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Main Seeing Danger
Seeing DangerVella Wendy
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Table of Contents TITLE PAGE DEDICATION PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE THANK YOU! SNEAK PEEK OTHER BOOKS BY WENDY VELLA SEEING DANGER By Wendy Vella From #1 bestselling author Wendy Vella, comes another captivating read, that will have you enthralled from the first page! Lord Devonshire Sinclair understands his family's heightened senses are a result of a long ago pact between the Sinclairs and the powerful Raven family. To Honor and Protect is their creed. He has also accepted that no woman could live at his side and understand what he is capable of…until now. Miss Lilliana Braithwaite has always appeared a woman of little sense, with a tendency to dress like a color-blind field mouse. Dev had, for two years, ignored her until one night he finds her on the streets of London, attempting to rescue a child, and thereby hurling herself into danger. From that day forth everything between them changes, and in Lilly he finds the woman who could tame his heart. However, she does not appear convinced by that fact. With only a matter of months before she receives her inheritance Lilly is determined to hold her secrets close. No easy task when Lord Sinclair seems equally determined to meddle in her affairs. Lilly tries to repel him, but finds herself weakening as he rescues her from the fiend intent on disrupting her plans. Soon she can not walk away from Dev, but can she allow herself to trust him enough to give him her heart? Would you like to know when my next book is available? Sign up for my new release mailing list at http://www.wendyvella.com/or visit me on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyVella. Seeing Danger, is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Seeing Danger, published by Wendy Vella Copyright © 2016 Wendy Vella ISBN: 978-0-9941388-0-4 DEDICATION This book is for the readers. Thanks to each and every one of you. I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks. William Shakespeare PROLOGUE It is said that when lowly Baron Sinclair saved the powerful Duke of Raven from certain death in 1335 by single-handedly killing the three men who attacked his carriage, King Edward III was grateful. Raven was a wise and sage counsel he had no wish to lose, therefore, he rewarded Sinclair with the land that sat at the base of Raven Mountain. Having shown himself capable of the duty, Baron Sinclair was now, in the eye of the King, to be the official protector of the Ravens. Over the years the tale has changed and grown as many do. There were rumors of strange occurrences when a Sinclair saved a Raven in the years that followed. Unexplained occurrences that caused many to wonder what it was that the Sinclairs were hiding, but one thing that never changed was their unwavering duty in the task King Edward III had bestowed upon them. To honor and protect the Raven family was the Sinclair family creed. CHAPTER ONE "Seems a carriage has hit a cart, my lord, filled with—ah—" "Filled with what, Bids?" Devonshire, Sinclair, prompted his driver through the opening above his head. "It's a sort of—um—mess, my lord." "A sort of mess?" Dev smiled at his driver's obvious reluctance to use the word shit in his presence. He listened as Bids cleared his throat several times, followed by a lengthy silence before finally he spoke. "I believe, my lord, it is some form of animal excrement." Leaning back, Dev propped his feet on the opposite seat. "And can you determine the source of the excrement?" he queried, enjoying the conversation hugely. "'Tis—the smell, my lord." "Can we go around the mess, Bids?" "I fear not, Lord Sinclair. We shall have to wait it out." "Very well, I shall walk the remainder of the journey home, Bids." Dev closed the hatch. Collecting his hat, he opened the door and stepped from the carriage. "B-but, Lord Sinclair, 'tis near on dark." "I shall be all right, Bids. We are only twenty minutes from home. I shall probably reach there before you." Slapping his hat on his head, Dev raised a hand to the still stuttering Bids and struck out along the street. Unlike others, Dev could see at night. Like his siblings with their strong senses, his ability to see far outreached anyone else's. Leaving the excrement behind, Dev took his first deep breath of thick London air. Twilight was Dev's favorite time of day. Far quieter than any other hour, the buildings lost their weariness, dirt faded, and the streets appeared swept clean. Almost as if the city exhaled after the rigors it had endured, and was girding its loins for the evening to come. His family would be waiting for him to share their evening meal, and the thought had him lengthening his stride. The day had been a long one and he was ravenous. If he wanted seconds, he would need to get there quickly, preferably before the meal started. With six siblings, five of whom would share his meal, he needed to eat quickly. Crossing the road, Dev ducked down a lane that would cut at least five minutes off his journey. "No! Let him go at once!" Looking to the end of the lane, Dev saw a man and woman running. Behind them was a gaggle of children, and they all appeared to be chasing another person who had a child over his shoulder. The child was yelling to be released, which suggested he was being taken against his will. "Release him, you cad!" the woman shrieked. "Damn," Dev muttered. It seemed his meal was about to be delayed, and there would be no second helpings for him. Hurrying after the little group, something urged him to run faster. He felt a desperate need to reach the boy. Turning right at the end of the lane, he found them just ahead of him. The woman led the chase, and she was gaining on the man and boy. "Stop at once!" she cried as the man reached a carriage. Dev passed the group of children just as the carriage door was thrown open. The man then tried to throw the boy inside, but the woman was on him. She grabbed the boy's leg and held tight. The carriage started moving, and the man roared at her to let go, but she would not relent, running to keep up. Dev then watched in horror as the man, who was hanging half out of the carriage, lifted a hand and swung it at the woman, connecting with her face. Dev lunged for her, wrapping his arms around her body, pulling her free. The boy came with her and then they were all falling. He rolled, and landed with them on his chest. The breath slammed from his body as he took her weight and that of the boy. "A-are you all right?" Dev rasped as he struggled to draw air back into his lungs. "Dear Lord!" The man who had been running behind her reached them. He quickly lifted the boy and then the lady off Dev. "Are you well, Miss?" Dev sucked in a deep breath as he moved his body to check for injuries before he regained his feet. He would have a few bruises, but nothing lasting. "W-we got him, W-Wilson." Her words were breathless, yet he heard the elation in each one. "My heart near stopped, Miss, seeing you hanging from the carriage." "B-but I had to stop them taking him." "Madam, my name is Lord Sinclair. Will you allow me to help you?" Her gasp was loud on the night air as she turned her back on him. Dev then watched her hands reach for the hood of her cloak, pulling it up so she could shield her face. "I-I need no help, thank you. And thank you for coming to my aid." She walked away from him to where the four children stood silently. "They'll keep trying, Lilly." A little boy stepped forward. "They already got five of us." She dropped to her knees right there in the street, without a care for the dirt and filth. The man she had called Wilson moved to stand at her back. "There will be no more, Toby. I promise you. We foiled this attempt, and we will foil others." "But how can we stop them, Lilly?" "We'll find a way," she vowed. "Now you take everyone to Temple Street, especially Leo. Make sure he is not injured after what he endured tonight. Tell Mrs. Davey that you are to stay there until morning. I shall call by tomorrow, and we shall talk more then." Dev couldn't fit a name to that soft, cultured voice, and yet a sense of awareness inside him told him they'd met before. He reached her side as she rose. "Thank you, Lilly." The boy she had just saved also stepped forward. "Are you all right, Leo?" He nodded, and she squeezed his shoulder. "Go now," she said to the children, and seconds later they had fled, disappearing down the road and into the shadows. "Can I assist you back to your carriage, madam?" "No, I have help, thank you." "Why are you out here at this hour? Who was that man who attempted to abduct that child?" He had so many questions, but the most important was to find out this woman's identity. Her voice and actions suggested she was from his world, yet surely that was not the case. No woman of his acquaintance would have taken the risks she had tonight. Except his sisters, of course; they would have done the exact same thing. She was doing everything she could to avoid looking at him, but Dev was not having that. He stepped into her path as she started walking, forcing her to stop. "Will you give me your name?" "Please excuse me, I must leave." "I think not." Dev grabbed her arm once more. "Release her!" "Easy, Wilson," she soothed the man with her. "Tell me your name." Shaking his hand from her arm, she stepped back and lifted her face. "You!" Dev staggered backward. "What the hell are you doing out here at this time of night?" Lilliana Braithwaite's face did not carry its usual silly expression. Dev saw emotion now, both fear and anger. "I have no time for this now. No time for you." Dismissing him, she walked away. Dev shook his head to clear it. That didn't work, so he did so again. When he looked for her, she had vanished. "Damn." He followed. No woman, even her, should be out in this neighborhood with a single servant to protect her. He walked back down the street, but could see no sign of Miss Braithwaite. Closing his eyes, he changed his vision. Dev and his siblings had strong senses. His was the gift of sight. With his normal vision he could see long distances, and with his other vision, he could see the colors that belonged to a person, no matter where they hid. Of course, he did not know what color Miss Braithwaite was, but he didn't think too many people would be hiding in this lane at this hour. He just prayed he did not come upon a pair of lovers. His eyes searched first left and then right. He didn't think Miss Braithwaite and the man could have gone far. "Why am I bothering?" he muttered. It wasn't as if he even liked the woman, and she had certainly given him no indication she liked him either. He should simply go home and get that second helping. But something was stopping him. Something tugged at him to find her. Sighing, he kept searching. He saw blue, and then—it can't be! Stopping, he inhaled deeply. Christ, the shorter of the two people hidden in the narrow opening between two buildings was his exact shade of green. Shocked to his toes, he tried to take it in. Every person had a color. Blue, pink, orange, or brown, no matter the color they all had one in varying shades, and yet until this very moment, no one had ever been his exact color match. Closing his eyes, he reopened them in his normal vision. Was it her? Surely not, he prayed silently. The woman was extremely foolish, and then there was the business of her hideous taste in clothing. Dev walked slowly down the street, finally reaching the spot where she and Wilson, were hiding. "You can come out now, because I am not going anywhere until you do." He heard a soft curse, and then she and the man appeared. Lilliana Braithwaite came out first. She had lowered her hood now that the game was up, and for some reason left off her glasses. For the first time he saw her beauty. Usually her hair was severely drawn back and covered in lace, feathers, or something type of flora or fauna, but tonight it had no adornment, was just pulled back in a simple bun. He'd never really noticed the color before, but realized now that it was golden blonde. Without her glasses, he saw soft feathered brows arched over a spectacular pair of lavender eyes that were framed by curling lashes. Christ, she was actually