One Night in London by Caroline Linden

another attorney on this most delicate matter, and Mr. Pierce had been very relieved to hear it. Pierce was good at what he did, but he had no experience in this sort of matter. “He should be able to provide any additional information you need.”
    “I will see him first thing tomorrow.” Wittiers bowed. “You shall have my first report as soon as I have reviewed the will.”
    “Very good, sir.” Edward inclined his head, and the solicitor and his clerk left.
    He walked to the window and looked out over the green at the heart of Berkeley Square. Two young children were rolling a hoop under the watchful gaze of a nurse, just as he and his brothers used to do on their infrequent visits to London. Durham had believed boys needed country air to grow, and rarely brought them to town with him. Even now Edward had little affection for London. He would have preferred to stay in Sussex.
    But it was far more convenient to be here at the moment. It would save considerable time, as just proved by the fact that he had sent for Wittiers late in the morning and already spoken to the man well before dinner. He could keep an eye on Charlie far better here than from Sussex. And he could see Louisa, whose family had already come to London for the Season.
    As he began to turn from the window, a small carriage dashed down the street and pulled up right at the steps of the house with a jangle of harness he could hear all the way from where he stood. Edward spared a glance at the arrival in idle curiosity. He wasn’t expecting anyone and had no wish to receive guests. Still, it was rare to see a carriage speeding through Berkeley Square, let alone to his own house.
    A woman emerged from the carriage. She wore a dark gray dress, rather stark and staid, but her hair gleamed like a new copper penny under her hat, and from his angle high above her, he could see that she had a spectacular bosom. She twitched her skirts smooth, then raised her eyes and cast a look of such loathing at the house, he blinked. Even from this distance he recognized a woman enraged. She straightened her shoulders and marched up the steps and out of his view.
    Charlie, he supposed, must be to blame for this somehow. There was surely more to the story of his broken leg than Barnes had admitted.
    The clang of the knocker echoed through the house, several loud, emphatic bangs. Edward wondered what his brother had done to set the woman off so violently, and why she’d come here instead of to Charlie’s own house. He was in no mood to pacify a jilted lover or an outraged mistress. Charlie would have to deal with this problem himself, since he was doing his brother quite a considerable service already, looking out for his inheritance and title.
    He stalked toward his own rooms to change. Now seemed like a fine time to call on Louisa. The butler tapped at his door several minutes later. “There is someone to see you, sir: a Lady Gordon.”
    “I am not in.” Edward slid his arms into the fresh jacket his valet held out. “In fact, I am going out. Have the carriage brought around.”
    “Yes, sir. But she is most insistent that she speak with you.”
    “With me ?” he said sharply, swinging around to glare at the man. “She mentioned my name?” And not Charlie’s?
    “She did not mention your name, my lord,” said Blackbridge, unflappably calm. “She said she had an important matter to discuss with the person who had summoned James Wittiers, and that she would not leave without doing so.”
    Edward paused in the act of tugging his sleeves into place. That was unexpected. “Did she?” he murmured. “What did she say about Wittiers?”
    “Nothing specific, my lord, just that she wished to discuss him with you.”
    “Indeed.” Edward stood still and thought as he let his valet finish ministering to the proper set of his coat. “Very well. Show her into the blue salon and I will see her presently.”
    Perhaps there was some shady aspect of Wittiers he hadn’t