“Shut yer geggie. Harry has a sister?” Tam paused mid-chew to ask.
Not only did seeing Lady Sedmouth’s eyes bulge at such boorishness delight Connor, his brother’s unsolicited confirmation served his purpose all too well. Rutledge had doubted him earlier when he’d made a similar claim, now he’d gained another voice to divert the duke’s suspicions.
Rutledge transferred his frown from Tam to Connor. “I find it hard to believe that none of you knew of the marquis’s sister.”
Connor waited to see how his brothers would respond and wasn’t disappointed. The helpful thing about his family, no matter how they rankled, was that they always came through when he needed them most.
“Dinnae ken him well, actually,” Tam said around a mouthful of cherry tart.
Ian nodded. “Whirlwind romance and all that.”
Tam shrugged. “Harry sticks to the ladies of the family…”
“Hiding behind their skirts.”
“Under them?” Tam laughed. “Courted most of them.”
“Nay, he’d no’ have courted Blossom if he had.”
Tam: “Then we beat him…”
Ian: “Pummeled him really…”
Tam: “No’ much of a vote of confidence, aye?”
Ian: “Or hand of friendship.”
Rutledge pinched the bridge of his nose. “This conversation is dizzying.”
“I’ll say,” they both answered while a welcome hint of laughter welled up in Connor.
On a roll now, Ian waved his sandwich at the duke. “Ain’t ye Dormer’s da?”
Tam made a face as he stuffed another tart into his mouth. “Gah, bad blood, that. Yer git’s a bowfing tosser.”
“Aye, heard he ran starkers about Hyde Park last year, wagging his twigs and berries.”
“No’ much to be chuffed about there.” Tam nudged Celeste with his elbow and winked. “No’ much a’tall, if ye catch my meaning.”
Celeste gasped in horror.
“Bloody knob,” Ian agreed. “Gives me the boke.”
The duke’s fingers tightened around his glass with each word until his knuckles were white. “Insolence runs in your family, I see.”
“Rampantly,” the twins agreed in unison.
They lifted their glasses in toast, drawing a tart pucker from Lady Sedmouth and rousing a fair amount of irritation in the duke, if his rise in color were any indication.
This was exactly what he’d needed. A moment to shed the red cloak of violence and mayhem long enough to think more clearly. And chaos enough to keep Rutledge and his men occupied until Piper was well away.
Rutledge’s eyes narrowed, his nose and lips twitched as if he smelled something foul. “You MacKintoshes are very much like Aylesbury.”
Connor recoiled, not entirely in jest. “I say, there’s nae need to get nasty.”
The twins nodded their agreement.
“That capricious nature and grievous wit he has.” A contemptuous curl elevated the duke’s lips. “He sold my son down the river for his own amusement. Cheeky bastard. I saw to it he had nothing left to smile about.”
