“Of course, of course,” Will said. “Brooklyn, didn’t you say, Andy?”
“Yeah,” Andy said, watching the dogs as though they were the most fascinating thing in the world. “Like Kit’s great-grandma.”
“Really! I didn’t know that,” Will said, still in high spirits.
What the bloody hell was he up to?
“Yes, well, that’s why the foundation is headquartered there,” I said, wondering what the surest way to get rid of him was. If I told him to leave he’d only get more persistent.
“Fascinating,” Will said. “I hear you two escaped to London. Was it your first time there, Andy?”
Had he given up on me and decided to make a ham-fisted attempt at charming Andy instead? After what he’d done last time?
“Yeah, it was,” Andy said, still showing every sign of disinterest in the conversation.
“And what did you think of it?”
“I think it’d take a lifetime to see it all,” he said.
“Ah, well, just as well you’re about to have one, hmm? Unless you’re thinking about moving in at Foxmoor? It is a beautiful estate.”
No. No, no, no.
How did he know?
Mother. Mother had told the little weasel, obviously. And now he was making the decisive move before I’d had a chance to get ahead of it.
Naturally,thiswas what finally drew Andy’s attention.
“You know,” Will continued, grinning ear to ear. “Now that dear Kit is the new Duke of Hartsworth. Isn’t that exciting, Andy? You could be a... well, I’m not sure what we’d call you, we can’t very well call you a Duchess. Consort to the Duke of Hartsworth, perhaps?”
Andy looked at me with such betrayal in his eyes that I had to look away.
“You’re the what?”
Will’s eyes widened theatrically. “Oh dear,” he said. “You hadn’t told him yet, and now I’ve gone and startedanotherargument. How clumsy of me.” He smiled an unpleasant smile. “Better make myself scarce again.”