beautiful. Dev looked to her chin and saw the blood there, and felt his head swim. Inhaling, he pushed aside the sudden need to sit. He did not like blood, but it usually only had this effect on him when his siblings bled. "Y-you are hurt," he managed. "'Tis nothing." She wiped her chin with the back of her glove. "Now go home, Lord Sinclair, as I will give you no information about what transpired this night." She brushed past him with the man on her heels. Even her voice sounded different. The high-pitched grating tone had gone. Relieved that his breathing returned to normal now he could not see the blood, he followed. "Why were you running after that man? And why did you, foolishly I must add, grab that boy while the carriage was moving?" Dev asked. "Don't tax yourself, my lord. I assure you there is no need, as you will surely only harm yourself. Forget the events of this night and go home." She was dismissing him again. He couldn't believe it. The empty-headed Miss Braithwaite was dismissing him as if nothing had happened, and he had not just seen what had taken place. She tried to outpace him, which was ridiculous given he was a head taller and his legs took one step to her two. "You don't seriously expect me to do that, do you?" "Yes." She waved a hand at him as if he had asked her to dance. "You don't like me and I don't like you. Therefore, I see no need for you to involve yourself further in this matter." "Tell me about what just happened." "No, and here is my carriage, so I shall say good evening, Lord Sinclair." "What the hell is going on?" He grabbed her arm. "You are...." He struggled to find the right words. "Different." She turned to face him then, and suddenly there she was, the empty-headed Miss Braithwaite that he had always known. She gave him that blank look that he had seen a dozen times in as many ballrooms over the past two seasons. The one that suggested she could not hold a serious thought if her life depended on it. "Why, whatever do you mean, Lord Sinclair? I assure you I have not changed. Indeed, just this morning I selected a simply stunning new dress to be made for the Merryvale ball. La, it will certainly set every man upon his heels." "What?" "The Merryvale ball. Surely you are to attend? La, it will be quite something." She gave that little trill of laughter that grated on his nerves. "Miss Braithwaite, what the hell were you doing out here, chasing that man?" Dev attempted to get the answers he wanted. "Lord Sinclair!" She stepped back, clasping her chest in horror. "How could you speak to me, a lady, in such insulting tones? Why, I feel quite faint." To strengthen her words, she stumbled to the carriage door, which was now open, and into it. Before he could stop her, the door had shut. "Good evening to you, my lord." Wilson then said. He vaulted up beside the driver and then the carriage was moving, leaving Dev to watch it disappear into the London night. "What the hell just happened?" Dev said to no one, as he too started moving. He had a terrible feeling that whatever it was, it was about to shake the foundations of his existence, and for the life of him he could not fathom why. CHAPTER TWO Two nights later, Dev was no clearer on what he had seen that evening, or why Miss Braithwaite had been there, doing what she had. He was now about to do what he had promised himself he would not: ask his siblings what they knew. "Do you know much about Miss Braithwaite, Essie?" "The same Miss Braithwaite you told us not to bother with, Dev, as a conversation with her is as riveting as watching grass grow?" Had he said that? Lord, he was an idiot sometimes. "The very same." His tone was emotionless as he flicked a nonexistent fleck of lint from the sleeve of his evening jacket. Schooling his features, he tried to appear uninterested, as if he were simply passing the time with idle conversation. Dev had thought of nothing else since the incident with Lilliana Braithwaite. His mind was whirling with thoughts and possibilities, chief among which was that he had sorely misjudged her, and that the persona she displayed in society was not in actual fact who she really was. Why he thought that based on such a brief meeting, he was not entirely sure. But he could not seem to remove from his mind the image of her face when she had looked at him in that unguarded moment. He'd seen emotion, and that had shaken him. Why would a woman he believed to be an empty-headed fool be in that street chasing after that man, who Dev believed was abducting that child? The fact that she had given no regard to her personal well-being and launched herself at the carriage told him the matter was a dire one indeed, and rescuing that boy meant a great deal to Miss Braithwaite. "But, Dev, you expressly forbade Eden and me from talking to her, and as you know we always obey you." "I'm sure I never mentioned the word forbid, Essie," Dev said. He hated it when his autocratic behavior came back and bit him in the backside. "No, you did, I heard it," Cam said. Dev sighed loudly, then dropped his calm façade and cast his siblings a look, the quelling sort that told them he was in no mood for their taunts. They of course merely smiled at him. He was escorting his brother and sister to the Alverston ball. Of the seven Sinclair siblings, all except Eden had dark hair and green eyes. Essie, his sister, sat across from him. She had recovered from her broken heart; well, at least she told her family she had. But one year on, and Dev believed she still harbored the scars deep inside. She looked pretty in pale blue silk with ivory trim. Cambridge, his younger brother, was tall with broad shoulders. He had not yet reached Dev's size, but one day he would. In buff breeches, red and black silk waistcoat, ridiculously high shirt points, and a black evening jacket, he looked as any young rogue should. His eyes were finally cleared of the demons that had until recently haunted him. It had been a hard few months for the Sinclair family. Essie had fallen in love only to have her heart crushed, and Cam had suffered the aftereffects of their father's perfidy. "To answer your question, Dev, yes. Eden and I do know Miss Braithwaite. Anyone you expressly forbid us to talk to is well worth our time." Dev eyed his sister's cheeky smile with some relief. Perhaps that bastard had not broken her spirit as he had feared. Now he just had to work out a way to get her to tell him what he wanted to know without arousing too much curiosity. "Why the interest in Miss Braithwaite? I thought you disliked her intensely. You even told me not to bother asking her to dance, as she would bore me to tears in seconds, and that my title was not lofty enough to interest her. There is also the small matter of her dress sense, which I assure you is enough to repel any man." "Yes." Dev shuddered. "Those colors she wears hurt my eyes. However, I'm sure I did not say those things, Cambridge." Dev pinched the bridge of his nose. He was a pompous twit. "Besides, you don't have a title." "I fear you did, brother. Of course I ignored you and danced with her anyway," Cam added. "And yes, she did rattle on, but once I got past the fact she wore that hideous puce dress, I did not find it taxing, as she laughed at several of my jokes. And on the matter of my title, some men don't need them. I can scintillate a lady with mere looks and words." Essie crowed with laughter as Dev rolled his eyes. "Indeed, Cam," Essie added. "As you say, she does have a silly way to her, but I have found that eases with familiarity. She is harmless." "Eases?" Dev questioned. "I believe it means to give respite, brother." "I know what it means, Cam," Dev snapped. "Why the interest in Miss Braithwaite?" Essie asked him. "Keep what I tell you to yourselves," Dev said, and then he related what he had seen out on that London street. "Good God," Cam said. "And you say she was running after the carriage, and you believe she saved that boy?" "She was, and did. Since then I have wondered if there is a chance that I may have been harsh in my original summation of Miss Braithwaite's character. Until I gather all the facts, I cannot be certain." The only sound in the carriage for several seconds was the rumble of the wheels and clip-clop of hooves. "Do you have any smelling salts, Ess? I'm sure Dev just said he was wrong." "Very amusing." Dev glared at his brother. "What else do you know about her?" "Well, Eden and I, like Miss Braithwaite and her aunt, all knit for the children who are less fortunate than ourselves." Cam looked at Dev, who in turn shrugged. "How come we don't know about this?" Dev asked, watching his sister's chin elevate. "You are both busy, and this is a small thing we wish to do. We have so much and they so little." "But there is more, isn't there, sister?" Dev said. He knew when his sister was holding back. "I am unsure of all the details, but I have a suspicion that Miss Braithwaite is more involved than she appears. One day I had the carriage stop at this little house in Temple Street to drop off some things we had for the children, and I saw her entering the building." "Well that suggests nothing other than she was there dropping off things as you were," Cam said. "Indeed. However, Eden was with me, and she overheard Miss Braithwaite say she would be in the parlor looking over the accounts." "Now that changes things," Cam added. "Who approached you about the knitting?" Dev questioned his sister. "We were visiting the Countess of Gripley, and she told us about this charity she knits for. Eden, Aunt, and I were interested in helping too. Miss Braithwaite was there also, and it was she who said she knew the person to contact, and sent round a note with the details the following day." "Is knitting all you do, Essie?" "I have visited orphanages, and sometimes while I am there I will help if a child is sick." "You've visited orphanages?" Dev felt ill at the prospect of his sister in such areas. "You cannot stop me, Dev. I won't let you, and anyway, I am in no danger. I take a footman and a maid if Eden cannot come with me." The Sinclair brothers shook their heads as if to clear them. "Am I such an ogre that you think I would stop you doing these things then, Essie?" Dev was subjected to what he termed the Sinclair look, a thorough searching study from one of his siblings. He had received it more times than he could count, yet it still made him want to wriggle on the carriage seat. "No. I know you would never stop me doing something like this, Dev." Essie expelled a deep breath. "I just decided not to tell you, as you are very protective of us all." "All right, we will leave the matter of you frequenting some of the less desirable London streets for now, and return to Miss Braithwaite. Have you discussed the subject of the children with her again?" "Briefly, but she wished only to discuss scarves and hats. She is not the easiest person to strike up a conversation with, as you know." "She simpers a great deal, and then there is the inane giggling." Cam sighed. The first and only conversation Dev had shared with Miss Braithwaite had been at a ball two years ago. She had been dressed in a hideous ill-fitting gown of mustard, with her hair pulled back so tight it made her eyes squint. Poked in the top of it had been a mustard feather that nearly took out his eye when she nodded. Her glasses had borne a smudge on one lens, and while Dev was not a perfectionist by any standards, he had some... standards. And the woman quite literally hurt his eyes to look at. There was also the little matter of his body tingling when he had drawn near to her. Disturbing, because he had never felt it before, and equally as disturbing was the fact that he was experiencing it with Miss Braithwaite. He had made the effort to approach, as he had sisters and would hate for them to be snubbed in any way, but it had been the first and only time. Miss Braithwaite had spent the entire dance discussing the Grey Shrike, a bird that apparently she had spent a large amount of time studying. She had bored him silly with its migration patterns, the size of its feet, and the color of its feathers. By dance end, Dev was more than happy to return her to her aunt and flee. He pushed from his memory his reaction to her, and never approached her again. Now, however, knowing what he did about her, he