“I don’t know. Alex won’t talk of it.”
“And she won’t either,” Charles said glumly. “Do you suppose there was a quarrel of some sort?”
Annabelle sat and thought for a bit. “My brother is betrothed to someone else, and that would have complicated matters.”
With a frown Charles said, “Did he ask my sister to be his mistress when he was about to marry another woman?” His eyes narrowed dangerously and he rapped out, “Or is he the sort of man who might haveforcedher when she refused him?”
Annabelle banged her teacup down so hard the porcelain chipped. “No, he is not!”
They glared at each other for a moment. More mildly Charles said, “I’m sorry if my brotherly protectiveness led me to insult. I’ve never met Kingsley, but if he inspires such loyalty, I’ll accept your assessment of his character. But what might have happened with Christa?”
Annabelle relaxed. “Alex really did want to marry her, you know. He was ready to break his engagement to Miss Debenham and let the devil take the hindmost.”
Ignoring the strong language, Charles exclaimed, “Kingsley is never going to marry the Gilded Lily?” At Annabelle’s quizzical look, the earl explained, “That is what Sybil Debenham is called in the gentlemen’s clubs.”
“A perfect name! That is exactly what she is like,” Annabelle agreed. “You know her?”
“Before I went to France, I would flirt with her occasionally. It was quite safe. That Season she was setting lures only for dukes and marquesses, so I was quite beneath her touch.” At his listener’s astonished stare he supplied, “The Gilded Lily is generally assumed to be selling her not-inconsiderable charms in return for the best possible title.”
“That’s outrageous!” Annabelle exclaimed. More thoughtfully she added, “It also explains a great deal. She certainly wants to marry Alex, but he’s only a viscount.”
“Times are hard,” Charles said sympathetically. “The Gilded Lily must have had to lower her goals.”
Annabelle giggled. The earl was quite delightfully improper. Perhaps it came of his being half French.
“If you’ll forgive my asking, is Lord Kingsley in love with Miss Debenham?”
She shook her head vehemently. “Definitely not. In fact,” she added darkly, “there is a mystery about how they came to be engaged. Alex was very unforthcoming on the subject.”
Better than Annabelle, Charles could understand how a gentleman might be trapped into making an offer—Miss Debenhamwasdashed good-looking. “You said he wanted to marry Christa. Did he break the engagement?”
“No. He was going to if your sister accepted him. But since she apparently refused him, he doesn’t seem to care whom he marries. Alex is a captain in the Royal Navy, you know. He’s down in Plymouth now, outfitting his new ship.”
“Perhaps Christa didn’t want to marry a man who was always at sea,” Charles suggested.
“No, he didn’t decide to take another ship until after Miss Debenham sank her claws into him. He might give up the commission if he had a good reason to stay ashore.” She clenched one hand and said passionately, “If only there was something I could do to end the engagement! Alex may not think it matters whom he marries, but Iknowhe will be miserable if he marries Sybil!”
Annabelle stopped, embarrassed by her vehemence. “Not that she is wicked, but they are so horribly unlike. She is interested in nothing but clothes and gossip. Alex never says a thing when he’s with her, yet he is usually the most delightful of company.”
Charles was amused to see the proper young lady visibly loosening up the longer they talked. Then his gaze slipped out of focus as an idea occurred to him. He said slowly, “Do you think that if she broke the engagement, your brother would be sorry? It would be quite unexceptionable if she were the one to change her mind.”
“I think he’d be delighted. My brother, Jon, and I certainly would be! What do you have in mind?” Annabelle asked curiously.
“A spot of conspiracy, actually. Are you game?”
Charles’s smile made Annabelle temporarily forget that he had asked a question and made her recognize that he had a streak of mischief as Christa did. She shook herself and said cautiously, “I think so. What would be required?”
Charles leaned forward. “We must start with the assumption that there is an attraction between your brother and my sister, and that it went wrong in some way that is making them both unhappy. Is that reasonable?”
“Yes, certainly Alex cared for her, and she always seemed very comfortable around him.”
“Of course, there is no guarantee that removing Miss Debenham from the picture would repair a possible rift between Christa and Lord Kingsley.” He stopped and frowned. “You arepositiveyour brother won’t mind if Sybil jilts him? It’s a grave thing to play God, especially with those we care most about.”
Annabelle suffered a moment of panic. She had made a mull of her own affairs; how dare she interfere with Alex’s? Then she remembered Sir Edward’s weak face and shuddered. She would always be grateful that her brother had cared enough to save her from her folly. He had even cared enough to let her continue in it if she had been determined. With a slightly crooked smile she said, “I am quite sure. I owe Alex a rescue.”
Charles looked at her quizzically but refrained from questioning her remark. “I believe that Miss Debenham might be induced to change her mind. For example, if there were a better title in prospect?”
Annabelle stared at him as she caught his meaning. “Do you mean you would let her think you would offer for her if she were free?” When Charles nodded, she gasped, “Why, that is positively diabolical!”
