with a woman.
“What do you wish to know? He’s your brother. I daresay you know much more than I do.” Her low voice was melodic as if she were a trained singer.
“Possibly,” Lucas admitted. “Humor me, and I promise to protect you from him always.”
Alyce stood straighter and released Bellamy, encouraged by Lucas’ words. “Truly?”
Charlotte bit her lip then released it quickly. How easily Lucas promised to protect Alyce, when she’d had to plot and conspire to gain any sort of commitment from him.
“How did you meet Sebastian?” Lucas prompted.
“He sought me out here. He wanted a particular type of woman, one who wouldn’t mind a little tie-me-up every now and again. As you can see, this particular establishment caters to those desires.”
Charlotte glanced at Lucas to see if he understood what Alyce meant, but he was nodding and murmuring encouraging sounds for her to continue.
“I volunteered, seeing as he’s an earl and I like myself a little spanking now and again.” Alyce turned to Bellamy with a wink and small smile.
To Charlotte’s shock, Bellamy didn’t flush but winked right back at Miss Brown.
“It was the worst mistake I’ve ever made,” Alyce continued. “At first it was all right. He’s a handsome man with a nice-size piece in his trousers.” She grinned at Charlotte. “You’d know about that, wouldn’t you luv? Seems you got the decent brother, lucky you.”
Charlotte grinned back and put her hand proprietarily on Lucas’ thigh. Pink flags colored his cheeks at the frank discussion of his male parts. He cleared his throat. “How long before my brother started hurting you?”
Alyce lost her smile and shuddered. “A month, maybe less. It started small. I didn’t even notice at first. He tied my ropes a bit too tightly, or smacked my arse a little harder than was pleasurable.”
Charlotte shifted on the bench, astounded and intrigued by Alyce’s description of bedroom activities she’d never heard of. Madame Bella had alluded to it, but not bothered to teach Charlotte since she was the first to go on the auction block and they’d run out of time. What would it be like to be tied up, helpless to Lucas’ demands?
“The real beatings didn’t start until a few weeks ago.”
“Do you think something triggered them? Had he lost at cards?” Bellamy asked.
“My brother never needed an excuse to prey on the weak,” Lucas said. “How long were you with my brother? Were you with him last winter?”
Alyce shook her head. “We met just after your eldest brother’s death. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Did he ever talk about our brother?”
Alyce frowned in concentration. “Not often. Sometimes he bragged about being the strongest of the Morgan brothers, the only living one.”
“Did he ever talk about being an earl? Did he seem overly fond of the title?” Charlotte asked and felt Lucas’ approval at her question.
“Oh yes,” Alyce said. “He often complained of the responsibilities of being earl, but in that way that’s not really complaining at all. More like boasting. And he never let me call him Sebastian. He was always Westhunt.” Suddenly, she frowned at them. “Why are you asking all these questions? Did Westhunt do something? Besides nearly kill me, that is.”
Lucas stood. “I have cause to believe Sebastian murdered my eldest brother to gain the title.”
“I’d believe it.” Alyce laughed bitterly.
“Can you think of anything at all that he said or did that would give us a clue?”
Alyce chewed her lip then winced at the pain from moving her bruise-covered face. “Nothing I can think of at the moment, but perhaps something will come to me.”
Lucas extended a hand to Charlotte. “Send word if you remember anything. I’ll come immediately.”
“Oh, no need for you to bother, sir. This gentleman here will do nicely.” She nodded and spoke to Bellamy with a wicked smile. “I’m sorry you had to see me in such dishabille.
“What do you wish to know? He’s your brother. I daresay you know much more than I do.” Her low voice was melodic as if she were a trained singer.
“Possibly,” Lucas admitted. “Humor me, and I promise to protect you from him always.”
Alyce stood straighter and released Bellamy, encouraged by Lucas’ words. “Truly?”
Charlotte bit her lip then released it quickly. How easily Lucas promised to protect Alyce, when she’d had to plot and conspire to gain any sort of commitment from him.
“How did you meet Sebastian?” Lucas prompted.
“He sought me out here. He wanted a particular type of woman, one who wouldn’t mind a little tie-me-up every now and again. As you can see, this particular establishment caters to those desires.”
Charlotte glanced at Lucas to see if he understood what Alyce meant, but he was nodding and murmuring encouraging sounds for her to continue.
“I volunteered, seeing as he’s an earl and I like myself a little spanking now and again.” Alyce turned to Bellamy with a wink and small smile.
To Charlotte’s shock, Bellamy didn’t flush but winked right back at Miss Brown.
“It was the worst mistake I’ve ever made,” Alyce continued. “At first it was all right. He’s a handsome man with a nice-size piece in his trousers.” She grinned at Charlotte. “You’d know about that, wouldn’t you luv? Seems you got the decent brother, lucky you.”
Charlotte grinned back and put her hand proprietarily on Lucas’ thigh. Pink flags colored his cheeks at the frank discussion of his male parts. He cleared his throat. “How long before my brother started hurting you?”
Alyce lost her smile and shuddered. “A month, maybe less. It started small. I didn’t even notice at first. He tied my ropes a bit too tightly, or smacked my arse a little harder than was pleasurable.”
Charlotte shifted on the bench, astounded and intrigued by Alyce’s description of bedroom activities she’d never heard of. Madame Bella had alluded to it, but not bothered to teach Charlotte since she was the first to go on the auction block and they’d run out of time. What would it be like to be tied up, helpless to Lucas’ demands?
“The real beatings didn’t start until a few weeks ago.”
“Do you think something triggered them? Had he lost at cards?” Bellamy asked.
“My brother never needed an excuse to prey on the weak,” Lucas said. “How long were you with my brother? Were you with him last winter?”
Alyce shook her head. “We met just after your eldest brother’s death. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Did he ever talk about our brother?”
Alyce frowned in concentration. “Not often. Sometimes he bragged about being the strongest of the Morgan brothers, the only living one.”
“Did he ever talk about being an earl? Did he seem overly fond of the title?” Charlotte asked and felt Lucas’ approval at her question.
“Oh yes,” Alyce said. “He often complained of the responsibilities of being earl, but in that way that’s not really complaining at all. More like boasting. And he never let me call him Sebastian. He was always Westhunt.” Suddenly, she frowned at them. “Why are you asking all these questions? Did Westhunt do something? Besides nearly kill me, that is.”
Lucas stood. “I have cause to believe Sebastian murdered my eldest brother to gain the title.”
“I’d believe it.” Alyce laughed bitterly.
“Can you think of anything at all that he said or did that would give us a clue?”
Alyce chewed her lip then winced at the pain from moving her bruise-covered face. “Nothing I can think of at the moment, but perhaps something will come to me.”
Lucas extended a hand to Charlotte. “Send word if you remember anything. I’ll come immediately.”
“Oh, no need for you to bother, sir. This gentleman here will do nicely.” She nodded and spoke to Bellamy with a wicked smile. “I’m sorry you had to see me in such dishabille.
Similar Books
