Page 53 of Fit for a Duke
‘They must gossip about someone,’ Ezra replied, feigning boredom. ‘One grows accustomed to having one’s every word and gesture endlessly speculated about.’
‘You might.’
‘And I have made things difficult for you. I dare say you will be questioned and won’t know what to say to your inquisitors. I am sorry about that. Whatever you tell them, you can be sure that I shall not deny it. I am entirely to blame.’
‘No question.’ She smiled at him. ‘Anyway, as to your cousin, he has certainly got entirely the wrong impression and I think he is secretly worried. You fear for your life and I will not hamper that life by forcing you to make the ultimate sacrifice.’ She shook her head emphatically. ‘That would not be fair.’
‘Life is not fair, darling.’ Ezra took a deep breath and adjured himself to behave. ‘What made you suppose that Silas’s suspicions were aroused?’
‘Well,’ she replied with a mischievous twinkle, ‘if I had to endure the embarrassment of dancing with a man who doesn’t know his left foot from his right, I decided I might as well exploit the opportunity. In the spirit of helping our enquiry, naturally, I might inadvertently have suggested that his own comfortable existence would come to an end once you marry.’
Ezra shook his head, laughing in spite of himself. ‘If you seriously suspect him then goading him into taking action is not the best way to keep me alive.’
‘Nonsense! Are we going to sit about waiting for the killer to strike or should we lure him into indiscretion? Thus far, his actions appear to have been carefully orchestrated but if we can somehow tempt him away from his plans for you, he might well make a mistake.’
‘Silas faints at the sight of blood.’
‘Or so he would have you believe. You underestimate him, Ezra. There is a sharp mind and a resentful character behind the foppish façade.’
Ezra permitted his surprise to show. ‘You have deduced that much simply by dancing with him?’
‘I have been watching him since he arrived. Most people avoid him. He is accustomed to being overlooked, so when he isn’t fussing over your mother’s comforts, he thinks no one is watching him and lets his guard down. I have mentioned to you before that I have seen the way he sometimes looks at you with a combination of loathing and envy radiating from his eyes.’
‘I have never noticed.’
‘He would hardly letyousee, which is why I contend that he is artful.’
‘Then I shall not assume that he’s as harmless as he makes himself out to be.’ But Ezra still doubted whether Silas could have pulled the wool over his eyes for all this time. Perhaps that was because he didn’t want to admit to having been duped. Even so, he was man enough to accept that Clio could well be in the right of it. ‘He did once mention that he harboured a desire to tread the boards and was only held back from so doing because it is not a profession worthy of a gentleman.’
‘Well, there you are then. The man considers himself a frustrated Hamlet. I stand vindicated.’
Ezra smiled at her. ‘My mind has not been entirely idle.’ At least it had not been before Clio had taken almost complete occupation of it and drove all other thoughts from his head. ‘And I do intend to set a trap to lure the assassin in.’
‘How do you intend to do that?’
‘Well, now that I am aware that Brennan is residing in Midhurst I can—’
‘Midhurst?’ She sent him a sharp look. ‘Is that where he is? Why did you not say?’
‘I told you he was five miles away. I did not think the precise location significant.’ Ezra was at a loss to know why she had become so agitated. ‘Why has this intelligence excited you?’
She gave an impatient tut. ‘That is the destination of Lady Fletcher’s al fresco luncheon tomorrow. I thought you would be aware.’
‘I don’t take much notice of her programme, I’m afraid.’
‘Well, we ladies are supposed to be travelling in carriages, escorted by you gentlemen on horseback.’ Clio tapped the fingers of one hand against her opposite forearm. ‘I wonder who decided upon the location.’
‘It wouldn’t surprise me to discover that it was my mother’s suggestion.’
‘Well, if an attack is to be launched and Brennan is behind it, that is where it will happen, you just mark my words, and you will be an easy target. Far easier to get to out in the open than you would be on this estate. You had best develop gout between now and then and not go.’
Ezra laughed. ‘Thank you for your concern, but gout does not ordinarily afflict men of my age, and certainly not overnight.’
‘I can see that you are still not taking this affair seriously.’ She tutted. ‘Why do gentlemen take such a cavalier attitude towards life and death?’
‘I have a very compelling reason for wishing to remain alive, my love,’ he replied softly, fixing her with an intense look so imbued with passion that he could detect her responding blush even in the flickering light of a single candle that had almost burned down.
She swallowed. ‘Well, naturally you do, but we need to form a strategy. And don’t tell me that I cannot involve myself,’ she added, wagging a finger at him. ‘It will not be as easy for me as it might once have been, given that you singled me out so blatantly this evening. Everyone will be watching me as well as you and… That’s why you did it, isn’t it?’ Deep betrayal and bitter disappointment filtered through her expression. ‘You deliberately favoured me so that you would have a valid reason to dispense with my help.’ Her eyes widened as she fixed him with a look of disdain. ‘You didn’t have to go that far. You could just have avoided me.’
