Page 31 of The Duke’s Wager

“I heard a ruckus in the early hours of the morning. Screaming, shouting, and whatnot. You wouldn’t be able to shed some light on the matter, now would you?”

Edward grinned sheepishly. Of course, he and Alfred had decided to continue the festivities at their estate. Alfred had left shortly before sunrise – singing loudly on his way out.

“Oh, dearest grandmother…” Edward moved to press a soothing kiss on her grey hair, but she waved him away as though he were a nuisance. Edward did not take this to heart. Instead, his smile widened. “You know how Alfred is. He enjoys causing a good bit of trouble.”

“Yes. You and Alfred have that in common. You smell like eel, son.”

Edward found this rather surprising. Could it be that his grandmother knew about the cure Richard had supplied him with? Could she know what it was for?

She scoffed before he could ask and waved her hand in the air once more. “Come now, I was once young too.”

Edward tried, rather unsuccessfully, to hide his surprise. He thought better than to mention it, however, merely taking a seat. “I was hoping to get some information from you, in truth.”

“Of course.” Evelyn glared at her grandson. “What is it that you expect me to assist you with?”

“I hoped that you would be able to tell me where… where Lady Lucy Beaumont and her father lived.”

“No.”

The curt answer shocked him, and he laughed. “No? Grandmother, surely you are not serious?”

“I am serious. What do you want with Lady Lucy?”

Edward hesitated. Honesty, he knew, was not an option. If he told his grandmother that he intended to apologize, she would want to know what for. The whole truth would result in a speech that he did not have the time or energy for.

“We just had an… interesting conversation and I had hoped to continue it.”

There, that was enough of an answer – in his mind, at least. Edward grinned at his grandmother. She still stared at him sternly.

“Edward… child. You would do well to stay away from Lady Lucy.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I do not want you dragging that girl into your corruption. She is a fine Lady, and I will not have you embarrassing her!”

Edward lifted his brows in surprise. He had not heard his grandmother defend anyone else’s honor with such passion before. What was it about Lucy Beaumont that garnered this reaction from her?

Still, Edward knew his grandmother well enough to know that surprise was not the way to get what he wanted – not in this instance at least. He pressed a hand to his heart and let out a mocking laugh.

“I am wounded! I only have the best of intentions, dearest grandmother. I would never embarrass Lady Lucy.”

Evelyn only stared at him sternly, her mouth in a thin line. “You better not.”

“I swear, I have no intention of causing her any harm or embarrassment.”

Technically, this was true. Evelyn stared at her grandson quietly for a few tense seconds, then relented with a sigh. “Well… even if you were, I have to say, heaven help the man who does attempt to humiliate the young Lady Lucy. She is a rather intimidating force.”

It sounded like Evelyn knew Lucy far better than he had thought, and Edward sat down slowly – his curiosity piqued. He knew, however, that his grandmother would not say more on the matter when she leaned forward to pick the book up once more.

“I have to admit, I rather agree with you. Lady Lucy is rather intimidating.”

Evelyn seemed pleased with this, and Edward watched with barely concealed anticipation as she tore a piece of paper from the book and scribbled on it.

“Edward. I need you to understand something.”

The paper remained between her fingers. “I know more about what goes on in this town than you think. I have eyes and ears everywhere, and if you dare hurt this girl… she has been through enough.”

Well, hurting her was not exactly part of the plan. If she got hurt… well, that would be unfortunate, but it was certainly not his intention.