love with her, the more intimate subject of precautions against getting with child, and most of all, how her sister was faring, since Lily had been in London for nearly a fortnight now, keeping herself out of reach of Winifred’s matchmaking.
But there was no opportunity for privacy with Fanny, since Drew ushered Roslyn down the front steps and into his coach after directing his coachman where to find the firm of Crupp and Beasly, the solicitors who oversaw Winifred’s fortune.
Regrettably, they had no better luck with the solicitors. They were welcomed obsequiously at the dark, shabby offices on Fleet Street-Drew was a duke, after all. And once he presented a letter of authorization from Lady Freemantle, permitting him to act as her advocate, the nearly ancient Mr. Crupp’s stiffness eased and he listened attentively as Drew explained precisely what they wanted.
Despite his age, the elderly lawyer still seemed to possess a keen mind, for he asked several sharp questions to clarify certain points. At the conclusion, however, Mr. Crupp sadly shook his head.
“It is possible, your grace, that Sir Rupert paid an income to a mistress for a good many years, but we would not be privy to the arrangements. Doubtless he contrived for another solicitor to handle his private affairs, since he would not have wished Lady Freemantle to know he was spending part of her fortune thusly. And if he did have a second family, he could not very well provide for them in his will and testament without her ladyship discovering the unsavory truth.”
“What other solicitors might he have employed?” Drew asked.
Mr. Crupp responded with a sour smile that showed his false teeth. “The possibilities are numerous, your grace. There are some two hundred solicitors in the City alone, and nearly double that if you count all of England. Even more if you include Scotland. Some of the best legal minds in Britain hail from Edinburgh. But we could inquire of our colleagues, if you wish. It will be rather costly, however…”
“I do wish,” Drew replied. “And cost is no object. You will of course keep this confidential.”
“Most certainly, your grace. Lady Freemantle has been our esteemed client for many years, and her father before her, and we are privileged to serve her in any way possible.”
Roslyn was disappointed to have gathered so little information, but Drew was more optimistic. “I expected as much. If Sir Rupert was considerate enough to shield his wife from learning about his affair during his lifetime, he would have taken pains to hide the knowledge even after his death. But Bow Street may have something to tell us about the livery by now.”
The private police service, indeed, had made a measure of progress on the case, for they had identified two noble households that used blue-and-silver livery. However, discovering whether a ginger-haired young man was employed at either place as a footman would require delicate questioning.
Drew instructed them to turn the information over to Crupp and Beasly, who could be trusted to handle the matter with more circumspection than Bow Street. It would raise curiosity, perhaps even alarm, if a Runner began poking his nose into the servant staff of the aristocracy.
The same was true about investigating the temporary staff employed for the Danvers wedding celebrations. When Roslyn had asked the Simpkins about that night, neither could recall any unusual behavior by any of the footmen. And since they had hired nearly two dozen footmen and almost that same number of grooms and cook’s helpers, it would be difficult to track the thief through the London employment agency they’d used, even with his distinctive color hair, so Drew decided to pursue that course as a last resort.
On the return drive home, he watched as Roslyn stared despondently out the window. “Don’t lose heart yet. We will find our thief eventually.”
At his assurance, she sat up straighter, casting him a glance as he sat beside her on the velvet squabs. “I’m certain you are right, Drew. I should have more faith in your abilities. Your ideas have been exceedingly clever thus far.” She offered him a smile. “I am very grateful to you for your efforts on Winifred’s behalf,” she added, her voice soft and low. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me prematurely,” he replied. “I haven’t accomplished anything yet.”
“But you will. I know that once you set your mind to something, you will succeed. Just like when you seduced me in the cottage.” Roslyn laughed lightly. “I told Fanny I couldn’t resist you, which was true. You were quite irresistible.”
“I am flattered you think so,” Drew said dryly, wondering at her sincerity.
“It is not flattery, merely honesty. What amazes me, though, is how easily you made me forget all sense of propriety. I was raised to be a perfect lady, but you made me abandon my principles. But then, what chance did I have against the mastery of such a magnificent lover?”
Drew gave her a sharp glance. “What the devil are you up to, sweetheart?”
Roslyn responded with another musical trill of laughter. “I am only trying to be a good pupil, applying the lessons you taught me. Don’t you care for my methods, darling? I was certain you would appreciate them.”
When she trailed a forefinger along his arm, teasing him provocatively, Drew grasped her hand and held it away. “Are you purposely trying to seduce me?”
Roslyn eyes widened with innocence. “Well, I admit I am trying to arouse you.”
“Why?”
“You said the way to a man’s heart is through his lust.”
He had indeed said something of the sort when he was advising her how to capture Haviland. But it was her particular choice of words that struck him. Drew studied her warily. “
Her smile turned wistful. “Well, to be truthful, I don’t think it’s even possible to win your heart. But as long as we are betrothed, I thought I should exert the effort to make you enamored of me.”
Drew surveyed her silently. Her soft smile tantalized him, as it doubtless was meant to do. Yet he was surprised to acknowledge his disappointment. He had groomed Roslyn to be the ideal mistress, the very kind of enticing female who had once attracted him.
He should be pleased she had become such a good pupil, yet he’d discovered he didn’t like her pretense. And that was all it was, pretense. Her artifice grated on his nerves. Instead, he wanted Roslyn to be herself-charming and warm and frank and honest, rather than cuttingly witty and artificially alluring. He saw qualities in her that were much like Eleanor’s. He liked her forthrightness, her independence, her generous nature…
He’d watched her comfort Lady Freemantle last evening, and
While he pondered, she leaned closer, letting her lips almost touch his. “Am I unnerving you, darling?”
Hell yes, she was unnerving him, Drew reflected. She was playing the role of bewitching temptress to perfection. God help him if she actually tried to seduce him.
When he didn’t reply, Roslyn reached up to touch his mouth with her forefinger. “I think I understand what the real problem is, Drew. You like to be the pursuer, and it discomfits you when the roles are reversed. But if you dislike my teasing, I will stop.”
Drew frowned. Perhaps that was indeed the trouble. Roslyn seemed to be chasing him. He enjoyed the chase, not feeling like the quarry. But he could always turn the tables on her.
Relaxing back in his seat, he shook his head. “I don’t want you to stop. But if you intend to seduce me, then do it properly.” Reaching for her hand, he drew it into his lap, letting her feel the swollen hardness at his groin.
As expected, Roslyn quickly snatched her hand back. “I did not mean to arouse you
He gave her a wicked smile. “If you mean to play the temptress, love, you must be prepared to see it through.”
Putting an arm around her shoulders, he slid his hand downward to her breasts. Due to the warmth inside the coach, she had unbuttoned her spencer, so he had easy access to the bodice of her muslin gown. His hand slipped inside, beneath her chemise and corset, and began to play tantalizingly with her nipples. They jutted out instantly.
“Drew,” Roslyn said breathlessly, clutching at his arm to stay his caresses. Yet he saw with satisfaction that her eyes had flared and turned hot.
Using his other hand, he went on fondling her, stroking the taut buds, pinching lightly. “Are you aroused yet?”
“You know I am-and this has gone far enough.”
