Lady Guinevere and the Rogue with a Brogue - Julie Johnstone Page 0,42

never would have guessed Pierce capable of heroism, but here his brother was attempting to extricate Guinevere from a scandalous situation from which she probably didn’t even want to be extricated. “Why did you mention the wager with your brother? Is there news you wish to share?”

“Yes,” Guinevere said.

Was that relief in her voice? Was he hearing what he thought he was? Lady Constantine kicked him under the table as if to say, Yes.

“Pray tell, what is the news, Lady Guinevere?” Pierce asked, his tone solicitous and slightly eager. He was undoubtedly fervent to discover if he had won any funds, considering the worry Asher knew Pierce had about money.

“Huntley will be announcing his betrothal tomorrow,” Guinevere said, her voice calm but her hand trembling as she reached for her wine goblet and took a small sip. Asher willed his chest not to react at the sight of her distress, but the damn thing jerked.

“Are you at liberty to tell us whom he will wed?” Lady Constantine asked.

Guinevere nodded. “Yes, he is to wed Elizabeth Carlisle.”

“The American heiress?” Pierce said in surprise.

“That’s splendid!” Lady Constantine sounded inanely overjoyed for another’s impending marriage. “I’m so happy for Miss Carlisle.”

“I did not realize you knew her,” Guinevere said.

“Oh, I do not,” Lady Constantine replied, a blush tinting her cheeks and her gaze wandering past Asher and Guinevere. To whom or what, Asher was not certain. He turned to follow her stare, and his gaze met Kilgore’s bored one. Good God, was it Kilgore the lady had given her heart to?

Lady Constantine cleared her throat. “I confess I adore a love match.”

“As do I,” Lady Lilias said, her gaze landing on Asher.

What was the woman about?

“Really, Lady Constantine,” Kilgore drawled. “You show your naivety with your statement.” He speared her with an intimate look that made Asher narrow his eyes.

“Do I?” Lady Constantine sounded mortally wounded.

Kilgore’s expression darkened. “Surely, you realize as we all do that Huntley would not have spared the American a second glance if it were not for her funds.”

“My brother is wedding for love,” Guinevere snapped.

“No man weds for love, my dear.”

“Speak for yourself, Kilgore,” Lady Lilias said.

My dear? Asher clenched his teeth. He would throttle the man. “I’m inclined to disagree with ye, Kilgore.”

“Are you?” Kilgore’s narrowed eyes matched his challenging tone. If the man wanted a row, Asher was more than happy to oblige. Eager, in fact.

“That’s what I said,” Asher growled.

“I find your disagreement interesting,” Kilgore replied, strumming his fingers on the edge of his wine goblet.

“I find it refreshing,” Lady Lilias said and gave Asher what he swore was an encouraging smile.

“Interesting how?” Guinevere asked, bringing Asher’s attention firmly back to her. “It’s well-known the duke and his wife had a love match,” she said.

Asher stilled. Is that what she thought? Well, why the hell wouldn’t she? He had never given her reason to think otherwise. No one but his father and brother had ever known it for the lie it was.

“Well, my dear—” Kilgore began.

“Do cease calling me your dear,” Guinevere chided. “It is not at all well-done of you.”

Asher wholeheartedly agreed, and by Lady Lilias’s smirk at Kilgore, he’d say Guinevere’s friend agreed, as well. Asher picked up his wine goblet and took a long swig, wishing he knew whether Guinevere said such a thing because it was not true or because she did not want a scandal. The difference was marked and important.

“I second that request,” Pierce provided with a glare in Kilgore’s general direction.

“Everyone understands you simply adore stirring trouble, Lord Kilgore,” Lady Constantine said tartly.

Oh yes, Kilgore had a claim on that lady. Asher found it ironic that he’d had a long conversation with the lady, and the entire time they had both been talking about the same man, none the wiser to the other.

“’Tis true that I adore a great many things,” Kilgore agreed, “and making things more interesting is indeed one of them. Speaking of interesting things, my kitchen maid is quite the gossip, and she told me that her sister, who works in your employment, Lady Constantine, passed along that you had some very interesting callers last week. Do enlighten us and enliven this conversation.”

Asher stilled as Lady Constantine’s gaze flew to his, and she turned as red as the wine he had just quaffed. The last thing he wanted was for the lady’s reputation to be ruined because of him. But the visit had been proper, except for the conversation, which no one knew about. The