have been doing?” Nicholas asked. “I assume leaving Lady Ridgefield in the evening is easier.”
Jane pondered that. “She often entertains guests and gives me the night off. When she does not, she almost always retires early. Nights of balls or parties are different, of course, but after those events I am generally free.”
He nodded. “Very well. Then you will come here in the evenings. How have you gotten here before?”
“Hack,” she admitted.
He moved on her a step. “Hack?” he repeated. “That is far too dangerous, and I imagine it is very expensive. I shall send an unmarked vehicle for you in the alley behind Lady Ridgefield’s.”
“But I—” Jane began, though she could admit the idea of not having to take a smelly, drafty hack was a nice one.
“No buts. That is part of the arrangement.”
He waved off any further arguments with every bit of the arrogance of a man of his station, and Jane stifled a smile. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so difficult after all.
“As for you, I would like to receive a report about your progress in your search for my brother each time we meet,” she said.
He wrinkled his brow. “I may not uncover information for some time. You are asking for a very difficult trade from me, you know.”
She shook her head. “I don’t care. I want to know what you are doing to look for Marcus, and whether or not those searches bear fruit. Otherwise, how am I to know this isn’t just some fraud on your part?”
“You cannot trust my word,” he said, leaning closer. “As a gentleman?”
She pursed her lips. “You aren’t a gentleman yet.”
He chuckled. “Very well, I agree to keep you informed of my attempts to determine where your brother has gone.”
“Then it seems we are agreed, Viscount Stoneworth.”
The smile faded from Nicholas’s face, and he turned away a fraction. “Don’t call me that.”
Jane watched him in surprise. “I-I beg your pardon?”
“I don’t wish to be ‘my lorded’ or called viscount,” he snapped, his tone suddenly harsh.
She folded her arms, refusing to be intimidated by his peevish demeanor. “Whether you like it or not, that is what people will call you. You should become accustomed to it with me so that you will answer and not pull that angry face each time someone does it in polite company.”
He spun on her, and the anger she had seen before was even stronger. Only it was laced with something else. Pain. And she realized in that moment exactly why Nicholas Stoneworth did not want to be called viscount.
Her lips parted. “It is because of your brother, isn’t it?”
He stiffened, all his normal rakishness gone. “Don’t be foolish.”
“It is.”
She moved toward him and hesitated before she placed a hand on his arm. She meant the gesture as one of comfort, but she couldn’t ignore the snap of attraction touching him caused. His arm was muscular, like the rest of him, and warm beneath her palm.
She shook her head and recalled her purpose, shoving her strange reactions to him aside. “I can imagine this is all very difficult for you. To lose someone so close to you as a twin brother and to have to take his place—”
He yanked his arm from her grasp. “I will never take his place.”
She tilted her head in acquiescence. “Of course.”
He moved away from her. “You may call me Stoneworth or Stone, hell, even Nicholas. But I shall not answer if you ‘my lord’ me. Or if you call me viscount. That is not up for debate.”
Jane folded her arms in frustration. Although she understood the emotional reaction Nicholas was experiencing, it did not change the fact that he was, indeed, viscount. But perhaps that was a fight to have with him another day. When he was a bit more…tamed.
“As you wish,” she said softly.
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “As for my part, I will require more information if I am to find your brother. Why don’t we discuss that instead of this highly unpleasant
Jane pondered that. “She often entertains guests and gives me the night off. When she does not, she almost always retires early. Nights of balls or parties are different, of course, but after those events I am generally free.”
He nodded. “Very well. Then you will come here in the evenings. How have you gotten here before?”
“Hack,” she admitted.
He moved on her a step. “Hack?” he repeated. “That is far too dangerous, and I imagine it is very expensive. I shall send an unmarked vehicle for you in the alley behind Lady Ridgefield’s.”
“But I—” Jane began, though she could admit the idea of not having to take a smelly, drafty hack was a nice one.
“No buts. That is part of the arrangement.”
He waved off any further arguments with every bit of the arrogance of a man of his station, and Jane stifled a smile. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so difficult after all.
“As for you, I would like to receive a report about your progress in your search for my brother each time we meet,” she said.
He wrinkled his brow. “I may not uncover information for some time. You are asking for a very difficult trade from me, you know.”
She shook her head. “I don’t care. I want to know what you are doing to look for Marcus, and whether or not those searches bear fruit. Otherwise, how am I to know this isn’t just some fraud on your part?”
“You cannot trust my word,” he said, leaning closer. “As a gentleman?”
She pursed her lips. “You aren’t a gentleman yet.”
He chuckled. “Very well, I agree to keep you informed of my attempts to determine where your brother has gone.”
“Then it seems we are agreed, Viscount Stoneworth.”
The smile faded from Nicholas’s face, and he turned away a fraction. “Don’t call me that.”
Jane watched him in surprise. “I-I beg your pardon?”
“I don’t wish to be ‘my lorded’ or called viscount,” he snapped, his tone suddenly harsh.
She folded her arms, refusing to be intimidated by his peevish demeanor. “Whether you like it or not, that is what people will call you. You should become accustomed to it with me so that you will answer and not pull that angry face each time someone does it in polite company.”
He spun on her, and the anger she had seen before was even stronger. Only it was laced with something else. Pain. And she realized in that moment exactly why Nicholas Stoneworth did not want to be called viscount.
Her lips parted. “It is because of your brother, isn’t it?”
He stiffened, all his normal rakishness gone. “Don’t be foolish.”
“It is.”
She moved toward him and hesitated before she placed a hand on his arm. She meant the gesture as one of comfort, but she couldn’t ignore the snap of attraction touching him caused. His arm was muscular, like the rest of him, and warm beneath her palm.
She shook her head and recalled her purpose, shoving her strange reactions to him aside. “I can imagine this is all very difficult for you. To lose someone so close to you as a twin brother and to have to take his place—”
He yanked his arm from her grasp. “I will never take his place.”
She tilted her head in acquiescence. “Of course.”
He moved away from her. “You may call me Stoneworth or Stone, hell, even Nicholas. But I shall not answer if you ‘my lord’ me. Or if you call me viscount. That is not up for debate.”
Jane folded her arms in frustration. Although she understood the emotional reaction Nicholas was experiencing, it did not change the fact that he was, indeed, viscount. But perhaps that was a fight to have with him another day. When he was a bit more…tamed.
“As you wish,” she said softly.
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “As for my part, I will require more information if I am to find your brother. Why don’t we discuss that instead of this highly unpleasant
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