “I know all about that. Your cousin asked you to investigate and?—”
He hushed her as he looked around meaningfully. Her sigh made him feel a full decade younger than his years.
“We wouldn’t have to worry about what passersby might hear if you’d merely done as requested and escorted me on a turn about the room.”
He opened his mouth. Then he shut it. She had a point. He held out his arm abruptly in what had to be the least chivalrous gesture of his life. But egads, this woman was irritating.
Her smile was smug as she slipped her hand onto his arm with far more decorum than he’d managed. She murmured her thanks and didn’t speak again until they were walking. “I understand why you suspect Everson?—”
“You do.” His disbelief was clear.
“Of course. He was friends with the late Earl at the time the Earl was involved with the smugglers, and he and Everson were thick as thieves—” She shot him a sidelong glance. “Er, forgive the turn of phrase. I did not mean it so literally.”
Her dry tone had his lips twitching up at the corners and some of his normal good humor returned. “An accurate turn of phrase, I believe.”
“So then youdobelieve he’s responsible for their rapid growth and expansion into the north?”
He whipped his head to the side so quickly the room spun. She didn’t look up and he found himself staring at her dark curls, which tonight had been wrangled into submission in a manner that looked…pretty.
His gaze caught on the countless pins that sparkled in the dark depths of her locks.
Pretty…and perhaps painful.
“How do you know about their expansion to the north?” he demanded.
She looked up then, wide eyed. “Was it a secret?”
He clenched his teeth. Yes, it was a blasted secret. The whole torrid affair was meant to be a secret.
“Jane and Marlin didn’t seem to think so,” she murmured.
He held back a huff. Of course. He made a note to talk to Marlin and his bride-to-be about just how much they relayed on this topic.
“Now, what I’d like to know is what proof you’ve found regarding you-know-who.” She cast a glance in Everson’s direction.
“Felicity, how many times must I tell you this does not concern?—”
“A young lady?” She stopped walking and whirled around to face him. She was so close, he could feel the brush of her skirts against his legs and her sweet, warm scent made him feel temporarily dizzy. “Lord Albright.”
The way she said his name would make any man flinch, but Albright felt a surge of amusement. She was such a small little thing, and yet her tone was more alarming than most generals he’d met, and her chin was notched high with pride.
“...er, yes?” he finally said when he realized she was waiting.
“You do realize that Mr. Everson has of late been more flirtatious than ever with the young debutantes of theton, do you not?”
Albright frowned.
“First Jane, then Ann…” She arched a brow. “Who do you think will be next?”
“I—”
She didn’t give him a chance to finish. “Honestly, I’m surprised I wasn’t first on his list.”
Albright blinked. And then he tensed in a way that was as overwhelming as it was unexpected. A wave of something hot and sharp struck him between the ribs.
