Page 9 of A Dangerous Lord (Regency Spies & Secrets 3)

She was about to respond but her mouth snapped shut when Oliver came to stand next to her.

Oliver spoke up. “Good morning, Corbyn.”

“Good morning,” he replied.

Oliver turned towards his sister. “You are looking especially lovely this morning.”

A flash of annoyance came to Jane’s face. “Thank you,” she remarked dryly.

The tension in the room was palpable as Oliver shifted his gaze towards him. “I was about to go speak with Baldwin,” Oliver shared, “would you care to join me?”

“I would.”

“Excellent.” Oliver started walking down a narrow hall towards the study.

Corbyn bowed. “It was a pleasure to see you again, Lady Jane.”

She dropped into a curtsy. “Likewise, Lord Evan.”

“And I find that I must agree with your brother,” he remarked. “You are looking especially lovely this morning.”

A small, barely discernable blush came to her cheeks. “That is kind of you to say, my lord.”

As much as he wanted to linger, he knew it was not his right. He had no desire to form an attachment with Lady Jane. She was good and kind, everything that he was not. Besides, he had no intention of ever taking a wife. That would just complicate his life, and he didn’t need any more complications.

With a parting look at Jane, he headed towards the study. The door was open and he stepped inside. Baldwin sat at his desk with ledgers open in front of him, and Oliver had claimed a seat on the settee.

“Good morning,” Corbyn greeted as he closed the door.

Baldwin glanced up and grunted. “What is so good about it?”

Corbyn glanced over at Oliver, who just gave him a shrug of his shoulders in response. “Whatever is the matter?”

“I tire of this endless task,” Baldwin said, waving his hands over the ledgers.

“Then hire a man of business.”

“I employ one, but I still need to review the ledgers.”

“You could always ask Jane to handle that task,” Oliver interjected.

“Jane?” Corbyn questioned.

Oliver nodded. “Jane handled all of the financial matters of the estate when Baldwin was on his assignment, and she did so brilliantly.”

“Is that so?”

Baldwin closed one of the ledgers. “It’s true,” he replied. “She nearly doubled our profits, and expanded our holdings exponentially.”

“That is quite impressive,” Corbyn admitted.

“Jane is a woman of many talents,” Baldwin said.

Oliver huffed. “A woman who blatantly dislikes me.”

Walking over to the chair next to Oliver, Corbyn sat down. “But it is for a worthy cause.”

“That is true,” Oliver sighed. “We must put our duty ahead of our own wants.”

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