knew the source of his reaction. Christ, he could still not believe she had his colors! Had it all been an act? He wasn't sure why she would put on such an act night after night. It made no sense. "Essie?" "Yes, Dev?" "I want you to find out whatever you can about her." "Who?" She gave him a sweet smile. "You know who, so don't play the innocent." "What do I get?" A Sinclair never did something for a sibling without recompense. If they did, the requests would never cease. "I know!" She clapped her gloved hands together. "You will dance with the Riddly twins!" Dev groaned. "Have mercy, Ess. They are sweet, but you know if I do that, their mother will have me wed to one of them before dawn." His sister merely smiled once more, and he knew she would not budge. "Very well, but I expect you to do your bit." "Done!" "Well now, I shall enjoy this evening immensely, and watch both of you with interest." Cam rose as the carriage stopped. After greeting the host and hostess and exchanging pleasantries, Dev and his siblings followed the other guests into the ballroom. Everything glittered and sparkled, including the guests, and he stood for a moment inhaling and exhaling slowly as his senses adjusted to the color. He felt a blinding flash of pain behind his eyes that instantly eased as he adjusted to the brightness and to the myriad of colors. Releasing another breath, he stood between his siblings, one pressed to either side of him, in case it became too much for him to bear and he landed flat on his face. "I am well." They started walking again, nodding as people greeted them. Soon Essie left to talk with some friends. He and Cam continued to circle the room. Over the heads of several guests, he found Lilliana Braithwaite seated with a group of ladies along the wall. Once again she wore glasses and was dressed in a hideous shade of purple. Not the color of grapes or lavender bushes; no, this was closer to a moldy fig. Her hair was once again scraped back from her face and piled high and decorated with— "Christ, is that a tree in Miss Braithwaite's hair?" Cam whispered. "It appears so." "I wonder if her aunt lets her dress in such a manner?" "Perhaps she has little say in the matter," Dev said. "Perhaps." "I saw her without her glasses," Dev added. "Her face was also not composed with that vacant look she has perfected. She was beautiful." "Really?" Dev nodded. "What happened between you has really unsettled you, hasn't it?" "Yes, because I thought I knew who she was, but now I'm not so sure. Seeing her out there, doing what she was, risking her safety for that boy…." Dev shook his head. "I can find no reason for it." "And you like everything to have a reason. Everything in its place, no unanswered questions?" He did; it was how he lived his life, and he did not like the unexpected. "What do you know of her family?" "Not much." Cam shrugged. "Father and mother have passed, and the aunt lives with Miss Braithwaite and her brother. We both know him; Nicholas. He has the same vices I once had." "The same Nicholas you lost money to," Dev said, remembering the night he had found his brother deep in debt in the bowels of some hellhole. "Yes, not a very pleasant type, but as I was halfway down a bottle of whiskey at the time, I can't remember a great deal." "Excuse me, brother." "Where are you going?" Cam asked. "To find out who the hell the true Miss Braithwaite is." CHAPTER THREE Lilly's eyes tracked Lord Sinclair as he drew closer. Surely he was not coming to see her? Two days had passed since that night he had caught her as she lunged at Leo to save him, and she'd believed he had taken her advice and forgotten the entire incident. The look on his face suggested she was wrong. Her heart beat a little faster as she watched him cut a path through the other guests. He was taller than most of the other people in the room, so she could see him clearly, and although she couldn't read his expression from this distance she was fairly certain he was looking at her. Of course he was not seeking her out, she told herself. She had turned him away successfully, just as she had the others. And yet, what had happened between them may have piqued his interest. She prayed it hadn't, as she had no time to deal with him now. The problem was that since that night when he had risked himself to save her, when she would have surely fallen hard and possibly injured herself and Leo, she had not been able to stop thinking of him. His actions had been selfless, and she was unsure many would have taken the steps he had to keep her safe. Take her brother, for example; he would never have risked his health to save her. And yet Lord Sinclair had, which told her she may have misjudged him, and that in fact, he was a great deal nicer than she had originally believed. Not that it mattered. Lilly let no one close; she held them all at bay with silly looks, boring stories, and terrible choices in clothing. But still, it would be nice to know if he was... nice. She shot him another look. He certainly seemed to be heading her way. Lilly pressed a hand to her chest. Surely not? Surely he would not question her here over what had transpired the other night? He had piercing green eyes, which she had only really looked into once before and vowed never to do so again, because she was sure he had read her innermost secrets and seen right down to her soul. Thick black hair and dark brows and lashes complemented a face that sometimes appeared chiseled in granite, and then he would smile—rarely, but usually when his siblings were near—and the effect was breathtaking. His chest was wide, his shoulders broad, and Lilly had no idea who his tailor was, but she hoped he was paid handsomely for the effort of clothing the man's huge body. Men did not often unsettle Lilly; in fact, for the most she found them simpleminded idiots, just as they found her. However, one look into his green eyes and she had actually lost the ability to think. It had never happened to her before, that sudden intense attraction that had fleeced her brain of every thought and stuck her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Lilly had never been attracted to another man like she was to Lord Sinclair. When he had offered his arm she had felt the heat of his body through her gloved fingers almost as if the man were a smoldering ember. Luckily she had fallen back on the act she had perfected of the empty-headed Miss Braithwaite. "Is that Lord Sinclair coming this way, Miss Braithwaite?" Miss Tabitha Pillsworth whispered to her. "Absolutely not," Lilly said, turning away so she wouldn't gaze at him as she often did when no one paid attention. Her glasses proved a wonderful shield and, as most evenings she sat in some corner, she could observe without reserve. "I think he is, and he looks extremely determined. Dear Lord, that is a ferocious scowl, is it not?" "As you can see, Miss Pillsworth, I am at present looking at you. Therefore I cannot see what look Lord Sinclair has upon his face." "I wonder how he does that?" Her companion sighed. "Does what?" Lilly said, then bit her tongue; she did not want to know what he was doing. "Part the crowd without a word." "He is probably wearing too much scent!" "Oh that was naughty, Miss Braithwaite!" Miss Pillsworth giggled and then gulped and grew quiet, and Lilly knew why. Without turning around, she just knew that he was standing behind her. She could feel him. "Miss Braithwaite, Miss Pillsworth, I hope you are having a pleasant evening thus far." She had to look up at him now; it would be extremely rude if she did not. Yet didn't he already think her rude? "Lord Sinclair," Lilly said, gripping the edges of her seat. "May I enquire if you have this dance free, Miss Braithwaite?" Lilly looked down at her dance card, thereby avoiding his eyes. Damn man, he was far too disturbing this close, and while Lilly studied her card, she knew there was not one name on there. "I fear not, Lord Sinclair." Lilly fell back on what she did best. She gave him an insipid smile. "Now that is a shame, considering we have so much to discuss." That look in his eyes told Lilly the man was not about to walk away from her until he got what he came for. "Are you wishing to hear more of the Grey Shrike, my lord?" "No, you were quite thorough in your description, thank you." His voice held humor. "Perhaps another night then, Lord Sinclair." Before she could retreat, he had grabbed her card and studied it. Horrified, she knew he saw it was empty. "Lord Hingle has been struck down with a rare form of lackwit; it is a disease that will lay him low for some time, I fear." Lilly heard Miss Pillsworth giggle. "That is extremely rude, my lord. Lord Hingle is a friend of mine, and on his behalf I must protest." In fact she loathed the man, but he did not need to know that. The slow smile forming on Lord Sinclair's face was not making her heart thud faster, Lilly told herself. "Please accept my apologies if I have insulted you in any way, Miss Braithwaite." He wasn't sorry at all, the scoundrel. His green eyes had a wicked glint. She squinted. Men did not like women who squinted, she had ascertained, as it meant she could not see them clearly. "Oh, Miss Braithwaite thinks Lord Hingle a lackwit also, Lord Sinclair." "Yes, thank you, Miss Pillsworth." Lilly gave the woman a sharp look, which did nothing to subdue her. They had spent many hours sitting on the edges of ballrooms, and Lilly had let her facade drop occasionally and shared a quip or two about some of the men of society. Now she wished she had held her tongue. "I shall dance with the silly man should he arrive, Miss Braithwaite, while you dance with Lord Sinclair." "Excellent." He held out his arm. "What a true friend you are, Miss Pillsworth." Lilly looked around her but rescue came from no quarter, and as there was no one to come to her aid anyway, there was little she could do but rise and place the tips of her gloved fingers on his forearm. Neither spoke as they made their way onto the floor. They attracted plenty of glances, because it was no secret she was rarely asked to dance and he was highly sought-after. Lilly was relieved as a quadrille started when they reached the floor. Not as bad as a waltz, but still he would remain close to her for most of it. "Are you enjoying the season thus far, Miss Braithwaite?" "Oh indeed," she simpered. The breath seized in her throat as his large fingers clasped around hers. Even through their gloves she could do nothing to stop the shiver of awareness. She released it with a whoosh as he released her to take Lady Rumble's hand. The woman threw him a smoldering look. Lilly had never understood women doing such things. But then she'd never understood the need to flirt either. Of course, that was because she had no wish to ever marry. Lilly couldn't marry; she had too many reasons not to, second of which was her children. No husband would allow his wife to do as she did. She straightened her spine as Lord Sinclair returned to her side. Luckily he did not touch her. "Do you not like the quadrille, Miss Braithwaite?" His green eyes smiled, and Lilly hated the feeling of a hundred butterflies fluttering about in her stomach. "Oh yes, indeed, Lord Sinclair, it is a most beauteous dance. Why do you ask?" "You're frowning." Drat. Lilly immediately relaxed her face. "I like to frown, I-I it gives the face a chance to relax." Mother of God, had she just said those words? Think before you speak, Lilliana, she chided herself, this man is no fool. Try not to appear overly stupid. "There is certainly a place for a frown, but one would not think that place was on the dance floor when one is meant to be enjoying oneself." "Oh yes, indeed," she said for the third time. "La, I do believe this is my favorite dance. Do you know of its origins, Lord Sinclair?" Lilly had a head full of silly facts. She had researched long and hard on just such things, because she had every intention of dissuading every man who might show an interest in her. "Ah, no. However, I wish to discuss something else with you, Miss Braithwaite." "I knew you enjoyed our discussion on the gray shrike, my lord. Let me now tell you of the yellow wagtail." "What occurred the other night, Miss Braithwaite? Why were you out there, running down that street after that man and boy? What were you saving him from?" Lilly missed a step, but as he was holding her, he took her weight, and they continued on as if nothing had happened. "I, ah, have no idea what it is you refer to, Lord Sinclair." "Miss Braithwaite, please do not try to fob me off. I was there, I saw you, and I caught you and the boy as you fell. That bruise on your chin was the result. So don't play me for a fool, as it will not wash." "I have no wish to discuss it," she trilled. "It was a silly, reckless moment. It has now passed, and will never happen again." "Try that again." He said the words as he left her side, and she had only a few seconds to find an answer. Her thoughts whirled but she could come up with nothing that would appease him and leave him none the wiser as to her actions, so she fell back on the ridiculous. "I have recently started studying mice, Lord Sinclair. And a rare form of field mouse is found on that street at that time every year. It comes only in the summer, and I was there searching for it when I saw that man grab that boy." Lilly was rather proud of her reply. It sounded like something the silly Miss Braithwaite would do. "I could not, in all conscience, let that man harm the child, and so I set off in pursuit, and that is when you found me. Your actions surely saved my life," Lilly added dramatically. "I shall forever be indebted to you." "Impressive though that reply was, you don't seriously expect me to believe it, do you?" "Why, are you suggesting I am telling an untruth, my lord? Shame on you." Lilly gasped, then clutched her bosom for effect. He took her hands as they walked in a small circle. "I am unsure if you are an excellent actress, and if so, why? Or you are genuinely...." "Simple-minded? Oh I assure you I am. 