The Secrets of a Lady

like a bull every time Douglas Ellison comes near you.”

“But it isn’t love,” Audrey repeated, stubborn in her refusal to hear anything else. The last thing she needed were more regrets about Griffin. “If I wanted to marry for quiet companionship I’d have married Squire Teetle when my parents asked me to.”

Hannah began to laugh, a rich throaty sound. But Audrey saw no humor in her current situation and sat staring evenly at her friend.

“And what is so funny?”

Wiping her eyes, Hannah said, “I don’t think you’d ever have quiet companionship with Griffin. You should know that much by now.”

With her ire rising, Audrey straightened in her chair and put on her best haughty frown. “Just what do you mean by that?”

“Well, I know you’ve spent at least one evening in his bed since you gave him your virtue in the carriage,” Hannah replied with an arched eyebrow and a pointed look.

An embarrassed blush replaced Audrey’s haughtiness. Tearing her eyes away from her friend’s face, she said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

An unladylike snort of laughter escaped Hannah’s throat. “I’ve known you a good many years, Audrey Jordan, don’t you forget that. You and Griffin have made love more than once and you can’t stop thinking about it. The reality is, it troubles you to be so out of control of your feelings and actions.”

The blood that had made her face so hot now drained away from her cheeks as Audrey lifted her face to Hannah’s again. There was no use denying the facts to her hawk-eyed friend.

“Does Noah know?”

“No. But it’s affecting his friendship with Griffin nonetheless.”

Audrey sighed as she closed her eyes with a nod. That much was obvious. In all the years the two men had known each other, Audrey had never seen them exchange more than a few playful jabs. Until this case. Until her. Since she’d come into the picture, they’d had several heated arguments and nearly come to blows.

She covered her eyes with one hand. “They’re strained when they’re together now. It’s all my fault. Noah is angry that Griffin continues to interfere with our case. Griffin is angry that Noah doesn’t keep me out of this or protect me like some china figurine. What a mess.”

Hannah was silent for a while, neither denying nor verifying that the tension between Noah and Griffin was Audrey’s fault. “What will you do then, Audrey?”

Shrugging one shoulder, she uncovered her face and rose to her feet. She paced across the room, stopping at the fireplace to take the poker from its position beside the mantel. Stoking the fire with its tip, she said, “I need to get away from here as soon as possible. I need to end this case.”

“Why?”

“Because if I stay,” Audrey’s voice faltered. “If I stay I may forget all the good reasons I have to turn down Griffin’s proposal. I may find it harder than I already do to resist him.”

“And why is that such a bad thing?”

Audrey sighed, her eyes returning to the burning embers. “Because I’ve loved him for so long, I couldn’t bear it if he didn’t love me in return. It would be too hard to look at him with all the love in my heart and see him looking back at me with only friendship in his eyes.”

Hannah rose and crossed the room to place an arm over her friend’s shoulders. “Oh, lovey.”

They were interrupted by the knock of the chambermaids, who came in with a tub and gallons of steaming water for Audrey’s bath. Once they’d gone, she undressed and sank beneath the waves behind a screen. On the other side she heard Hannah bustling around the room, picking up her clothing and tidying up.

“Hannah?” She squeezed the sponge in her hand and lathered it with soap.

“Yes?”

“I think it’s time I pay a visit to Douglas Ellison’s house,” she called out, her mind spinning on the possibilities.

From the other side of the screen, she was sure she heard Hannah utter a quiet curse, then she poked her head around the edge of the barrier.

“You cannot be serious.” She shook her dark head. “You told me the man attacked you. Surely you don’t mean to continue pursuing him.”

“What choice do I have? It’s the only way we’ll get the information we need. I’ll have the perfect excuse. My host tried to kill Ellison tonight, I’ll tell him I don’t want him to be in danger by visiting Griffin’s house.”

“Whatever do you think you have to gain by walking into this man’s den?”

With a frown of disapproval, her friend disappeared back into the main room.

Audrey hesitated a fraction. “Perhaps I’ll have better luck than Jean did in finding the list of associates.”

Silence was her only answer. Audrey could practically hear Hannah contemplating the notion. Finally, sure steps guided her friend back to Audrey’s side of the screen. Hannah’s face was stern as she looked her friend in the eye.

“Do you really think you could discover his secrets?”

“After tonight?” Audrey nodded. “Absolutely.”

“And you feel it’s worth the risk you’ll be taking?”

She contemplated that question for a long moment. “Griffin is completely out of control. The longer we play this game with Ellison, the worse it’s going to get. He could get himself killed if he continues on as he was tonight. Or at least destroy our cover. I’m afraid if I don’t go to Ellison’s and find out the truth in the next few days, I won’t get another chance. After everything I’ve gone through with the man, I couldn’t bear to have him slip through our fingers.”

Hannah pursed her lips. Finally she gave a resigned sigh. “Very well, missy. But if you’re going to Ellison’s tomorrow, I’m going with you.”

***

Griffin sat in Douglas Ellison’s sitting room rubbing his knuckles. They were still bruised from his well-placed punch the night before, but hitting the man had been worth any pain that followed. Griffin’s only regret was that his fears for Audrey’s cover had kept him from doing more damage to the traitor.

Still, he didn’t understand why he’d been summoned to the house next door to his own. The footman had brought the request that morning, just about the time Griffin was having his early cup of tea and Noah was stumbling home from a night of work and play. After much deliberation and argument, Griffin had convinced Noah he should take the invitation.

Now he sat in the drawing room of a man he despised, surrounded by an Oriental theme that almost made him laugh. After all of Ellison’s hatred for Prinny, he had something in common with him. Both men favored the rich fabrics and designs influenced by what the spice traders brought back from the Orient.

Tapping his foot impatiently, Griffin checked his pocket watch. He’d now been waiting for over a quarter of an hour. Though this was just a tactic to irritate him, Griffin couldn’t help but feel it had succeeded. He wasn’t a man accustomed to delay.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, the double doors to the sitting room opened and Douglas Ellison stepped inside. Griffin was pleased to see the man’s nose was bruised and painful looking. He kept himself from grinning with pride. Barely.

With a yawn, he stood.

“Ellison,” he said, using the practiced cold and distant voice of a displeased aristocrat.

“Berenger.” The other man shut the door behind him with a smug smile. He, too, would have sounded cold if his voice hadn’t been so nasal due to the injury to his face. “Thank you for coming. May I offer you a drink?”

Griffin returned to his seat. “No. It’s a bit early for me. Though I’d understand why you’d need one, you look a fright.”

“Yes.” Ellison’s eyes narrowed before he turned to the bar behind him. “Some animal attacked me last night.”

Griffin watched as Douglas poured his drink with trembling shoulders and took a long sip. Finally, he sat down across from Griffin with a hard stare. For a moment the room was silent as the two men sized each other up. Finally, Griffin broke the silence with another yawn.

“Not that I don’t enjoy spending time with a neighbor,” he said, leaning his elbows forward on his knees. “But