was not thinking.’
‘I’m sorry if I spoke out o’ turn back there, miss,’ the girl sounded anxious.
Lucy shook her head and smiled reassuringly. ‘No, everything is quite all right.’
‘But that gentl’man; he was angry.’
‘It was a misunderstanding, that was all. Really nothing more than that.’ She came to a stop. Turning, she began to walk slowly back the way they had come.
‘Where are we goin’ now, miss?’
‘Mr. Beaufort’s office.’
‘But… we just came from there! Don’t you need a hat?’
‘I need a great many things, Jenny,’ Lucy said, voice grim, ‘the least of them being a hat. I left something behind.’ Her money, for one thing, and Thomas’s advice for another. ‘Come along. I need to see Mr. Beaufort.’
For perhaps Thomas might help her come up with something that would ensure her Friday column was completed on time, even if it meant fudging the entire thing. With a little work, she was sure it could be done.
It would be such a pity if London did not receive its bi-weekly dose of On Dit .
‘Julia,’ Rand drawled over dinner that evening, ‘what can you tell me about your friend, Lucy Landon?’
His sister paused in the act of quartering a peach and looked at her brother, green eyes searching. ‘She is definitely not your type.’
‘I know that. I don’t want to bed her.’
‘Certainly not. She’s marriage material, not your usual type of skirt at all.’
‘What a vulgar creature you are.’ Rand observed, shaking his head. ‘I wonder you don’t take her in hand, Challender.’
Edward looked across at his wife wryly. She was looking devastatingly lovely in midnight blue satin, cut low across her full breasts on which sparkled a magnificent sapphire necklace. It was a dramatic outfit, more fit for a ballroom than a casual dinner at home, but Julia was a dramatic creature who paid no heed to what was expected and relied more on what she felt like on the night. Her thick black hair hung loose, except for one raven wing that was swept up to one side and held in place with a sapphire clip.
‘I believe she is right. Miss Landon isn’t your usual piece of skirt.’
‘Once again, I am not out to bed her,’ Rand said patiently. ‘Tell me about her. What of her family?’
‘She has a frightfully hideous mother and a devastatingly pretty sister. Younger, doing her first season. Pretty, but not terribly bright. She should do well, however. I believe young Appleby is already dangling after her.’
‘Never mind the sister. What of Lucy Landon?’
Julia arched an eyebrow. ‘ She is interesting. I find her amusing. What more do you want?’
‘How old is she?’
‘Four and twenty, I believe.’
Rand was surprised. He had not thought her so old, perhaps because she was so small and slender. Lucy Landon had the look of a girl just out of the schoolroom. Still, it made sense. She had far too much confidence to be completely green. ‘Still on the shelf?’
‘Society is idiotic. Although, I daresay she could have made an eligible alliance if it were not for her mother. The woman is quite monstrous.’
‘Why? What is the matter with her?’
‘We-ll…,’ Julia said slowly, ‘I am not sure. She is polite enough when everybody is listening and she clearly dotes on her youngest, but with Lucy it’s different. I do not think she likes poor Lucy at all.’
Rand considered this for a moment. It was hard to imagine what kind of life an unmarried daughter would have before her. A woman’s status in Society was usually linked to her husband's. ‘What of her father?’
‘He died two years ago,’ Edward replied. ‘Riding accident. Nice fellow.’
‘Why are you asking?’ Julia demanded, ‘What is Lucy to you?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Rand admitted, ‘but I think she might know something about Lady Libertine.’
Both Julia and Edward stared at him.
‘Miss Landon,’ Edward repeated. ‘You think Miss Landon is Lady Libertine. And you are
‘I’m sorry if I spoke out o’ turn back there, miss,’ the girl sounded anxious.
Lucy shook her head and smiled reassuringly. ‘No, everything is quite all right.’
‘But that gentl’man; he was angry.’
‘It was a misunderstanding, that was all. Really nothing more than that.’ She came to a stop. Turning, she began to walk slowly back the way they had come.
‘Where are we goin’ now, miss?’
‘Mr. Beaufort’s office.’
‘But… we just came from there! Don’t you need a hat?’
‘I need a great many things, Jenny,’ Lucy said, voice grim, ‘the least of them being a hat. I left something behind.’ Her money, for one thing, and Thomas’s advice for another. ‘Come along. I need to see Mr. Beaufort.’
For perhaps Thomas might help her come up with something that would ensure her Friday column was completed on time, even if it meant fudging the entire thing. With a little work, she was sure it could be done.
It would be such a pity if London did not receive its bi-weekly dose of On Dit .
‘Julia,’ Rand drawled over dinner that evening, ‘what can you tell me about your friend, Lucy Landon?’
His sister paused in the act of quartering a peach and looked at her brother, green eyes searching. ‘She is definitely not your type.’
‘I know that. I don’t want to bed her.’
‘Certainly not. She’s marriage material, not your usual type of skirt at all.’
‘What a vulgar creature you are.’ Rand observed, shaking his head. ‘I wonder you don’t take her in hand, Challender.’
Edward looked across at his wife wryly. She was looking devastatingly lovely in midnight blue satin, cut low across her full breasts on which sparkled a magnificent sapphire necklace. It was a dramatic outfit, more fit for a ballroom than a casual dinner at home, but Julia was a dramatic creature who paid no heed to what was expected and relied more on what she felt like on the night. Her thick black hair hung loose, except for one raven wing that was swept up to one side and held in place with a sapphire clip.
‘I believe she is right. Miss Landon isn’t your usual piece of skirt.’
‘Once again, I am not out to bed her,’ Rand said patiently. ‘Tell me about her. What of her family?’
‘She has a frightfully hideous mother and a devastatingly pretty sister. Younger, doing her first season. Pretty, but not terribly bright. She should do well, however. I believe young Appleby is already dangling after her.’
‘Never mind the sister. What of Lucy Landon?’
Julia arched an eyebrow. ‘ She is interesting. I find her amusing. What more do you want?’
‘How old is she?’
‘Four and twenty, I believe.’
Rand was surprised. He had not thought her so old, perhaps because she was so small and slender. Lucy Landon had the look of a girl just out of the schoolroom. Still, it made sense. She had far too much confidence to be completely green. ‘Still on the shelf?’
‘Society is idiotic. Although, I daresay she could have made an eligible alliance if it were not for her mother. The woman is quite monstrous.’
‘Why? What is the matter with her?’
‘We-ll…,’ Julia said slowly, ‘I am not sure. She is polite enough when everybody is listening and she clearly dotes on her youngest, but with Lucy it’s different. I do not think she likes poor Lucy at all.’
Rand considered this for a moment. It was hard to imagine what kind of life an unmarried daughter would have before her. A woman’s status in Society was usually linked to her husband's. ‘What of her father?’
‘He died two years ago,’ Edward replied. ‘Riding accident. Nice fellow.’
‘Why are you asking?’ Julia demanded, ‘What is Lucy to you?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Rand admitted, ‘but I think she might know something about Lady Libertine.’
Both Julia and Edward stared at him.
‘Miss Landon,’ Edward repeated. ‘You think Miss Landon is Lady Libertine. And you are
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