'Tis a constant concern for my family." He laughed, a deep booming sound that drew far too many eyes. Lilly did not like being the center of attention. "Now then," he said when they returned to their previous position. "How about we try that again? Why were you in that lane at such an hour, chasing that man, with a handful of children with whom you were obviously familiar?" "I-I—please forget the entire incident, Lord Sinclair." Lilly gave up trying to concoct a more elaborate story. This man would not be fooled, or deterred, it seemed. "I don't think that will be possible, Miss Braithwaite." "Why? My actions do not concern you." "And yet I was there, as were you. The woman I saw that night, for a brief moment, vastly differed from the one I believed I knew. My curiosity is roused." Oh no, no, no. This was not good at all. Lilly could not afford to have someone like Lord Sinclair poking his nose into her affairs. Her family had no idea what she did, and she liked it that way. Miss Braithwaite was important to no one. Therefore no one cared about her actions... until now. "No, you were right in your earlier assessment of my character. I am extremely silly. Why, just yesterday I told Lord Howe that very thing, and he agreed with me." "And yet, that leads me no closer to what I want to know." "I am distressed by your line of questioning, Lord Sinclair." Lilly forced herself to trill the words in her usual high-pitched tone. "I have no wish to further our acquaintance, or indeed dance with you again." She felt his eyes on her, and then he had left her side once more, and Lilly wanted to flee. Pick up her skirts and run as fast as she could, and not stop. "Had you said those words to me last week, I would have believed them, Miss Braithwaite. Yet now, tonight, I am having trouble doing so. You see, the woman I watched kneel in that filthy London street to talk with children I suspect live their lives upon them, was not extremely silly. So you see my dilemma, Miss Braithwaite," he said in a calm voice that made Lilly want to shriek at him. "You have become something of a conundrum to me." "I don't want to be your conundrum," Lilly said quickly. "I am no one worth your time, and I wish for things to go back as they were. You ignoring me, and me ignoring you, Lord Sinclair." Please. "I think not, but as you will not enlighten me, perhaps your family can." No, dear God, no. "Do not question them!" Lilly looked to where her aunt stood. Dear Lord, she would lock Lilly's bedroom door and never let her leave if she knew what she got up to. Dear, sweet Aunt Vi. She would be horrified to realize her niece was out on that street with only a footman for protection. "I will not, of course, if you do not wish it. However, I would like answers to my questions." "You will not get them." Her voice was tight with worry, but she cared not. She must somehow dissuade this man from further questioning. If that did not work, then she would make sure to evade him. She could fake an illness—that would give her some time, then perhaps an injury to a leg.... "I shall look forward to conversing with you once more, Miss Braithwaite." Lilly did not speak again as the dance thankfully ended, and let him lead her back to where her aunt stood with her brother. The entire journey was spent trying to come up with a way to stall him from further questioning her. The only idea she could come up with as they reached her aunt was to run and hide until the evening was over. Dev released Miss Braithwaite as they reached her aunt's side. He acknowledged Lady James and ignored Lord Braithwaite, her brother. The man had had a hand in attempting to sink Cam further into the depths of depravity when first the Sinclair family arrived in London, and Dev did not forget such things, especially when they involved people he loved. "Lady James." He bowed before the elderly woman. "Lord Sinclair, how lovely to see you, and dancing with my darling niece." Dev studied the older woman. Her dress was in the latest style and the color a deep burgundy. Why then did she allow her niece to dress like a dowdy, color-blind field mouse? "I believe the Duke and Duchess are from London at this time, Lord Sinclair." "Indeed they are, Lady James. My sister is at Raven Castle, but due to return shortly. My aunt and uncle are keeping them company." "How lovely." Her smile was sweet. He knew the woman had many friends and was popular, also unlike her niece. The puzzle that was Miss Braithwaite grew by the minute. "If you will allow me the supper dance, Miss Braithwaite?" "Oh no, my lord. It would not do to—" "My niece will be delighted to dance with you again, Lord Sinclair." He bowed then, deciding that now was as good a time as any to leave, because Lady James may be happy he was singling her niece out, but her niece and nephew were not. "Good evening, Sinclair." He did not look at Nicholas Braithwaite as he spoke. Turning on his heel, Dev walked away. The woman had piqued his interest, and when that happened there was little to be done but follow that interest until he had answers to all the questions currently swirling inside his head. Dev thought about her as he danced with others. He thought about her as he talked with friends and acquaintances. He then returned to partner her for the supper dance. However, it seemed she had fled. CHAPTER FOUR Dev walked around the room, until he was sure he had covered every inch, and still he could not find her. Tempted as he was to change his vision, he was not foolish enough to risk it, and would only resort to that in a dire situation. Finding Essie, he tapped her shoulder, and his sister detached herself from a group of women. "Essie, have you seen Miss Braithwaite?" "Why?" "We were engaged for the supper waltz." Essie frowned. "But haven't you already danced with her?" "Yes," Dev said, not liking where this was going and wishing he had kept his mouth closed and continued searching on his own. "Then why are you dancing with her again?" "People can dance more than once, surely?" "Not you and her." No one could annoy him quite like a sibling. "I am attempting to be nice, is there a problem with that?" Frustrated, he ended the sentence on a growl. "What did you say to her?" "What?" Essie placed her fingers on his arm, then nodded, which Dev guessed meant she wanted to walk. Not an easy task, surrounded by hundreds of people. "You must have said something to her, if she has disappeared." "I asked if she would dance the supper dance with me, and her aunt accepted, and now I cannot find her." "Why would she have fled when she knew you were to dance with her, if you said nothing to upset her?" "All right, I may have asked her about the other night, which was perfectly acceptable considering the circumstances," he defended himself. "I thought I was going to find out more about her, and then you would talk with her?" "I don't remember us discussing that." "It was what I gathered from our discussion. But as you have now frightened her off, then you shall have to find her and apologize. " She spoke out the side of her mouth. "I'm your brother. Shouldn't you be on my side?" he groused. "I can't help you with her if you don't tell me what happened," Essie said in her calm, rational voice. "How do you know I need help?" "You're strung tighter than a piano wire." "Lord, I wish I had kept my mouth shut," he groaned. He watched the sweetest of the Sinclair siblings narrow her eyes in a calculating manner. "If you will alert me when Sir Richard Kimpton is heading in my direction, I shall tell you where I last saw her." "I thought we were not using our senses in public?" This time Dev looked smug. "That's the deal, brother. I cannot abide that windbag Kimpton, and his breath is quite foul." "Shall I warn him off you, sister?" Dev looked around the room and found Kimpton several feet away, fast approaching. "No indeed, I can do that. But it would be easier if I had warning and could duck out of sight." "Deal." "Miss Braithwaite left the room through that door," she pointed over Dev's shoulder, "ten minutes ago." "Kimpton is approaching fast on your left." "Love you, brother." "And you, sister." They parted. Dev headed for the door and slipped through. Switching his vision now that he was away from several hundred brightly clad people, he began walking the halls. He saw colors behind doors, some extremely close to each other, which suggested more than just chatting was taking place. Continuing on, he found a set of stairs and descended; at the bottom he found another door, and this one led to a conservatory. The smell of flowers and trees, both citrus and garden variety, hit him. Cam would love this place. He found Lilliana Braithwaite at the rear, tucked behind a large statue of a Roman gentleman wearing a brief loincloth. "Hide-and-seek is a particular favorite of my family. Perhaps you would care to join us one day for a game?" Dev said, blocking her escape route. "Lord Sinclair!" "The very person." "What are you doing here?" She was attempting to appear calm and find that blank look and insipid smile she usually had on her face when he saw her. However, this time, he could see nerves were making that difficult. "I was looking for my dance partner, Miss Braithwaite." "Oh well, yes, of course. Good Lord, is it that time already? I had simply hoped for a short respite from the ballroom, and had not realized the hour had advanced so." As far as lies went it was a good one, yet a lie nonetheless. Dev was slowly coming to the conclusion that the woman was very good at hiding behind what she wanted people to believe she was, when in fact she was far different. "Do you wear those to see near or far?" His question about her spectacles threw her off her stride further. "I—ah... both." Dev bent closer and looked through them. He saw the glass was plain, just like his bedroom window. The glasses were part of her disguise. "They do not appear overly strong." "Th-they are strong enough." She snatched them from her face and cleaned them furiously with her gloved fingers. "Oh dear." "What?" She looked up at him quickly, and he was able to see her eyes clearly once more. Dev felt something settle heavily in his chest as he studied her delicate features. "Your eyes are an unusual color." "I-I am happy with them." "Yes, they are lovely." She really was beautiful, right down to the sweet bow of her upper lip. How the hell had she fooled them all for so long? "If you will not dance with me, will you come out from behind that statue and tell me what it was that I stumbled across two nights ago?" "No. However, I would