The Regency Season: Ruined Reputations: The Rake's Ruined Lady / Tarnished, Tempted and Tamed. Mary Brendan

in the nursery before going out. What will you and Bea get up to for the rest of the day while I pore over dusty old files with my solicitor?’

      ‘Mischief...’ Elise rolled onto her back, feeling languid, a smile tilting her mouth as she twirled a finger into the dangling golden fringe of the bed canopy.

      ‘That I can believe...’ Alex approached the enormous four-poster and leaned over his wife, planting a fist either side of her lissom body. ‘And your intended victim, sweet?’

      ‘Hugh Kend—’

      A finger was placed on her lips, silencing her.

      ‘We must speak of him, Alex,’ Elise said crossly, sliding free. ‘Papa likes him and is bound to ask after him. How are we to explain away your argument with him?’ She sat up, using both arms to draw her knees beneath her chin. ‘Also, Papa is going after Colin Burnett for the money he owes him.’

      Alex sat down on the edge of the bed, sensing his wife’s anxiety. ‘I was unaware of any shortfall. Walter’s not mentioned the debt or asked me to help in the matter.’

      Elise sighed. ‘He probably did not want his son-in-law to think him incapable of sorting out his own affairs. You know how independent he is.’ She frowned. ‘I know it wasn’t long ago that my father could not abide Hugh because of the way he’d treated Beatrice. But Papa has his whims, and he thinks that Burnett is now the foe and Kendrick, as he calls him, is his knight errant.’

      ‘If Walter knew what that gentleman had planned for Beatrice he’d call him out—and me too, for introducing Hugh to his daughters in the first place.’