Chapter Fifteen
Matthew was expecting to receive a very important but very clandestine message from the Wick cousins today, so it was important not to draw attention to himself as he entered the back room of the Black Sheep. It was a little hard to be inconspicuous with Banshee on his shoulder, but fortunately the monkey immediately ascended to the rafters to join Pan. When Matthew sat down across from Alexander, his best friend did not greet him with his customary jovial grin. Instead, Alexander crossed his arms and fixed Matthew with an unyielding stare. Guilt rammed into Matthew as he tried not to shift like a truant schoolboy.
“Care to explain why just three days ago, I watched you fight like the legendary Fianna?” Alexander demanded without preamble.
Matthew forced his body to relax. “As I told you, I learned during my travels.”
Alexander shot him a disbelieving look that quickly turned into a challenging one. “I also discovered through Charlotte that you are in possession of a necklace that Lady Greenvale saw the late Lady Hawley hide before her death.”
Matthew could no longer feign nonchalance, not even with his history of subterfuge. He practically launched himself over the table. Furtively, he glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “Lower your voice.”
“You’re not going to deny it?” Alexander’s voice was as soft as his hazel eyes were sharp.
“No.” Worry pulsed through Matthew.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Alexander insisted, and Matthew had no trouble detecting his friend’s hurt.
“I want to keep you safe,” Matthew hissed. “I couldn’t defend you from my siblings when we were children, but I can stop dragging you into the most dangerous parts of this mess now.”
“I’m not weak because of my leg, Matthew.” Alexander clenched his jaw, and Matthew knew his best friend was staunching a lifetime of pain and rejection.
The sight sliced him, and he had to set Alexander straight. “This has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with the fact that you are my true brother. I want to protect you, protect my real family from the horrible one that I was born into.”
Alexander’s chin visibly unclenched, and he gave a stiff nod. “I—I understand that need, Matthew. But don’t bar me from this. You’re a sibling to me too, and Charlotte’s involved. I need to be part of this.”
“I’ll show it to you. Not here but when we’re alone.”
Alexander held Matthew’s gaze just as he’d done when they were young and they’d promised to stick together against their tormentors. Relief flooded Matthew as he realized that Alexander trusted his word.
“How did Charlotte recognize the necklace?” Matthew asked.
Alexander frowned. “She’s attempting to investigate Hawley herself, and she spoke to Lady Greenvale when she visited the Black Sheep.”
“What?” Fear bit into Matthew and didn’t release. He wanted Charlotte as far away as possible from his brother, but she’d been secretly pursuing him these past few weeks?
Alexander rubbed his temples. “I cannot entirely blame her. She needs to escape this betrothal, and your father will be in London in less than a fortnight.”
“Wedding your sister to Hawley is like offering Persephone to Hades,” Matthew said darkly.
“Agreed, which is why I think she needs another groom.”
“You want me to help you figure out who should marry your sister?” The question came out in a string of strangled croaks, and Matthew barely stopped from physically wincing at the tortured sounds. He must demonstrate some degree of decorum. After all, Alexander didn’t know about Matthew and Charlotte’s relationship. Not that Matthew had a relationship with Charlotte. Necessarily. Or at all. Or at least one with any future.
Swounds.He was as distracted as a red squirrel in autumn, dashing after every thought of Charlotte as if they were acorns he needed to store away for winter.
“In a manner of speaking, yes. Why, does that fluster you?” Alexander sprawled back in his chair as he regarded Matthew quizzically.
Matthew couldn’t help it. He shifted guiltily, although he really did not have anything to feel remorseful about. It was not as if he’d been engaged in torrid daydreams about Charlotte…Deuce take it.Of course, now his mind was merrily skipping along that hazardous but damnably beckoning route. It was a road paved not with good intentions but with fantasies of slipping silks and even more satiny skin beneath.
“Any man would be lucky to marry her,” Matthew blurted before he could imagine undoing the lacings of Charlotte’s stomacher and sliding his hand to cup her…Damn.He was still tumbling down that tantalizing path.
“I wasn’t referring to any man, but to you in particular,” Alexander said, his grin downright mischievous.
“To me!” Matthew delivered this as a string of mangled bleats instead of croaks. He doubted it was an improvement.
“You seem to be having an inordinate amount of difficulty conversing today.” The green flecks in Alexander’s hazel eyes sparkled with humor.
“It is just the thought of your sister and, well, me. Together. In that capacity.” Matthew stumbled over his words, but he could not seem to stop himself from blundering on and on.