be happy to give you a tour of the conservatory. There is a splendid display of orchids, some quite rare. There is one that is over—" "I will not be deterred, Miss Braithwaite, so you had best come clean." "I have no wish to talk of that matter, as I told you earlier, Lord Sinclair." "Then it appears we are at an impasse. I wish to know and you will not tell me. You wish me gone from here; I wish to stay." "I overheard your sisters once telling someone that you were a good and fair man." "That was nice of them." "They said no woman would ever have anything to fear from you." "I am trying very hard to imagine what conversation prompted those particular compliments from my sisters. I can only suspect that such nice words were from Essex, and surely I had done something wonderful to get into her good graces." Her lips pursed, and he saw that she was getting angry but fighting hard to stay in character. "The point I am trying to make, Lord Sinclair, is that I have no wish to tell you what you want to know, and if you are the gentleman your sisters believe, then you should not force me." She was clever; he'd give her that. "Were my sisters the ones walking about London streets at such an hour, chasing men with dubious intentions and rescuing a child I suspect lives on those streets, I assure you I would be questioning them the same way." She wasn't scared of him, Dev realized, only of what he may learn. "I am nothing to you." "Not quite true, but I take your point. However, after saving you from certain death—" "Neither Leo nor I would have died from falling on the road," she scoffed. "You are certainly as ungrateful as my sisters." He saw the small twitch of her lips, and with it came a flash of two dimples he had not known she had. It was yet another glimpse into the woman society knew nothing of. "Should someone chance upon us, Lord Sinclair, the results would not please either of us; therefore I would ask you to let me pass." He knew her words for the truth and yet he could not draw away. Lifting a hand, he traced the bruise marring the pale skin of her jaw. She felt warm to touch and the effect on his body was instant. Every nerve end stood, every pulse thrummed. "Can we be friends, Miss Braithwaite?" "No." The word made her pout. Just a taste, a small brush of his mouth against hers, and this madness inside him would ease. "No." She shook her head as he lowered his. "I don't—" He swallowed the rest of her words. Dev was gentle, placing small kisses on her lips, each one opening them bit by bit, until she gave him what he wanted. She had the most kissable lips, full against his and shaped to perfection, and in seconds all thought of this being a brief interlude fled from his head. Had someone doused him in fire he would not have moved. The immediate and powerful reaction he suddenly felt shocked him to his toes. It was as if she touched him everywhere, yet in truth the only skin he could access was her face and lips. It was enough to tell him that when he got this woman undressed and beneath him, theirs would be a fierce passion. Lilly had never been properly kissed before. There been several pathetic attempts by men who had drunk too much or declared they were enamored by her, which was of course untrue. She'd soon taught them the error of their ways, but this.... Dear God, this was a slow seduction of the senses. His mouth, which she had previously believed hard, was soft and wicked as it kissed and nibbled hers. She could do nothing to stop the shameful flood of heat that filled her body. It was as if she had relinquished control of herself to him, as if her body were now his to command. Of their own volition, her arms moved up his body and her fingers dug into the hard muscles on his shoulders. For a brief moment, she almost wished she did not wear gloves, so she could explore the soft hair at his nape. "Open for me, Lilliana." The deep rasp of his words brushed her lips, and she found herself doing as he asked. Felt herself arch into his body, press her breasts against his chest as she sought more from him. More contact, more kisses. One of his hands cupped her head and angled it so the kiss deepened; the other he kept around her waist, holding her close. "Lilliana." "Yes," she whispered against his lips, uncertain what he asked for or what she needed. His mouth moved to her jaw, kissing the length to her ear, and then he pressed his lips to that place just beneath, where her neck started, and the fire inside her grew. Such a small place, and yet when touched in the right way, by the right man, it was alarmingly sensitive. Lilly managed to swallow her cry of regret when he lifted his head. She drew in an unsteady breath as he stepped back and away from her. "Please forgive me. I-I had no right to do that, Miss Braithwaite." His breathing was as heavy as hers, and she saw that he was as disturbed by the kiss as she. "I-I don't know what to say to you," she whispered truthfully. "This, it should not have happened, and I'm not sure why it did." Lilly braced herself as he closed the distance between them once more. "You are a beautiful woman." He cupped her cheek. Lilly shook her head. "No, I am not. I'm ugly. Just ask any man in that ballroom." "But you are not ugly, are you, Lilliana? In fact you are beautiful, and yet you take great pains that no one sees that beauty." No, no, no. How did he know she took great pains to hide from society? "I have no idea to what you allude, Lord Sinclair. This entire situation has gotten completely out of hand, and it must stop. What happened the other night was the catalyst, and let me say once more that I have no wish to speak of it further, and this"—Lilly waved her hand between them—"is momentary madness, which will pass." Before he could speak, she placed a hand on his chest and pushed. He moved, but only, she suspected, because he wished to. Then she was walking from the room. Lilly wanted to run, but made herself walk. Reaching the door to the ballroom minutes later, she slipped inside, now composed. Well, outwardly at least. "Miss Braithwaite, how wonderful, I have been looking everywhere for you. Come, we will go to supper together as we have both missed the supper dance, and quite frankly there is not one person I wish to converse with who will aid my digestion." Of course the last person she wanted to sit with was one of his sisters, and yet she could find no way to escape Essex Sinclair. "Thank you, that would be lovely." "We shall find somewhere quiet. I have some questions about the knitting I am doing, as I believe you also knit for the children. Different styles that I think will help the children through the winter months." Lilly drew in a deep breath as Essex started chattering about the children. She nodded and smiled when appropriate, and tried to ignore the tingling in her breasts and heat that flushed her body. Essex had no idea that minutes ago Lilly had been locked in a heated embrace in the arms of her eldest brother. In fact, she doubted anyone would believe it, even if she climbed onto the supper table and yelled the words to every guest. She was struggling with it herself. It had been madness; nothing else could explain that frenzied need inside her to be consumed by the man. She'd never felt such raw emotion before. Lilly had never thought of herself as passionate-natured, but right at that moment, there on the cold stone floor, she would have allowed that man any liberties he wished with her person. "Hello, Cam." "Essex, Miss Braithwaite." Lilly nodded to the Sinclair male as they took seats close to where he sat with a young lady. "I shall get us some food, if you will sit here, Miss Braithwaite." "Oh, I can get mine." "Yes, I know, but then someone may take our seats," Essex said before walking off. The family, Lilly thought, were all quite authoritative in their own way. Had she responded with such abandon simply because he was handsome, and no handsome man had ever paid her any attention? Not that she wanted attention. But yes, surely that was it, Lilly reasoned, relieved to have worked through why she had behaved in such a way. Feeling better, she even smiled as Essex Sinclair arrived back at her side with a plate of food. "I was wondering if perhaps I could drop some more things around to Temple Street one day, Miss Braithwaite?" Suddenly the food tasted like ashes in her mouth. She looked at Essex Sinclair. The green eyes were not as vibrant as her brother's, and the hair not quite as dark, but there was little doubting the blood tie. "I—ah, Temple Street?" "I saw you entering there when last I had some things to deliver. I took them myself as I was heading that way. I thought that perhaps you were in some way involved? Perhaps your family owns the house?" "Oh, yes of course." "Forgive me. You seem uncomfortable with my questions." Stay calm, Lilly. Because one person knows you visit Temple Street, does not mean anyone else does. "I am involved, yes, but prefer to keep my involvement a secret." Why was her life suddenly so complicated? First this business with Lord Sinclair, and then with his sister. She had managed to keep her secrets close until these people entered her life. "Oh, of course, and your secret is safe with me, I assure you. Indeed, I have several secrets I have no wish for anyone to hear." Lilly couldn't imagine what this woman could possibly have to hide. "Excellent. I would be most grateful if you would do so." "I assume the house is for the children in some capacity?" "Yes, we treat any sick children there and offer beds and food for those in need." "How wonderful." Essex looked genuinely interested. "Is there a possibility that I may call around there sometime, and drop off the things I have for the children? I would also like to offer my help if a child is sick or injured. I have quite a bit of knowledge in that direction." Lilly wondered if this was what it was like being stomped over by a herd of cats. These Sinclairs did not seem to understand the word no, and gently but forcefully persisted until they got the answers they sought. However, she was surprised that a woman of noble birth knew about healing, and while she had no wish for Essex Sinclair to know too much about her life, she was not one to look away from such an opportunity. The children were often sick enough to warrant calling for a doctor, and yet most doctors had no wish to treat children like the ones who frequented Temple Street. "Yes, well, if you wish." "Excellent. I shall await word from you as to what day suits you best." Biting into a savory, Lilly contemplated how she was to bring her life back under control and eradicate Lord Sinclair from it. Many hours later, when she was lying in her bed, she was no closer to finding the answer. CHAPTER FIVE Dev could hear the laughter as he walked down the long hallway of his uncle's home three mornings after the night he had kissed Lilliana Braithwaite. The nursery was on the top floor and rightly so, considering the noise coming from inside it. Reaching the doorway, he leaned on the frame and looked inside. "If seventeen frogs hopped seventeen miles and they covered five miles per hour, then how long would it take them to reach Ambrosia Pond? Which I happen to know is the biggest pond in Europe." His younger siblings were seated around a table; Somerset perched with one leg beneath her. Warwickshire sprawled, looking like Cambridge, long legs taking up the majority of room under the table. Dorset, who rarely sat still, bounced in her chair. Each was silent as they thought through what their tutor, Mr. Linues, had asked them. Dev had always believed his sisters should be schooled as thoroughly as his brother, and until they had arrived in London and accepted their aunt and uncle's support, he and his elder siblings had undertaken that task. He also knew his views were very different from the rest of society's. His uncle surprisingly had followed them and employed Mr. Linues, a young man with a solemn demeanor behind which sat a wry sense of humor. "How many frogs are there, and is the road often used?" "There will be no delaying tactics to put your sisters off, thank you, Master Warwick." Dev laughed silently. His younger siblings, like their elder brothers and sisters, had lively intelligence. It was only recently he, Cam, Essie, and Eden had found out that