Page 57 of The Duchess in His Bed
“Then you’re not twins.”
“I suppose not in the classical sense, no.”
It wasn’t going to serve her well if Flo continued to argue with him. “And this is Lady Alice,” she interrupted, striving to steer them back to important matters.
His smile for Alice was devastating in its tenderness, its kindness, as though he recognized that the losses in their lives were hardest on her because of her young age. “The lover of books.”
Alice’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. “How did you know that?”
“I no doubt mentioned it when I met Mr. Trewlove at Lady Aslyn’s wedding.” Her lie came so easily and swiftly that it was a bit unsettling.
“Do you like books?” Alice asked.
“I adore them,” he said. “As does my sister Fancy—which is the reason she’s surrounding herself with them. Come along, ladies. Let’s put you all to work.”
He ushered them to the door and opened it. Alice fairly skipped into the building. Flo and Connie entered with a bit more decorum, but Selena could sense the anticipation thrumming through them. Selena, however, fearing the afternoon was designated for disaster, stopped beside him. “Does Lady Aslyn know I’ve told them she issued the invitation?”
“Everyone knows what they need to know.”
“Did you tell them...everything?”
“It’s not their business, sweetheart.”
“They had questions, surely.”
He tucked a bare knuckle beneath her chin, tilted her face up slightly. “They know I met you at my club. They know I’m intrigued. They know how to hold their tongues. You and your sisters were simply in need of a distraction, and I thought to provide it. You’re safe with us, Selena.”
No, she wasn’t. Whenever he was near, she was in danger of losing her heart.
He’d spoken true. He hadn’t needed to tell his family much in order to obtain their cooperation. They knew he’d met her at his club—although he hadn’t told them how recently they’d met, leaving them to assume their paths had crossed before she became a widow. He’d admitted she intrigued him. He’d explained that he wanted to give her and her sisters a respite from their grieving.
So he wasn’t surprised when he escorted Selena inside to find his family surrounding the younger ladies and welcoming them into the fold. It helped, of course, that they were already acquainted with Mick’s wife—Lady Aslyn—as well as Finn’s wife, Lady Lavinia. It was also clear they knew the Duke of Thornley—Gillie’s husband—as he was a well-placed, influential duke, probably on par with Selena’s late husband. As Thorne took control of the situation, introducing Fancy, Mick, Finn, and Beast, Lady Aslyn broke free of the gathering, strolled over, and took Selena’s hand.
“I was most sorry to hear of Lushing’s passing. You have my deepest condolences.”
“Your kind letter was much appreciated.”
“I should have been there in person to offer what comfort I could, but...” Her voice trailed off as she seemed rather uncomfortable with where her words were leading.
“We’re not the most accepting lot,” Selena said with a gentle smile that tightened his gut. Why did she have to be so gracious?
Aslyn laughed lightly. “No, we’re not. Come, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Just like that she took Selena under her wing, which was something Aiden wanted to provide for her: shelter and comfort. But he would be relegated to doing it all in shadows, hidden away. His father had hidden him away, still took no pleasure in his existence. It seemed no matter how much success he attained, it was never enough to make him respectable.
“Ye kissed her yet, guv?”
Aiden glanced down at the little urchin who had for some years lived in Gillie’s tavern, but now resided at the horse farm with Finn. The lad had probably seen eight years or so, although they weren’t certain. They knew only that he was an orphan, like so many. “A gentleman never tells, Robin.”
“But ye ain’t a gentleman. Ye be a scoundrel. That’s what Mum says.”
Mum. Lavinia. The boy had taken quickly to having a family. “She doesn’t know everything.”
Robin’s expression turned mutinous, no doubt because he believed Aiden had insulted the woman he considered to be his mother, and Aiden expected the lad to come at him with fists flying. “Although on that particular matter she is correct. I am a scoundrel.”
“And a lazy one at that,” Fancy said as she neared, a bright smile wreathing her face with joy. She placed her hand on top of Robin’s head. “Why don’t you help the duke place books on the shelves? He’s working in the animal section.”
With a smart salute, the lad dashed off.
