Page 58 of Seduced By a Scoundrel

“Blast,” Sybil muttered, crawling half under the bed in case they had been stuffed under the mattress. They had not.

And she could not be away from the guests any longer. It might rouse suspicion. She would have to try another room, perhaps while Miss Copperwhite was singing.

“There you are,” Mrs. Farraway snapped as soon as Sybil returned. The guests were rising to move to the conservatory. Slowly and somewhat reluctantly, it had to be said. “What use are you to me if you go galivanting off?”

“My apologies.”

“Well, don’t stand about. Help me up.”

Sybil helped her to her feet and handed Mrs. Farraway her cane. The long strand of jet beads Mrs. Farraway wore around her neck swung as she walked, catching the light.

“Don’t dawdle.”

“Yes, Mrs. Farraway.”

In the hall, Keir stepped up beside her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked out of the side of her mouth.

“You are here,” he replied as though that was reason enough. “Miss Grey.”

“That does not answer my question,” she pointed out, because it could not be reason enough.

“Need I remind you that you were abducted today?” he said, exasperated. “Apparently, I do.”

“That was hours ago.”

“I do not like the way that woman speaks to you. Let me take you home.”

Warmth suffused her, spilling behind her ribcage, filling her up. It was a lovely thing for him to say, for some reason made lovelier by his disgruntled, grumbling tone. “I can’t go until I find what I came for.”

“Which is?”

“None of your business.” Sybil grinned at him. “My lord.”

“How did I know you were going to say that?”

“Damn, I do hate to be predictable.”

“No need to concern yourself with that, I assure you.”

“Miss Grey, do not make eyes at Lord Blackburn,” Mrs. Farraway scolded, purely with the intent to embarrass her. One of the other ladies snickered. “It is not seemly in one of your standing.”

“We do not kick old ladies,” Sybil muttered under her breath. “We do not kick old ladies.”

“I’ll kick her if you like,” Keir muttered back drily.

She wanted to grin at him again.

She wanted to do a lot of things.

Instead, she lowered her chin and tried not to look like she wanted to punch half a dozen of the guests as well as kick an old lady. “You can do something for me,” she whispered.

“Anything.”

Oh. Well, that was lovely too.

“Keep their attention.”