they also shared their heightened senses. It had been a blow, as they'd believed them untouched; now, however, they had to teach them how to live with the gifts they had. Nodding to Mr. Linues, Dev quietly withdrew and went to hunt out his sister. He and Cam lived next door in the other house their uncle owned on the street. They spent most of their time here, especially now their aunt and uncle were away traveling the countryside. It was a beautiful home filled with rich colors and lush furnishings, but more importantly it had plenty of food, and growing up this had not always been the case. "Breakfast has just been served, my lord." "Pennyroll." Dev nodded to his uncle's butler as he appeared before him. "Do you know the location of Miss Sinclair?" "She is in the breakfast parlor, my lord." Excellent; he could eat and talk to his sister at the same time. He hadn't slept well again, his dreams plagued with visions of Lilly in his arms, her lips pressed to his. Lilliana naked beneath him as he made slow sensual love to her. Lilliana sitting draped across his thighs while he kissed her breasts. "I shall have another place set for you at once, my lord." Nodding, Dev kept walking. Bloody woman. He'd been better off thinking her a simpleton; at least then he had known peace. Since finding out she was not who he had originally thought, she had taken up residence in his head. Then there was the matter of that night he had found her on the street. He thought he had everything straight in his head about that, but then, he wished she would confirm it. "Surely the hour is too early for such a scowl, brother?" "Morning, Essie." Dev walked around the table to kiss his sister and then picked up the plate the maid had just placed on the table. Heading to the sideboard, he began to lift covers. Once his plate was full, he seated himself across from his sister. Essie was the gentlest of the Sinclairs and the most comfortable to be with, in Dev's opinion. He'd amended that to usually, after their conversation three nights ago. She rarely raised her voice and could actually sit still and silent for longer than two minutes at a time. They ate in companionable silence until Dev had cleaned his plate and rose to refill it. He then watched his sister savor a mouthful of food before swallowing. Her heightened sense was taste. She could tell any ingredient with just a mouthful. She could also taste fear, anger, and other emotions, especially if they were being experienced by one of her siblings. "What plans do you have for the day, Essie?" She looked better with each week that passed since that bastard had broken her heart. The dark purple bruises beneath her eyes had faded and the strain in her pretty face had eased. The sadness was still there, Dev could see it in her eyes, but her color was stronger, healthier. He checked his siblings over at least once a month, had done so since he was old enough to understand his gift. He knew what color they should be and knew if they were sick or troubled. Essie was a bright pink, but for a while, some of her color had lost its strength. "I'm going out, Dev." "An enjoyable entertainment, depending on where it is you go to." He watched Essie as she put jam on a piece of toast, pushing it to the corners slowly, avoiding his eyes. "Oh, I thought to purchase some new gloves." She was still not looking at him, and he knew her well enough to know she was not telling him the truth. He just needed to push a little harder. Like Cam, Essie could not lie worth a damn. "Gloves, now that is an exciting prospect. Is that all you plan to purchase?" "P-perhaps a bonnet." "For which occasion?" Her knife landed on her plate with a clatter as finally she looked up at him. "I cannot tell you where I'm going, so don't ask." "Are you in danger?" "No, of course not!" Relieved, he continued, "Are you meeting someone I have no wish for you to meet?" "Um... well, as to that, I am not entirely sure." "Even more intriguing." "Could we discuss the weather instead?" She gave him a pleading look that failed to move him. "Just tell me, Essie, you know I'll get the information eventually." Which he would. She could never keep anything from him. "No." She shook her head. "I cannot, as I have promised." "Then I shall simply forbid you from leaving the house, or follow you, and you know with my sight I will find you." "You cannot forbid me from leaving the house," she scoffed. "I will simply ignore you and leave anyway. Besides, you do not usually need to know what I do during the day." "Not entirely true," Dev said. Since she'd had her heart broken, he'd been much more diligent. She picked up her toast and proceeded to break it into bits on her plate. "It is not that I do not want to tell you, but that I have promised not to speak of it to anyone." "Because it will put someone at risk?" She nodded, and a small kernel of thought entered his head. "Risk of exposure to society or another kind of risk?" "The first." "So it is a person of noble birth that you are protecting?" "I have no wish to discuss it further." "However, you will." Her sigh was loud. "It is a good deed this person is doing, and I simply wish to help her. I assure you there is nothing nefarious at foot here, Dev." "You don't have a nefarious bone in your body; however, there are plenty of people who do. Now, as, if my hunch is accurate, this outing concerns Miss Braithwaite, then let me assure you I would not feel comfortable if you are visiting somewhere that houses her children," he lied. He had no problem with his sister seeing Lilliana; the problem lay in the fact that he wanted to see her too. His sister chewed her lip. "Let's hear it." "I am going to drop some things to her, and as I know of her house, I am taking them there." "Her house?" "Well, she did not directly tell me of her involvement, other than acknowledging that she visits there, but I believe there is more to it than that. She certainly seemed knowledgeable about it when we spoke on the matter." "And where is this house, and what will you and Miss Braithwaite be doing there?" He was subjected to a very frank appraisal from his sister, her green eyes telling him his casual question was anything but. However, she chose not to needle him, a heroic gesture for a Sinclair. "It is in Temple Street, the house I told you I saw her at. It is a place for sick or injured children who have nowhere else to go. I told her I knew of it and she was not pleased. But after I explained I wished to help in any capacity, she organized for me to visit today." "Essie, I—" "I am not proposing to leap recklessly into danger, Dev. I asked Miss Braithwaite, or rather Lilliana, as she told me to call her, if I could help with caring for the sick children. Dev, I want to do this. I miss healing like I did at home." "You know it's only because I worry about you that I am concerned." Again he was subjected to a steady look. He wondered when she had perfected that, as it hadn't had quite that degree of penetration before. Perhaps after that bastard broke her heart? Did having your heart broken mean you found determination in the face of so much pain? The idea of her suffering made him feel sick. Her sigh was loud and long and it made him smile. "I know it is and I love you the more for it, brother. Yet I need to do things, Dev, and I truly care for these children, as it seems does Lilliana. I have our little ones, yet they do not need me all the time, and when Aunt and Uncle get back they will want to spend time with them also." "Are you lonely without Eden?" She thought about that one for a while. He watched as she lifted her cup and drank slowly. She was so slight he could wrap his fingers around her wrist and they would overlap. "Sometimes, and yet I visit with Emily often." "Really, do you not find that hard?" It was James's half brother Tolly who'd broken Essie's heart. As James was married to their sister Eden, it tended to complicate matters, or so he had thought. Tolly had wooed Essie but his intent had been to get at his half brother, a feat he had nearly accomplished. After Tolly died, James and Eden had taken his sister, Emily, in to live with them. "I like Emily, and am glad she has a family now. She loves Samantha dearly, too." Dev smiled as he thought about Lady Samantha Raven. Although their mothers were different, the Duke and his sister were raised by their father. He had mistreated them both terribly. She had been timid, but now, he was pleased to say, she was anything but. "It is hard for Emily, as not only is she illegitimate but also born into poverty, and explaining this to Samantha is not easy." "James is convinced that he wants Emily to enter society, yet I wonder how hard that will be for her." "The bastard child of a duke," Essie said. "Very hard, I should think, even with all of us and James's title behind her." "Greetings, fellow Sinclairs," Cam said, entering the room. "Is it not a day of incredible beauty? Let me at the food!" "Why, suddenly, do I have indigestion?" "Harsh, brother, and unnecessary," Cam said, giving his sister a kiss before walking to the sideboard and sniffing loudly. While to most this would be bad manners, the Sinclairs were used to it from their brother, as his heightened sense was smell. "You do realize that your shirt points will blind you should you impale yourself upon them." "I'll have you know," Cam said around a mouth full of ham, "that I am considered quite an arbiter of fashion." "By who?" Dev said as Essie giggled. "Many. In fact, Lord Cooper asked if he could have the name of my tailor just last night." "No doubt so he could avoid him at all costs." "Jealousy is an ugly trait." Cam sat with a plate overflowing with food. "What are you two discussing?" "This and that," Dev said. "My favorite topic of conversation." "We were discussing what I am doing today and then moved on to Emily," Essie added. "Now there's a thought to spoil a perfectly good day," Cam groused. "She is a lovely young lady, Cam, and it wouldn't hurt you to be nicer to her." "She is about as interesting as a dishrag, Ess, and looks little better. The woman looks at me as if I am about to ravish her whenever I draw near. Seriously, you can tell her that her virtue is safe with me." "That is nasty, Cambridge, and not worthy of you!" Essie snapped. Dev kept out of the discussion brewing. Essie was more than capable of handling Cam, and in fact it was nice to see her spirit. "I don't like her. How she can be James's sister is beyond me." "What's not to like?" Dev had to ask. "Emily is polite and well-spoken; in fact there are few women who are easier to converse with." Color filled Cam's cheeks as he shifted in his seat. Dev and Essie kept their eyes trained on him, enjoying his obvious discomfort. "She called me a man of little sense and no morals." "And the problem with that statement is?" Dev drawled. "Go to hell." "What did you do to her, Cam?" Essie asked, ignoring her brother's blasphemy. He looked at his food then at his cup of tea then back down at his food before answering. "Why do I have to have done anything? The woman's a termagant." If you wanted to survive as a Sinclair, you learned your siblings' weaknesses and exploited them when the moment presented itself. Cam's biggest weakness was that he hated silence. Therefore, Essie and Dev stayed silent and continued eating. "I won't tell you." Dev swallowed his smile and winked at his sister. They would not have to wait long. "I told her that she would never find herself a husband looking the way she does!" Now that, Dev hadn't expected. "Cam, you are an idiot!" "It came out wrong," he said, looking sheepish. "One wonders how that could come out right," Dev said, lowering his fork. "Remember, brother, make sure your brain is engaged before your mouth." "It was early," Cam said, waving around his fork. "I hadn't eaten anything for hours." "Now that I seriously doubt," Essie said, getting to her feet. "The woman has a way of getting under my skin. It's all that meek-mannered stuff; it grates on me." Dev, who had also risen, looked down at his brother long enough that the younger Sinclair lowered his eyes. "Miss Tolly has had a life even you could never understand, Cambridge. She has been subjected to poverty and starvation and most probably ridicule. Her nature is, I am sure, a direct result of