nose.
Still, it was only a short walk around the stately Circus and down Gay Street to his lodgings. If he hurried, and luck was with him, he might reach Queen Square before the first droplet fell.
But good fortune had not danced with him this eve, and now was no different. Just then, the sky rumbled above him. He glanced down the dark street for a hackney or chairmen but saw neither.
Griffin started around the Circus, his pace quick. A misty curtain, more wind than rain, swept around the curved rows of imposing houses. He raised the collar of his coat. But then wondered why in Hades he bothered.
What did a smattering of water matter anyway? In truth, a little rain might be just what was needed to cool the searing anger he felt for his blasted brother at this moment.
Damn Garnet.
He should have known this brilliant plan of his brother’s would not succeed. He was a fool to have ever believed it would have.
“Griff,” came his brother’s call. “Come on, now, stop! Trying to keep up with your horselike pace is making me perspire. I’ll mar my neckcloth.”
“I care not.” Griffin quickened his strides.
“Please.” Garnet sounded breathless. “Ouch—damn it! I’ve clocked my ankle on the fence. Stop, or slow down for god sakes, just for a moment.”
Even from the sound of staggered footfalls on the flagway, Griffin knew that Garnet would catch him at any moment, but he’d be damned if he was going to stop and make it easy for his worthless brother.
“Damn it, this hurts. Hold up—have a little mercy. I’m injured here.”
But he kept walking. The so-called injury was likely a ruse anyway to make him stop. That’d be just like his brother.
“Griff, talk to me. I need to know what the hell happened on the dance floor.”
As if Garnet didn’t know.
Griffin stopped abruptly and jerked himself around. “She
knew,
Garnet. She bloody well knew about the switch.”
Garnet’s jaw seemed to slacken. He was clearly gobsmacked.
“What do you mean,
exactly
?”
“I mean precisely what I said: Miss Chillton knew I wasn’t
you
.” Griffin ground his teeth as he took a step toward his brother.
Obviously seeing the heated look in Griffin’s eyes, Garnet raised a palm and double-stepped backward. “Hold off now. Hold off. No need to be angry. I have no doubt that this is all a grand misunderstanding.” He shook his head in apparent disbelief. “I assure you, my scheme was foolproof; it could not go wrong. You simply haven’t told me enough. There has to be more to it.”
“I’ve had enough of your conniving games, your
schemes
.”
“My schemes, dear brother, have never failed.”
“Never failed
you
in your conquests.” Griffin swallowed deeply. “But Miss Chillton is not a naive milkmaid, a lonely widow . . . or—or a bored shopkeeper’s wife from Penzance. She is a respectable woman of Society. And resorting to tricks and plots to win her heart, well, it’s disgraceful, that’s what it is. And . . . it’s beneath honor.”
Griffin turned away from his brother and grabbed the wrought-iron fence railing before him with both hands. He squeezed the cool metal until the blood leached from his knuckles, whitening them. Leaning forward, he dropped his chin to his chest in defeat.
“But it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?” he said resignedly. “It’s too late. I’ve lost any chance with her. I am sure of it.”
Garnet caught Griffin’s shoulder and pulled him back into step along the curved flagway of the Circus. “It’s not too late. I was watching from the door of the musicians’ gallery. I saw the way she looked at you. The way she bent against your chest. Her interest was ever so clear. You must have felt her attraction. You must have. I will not believe you if you tell me otherwise.”
Griffin turned his head and looked up at his brother. “I did. We both did. I know it. But then, suddenly, everything changed. She changed. And at that moment, everything I thought I
Still, it was only a short walk around the stately Circus and down Gay Street to his lodgings. If he hurried, and luck was with him, he might reach Queen Square before the first droplet fell.
But good fortune had not danced with him this eve, and now was no different. Just then, the sky rumbled above him. He glanced down the dark street for a hackney or chairmen but saw neither.
Griffin started around the Circus, his pace quick. A misty curtain, more wind than rain, swept around the curved rows of imposing houses. He raised the collar of his coat. But then wondered why in Hades he bothered.
What did a smattering of water matter anyway? In truth, a little rain might be just what was needed to cool the searing anger he felt for his blasted brother at this moment.
Damn Garnet.
He should have known this brilliant plan of his brother’s would not succeed. He was a fool to have ever believed it would have.
“Griff,” came his brother’s call. “Come on, now, stop! Trying to keep up with your horselike pace is making me perspire. I’ll mar my neckcloth.”
“I care not.” Griffin quickened his strides.
“Please.” Garnet sounded breathless. “Ouch—damn it! I’ve clocked my ankle on the fence. Stop, or slow down for god sakes, just for a moment.”
Even from the sound of staggered footfalls on the flagway, Griffin knew that Garnet would catch him at any moment, but he’d be damned if he was going to stop and make it easy for his worthless brother.
“Damn it, this hurts. Hold up—have a little mercy. I’m injured here.”
But he kept walking. The so-called injury was likely a ruse anyway to make him stop. That’d be just like his brother.
“Griff, talk to me. I need to know what the hell happened on the dance floor.”
As if Garnet didn’t know.
Griffin stopped abruptly and jerked himself around. “She
knew,
Garnet. She bloody well knew about the switch.”
Garnet’s jaw seemed to slacken. He was clearly gobsmacked.
“What do you mean,
exactly
?”
“I mean precisely what I said: Miss Chillton knew I wasn’t
you
.” Griffin ground his teeth as he took a step toward his brother.
Obviously seeing the heated look in Griffin’s eyes, Garnet raised a palm and double-stepped backward. “Hold off now. Hold off. No need to be angry. I have no doubt that this is all a grand misunderstanding.” He shook his head in apparent disbelief. “I assure you, my scheme was foolproof; it could not go wrong. You simply haven’t told me enough. There has to be more to it.”
“I’ve had enough of your conniving games, your
schemes
.”
“My schemes, dear brother, have never failed.”
“Never failed
you
in your conquests.” Griffin swallowed deeply. “But Miss Chillton is not a naive milkmaid, a lonely widow . . . or—or a bored shopkeeper’s wife from Penzance. She is a respectable woman of Society. And resorting to tricks and plots to win her heart, well, it’s disgraceful, that’s what it is. And . . . it’s beneath honor.”
Griffin turned away from his brother and grabbed the wrought-iron fence railing before him with both hands. He squeezed the cool metal until the blood leached from his knuckles, whitening them. Leaning forward, he dropped his chin to his chest in defeat.
“But it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?” he said resignedly. “It’s too late. I’ve lost any chance with her. I am sure of it.”
Garnet caught Griffin’s shoulder and pulled him back into step along the curved flagway of the Circus. “It’s not too late. I was watching from the door of the musicians’ gallery. I saw the way she looked at you. The way she bent against your chest. Her interest was ever so clear. You must have felt her attraction. You must have. I will not believe you if you tell me otherwise.”
Griffin turned his head and looked up at his brother. “I did. We both did. I know it. But then, suddenly, everything changed. She changed. And at that moment, everything I thought I
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