He studied her as if he could read what she was not saying.
“They may suspect, Monty.” Mary looked at her friend.
“I doubt that. I threw a lucky punch and then wailed loudly over the pain. People see exactly what they want, dear Mary. Fret not. But in future, do not hold things from me.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
Zachariel Deville was part of Alexius?
It was hard to believe the devil-may-care rake, who flirted with every woman he met was part of the elite force that made up Alexius.
“Are you sure he is a member of Alexius, Monty?”
“If you mean Zachariel Deville, then yes I am.”
It made her head swim. How often had he been put in a dangerous situation? Had his life been threatened?
“I have often wondered about the animosity between you and he, Mary.”
“We hate each other,” she said shortly. “There is no more to it than that.”Except that kiss.
“If you insist, but I think you doth protest too much, fair lady.” He pulled out a lavender-scented handkerchief and bowed. “And now I must get you back to your feebleminded, self-important, sister.”
Mary sighed. “She was actually pleasant to me briefly today. Of course it did not last.”
“I am amazed you have not trained her better, considering the harridan I know you can be.”
She pinched his arm.
“Shrew.”
“Pompous twit.”
“Mary, before we go, there is something else I want to tell you. Geraint told me he believes there is a traitor among Alexius.”
“No,” Mary gasped.
“Yes. I doubt anyone knows about you, but remain vigilant anyway, because we have no wish for that to change.”
“It is not I who am in danger, Monty, but you. If it got out—”
“It won’t. Now we must go.”
“Come, Aggie.” She collected her maid from outside the tent, her head reeling at what she’d learned.
“Brace yourself,” Monty whispered in her ear as they started walking back to her mother and sister.
“What? Why?” She shot him a look, but he was staring straight ahead.
Following his gaze, she realized why he’d said what he had. The Deville family, all of them, were coming toward them.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
“Smile, act as if you have done nothing greater than look at satin. You’ve been acting for years, Mary. This need be no different.”
She sucked in a deep breath, then released it slowly.
“Good girl.”
