Page 84 of The Dueling Duchess

“And you think digging into her relationship with Blanchard is the thing that might help you?”

Guy flung up his hands. “I don’t know, but it’s all I’ve got.”

“Won’t she be angry that you’ve pried into her affairs?”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Hell, she couldn’t be any angrier at him than she was already.

Could she?

Elliot didn’t immediately respond, but Guy saw signs of calculation behind the other man’s flat gray gaze. “What are you thinking?”

“I’ll be gone for a few weeks, but you’ve got somebody just as good.” He stopped, muttered something beneath his breath, and said, “You’ve got somebody better than me right under your nose.”

“Wait. You mean I should ask Blade to investigate for me?”

“Yes.”

Guy grinned. “So, she’s better than you, hmm?”

Elliot looked pained. “In some ways—sneaking around is one of those ways.”

“How can she go unnoticed? She’s hardly average looking. In fact, I’d say she was downright—”

Elliot’s eyes narrowed.

Guy changed the word he was going to use—odd—to something less offensive. “Er, unusual.”

Elliot’s pensive stare stoked Guy’s suspicion that his emotionless friend had finally fallen to Eros’s arrow. Or he’d fallen to something—maybe it was just professional admiration? Who knew with Elliot. Guy had never met anyone who held their cards closer to their chest than his former roommate.

Actually, that wasn’t true. The woman they were discussing, Josephine Brown—if that was her real name—was even quieter and more mysterious than Elliot.

She was almost abnormally reserved and quiet. Guy doubted she’d spoken more than a hundred words during the weeks they’d been traveling companions. Hell, her raven talked more than she did.

“Do you want me to ask her to help you?” Elliot volunteered, the faintest, minutest, tiniest speck of color staining his cheeks.

Guy grinned and opened his mouth to tease his friend.

“Don’t,” Elliot warned, holding up a deceptively gentlemanly looking hand—a hand Guy knew could kill quicker than most men could sign a document.

“I would be most grateful if you broached the subject with her,” Guy said, throwing the poor man a bone by giving him an excuse to talk to the elusive woman.

Elliot nodded, only the slightest curve of his thin lips giving away how pleased he was to have a reason to speak with Blade.

Guy had given up wondering just what went on between the two mercenaries/spies/agents or whatever they both called themselves. For all he knew, the remote and reserved duo hadn’t even come close to each other. Maybe it was all professional respect between them?

Besides, he was scarcely one to talk when it came to conducting his love life in a way that made any sense—not to mention made him a walking, talking butt of ton jokes.

“Here you are, luv.” The attractive brunette placed his pint on the table, taking care not to spill a drop.

Guy gave her a genuine smile—people who brought you good things always deserved genuine gratitude, in his opinion—and a generous bit extra to go with it. He enjoyed the view while she sashayed back to the bar, and then he turned to Elliot.

“Why no, I won’t have another—but thank you, Guy.”

“Sorry. I could get her to—”

“No, actually—I do need to be going.”

Guy pulled a face. “I probably need to hurry, as well. I’ll need to swing by and pick up fresh towels on the way back to the theater.”