Who Wants to Marry a Duke - Sabrina Jeffries Page 0,21

so Thorn—or rather, Konrad Juncker—would have to put the theater manager off again if Thorn meant to join Grey and the others for the trip to Carymont tomorrow.

It couldn’t be helped. He would make that clear to Juncker. Having grown up in London, Juncker was no more German than Thorn, but the two had become fast friends over the writing of Thorn’s plays.

Thorn had been reluctant from the beginning to let it be known he was a working writer. One reason was the freedom that using Juncker afforded him. Thorn could easily move about the stews without anyone realizing he was doing research.

The other reason was to protect his family. Before the death of his stepfather, the only father he’d ever known, he’d been loath to hurt Father’s career as ambassador to Prussia. And now that all his family was here, Thorn was even more wary of exposing himself and them.

Juncker was happy to oblige. The adventures had made him famous, and that in turn helped him get his poems published. Once in a while, Juncker even wrote a bit or two for the plays. Poets didn’t make much, after all, and Thorn was happy to pay his friend for the use of his name and any writing he wished to do for Thorn’s works.

Thorn walked into the ballroom, only to find himself surrounded by half his family. His mother was standing with Bonham, which grated on Thorn, and Olivia stood beside her, which did not. He glanced around for Lady Norley, but she was across the room chatting with Mother’s closest friend, Lady Hornsby. Judging from their animated gestures, they had known each other long enough to be comfortable together. Hmm.

“Oh, look who’s come in from the garden now,” Gwyn said with a twinkle in her eye. “How odd that you and Miss Norley chose to get a breath of fresh air at nearly the same time.”

“Leave them alone, my dear,” Mother said. “Thorn isn’t so foolish as to take a young, respectable woman he’s just met out into the garden. I’m sure they didn’t even cross paths.”

Thorn could tell a subtle warning when he heard one. It was her way of slapping his wrist. “Mother’s right. Miss Norley is perfectly safe from me. And anyway, I was actually out in the mews, looking at that new gelding Major Wolfe keeps bragging about.”

“He’s a prime goer, isn’t he?” his brother-in-law put in.

“Indeed, he is,” Thorn lied.

Gwyn and Beatrice exchanged glances. They didn’t believe him for a minute. Even Grey narrowed his gaze on Thorn, while Olivia merely stared serenely at the company as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.

That only proved, once again, that she couldn’t be trusted. Most ladies would have some reaction to being teased about being caught with a man. Yet not even a blush stained her cheeks.

Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her blush. Unfortunately, that only made him wonder what it would take to gain one.

Damn it to hell.

“Mother, I’ll be away from town for a while. I’m planning on traveling with Grey, Beatrice, and Miss Norley to Carymont tomorrow.”

Olivia’s gaze shot to him and color stained her cheeks. Ah, so he could make her blush, though her embarrassment quickly turned to anger, judging by the daggered glance she shot him. She was clearly none too happy, which was precisely what he’d intended. To put her on her guard. To let her know that she’d best behave herself around his relations.

But a quick survey of his family’s reaction showed that throwing his cannonball into the cozy group had roused more than Olivia to anger.

“Grey!” Beatrice exclaimed, with hurt in her voice. “You knew about this and didn’t tell me?”

Grey shot Thorn a foul look. “It was just decided tonight, sweetheart. A short while ago, as a matter of fact. I was about to tell you when Thorn interrupted.”

Beatrice looked unconvinced.

“I’m hoping to purchase some property in Suffolk,” Thorn lied blithely, “so I thought I might as well travel there with family to observe the place and then hire a post chaise to return.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Gwyn and Mother smirking at him. Let them smirk. They saw love matches everywhere, and if they thought he was sweet on Olivia, they wouldn’t give him much grief about his comings and goings.

Major Wolfe, on the other hand, was hard to read. Thorn’s brother-in-law was always enigmatic, but tonight he was positively inscrutable. What was the