Regency: Rogues and Runaways: A Lover's Kiss / The Viscount's Kiss. Margaret Moore

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СКАЧАТЬ fixed his steadfast, steely gaze on the modiste. “I hope we can count on you to keep this information to yourself, madame, until we’ve made a formal announcement. If you cannot be discreet, Miss Bergerine may have to take her business elsewhere.”

      “You may count on my discretion, absolutely!” Madame de Malanche exclaimed. “Although you must allow me to wish you joy.”

      “Thank you,” Drury replied. Despite her assurance, he feared the dressmaker would never be able to keep what she had seen and heard a secret. Nevertheless, he had to try.

      “Ring for the maid, Juliette,” he repeated, and this time she finally did.

      As soon as Drury could get away, he headed for Boodle’s. He needed a drink and he needed to get away from women, as well as his own tumultuous thoughts, for a while.

      He should have told Madame de Malanche he was not engaged to Juliette, and he really never should have kissed her.

      Especially like that.

      What the devil was the matter with him? he wondered as he entered the bastion of country squires come to Town. Unlike White’s or Brooks’s, Boodle’s was favored by men more down-to-earth than most of the aristocrats who frequented the other gentlemen’s clubs. That was why Drury preferred it. He’d also avoided White’s ever since he’d written down the infamous wager between Brix and Fanny in the betting book there. Brix, however, never seemed troubled by the association and claimed Boodle’s appealed to the duller members of the gentry.

      Therefore Drury was duly surprised to find his friend lounging on a leather sofa in the main salon, long legs stretched out, drink in hand. Unlike most of the patrons of the club, he wasn’t gambling. Neither was he foxed.

      Brix held up a glass nearly full of red wine and gave his friend a wry grin. “Greetings, Cicero! I’ve been hoping you’d appear.”

      Mystified by his friend’s presence, Drury feared the worst. “Have you quarreled with Fanny?”

      “Good God, no!” he cried, straightening. “We don’t quarrel anymore… well, not often, and usually about completely unimportant matters until we forget why we’re quarreling, and kiss and make up. It’s quite stimulating, actually. You should marry and try it.”

      “I am not the domestic sort,” Drury said, wondering how he was going to explain Juliette’s harebrained plan to his friends, and even more disturbed about what the ton would make of it, provided anyone other than Madame de Malanche would believe it.

      Likely they wouldn’t, he realized with… relief. Of course relief. What else should he feel?

      “Really, why are you here?” he asked his friend again.

      “My esteemed father and elder brother are in Town and they requested a convivial meeting to celebrate my happy news,” Brix replied with another grin. “They’re delighted I’ve not only done my duty and married at last—to a damn fine gel, as Father so charmingly puts it—but have already proved capable of carrying on the family name.”

      Brix’s relationship with his father and brother had never been the best, so Drury didn’t begrudge his friend the slightly sarcastic tone. Then Brix, being Brix, winked. “I can think of much more onerous duties, I assure you. And since I was here anyway, I thought I’d wait a while and see if you put in an appearance—and here you are!”

      “Yes, here I am.”

      Brix wasn’t completely insensitive to the subtleties of his friend’s tone and he sobered at once. “More trouble? Not another attack, I hope?”

      “No, although I believe Miss Bergerine is of the opinion that another attack would be a beneficial occurrence.”

      Brix looked justifiably confused. “Beneficial? How?”

      “She’s decided the attacks are the work of a jealous former lover of mine, a jilted amour paying to have us killed. She believes we should attempt to flush out my enemy by claiming to be engaged and going about together in public.”

      For a moment, Brix sat in stunned silence—but only for a moment. “Gad, I never thought of that, but I damn well should have. I would gladly have run you through when I saw you kissing Fanny.”

      Drury had hoped Brix had forgotten about that. “That was intended only to encourage you to finally voice your feelings,” he said. He hurried on to the more important point. “My lovers all knew the terms of our relationship. I seriously doubt any of them would ever go so far as to—”

      “I can believe it,” Brix interrupted. “I think it’s a brilliant explanation, especially for the attack on Miss Bergerine. The question is, which of your lovers would be capable of such a thing? There’ve been… how many?”

      It was not Drury’s practice to discuss his liaisons, not even with his closest friends. “A few” was the only answer he would give.

      Nor was he willing to concede that Juliette could be right. “I highly doubt that any one of them would be so malicious or have any idea how to find men to do the deed if she were inclined to have me killed.”

      “I think you underestimate the fairer sex,” Brix replied, “as much as you underestimate your appeal to women.”

      “I’m a barrister, Brix. I know all about crimes of passion.”

      “Then why do you find it so difficult to credit Miss Bergerine’s idea?” Brix demanded. “Is it because it’s hers?”

      “Don’t be ridiculous. If I’m not willing to entertain the notion, it’s because I know the women with whom I’ve been intimate. She does not.”

      “All right. Let’s say it’s not a former lover, but another person who wants you—and Miss Bergerine—dead. After all your triumphs in court, you surely have scores of enemies, any one of whom might hire a gang of ruffians to kill you. They might even decide to harm you through a woman they believe is your mistress. It’s still a good idea to flush them out. Otherwise, how long are you willing to wait for them to make the next move? I think you should do as Miss Bergerine suggests and bring them to you. You’ll be ready, and MacDougal’s got men you can hire to guard you and catch them if they strike.

      “And what about Miss Bergerine?” he continued. “How long before you decide the danger’s past and she can safely return to her home? She can’t live with Buggy indefinitely. I don’t think he’d mind, but it is a bit of an imposition, and he hopes to sail next spring.”

      “She’s not ‘living with Buggy.’ She’s a guest.”

      “Call it what you will, the Runners aren’t having any luck finding out who attacked you, and neither are those other men you’ve hired. What else can you do? Or am I wrong, and you’re quite content with the situation?”

      Drury sighed, defeated. “No, I am not. So congratulate me, Brix, and wish me every happiness with my lively French bride.”

      Brix did, and not only that, he stood a round of drinks for the entire club, merrily announcing the reason for his generosity.

      After Drury had accepted good wishes from several half-foxed patrons, Brix drew him aside, grinning like a jester. “Fanny and I are going to СКАЧАТЬ