Mistletoe and Mayhem - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,103

acquaintances for some time.”

“I have no family besides an elderly aunt. Our parents passed a few years ago.”

“You have my condolences.”

She waved his words away with the flick of a wrist. “I visited Bastil’s gambling establishment to see if he was there—”

“I beg your pardon; you are not telling me you actually visited that establishment?”

“Of course I did. How can I find my brother if I do not look?”

“You are a young woman of noble birth! Surely you cannot have been so foolish as to step foot inside? Good God, you would have been ruined had anyone recognized you.”

She flicked out her fingers, dismissing his words again, which tweaked his temper. Rory never liked to be dismissed. His brother told him it was because he was the middle child.

“You do realize what could have happened had you been found or mistaken for someone else?”

Who was supposed to be looking after this woman? Surely there was someone other than her brother and aunt watching over her.

“Who?”

“Pardon?”

“Who would I have been mistaken for?”

“Someone who frequents such places,” Rory said, feeling uncomfortable to be mentioning this to a young, innocent woman.

“Women of the night, do you mean? Ladies who make their money hawking their wares to whoever is interested. Women who—”

“Yes, yes, I take your meaning.” Rory could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. “A woman such as yourself should not speak of things.”

“A woman of noble birth who was raised with food on her table and soft bedding, do you mean? A woman who has never had to struggle for—”

“You must be extremely challenging to live with.”

“Because I am aware of more than the end of my nose, do you mean, Mr. Haddon?”

“And I repeat, challenging to live with.”

“It’s true that if I have something to say, I will say it. But I do not find it a fault; indeed it is a strength in my character.”

“Said no one but you, I’m sure, Miss Redfern.”

“But to set your mind at rest, I disguised myself so no one would recognize me,” she added as if he had not spoken.

Rory had only ever given this woman a passing glance, taken no time to discuss anything more than the weather with her, and yet he had to admit, if only to himself, she was suddenly intriguing him. Not many of her standing would speak as she was or stand up to him.

Folding his arms, he waited for what next would come out of her mouth, as clearly something would.

Chapter Two

Ivy tried not to shiver as she looked at the large nobleman standing a few feet away from her. Jackson liked this man very much and once had been his closest friend. In those days she’d trusted her brother’s judgement; that was no longer the case.

“Yes, well, I am not one to mince words, sir.” Her teeth would start chattering soon, it was so cold. She longed for the cloak she’d handed over upon her arrival.

“I can see that.”

He was tall like his elder brother the earl, but his hair was lighter. Not black or brown, but somewhere in the middle. The ends brushed his collar and curled up at the back, which he likely did not realize, but she did as she’d been watching him all evening. Her and plenty of the other women present.

Ivy had deliberately ushered her aunt into the seats one row behind Mr. Haddon and his family for the concert, hoping she could speak with him. The opportunity had not presented itself. She’d watched him laugh with his family; they interacted with the familiarity of those who loved each other very much. Ivy had swallowed down the pain of the memory that she and Jackson had once been like that.

When he got up to leave the room, she followed, at a discreet distance of course.

He had a strong face, according to Lady Brookvale, who had told Ivy’s aunt once that she’d thought him an excellent catch for any young woman, even if he had rakish tendencies as many young men tended too. Her eyes had rested on Ivy when she was saying those words.

“I have followed my brother’s footsteps for the past two weeks, Mr. Haddon. He has not once returned to the house, but has visited the rooms of a friend, and this is where I confronted him. At the time he was extremely agitated and only said he would take care of whatever it is that is troubling him.”

“You went to a man’s rooms?”

“I did, and it had