“I am sure it will be delicious.” His voice seemed blessedly normal, even thoughhedidn’t. Perhaps he, too, could act. After all, hadn’t his entire life been a carefully scripted performance?
“Hannah,” she whispered into his ear, and the gentle puff of her breath against his skin triggered a cascade of sparkling sensations. He’d never felt the like before. And he wanted more. Just not in a public place with many curious eyes turned in their direction.
“If I am openly employing your first name, you should use mine as well,” Hannah quietly instructed. “We’re not just lovers but shockingly affectionate ones, remember?”
“Hannah.” He breathed out the word, and he felt deliciously rebellious. He’d always followed etiquette perfectly. Breaking the rules didn’t just feel freeing but unexpectedly intimate. Sharing something private with her among so many people made him feel like they were an actual unit.
“Much better,” Hannah praised him before she straightened. Then in a louder voice she said, “I’ll keep the coffee coming. Anything to keep my darling happily ensconced.”
As she sashayed away, Eoin sipped the piping-hot liquid. Bursts of cinnamon and nutmeg danced on his tongue while the cream tempered the bitterness. The rumors had been right. The Black Sheep had managed to make delicious brew.
When he placed the cup down, he could feel the stares. Most were being discreet but a few eyed him openly. A clandestine back room wasn’t a place anyone would expect to find him, and his recent rise to the title already made him an interesting specimen for gossip. But even if Eoin understood the reason for the curiosity, it didn’t make him any more comfortable. He’d never been on display, and he found he didn’t like it.
The Black Sheep’s patrons spoke softly enough that Eoin couldn’t hear, but he could easily read their lips. Although Eoin knew that he should adjust his gaze downward, he found his eyes riveted to conversations pertaining to him.
“What is the Duke of Foxglen doing here?”
“I wouldn’t think he’d ever deign to grace a place like this.”
“People say he is even more rigid than the old duke.”
“Did you hear Miss Wick call himdarlingand use his Christian name?”
“I know! It’s terribly scandalous.”
“I would have thought he’d try to send someone to the Colonies on false charges for taking such liberties.”
“He’s a cold one.”
“Born a wizened old man.”
“Yet it seems like he’s begun anaffaire de coeurwith Miss Wick.”
“Does he even have acoeur? I thought he was as heartless as they come.”
“Bloodless too.”
“Your Grace?” The new voice was quiet and cultured but not one that Eoin recognized. Unlike the others, it didn’t drip with prurient curiosity.
Glancing up, he found Dr. Matthew Talbot standing across from him. Eoin didn’t know much about the fellow beyond that he’d married Lady Charlotte, Hannah’s cousin, and that he was the disinherited third son of a duke.
Eoin’s grandfather hadn’t approved of the physician who’d eschewed his noble roots to practice medicine, including working as a mere ship’s surgeon. But was Dr. Talbot a radical man or just a compassionate one?
“Dr. Talbot.” Eoin rose to greet the man who had helped expose his own brother’s crimes as a masked highwayman.
“May I join you?” Dr. Talbot asked.
“Certainly.” Eoin swept his hand toward the empty chair across from him and resumed his seat.
“I am a bit early for our group meeting.” Dr. Talbot kept his voice low. “But I’ve never minded spending time at the BlackSheep, even before my wife’s involvement. I have always found it to be a place where ideas can be freely exchanged.”
Eoin studied every detail of Dr. Talbot’s facial expressions. Was the man merely making conversation or was he testing to make sure that Eoin wasn’t a covert foe? The physician’s eyebrows were raised, which generally meant someone was interested in the conversation. But he was also tugging slightly at his throat, a sign that Eoin attributed to nervousness.
“Since becoming the new duke, I find it best to expose myself to all different schools of thought.” Eoin tried to put Dr. Talbot at ease. He needed this man and his friends’ assistance, not their suspicions. Thankfully, Eoin was well accustomed to soothing others’ heightened emotions. “One area where I lack understanding pertains to the natural world. I’ve heard that you’re well known for your sketches of wildlife both here in England and in the New World.”
Dr. Talbot stopped playing with his neck. His hand dropped to the table, his fingers relaxed. “Animals are one of my passions.”
Eoin asked a few more questions, and soon the man was chatting freely. Eoin felt his own muscles uncoil a fraction. It was good sitting with a companion, especially one near his own age. Even if Dr. Talbot did most of the talking, Eoin didn’t feel like a shadow on the peripheries.
