18 Chapter 18

If that was how he'd chosen to explain things it was vital she didn't meet his burning stare. Not when she now might not have to explain anything at all. Ask them in either.Even if her energies would be better spent trying to find out why he'd lied and it would give her something on him, why waste good tea? Tea, Ruby had probably spat in. Spiced buns either? Spat in, or not, Gil would be sure to smell the tea and buns at a thousand paces, the lie she was telling about him too. It was one thing to be in his debt another for it to cost her a fortune.

"Yes, well. The less said about that the better, since he got such a terrible fright seeing me half naked, he must be miles away by now with what tiny tail he's got tucked between his legs. And it's especially noble of you, sir, to come here this-well, it's almost lunchtime now, I suppose you'll want to be getting along--"

He eyed her deliberately. "How is Mr. Armstrong this morning?"

"Mr.?"

"Your husband."

Who he plainly thought she didn't know the whereabouts, or general health of, this morning.

"Oh him?"

"Cassidy, I must admit you are such a dark horse. I had no idea."

She shrugged. "Well, Belle, neither did I. That it was frankly going to cause such a stir, I mean. Or I should never have opened my mouth and screamed. I should have let things be."

He stared harder and she adjusted her gaze to take in his waistcoat. Why the hell had she said what she had about the tiny tail? The oh him, either? Because she didn't want anyone thinking she was so tasteless as to be married to Gil? Wanted to have a little fun? Or because he put her off her mark? Didn't she know what she was going to say here? Taste didn't come into it. Having fun either.She swallowed.

"But, if I seemed a little vague there just now and it's causing you to stare, it is because ... because ..."

"What?"

"Elgered is not Mr. Armstrong."

"Not?" Devorlane Hawley gave a start. No wonder.She gave one herself. Never mind what now? What was now.She cleared her throat.

"What I said, wasn't it?"

"But, Cassidy, he is your husband? I mean you are quite"-Belle's voice dropped to a piercing whisper, as if even the tangled shrubbery would blush to hear-"proper."

On the surface, what she'd said? Sodding stupid. Underneath the surface too. No worries, remember? So why throw away the chance? Let him get one up on her? Like it or not, Gil was her husband, despite how she held him responsible for Matthew. Why should a simple thing be so difficult?

She nodded her head. "Of course I am, Belle. How can you think I'm not? Married. That is."

His smoky brows drew together. "But, Lady Armstrong, you just said--"

"Well, yes. There are reasons I use my own name. Yes. Ones I can't possibly explain."

Devorlane Hawley tilted his jaw. "How about you try?"

Did the swine think she couldn't? That she was digging a hole for herself without a clue about how to fill it in. Obviously, or he wouldn't loom so close his shadow fell across her. Challenge radiated, not just from his narrowed eyes and tilted jaw with its slight dusting of stubble, but the folds of his coat, the gleam of his boots, the wind ruffling his soft sable hair.

She cleared her throat. "Well ... The first bit of it-" She swallowed, deliberately. The first bit was sufficiently mysterious, so now she would cut to the second bit. "Having returned from active service, Elgie is-he is ... " She raised her chin so she could fix her gaze on some finite point in the sky. "Very well, Elgie is not long for this world. No. Let me finish." Sensing Belle's tiny start she hurried on. Besides, if Gil was creeping about, it was nothing less than he'd said. "So, desiring only to live out his days in the peace and tranquility of this place, I would be grateful, indeed it would oblige me, if you could, all of you, just let him."

There. She'd said it. Talking tea and buns, a piece of cake.

"My stars. Not long for this world?"

Belle clasped her hand, her fingers clammy through the kidskin gloves. But Cass wasn't about to show how she abhorred being touched when it was vital she keep Belle as an ally. A useful ally whose eyes even watered-a quite disgusting sight. Still, so long as it silenced Devorlane Hawley and made him go away again, Belle's eyes could flow like the Thames.

"Please know that I am so sorry, so sorry for you, darling. That we are with you. Aren't we, Devorlane?"

"So why do you pretend to be a widow?"

Maybe Belle was sorry and she was with Cass, but he wasn't.

"Wishful thinking?"

"Devorlane!" Belle dropped her jaw open. "Stop this at once. For goodness sake what is wrong with you?"

Cass swallowed. One would be forgiven for thinking such behavior was a blip on his horizon of politeness. Fortunately she was the princess of ice and cool. The one whose complete disinterest in men gave her invincibility, plus the ability to reduce them, when need be, to rubble. In that regard he'd soon be dust.

"No. It's fine, Belle." She met his penetrating gaze coolly. Squared her own jaw. "Lord Koorecroft is aware you are asking all these questions, sir?"

"Lord Koorecroft? What the hell's Lord Koorecroft got to do with the price of meat in Reading market?"

"Oh, you would be astonished."

"Not half as much as I was when your husband turned up last night."

"Devorlane!"

As he was? Really? At last, something in common but not.

"But." He curled his sensuous lip faintly. "If you want to go to Lord Koorecroft, then do please allow me to escort you. He is in court on Thursday mornings."

Court? Maybe he was but that didn't mean Cass had any desire to go there and see him. Not when what was implicit in the threat was that she'd be seeing a lot more. Prison bars, a hangman's noose. Ridiculous when she was dead and buried, although how she was meant to say she was dead and buried when it hadn't been reported in the newspapers wasn't clear.

Well, after this, not only could she not ask him in. What? And suffer him sneering over the sugar bowl that she was an imposter? A liar and a thief? Or worse.She'd rather keep her sugar bowl, and its contents, to herself just now.

"Who says I'm going to visit Lord Koorecroft, Lord Hawley? No. Belle knows who I'm going to visit, don't you, Belle, because you arranged it? And she is welcome to walk that far with me, if she so desires. So? If you don't mind, I'll be getting on my way."

Yes. And if she got the information she sought she'd be keeping a damned sight more than the sugar bowl.