A faint gleam brightened Jack’s eyes.The door opened, and a woman entered. She was probably the mostbeautiful woman Erina had set eyes on.
The men stood as she crossed the pinkand blue Axminster carpet. Jack introduced her.
“I’m delighted to meet youboth. You’ll spend the night of course? I’ll ring for tea, or wouldyou prefer wine?”
“I’d be most grateful fortea, thank you,” Erina replied.
“I know Jack preferscoffee.” Lady Ashley’s smile warmed her beautiful pale blue eyes.For a moment she and Jack gazed at each other.
So, this is what keeps him here, Erinathought. His manner was a little too authoritarian for her taste.She looked across at Harry. His eyes twinkled at her. Why did heagree to take her? He could have said no. Most men would have. Sheflushed, she had asked too much of him. She must tell him the truthabout Cathleen.
Chapter Eight
Lord Butterstone’s funeral was to takeplace in London at the end of the week. In consideration for LadyButterstone, dinner had been a sober affair followed by a quietgame of whist when her ladyship had gone to bed.
After their card game when they allretired to their bedrooms, Jack stopped Harry on the stairs. “Whaton earth are you up to Harry? You’re playing a dangerous game witha lady’s reputation.”
Harry looked at him coolly. “One mightask you the same thing.”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “Iam?”
“The way Lady Ashley looksat you could set the room on fire.”
“She is merely grateful.I’m trying to discover who killed her father.” Jack wasn’t preparedto discuss Ashley, it would be disloyal to her, although he andHarry were usually frank with each other.
“Ho! And the sun doesn’trise in the east!”
Jack continued to climb the stairs.“Leave this to me, Harry. I’m riding to London tomorrow. I may havethis dealt with by the end of the week.”
“And then?”
Jack didn’t wish to examine his ownfeelings too closely. “I’ll be on my way.”
Harry nodded with a skepticalexpression.
Jack grinned, a hand on the bannister.“How skillfully you have changed the subject. We were discussingyou and Erina.”
“Might be wise to leavethat for another day.”
“When ...?”
“When I work out what thedevil I’m doing.”
Jack laughed and shook his head. “I’llcome down and see you two off in the morning.”
“Have you formed any ideasabout Butterstone’s killer?”
“Early days, Harry. But wehave learned more from his diary.”
As they walked along the corridor,Jack related what he and Ashley had discovered.
“Good lord! There’s somesuggestion that Napoleon was poisoned by the English?”
“It’s possible. Butterstonestumbled onto something he wasn’t meant to know. Then he took it tosomeone at Whitehall who perhaps he should have avoided. I have tofind out who that man is and what has happened to Butterstone’sbrother-in-law, Lord Caindale.”
“It sounds like you’reopening a Pandora’s box. Are you sure you should get involved?After all, Bonaparte is dead.”
“Lady Butterstone and LadyAshley deserve to know who killed their husband and father in sucha brutal fashion.”
