“Pigeon.” Elizabeth fanned her throat. “You saidpigeon.”
“This clever girl was closer.” Jacob’s brown hand nuzzled beneath the hawk’s sharp beak. “I fear Hippogriff thinks my vole is dinner.”
“No pigeons, no acrobats, and no feeding voles to hawks in my presence,” Chloe said firmly. “Tommy and I have this under control. Don’t we, Great-Aunt Wynchester?”
“We’ll be under control by the time we arrive.” Tommy pulled her wig out of the basket and started pinning it in place.
“The girls always have all the fun,” Jacob groused.
Elizabeth rapped him with her sword stick. “Women.”
“Women,” he agreed with a sigh.
Tommy grinned at him. “You have no idea.”
Chloe held out a looking glass so her sister could apply her wrinkles.
Jacob cocked his head at Chloe. “Ever since this Faircliffe operation began, all you do is gloom about.”
“Can you blame her?” Graham pulled a face. “She’s forced to feign interest in the most insufferable, arrogant, haughtier-than-thou duke in all of England, the poor thing. Chloe deserves a holiday once this is through.”
“Or a medal,” Elizabeth agreed. “You’ve had to put up with the Ice King of Parliament for an entire month. At least Tommy can escape when she combs through the town house. How will you distract him today?”
Tommy burst out laughing. “Easy. Faircliffe adores explainingeverythingto Chloe, no matter how obvious, and he takes five hours to do so.”
“He’s trying to help,” Chloe muttered. She averted her gaze to hide an unwelcome twinge of guilt. The duke was naïve but meant well. “He hasn’t any idea what regular people are like.”
“Because he hasn’t tried to meet any,” Tommy said dryly.
“Ask him how mittens work,” Jacob suggested. “There are five fingers and only two holes. It’s so confusing!”
“No, ask him how to tie a garter about your stocking.” Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled. “Maybe you can trick him into showing you his shapely legs.”
That was not a terrible idea. Perhaps she could then inquire how gentlemen removed their smallclothes and whether he possessed any knowledge of how to unlace a woman’s pesky stays.
Chloe lowered her gaze so her siblings wouldn’t guess her true feelings. ShelikedFaircliffe. He had stopped being arrogant and insufferable almost as soon as they came to know each other. And as for icy, she couldn’t imagine hotter kisses than his. The feel of her fingers in his hair and his mouth on hers haunted her dreams. What she wanted most was a chance to do it all again.
The carriage wheels crunched to a stop.
Tommy glanced out of the window. “We’re here.”
“If you need Hippogriff, just make the call.” Jacob leaned forward. “Do you want me to demonstrate again?”
Graham clutched his chest. “Do not demonstrate again. Ever.”
The door swung open and their tiger Isaiah handed Tommy—er, Great-Aunt Wynchester—out of the coach.
“Niece!” Tommy shrilled. “Are you certain this is the right terrace? It looks uglier than last time.”
Elizabeth grinned back at Chloe. “Go and distract a duke.”
Chloe fell into step beside Tommy as they headed up the path toward Faircliffe’s door.
“I wish Jacob hadn’t repossessed Tiglet,” she whispered. “I think the duke covets our kitten.”
The butler swung open the door with an unusually observant expression.
“Er…” said Chloe.
