“You were going to tell me the names of the Prince Regent’s private army of gentlemen,” she reminded.
He gave her a chiding look.“I do not believe I said that was what I was about to do.”
“But I should like it if you did so.”
“And do you always get what you want?”
“Not always,” she allowed.“But a vast majority of the time, yes, I do,” she added without apology.
Nicholas gave a snort of soft, appreciative laughter.“Very well, I shall tell you the names of three of them.”
“Why only three?”
“Because you do not need to know the names of the other five at this juncture.In fact, it might be dangerous to them, and you, if you did know.Are we agreed?”
“Are my father and uncle two of those gentlemen?”
He reared aback.“Why do you ask that?”
“Because they did not seem surprised by any of the troubling events earlier that led to your abduction,” she explained.“Nor did my mother and aunt.Concerned, perhaps, but not surprised.”
“The Earl of Ipswich and the Marquis of Broom are two of Prinny’s private army, yes,” Nicholas confirmed, his admiration for this beautiful woman growing by the second.
“Do I take it from your affirmation my father and uncle have been acting clandestinely on behalf of the Prince Regent for some years now?”She sounded stunned.
“Yes.”
“I would never have thought…” She gave a dazed shake of her head.“Are the Dukes of St.Albans and Hellsmere, now married to two of my very close friends, also members of this private army?I recall they were instrumental in discerning and then dealing with the real betrayer of the Crown at the time Georgiana’s father was suspected.”
God, even this woman’smindaroused him, Nicholas realized achingly.Like her nature, it was sharp, precise, and ultimately beautiful.
“Yes, they are,” he answered appreciatively.“And I only confirm this because I feel sure that when you and your friends meet up again, St.Albans’s and Hellsmere’s wives will confide this to you and Lady Amanda anyway.”
She nodded.“What of the Earl of Kingswood?It appears to me that his behavior has not always been…discrete or proper, considering he has been betrothed to my friend Rose since her birth.”
“I only agreed to tell you the names of three of those gentlemen.”
“And I have guessed another two, possibly three.”
“Yes.”
She smiled with satisfaction.“Will you now tell me the name of the third member of the coterie you originally said you are willing to share with me?”
CHAPTERNINE
Julia already knew the answer to her question.Of course she did.On the basis of what Nicholas had already told her, she would be very silly not to know.But she needed Nicholas to say the words anyway.To have him tell her the truth.
“Four years ago, I was already an established figure in Society.As such I was aware of many of its secrets,” Nicholas continued instead of answering her question directly.“Publicly, at least, I was known as an unattached gentleman.So it was agreed that I was in the privileged position of being able to interact with both the gentlemen who frequent the same clubs as I, and the ladies at Society events.”
“Flirting and having affairs with those Society ladies, you mean,” Julia accused.
His jaw clenched.“Only if you choose to look at that situation in so rigid a fashion.”
Her brows rose.“What other way is there to look at a situation where you admit to seducing women for the information you hoped they might share with you?”she scorned.
Nicholas’s nostrils flared.“I admitted to flirting, but I did not say I have ever bedded any woman for the sake of the Crown.I am loyal to the King, the Prince Regent, and to my country, but I am not willing to whore myself for any of them in order to gain information on their behalf.”
Julia’s cheeks felt heated again.“The ladies of Society say otherwise.”