that." Cam squirmed in his seat as Dev continued. "She is now related to us by the union of our sister to her brother. Therefore she is family and under our protection. I will say nothing further, only that were one of our sisters treated to such shabby manners you would likely seek retribution." Cam sighed then looked at his brother. "You do that better than any person I know." "Do what?" "Serve up a scolding without raising your voice. I am now duly shamed and will seek to apologize with haste." "Excellent. Now, Essie and I are going out. The children are with their tutor until lunchtime. If you want to join them, I'm sure they will welcome your presence." Cam thought about Dev's words then nodded. "I wonder if they've had story time yet." Essie laughed as she followed Dev from the room. "I don't believe I invited you to accompany me to visit with Miss Braithwaite, Dev. Perhaps you dancing with her and that other incident that happened the other night will go some way toward changing your dislike of each other. However, I don't think she'd want you knowing about the house in Temple Street." Following his sister silently down the stairs to the front entrance, he thought about his words. "It is my duty to ensure your safety, sister, and to do that I need to see where it is you go. Starting with Temple Street." Essie scoffed, then snorted as she put on her jacket, hat, and gloves. "Do you honestly believe I will fall for that line? You are interested in Miss Braithwaite, no matter how much you deny it." Taking his time, he too put on his hat and gloves before answering. "I have no idea what you are referring to. There is also the small matter of her choice of clothing. I could never befriend a woman who wears mustard and brown together." Dev faked a shudder. Essie looked at him for several seconds and then, smiling, she patted his hand and walked out the front door. Dev followed, not liking the look on her face one bit. CHAPTER SIX Lilly woke slowly and lay in the dark for long minutes, remembering her dreams. The children had been screaming and running, trying to evade a man whose face she could not identify. Desperate to reach them, she had run too, but could never quite catch up to them. Then he had been there, Lord Sinclair. Like some dark avenging angel, he had protected the children and her. What did that mean? Throwing back the covers, she swung her legs out of bed. "It means he is occupying far too many of your thoughts, and it must stop." That kiss had disturbed her, and not just because it was her first. Her reaction to that man was terrifying. Lilly didn't touch people; she'd learned early in her life that the results were not pleasing, so she kept her gloves on at all times. But him, Lord Sinclair, he had touched her face and neck, kissed her lips, and Lord, the sensations had been beyond anything she could describe. A thousand tiny feelings had traveled through her body, and Lilly had been a slave to them, to him, within seconds. Never again, she vowed. "I will have a tray in my room, Bee," she said as her maid opened the curtains. "Your brother wishes you to come down for breakfast, Miss Braithwaite." Groaning, Lilly buried her head in the pillow. "Why? What is Nicholas doing out of bed at such an hour?" Her maid was tall and willowy, but Lilly had realized that in the case of Beatrice Moulds, appearances were deceiving. The woman was as strong as a carthorse. "As to that, I am unsure. However your aunt will also be there." Lilly stripped off her nightdress and stepped into the steaming tub of water. Her family rarely ate together. She and Aunt Vi usually, but never Nicholas, as he was sleeping off whatever night of depravity he had participated in. "We leave for Temple Street immediately I finish my morning meal, Bee, so please be ready." They were to meet Essex Sinclair there. And while Lilly was not comfortable about the fact she was Lord Sinclair's sister, there was little she could do about the matter, as her hand had been forced. She dressed and walked to the breakfast parlor. "Your family are seated, Miss Braithwaite." "Thank you, Hopkins." "You are late!" Ignoring her brother because she knew it would annoy him, Lilly kissed her aunt's cheek. "Good morning, Aunt Vi." "Hello, darling. I trust you slept well?" "Indeed I did." Their mother's sister, Lady James, had come to live with them after Lilly's parents' deaths, as her children had set up their own homes and had no need of her. Gentle and sweet-natured, she was the perfect chaperone for Lilly, because she was happy to let her come and go as she pleased from the house. Taking her seat, she nodded to the maid to pour her tea. "I have gathered everyone here this morning to make an announcement." "One hopes it takes you from the house for an extended period of time," Lilly said, reaching for the toast. She and her brother had once been friends, but all that changed when their father had passed away and Nicholas began to believe himself too important to spend time with her. "I will ignore that statement in favor of my own," he said in a haughty voice. "I have decided, Lilliana, you will marry before this season is over, and I have selected your bridegroom." Lowering her knife, Lilly looked up. "I beg your pardon?" Stay calm, Lilly. "You are twenty-five and it is well past time for you to marry." Where she was fair, he was dark, his eyes almost black. Taller than her, he was a man who carried no spare weight, and clothes sat well on his lean body. She knew plenty of women who certainly thought so. "Why the concern for my unmarried state now, Nicholas, when you never usually care for anyone but yourself?" "It is time," he snapped. "You are a disgrace to me." Lilly's grandmother had left her money that she received in a small yearly sum until her twenty-sixth year. This she spent on the children and Temple Street. The rest would come to her as long as she did not marry first. If she did, it stayed in her family, as she would have no need of it—or so her grandmother had believed. This was why Lilly had taken pains to remain unattractive when she entered society, not entirely sure whether Nicholas would force her to wed whoever he wished simply to get his hands on her money. One more year and she would receive her money and set up house on her own. Then she would be rid of him, and could live her life as she chose to. Until today, her plans had been working well. "Lord Danderfield has inferred he will offer for you soon, and I have told him you will accept." "What?" The toast she had just swallowed threatened to choke her. "You cannot force me to wed, Nicholas." Her brother's eyes narrowed. "I can, actually. As no one has offered for you in three seasons, sister, I have decided to take control of the matter. It is time you were taken in hand." Stay calm, Lilly. "Why all of a sudden does this concern you, Nicholas?" Lilly looked at her brother. There had to be a reason; she just needed to find out what. "Father left behind plenty of money; surely you do not need mine also?" He kept his eyes steady on hers, but she saw something flicker, and then it was gone. Shooting her aunt a look, Lilly noticed she did not look happy. However, she would never naysay Nicholas. He scared her; Lilly was sure of it. "I have no wish to marry and have my sister still in my household. Therefore, I have decided you will wed Danderfield, and that is all that I will say on the matter." "What's happened, Nicholas? For two years you were more than happy with me running your household and ensuring the right amount of starch was in your neckties, and suddenly now you are happy to marry me off to a man old enough to be my grandfather." "It is my duty as your brother to see you comfortable and well cared for." "Well cared for," Lilly scoffed. "With Danderfield? Surely you jest." "My mind is made up!" he roared. She realized then. "You've spent it all, haven't you?" "Lilliana," this came from her aunt. "I think you have said enough. Your brother wishes only your happiness." "No, he doesn't, Aunt Vi. He cares nothing about you or me, only himself, isn't that right, Nicholas." Her brother would not meet her eyes. "And he has now gambled every cent of my father's money away and wants mine. But he won't get it," Lilly vowed, climbing to her feet. "I will fight you with everything I have at my disposal, Nicholas. So if you pursue this, be ready for a battle!" "I am your guardian!" he thundered, rising also. "You will do as I bloody well say!" "I will not be sacrificed on the altar of your greed, brother, so you can continue to live your licentious lifestyle. If you think I will marry a man old enough to be my grandfather, you can think again." Lilly then walked slowly to the door and left the room with her brother roaring at her to stay. By the time she had reached her room, her hands were shaking and her knees weak. Lilly had never had an encounter like that with her Nicholas, simply because she took the path of least resistance, and before today, he had left her alone. He could do as he said, she knew that. He had the power, but she would not let him win. "Are you unwell, Miss Braithwaite?" "I'm fine, Bee, just thinking," Lilly said as she paced around her room. "What did your brother say to take the color from your cheeks? You're whiter than a ghost." "He said lots of things, as he always does. Now don't fuss, and let us get ready to leave." Bee helped Lilly into her coat and bonnet. Grabbing her gloves and reticule, she then left the room with her maid on her heels. Nicholas was about to leave the house also as she arrived at the front door. Ignoring him, Lilly walked past. "Where are you going?" "None of your business," she snapped "Lilliana, as your brother—" "Brother? That statement is laughable, Nicholas." Lilly kept her voice low, having no wish for the servants to overhear their conversation. "Brothers care for their siblings. You, however, care only for yourself." He reached for her, trying to stop her leaving the house, but she stepped to the side, out of range, and continued walking. She did not stop until she was seated inside the carriage her grandmother had left her. She felt her brother's eyes on her as the carriage pulled from the drive, but she did not look back. Lord Danderfield, the man her brother proposed she wed, was nearing seventy and natured like Nicholas. Lilly could imagine her existence should she yield and marry the man. Why did he want her? Surely he did not need the money of her dowry, as she knew he had wealth and estates, so what was his motivation? Or more importantly, what bribe had her brother offered him to offer for her? Thoughts spiraled in hopeless circles around her head on the short journey across town. Finally she forced them aside as the carriage pulled up outside the little house. Taking the five steps up to the neat brown front door, Lilly looked up at the property that she alone owned. Mine, she thought, feeling the cold knot inside her begin to unravel. He can never take this from me. Lifting a gloved hand, she knocked. "Miss Braithwaite, the door is always open, especially to you." Mr. Davey stood before her with his perpetual smile in place. Short and stout with a sprinkling of gray hair, the man could lift her spirits with just a look. "This is your home, Mr. Davey." Lilly stepped inside. They had this conversation every time she called. "I own it, but you live in it. Therefore, you deserve to open the door to callers who knock." He harrumphed, as he always did. "A Miss Sinclair is due to call in an hour. I shall be in the parlor by then, going over the accounts, so show her in there, please." "Of course." After removing her coat and bonnet, she handed both to him. "Come, Bee, we should have time for a cup of tea before Miss Sinclair arrives, as I missed breakfast." The kitchens at Temple Street were one of Lilly's favorite places to visit. Walking down the long pale blue hall, she noted the table with a vase bursting with a jumble of flowers. Such a small thing, yet beautiful in its simplicity, unlike the flowers arranged to perfection in her brother's house. Turning left, Lilly took the stairs down. "Good morning, Mrs. Davey," Lilly said, smiling to the woman standing at the bench with her hands in a bowl of something. Built like her husband, she had thick red hair and bright blue eyes