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“Indeed,” Lady Aircourt said. “I’ll be sure to spread the entertaining tale, if that is alright with Your Graces.” The countess gave Kitty an encouraging smile.
“That would be lovely, thank you,” she replied earnestly, happy to have a powerful social ally willing to combat the sordid tales being spun about her. Kitty hadn’t been keeping abreast of the gossip, and she was certain that her marriage to Sebastian would be the cause of rife speculation. Such a romantic spin on the affair would certainly prove to buffer any raised eyebrows once her baby arrived a month early, and from the way Lady Aircourt rather shrewdly eyed her empty wineglass, the countess seemed to be of a similar opinion. Though, Kitty thought with a fond gaze in Sebastian’s direction, the tale wasn’t a complete lie. They certainly were a love match, even if it hadn’t immediately begun that way due to that silly misunderstanding of his. Yes, Kitty thought with a content assessment of the merry table and her husband’s energetic gaze as he exchanged mild barbs with Barrow, things would be just fine.
**
“I’ve been helping Lord Highbridge with investigating the staff. He wanted to begin immediately after you and the Duchess left,” Barrow said, leaning down to speak lowly into Sebastian’s ear.
Sebastian deftly sipped his port, maintaining a detached expression so as not to draw the attention of the scattered company mingling in the drawing room. “What news have you?”
“Nothing as of yet, at least on the carriage front. The only person that had been around it before the accident was the coachman, and I doubt the man would have gone so far as to risk breaking his own neck. He was quite injured from the crash. As far as the blackmail itself is concerned, my new errand boy claims that the one who gave him the notes wore a hooded cloak. He expressed some confidence at being able to identify the culprit based on his voice, so Highbridge will be lining up the servants for the boy’s inspection in a few days.”
“Let us hope he proves effective.” Sebastian would love nothing more than to have this blackmail business over with and throw the perpetrator in a jail cell where they belonged, after a sound thrashing by himself, of course.
“I still don’t understand why they would make an attempt on Her Grace’s life. It seems opposite to their supposed aim. The entire thing is rather bizarre if it does indeed turn out to be a member of the staff, for they would know the hopelessness of trying to pry any money from the Highbridge estate.”
“One would think they’d want her alive as my duchess, given that I have ample funds. Far more likely to receive money on my end, in their eyes at least.” Perhaps the blackmailer was merely an imbecile, for Sebastian was just as flummoxed as Barrow regarding the criminal’s motives.
“Well, it is likely the mystery will be solved soon, and you will be able to rest easy.”
Kitty’s exuberant voice as she regaled Lady Aircourt and Lady Amberwood with an edited version of their excursion to Vauxhall stole his attention for a moment. He watched her dazzling smile and heaving arms with fondness. “My mother claims that a rather silly rumor concerning you and my wife has been spreading about,” he said with mild amusement.
“Really, now?” Barrow replied. “I haven’t heard such. I know that some have been erroneously claiming to have seen her on more than one occasion after that first visit, as to be expected from the gossip hungry Ton, but nothing about me being entangled with her.” He shook his head in amusement, “Even if you weren’t my best friend, I value my bollocks enough to stay away from your duchess, as lovely as she is. Besides,” He waggled his eyebrows, “I’m working on a different conquest entirely.”
“I see. Would you care to enlighten me, then?”
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
“Yes, you do,” Sebastian replied bluntly.
“It’s a rather delicate matter, I’m afraid.” Barrow casually leaned against the mantle they stood before, wearing an air of nonchalance that Sebastian did not believe for a second. Arthur Barrow felt no shame for any affair he had, in fact seeming to relish in his infamy as a despoiler of aristocratic wives and widows, so the man playing coy about his current paramour was odd indeed. Though, if Barrow wanted to keep secrets, that was his business.
“I will leave you to your mystery, then,” Sebastian said, pausing to watch as Barrow’s gaze strayed to Lady Francesca as she giggled over Kitty’s tale. “Just don’t get yourself into trouble that I cannot get you out of.” Trying to negotiate his two best friends out of dueling each other was not something he had any interest in doing. Amberwood could be protective of his cousin at the best of times, and all hell would break loose should Barrow make a conquest of the woman.
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Stay away from her, Barrow.”
“From who?”
Sebastian rolled his eyes, resigned to the fact that the man would never admit anything so openly. “You are lucky I’m the perceptive one out of us and not Amberwood. And here you are, talking about valuing your bollocks.”
Barrow only laughed. “I’ll send a note around when Lord Highbridge is ready to begin the interrogation.”
Knowing the conversation would get no farther, Sebastian only nodded, giving Barrow a rather firm clap on the shoulder before seeking out Kitty.
“There you are,” she said with a smile as he approached, her brown eyes still able to make his heart flutter. “I was just about to get to the best part.”
“Do go on, my love,” he said mildly, knowing that only she would be able to detect the fondness behind his deceptively bored tone.
