Damn it to hell—this was what came of wanting a woman beyond endurance.
“Stay here,” she murmured as she headed for the entrance.
“Wait,” Grey said in a voice low enough not to be heard by anyone on the path. Having already lost control of his body, he didn’t intend to lose control of his mind, too. He still hadn’t learned what he’d come out here to discover, after all.
When she paused to stare at him, he said, “Tell the truth—Did your brother kill your uncle Armie?”
She sighed. “I honestly don’t know.” Then she hurried out onto the path.
Biting back a curse, Grey heard her meet with her brother and Gwyn, heard the major demand to know where she had gone and where Grey was.
Damn. She was a terrible liar. God only knew what she might blurt out if her brother pressed her too hard. Grey schooled his features into nonchalance and strode out onto the path.
“Miss Wolfe, this is quite an amazing—” Grey pretended to be shocked to see her brother standing there. “Oh, there you are, Major Wolfe. I assume you know about this wonderful enclosure built by your uncle. Your sister was just showing it to me. It’s quite a feat of landscaping.”
Wolfe’s dark eyes narrowed on him. “What the devil are you talking about?”
Grey gestured to the hidden pathway. “The arbor back there. I thought you were aware of it.”
“I damned well was not.” Wolfe glanced at his sister. “What is he babbling about?”
Shooting Grey a grateful glance, Beatrice said, “Uncle Armie had a sweet little enclosure built in the woods. I was showing it to His Grace, since he’d already expressed an interest in the ruins and other landscape features.”
“Oh, I want to see!” Gwyn cried. “Where is it?”
“This way.” Beatrice led them all into the clearing. “It was my uncle’s first experiment in creating secret spots for . . . um . . . contemplation.”
The major gazed about the clearing with obvious suspicion. “How did you know about this place, Beatrice?”
“As I explained to His Grace, I saw all the bills for its creation. So I used to come here to get away from everyone. After Uncle Armie died, that is.”
Gwyn cast Grey a veiled glance. “How kind of you to give my brother a look at it. He so enjoys secluded places.”
Grey glared at his sister.
“I daresay he does,” Wolfe gritted out as he swept the area with an eagle eye.
Beatrice said quickly, “If you enter the arbor there and go to the end, you’ll find a well with whimsical creatures carved into its sides.”
Brightening, Gwyn grabbed Beatrice’s hand. “You must show it to me, my dear!” She tugged Beatrice through the arbor.
As soon as the ladies were out of earshot, Wolfe faced Grey with a hardened stance. “Don’t think I’m blind to what you’re about, sir.”
“Oh?” Grey asked, feigning ignorance. “What is it that I’m ‘about,’ exactly?”
“Enticing my sister into your snare.” Wolfe’s face darkened with rage. “Seducing her with your compliments and suave city manners.”
“I was unaware I evenhadsuave city manners.” Indeed, Grey was perilously close to using his not-so-suave fist to bash the major’s face in.
How dared Wolfe accusehimof anything? None of this situation would even exist if not for the man’s possible criminal acts and Sheridan’s subsequent suspicions.
“This may be a joke to you,” Wolfe snarled, “but I’m warning you, Greycourt: Stay away from my sister!”
Grey stared him down. “Or what?”
That seemed to take the major aback. Then, with a scowl, he rested his weight on his good leg and brandished his cane at Grey. “I’ll call you out. Duke or no, you willnottake advantage of Beatrice. And don’t think my bad leg has impaired my shooting ability. I assure you, it has not.”
Grey was about to point out that the challenged party got to pick the weapons, and he would certainly pick swords, if only to put a swift end to Wolfe’s foolish idea of dueling. Fortunately, the ladies returned before he could utter words the proud major would probably find intolerable.
