“Mother is expecting a visit from the Widowed Widows,” Figaro said, the overly expressed dread unnecessary.
Jackson could hardly forget the trio of elderly women. Spitefully worded, sharp gazes, and dressed all in layers of black, like great, hungry spiders; even as children he and his brother had chosen an apt name.
Figaro gave him a pointed look. “Once you’ve been caught in their web, they’ll eat you alive.”
“Carter!”
They both jumped again at their mother’s shout, growing louder. Shriller, too, if that were possible.
Jackson was a grown man, a duke. Long past taking insults from crotchety, old church bells.
“Where is His Grace? Why was I not informed immediately upon his arrival? My guests will be here any moment. He must be present to greet them.”
Because spiders needed to act fast to liquify their victim’s insides.
Jackson returned his brother’s squeeze to his shoulder. “Your valiant sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Figaro jerked his head toward the garden door. “Escape through the terrace. The beasts can hardly catch you in the open.”
Thiswas why he’d never begrudge Anna her need to stay connected to her brother. They were precious, insultingly sarcastic creatures, and the perfect distraction when avoiding the arachnids’ descent.
“The parlor! Why would His Grace be in such a place?” They jumped again. His mother was in the hall directly outside.
There were seconds before he was discovered.
He offered a last nod to Figaro. “See you at dinner.”
Figaro punched him lightly on the arm. “Glad you’ve returned, brother.”
Jackson strode to the terrace doors and flung them open, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll never forget you, Fig.”
Figaro placed a hand over his heart. “If you ever wish to look on my handsome face, ask Carter for my likeness. Despite his adamant denial, the manishopelessly in love with me.”
Chapter Nine
Anna made itout of the hedge maze and onto the steps leading up to the terrace the same time an azure blur launched itself out the glass door. A blur that became a familiar figure upon closer inspection.
She came to the top step and tilted her head. Yes, even at the perpendicular angle, Jackson was crouched behind a large lilac bush in a rather ostentatious floral pot. She waited for him to notice her, but his gaze was fixed on the glass doors. “Duke.”
“Gah!” Jackson whirled around, a hand to his chest. Seeing her, the tension dropped from his shoulders. “Anna.” He swallowed notably. “Er—you caught me.”
That boyish look of contrition... something in her chest warmed against her will.
Anna’s gaze went from the open door and back. “If I caught you, that means you are hiding.”
The tips of his ears went pink. “Yes.” He cleared his throat. “Well, I have a good reason.”
“Such as?”
More pink, this time staining his cheeks. He grumbled something that sounded strangely like “beasts” before he straightened his cuffs but didn’t move into the sightline of thosewho may glance outside from what appeared to be the parlor. “What areyoudoing here?”
“I arrived not ten minutes ago by carriage. No one answered the door when my maid knocked, so I thought to go through the garden maze—”
“And you didn’t lose your way?”
She scowled. People needed to stop thinking of her as a wayward child. “Obviously.”
“Where is your brother?!”
