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Edward hurried out of the carriage and up the stairs to Tony’s small office. He rapped on the door with the end of his cane. He heard footsteps, then the door unlocked. His brother stood in the doorway and waved him in. “Should have known you would come by. I see you have read the paper?”

Edward frowned. “Yes, devil take him. It was not enough to pursue this farce in court, but to advertise it. Good Lord! He plans to defame her even before a judge has even been appointed to the case.”

Tony studied him for a moment before closing the door. “He certainly is a conniving little bastard. What do you want to do about it?”

Edward found himself pacing in front of the fire, like he could not quite contain the anger he felt. “I want to wring his bloody neck.”

“And then what?” His brother sat in a chair and steepled his fingers.

“And then?” He stopped pacing. “We are going to expose him for the charlatan he is.” Edward sat heavily in the nearest chair. “Rose is beside herself with worry, and there is nothing I can do to spare her this…this humiliation.”

“Careful, brother,” Tony said in a warning tone. “I detect a degree of affection.”

He pressed his lips together for a moment. “She is Marianne’s friend and a guest in my house,” he said, his words slow and deliberate.

Tony narrowed his eyes towards Edward. “Have you…kissed her? I mean, I do not blame you if you have. She is a beautiful woman and smart too.”

“Do not be ridiculous,” he said, a little too defensively.

Tony slapped his knee. “I knew it. You forget that I can detect a lie from across a room. Are you in love with her? Be honest now.”

“I…like her,” he began. “I like being around her.” That was honest.

“You like kissing her too, I bet. Come now, Edward, you can be free with me.”

Edward thought about the kiss in the breakfast room this very morning. How her body fit perfectly with his, how her lips welcomed his. “Of course I do. That does not mean I have deeper feelings for her.”

“I think you love her, don’t you?”

It annoyed him that Tony’s expression was so damn smug. “I am not sure. I mean, I thought I was in love with Victoria when I met her. She turned out to be a bitter pill.”

“Indeed, but you only met Victoria a handful of times before you were married. You know Rose. Her character is miles above Victoria’s.”

He shook his head. “She will expect things. Things I cannot give her.”

“Like what? I expect she only wants your heart, your love.” Tony sat forward. “Marry her. Be happy.”

Edward found himself shaking his head. “How easy you make it sound.”

“That is because it is. Believe me, it is harder to fight it than to give in to it.”

Edward picked lint off his sleeve in order not to acknowledge his brother’s words. “In any case, we need to sort out her brother,” he said to change the subject. “Perhaps he can disappear mysteriously and end up in…Greece or Switzerland. Just enough time to get a judge to throw his suit out of the court.”

“He will only come back more determined. Cecil may be an idiot, but he is a bull-headed one.”

Edward knew Tony was right. Had Rose not said the same thing? The only way to stop him would be total humiliation. Something that would send him back to Brookhaven House with his tail tucked between his legs. Rose would not like it, as no matter how you turned this situation, they both came out badly, and the good name of Brookhaven would be no more. How could he protect her from that?

How could he protect himself from her? She was like a drug he could not get enough of, but she was not immune to him either. He wished he knew how she felt about him, really felt.

Edward stood, and Tony raised a brow at him. “I need to go. Dig up all the dirt you can. I want to know everything about him.”

“You never said anything about my dispatch. Were you not surprised by who the mole may be?”

“Nothing surprises me these days. I do thank you and your men for their excellent intelligence. Let me know when you have the proof. Only then can we know for sure what he is selling and to whom.”

Tony nodded, and Edward left, his mind no clearer than when he had entered. He had yet to see the Prince Regent, and he debated what to tell him. Without proof, he would stay silent on the mole until they had the matter in hand. Bad news was always better served cold. Especially when it was a peer of the realm committing treason.