AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You are a duke’s daughter.” She kept her eyes cast down. “Good Lord, and there has been me blaspheming and saying goodness knows what...”
Chastity rose and tugged on Charlotte’s wrist. “Please do not,” she begged. “As you said, we are friends, are we not?”
“I thought so.” She rubbed the spot between her brows. “Does His Lordship know? Surely he recognized you?”
She nodded. “He reluctantly allowed me to work here.” She smiled to herself. “He was not particularly impressed by the idea, and he will be even less so now you have discovered me.”
“Wait.” Charlotte held up a hand. “Did you suspect me?”
“Only very briefly!”
“Well, I suppose that is fine then.” Charlotte shook her head. “I’d make a terrible murderess anyway.”
“Agreed.”
“If you are a fine lady, why did you not pay someone to investigate? Why put yourself through all this work? I certainly would not if I had the choice.”
“It’s my job to look after my sisters. Besides, if you want a job done well, one should do it oneself.”
Charlotte eyed her for a few moments, then burst into laughter. “Now you really do sound like a lady. Have you found anything out? We all know Julian did not kill himself.”
Chastity glanced at her hands grimly. “Nothing certain. We had a witness who said she saw a man fleeing the house, but she has vanished. I fear whoever it was killed her.”
“Who is we?”
“My sisters and I. And the earl, I guess.”
“You and your sisters are most unusual.”
She smiled. “I suppose we are.”
“What will you do now? Is there anything I can do? Julian deserved better and we all know it.”
“I think it is time for me to leave but it would be useful if you could let me know if you hear anything.”
Charlotte grimaced. “Did I ruin it all for you?”
“Not at all.”
Unless one counted her love affair with Valentine being over. Charlotte’s discovery merely prompted her to do what she knew she must—leave and continue her investigation without the hinderance of her duties here.
“It is time for me to leave,” she said firmly, ignoring the deep tension circling around her stomach. “There is nothing more for me to discover here.”
“I will admit to being a little sad you are not having a love affair with His Lordship. He seemed happier since your arrival here.”
“That is nothing to do with me I am afraid.”
It couldn’t be. After all, this was nothing more than a quick indulgence of their desires, and he had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with marriage or Society—of which she was practically at the top of.
∞∞∞
Valentine kept his expression neutral when Chastity breezed past him but it took all his control. He wanted to grab her and press her up against a wall and kiss her deeply or haul her into his bedroom or, hell, even have a five-minute argument with her.
“Meet me in the library at nine,” she whispered, her breath like a hummingbird’s wings on his neck.
When nine o’clock rolled around, he forced himself to linger over a letter in his study before heading to the library. He found her pacing near the window, still in her uniform. She stopped when he entered and shut the door, hot blood pumping through his veins.
“You’re late,” she chastised.