that never missed a thing. "Good morning, Miss Braithwaite, Bee." Pulling out her flour-covered hands, she wiped them on a cloth. "You take a seat and I'll have you both a nice cup of tea and cinnamon bun ready in minutes." Lilly loved this room; it was always warm and smelled of so many delightful scents. Often Mrs. Davey was singing or laughing, and it was a place she had spent many happy hours in. It was a hive of activity, even though only one person worked in it. "I would love a cinnamon bun, if you have one spare." "Of course I have one spare for you, Miss Braithwaite." After securing the house in Temple Street, Lilly had had Wilson seek out the perfect couple to run it, and it had been he who recommended the Daveys. The couple had been the perfect fit. "Sit." Lilly ignored the seat Mrs. Davey waved her to, and moved to sit on the bench. With a small leap, she landed on the surface. "I'm sure sitting on a bench swinging your legs is not proper behavior for a young lady of your station," Mrs. Davey clucked. "And yet I have been doing it for many months now," Lilly said, moving her legs slowly back and forth. She wasn't sure why she enjoyed sitting up there, but she did. Perhaps because she rarely got to behave in such a way, or perhaps because this house was hers, and she could do as she wished in it. "Besides, being a lady is not always easy. There are so many rules and etiquette to follow. It is just nice to swing one's legs occasionally." "I'm sure there is a deeper meaning in there," Bee said, taking down cups. Lilly just being allowed in this room had been a major step. The Daveys, at first, had treated her like royalty, and drinking tea with a woman of noble birth had taken something of an adjustment. The first time she'd leaped onto the bench, Mrs. Davey had nearly had conniptions. "Here's your tea, Miss Braithwaite." "Thank you, Mrs. Davey." "That mark on your chin has faded some, but it's still a nice plum color." Sipping tea, Lilly was soon chatting with the ladies and realized that if one day this was the place she was forced to flee to, she would be quite happy about that. Because one thing Lilly knew with absolute conviction was that she would not wed Lord Danderfield. To ensure her brother did not force her, and that she remained single until she reached her twenty-sixth year, she may have to hide, and this would be the perfect place. CHAPTER SEVEN "Must you come inside, Dev? You can see it is not a house of ill repute or some seedy establishment that I will never return from," Essie said, exasperated as Dev followed her up the stairs to the little brick house. "Miss Braithwaite was not happy that I knew of its existence, so I can only imagine how she is going to feel now you know." She had been singing this particular tune the entire journey across town, and he had told her in no uncertain terms that he was not leaving until he had seen inside. Of course his main reason was to see Lilliana again, but he wasn't telling his sister that. "I see a brick façade, Essex, behind which anything could be housed," Dev said in a reasonable tone that made her teeth snap together. "She may not have even arrived yet. Then what will you do?" "Who?" "I will slap you in a minute, Devonshire Sinclair, just see if I don't!" Essie snapped. "Such unladylike behavior, Essex." Dev tut-tutted, because when a Sinclair had an opening to needle a sibling he took it. "You, sir, are a dastardly cur!" "I do believe that hurt, Essex." "Oaf." "Now that's more like the sister I know and love," he said, and then gave a bark of laughter as she poked her tongue out at him. Standing back as she knocked on the front door, he watched it open. The man who appeared was neatly dressed and wore a gentle smile that made his own lips twitch to respond. "Surely a murderous individual," his sister hissed at him. Dev smiled, but did not reply. "My name is Miss Sinclair and this is my brother, Lord Sinclair. We have come to see Miss Braithwaite." "Miss Braithwaite told me to expect your arrival, Miss Sinclair. Please come this way. She is at present taking tea in the kitchens, but told me to see you to the parlor. I shall collect her." "Tea. Dear God, run for your lives," Essie muttered. "Taking tea is such a dangerous pastime." "Careful you don't cut the inside of your mouth with that tongue, sister." "Oh, please do not disturb her. Perhaps we could simply take tea there also?" Essie said, smiling. "Oh, I-I'm not sure that would be right." He looked worried, and Dev thought he was unused to receiving visitors such as they. Deciding he wanted to see Lilliana Braithwaite taking tea in the kitchens, he said, "Please lead on, sir. My sister wishes to take tea in the kitchens." The man moved at his command, and Dev motioned Essie to follow. He heard a woman's laughter as they drew near, the sound carefree and light, and he knew it was her because his body tensed in expectation. Drawing in a deep breath, Dev forced himself to appear calm as he walked into the kitchen. Miss Lilliana Braithwaite was seated on the kitchen bench, swinging her legs like a child while eating a large bun. Her face was turned in profile, but even with his limited view he saw the genuine smile she was bestowing on the two other women in the room. It was open and natural and held him motionless. God, she was sweet. "Miss Braithwaite." She turned as Essex spoke, the smile falling from her face as she saw him. The heat from the kitchens had put color in her cheeks, and sugar dotted to her lips. Dev battled the impulse to close the distance between them and lick it off. "Wh-what are you doing here?" The bun fell from her hands as she scrambled to climb off the bench. In her haste she nearly landed in a tangle of limbs on the floor. Stumbling several steps, she managed to remain upright. "Forgive me for bringing him." Dev watched his sister hurry forward to clasp Lilliana's fingers, but she quickly pushed them behind her back so Essie was forced to touch her arm instead. "I know you have no wish for anyone to know of Temple Street, but he forced me to tell him." Dev withstood glares from both women. "He wanted to check that I was not going anywhere dangerous." She still did not face him directly, but Dev kept his eyes on the delightfully flustered Lilliana. Unlike her choice of gowns in the evenings, this one was a simple cream muslin day dress with small blue flowers. The material did not swamp her figure, and allowed him to see what he had already guessed: Lilliana Braithwaite was a curved and lush bundle of woman. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and adorned with nothing more sinister than a blue velvet band that circled her head. Dev watched as she retrieved her gloves from the bench behind her and hastily pulled them on, then her glasses. "Oh please, don't—" "I like to wear gloves in company." She cut Essie's words off, and Dev wondered at her need to cover her hands. Were they scarred in some way, or was she simply a lady who did not like to have people touching her? "Oh, well then." Essie looked uncomfortable. "I am truly sorry he is here." She scowled at Dev once more. "Please do not fuss, Miss Sinclair. Your brother is protective toward you, and I cannot fault that." "Essex, please." Dev watched as she smoothed the fingers of her gloves in little agitated movements. "My secret is out, it seems." "Secret?" Dev queried, realizing that once again her voice appeared different from the high, grating tone she used in the evenings. Reluctantly she turned to face him. "I run a high-class brothel here, Lord Sinclair, and as you can see Mrs. Davey is my highest-paid girl." Enjoying her new role, the housekeeper erupted into giggles. "And it is my intention to recruit your sisters." Dev's eyes went to the bruise she had received that night he had caught her. The night that had started his intrigue with this woman. "It is changing color," he said, moving closer and running his thumb over her chin. He wanted to touch her, needed to see if his reaction to her had been merely a single experience. It wasn't. He dropped his hand. It tingled. "You can leave now, my lord, your sister is safe here." She backed away from him. "I protect what is mine, Miss Braithwaite, and I will not apologize for checking my sister's movements." Her eyes were amazing this close. Even through the small round lenses, he could see the pale lavender color. "Well as you can see, I am not bent on anything that will harm your sister, so you may leave." "Take your guests to the front parlor, Miss Braithwaite, and I will bring tea." "That won't be necessary, as Lord Sinclair is leaving." She wanted him gone, and as far away from her as possible. "I have nothing pressing until this afternoon, Miss Braithwaite, and if Mrs. Davey has a spare cinnamon bun on hand then I would very much like to stay for tea." Dev followed up his words with a smile, and the housekeeper giggled, as did the maid. "Stop flirting with Lilliana's staff," Essie hissed. "Lord Sinclair is leaving," Lilliana said, standing still. "He wishes for tea and one of my cinnamon buns, Miss Braithwaite. Surely you can allow him that?" Dev could see did not want to allow him anything. "Will you show me around your house, Miss Braithwaite? Perhaps I can offer my assistance in some way to aid your charitable works?" he said. "No," she said, and then she sighed. "Follow me," she added ungraciously and turned to leave the room. She stomped up the first and second steps, and Dev felt it was time to extend the hand of friendship and hope she did not use it to beat him over the head repeatedly. "I know you would never hurt my sister, Miss Braithwaite, and ask that you forgive me if you believed otherwise." Her shoulders remained rigid, and she did not respond to his overture. "I'm sorry I misjudged you for so long. Essex has told me of your good deeds." "And I am supposed to fall at your feet in gratitude." She rounded on him at the top of the stairs. "You are an arrogant, judgmental man." "All true, to be fair," came his sister's reply from over his shoulder. "Yes, thank you, Essex," Dev muttered. "You judged me too, Lilliana," he added, looking at her, their eyes now level. Her eyes narrowed. "How?" "You just said I was rude and judgmental, yet have never spoken to me to find out if indeed that was true." Dev congratulated himself on his comeback as he stopped on the step below hers. All he had to do was lean forward.... "I have watched you, as you no doubt have watched me, and you are a man who likes his own way... always. And we have spoken, just a few nights ago." She blushed at the memory, but did not look away. "Also true." "Yes, thank you, Essie, I don't think she needs your encouragement. Will you show me around your house, Lilliana? Please?" "I gave you no leave to call me Lilliana." She then turned and walked down the hall and into a small parlor. "Perhaps, seeing as you are meant to be on my side, sister, you could endeavor to paint me in a more flattering light?" Dev took Essie's arm as they followed. "What do I get?" "I'll take you to that exhibition in the park with all those herbs and flowers you have been harping on about." "Done." His sister patted his arm and sailed past him into the room, leaving him shaking his head at the mercenary nature of his siblings. The parlor was painted in pale blue as the hall had been, and furnished simply yet comfortably. "Will you tell me about the boy you rescued the other night, Lilliana?" Dev and Essie sat while Lilliana moved to stand behind a chair, her gloved hands gripping the back. It was a protective pose, and he hated that she felt the need to do so in his company, yet understood why. A few nights ago he had kissed her senseless. "You have obviously furnished your sister with the details of that incident?" She wasn't pleased about that. "I do not have secrets from my siblings." Essie, for once, held her tongue. "Yo


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The hexadecimal color code #02511f is a dark shade of green-cyan. In the RGB color model #02511f is comprised of 0.78% red, 31.76% green and 12.16% blue. In the HSL color space #02511f has a hue of 142° (degrees), 95% saturation and 16% lightness. This color has an approximate wavelength of 541.62 nm.
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subset: commoncrawl