Page 72 of A Scandalous Vow

A blush stained the girl’s cheeks and she shook her head as she tried to brush past him on the street. “I can manage,milord.”

“I’m certain you can.” Sebastian fell into step beside her. “But if you’d allow me to help, I won’t feel so terribly awful about asking a favor from you inreturn.”

That made her stop. “A favor?” Her brow furrowed, quitepredictably.

Sebastian matched her frown and said insotte voce, “I’m afraid I loaned a book to Lord Staveley last year, and well—” he shrugged “—he died before he could return ittome.”

The girl’s lips formed aperfect“o”.

“A couple of books, actually,” Sebastian continued. “And in all honesty, I’m afraid the set truly belongs to my grandfather, and not really me, and His Grace has just noticed they’re missing.” He cringed slightly. “If Lady Staveley was in, I would ask her to let me search the library for the tomes inquestion,but…”

The maid’s eyes rounded in surprise. “A set ofbooks?”

Sebastian nodded. “Apparently, my grandfather considers them quitevaluable.”

“Which books are you looking for, milord? Do you know what they look like? I could look forthemand—”

That would never do, and Sebastian shook his head. “Would you think me awful if I said I didn’t remember? Not really the studious sort.” He flashed her that grin again. “I would recognize them as soon as I saw them,however.”

She seemed to study him, perhaps looking for the truthfulness behind his smile, and Sebastian prayed she didn’t find himwanting.

“Everything at Staveley House is fairly quiet at the moment,” the maid began, and started walking down Piccadilly once again. “Simmons is out for the day as is Mrs.Allen.”

“Indeed?” He fell into step beside heroncemore.

“Well, there’s no need to be fully…” She shook her head. “I probably shouldn’tsaythat.”

Say that there was no need to be fully staffed as the family had fled to parts unknown in the middle of the night? Yes, probably not. But there was no need as Sebastian already knew that part. “Your secrets are safe with me, my dear. As long as mine are safe with you. You don’t suppose you could let me peruse the Staveley library for my grandfather’s books,doyou?”

She cast him a sidelong glance as she handed him one of her baskets. “As long as you don’t tellanyone.”

Perfect. A genuine smile settled on Sebastian’s lips. “I will never tell a soul.” And he prayed the deciphered code was in London. Because, if not, he’d have to hie off to godforsaken Westmorland. And getting an invitation into Benton Park would doubtful be as simple as getting an invite into StaveleyHouse.

Chapter26

What an incredibly long day.A couple of incredibly long days, actually. And it wasn’t over yet. Marc knocked on Callie’s door, and when she called for him to enter, he pushed thedooropen.

His daughter was already in bed and tucked under her counterpane, with the lamp beside her bed casting the room in a warm glow. She closed a book in her lap and smiledathim.

Marc’s gut twisted a bit. He really should have dealt with this earlier. “How was your day with Emma and Rachel?” he asked, closing the doorbehindhim.

“They seem very nice,” she saidsoftly.

He crossed the floor and sat on the very edge of her bed. “I should have told you about Lady Staveley.” Well, more than he had told her anyway. “About my feelingsforher.”

“Are you really going to marry her?” Callie’s light eyes blinked upathim.

Marc would love nothing more than that, but it wasn’t really an option. “If things were different, I would do so in the blink ofaneye.”

She frowned slightly at that. “You always said it’s toodangerous.”

She was right about that. He took her small hand in his and squeezed it lightly. “Aye, it is, love.” He’d been successful at making the world think he didn’t care a thing about Callie; but if he married Caroline, he could never convince the world he didn’t care about her. And that would make her a target, it would put her in even more danger than she was in now. “But what do you thinkofher?”

At that, his daughter’s face brightened a bit. “I like her very much, Papa. She was very kind about mypaintingand…”

“And?” heprodded.

“And she talked to me alittle.”

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