Chapter 9

There was only so much they could do to me.

I had gone to London, covering for Trevalyan as much as I could, since he was family, so to speak, although it would be better for both of us if no one learned of that.

And there had been Ludovic Rivenhall, the young man who I’d thought at one time might be a possible future brother-in-law. As it had turned out, Portia thought he was charming and liked him, but not enough to marry him, especially after she’d met Nigel Mann.

Rivenhall had stood to the side in a relaxed posture and listened to me recount the events of that afternoon in Rome, a thoughtful expression on his face.

I liked his looks—I had from the start—and after the inquisition was finished and everyone left, he lingered behind, and I asked him to dinner.

Of course we didn’t go to dinner. I took him back to my hotel room, and as soon as I’d shut and locked the door, I had him naked and sprawled on my bed.