Regency Affairs Part 2: Books 7-12 Of 12. Ann Lethbridge

slut? I’d forgotten her.’

      ‘Really? But you took an interest in that same woman a couple of weeks earlier at the Temple of Beauty, didn’t you? She had a sister—is that why you were interested in her, Stephen? A sister who had a child.’

      ‘What the hell has that to do with me?’

      ‘I’m hoping you’ll tell me. A threat has been made, on Rosalie Rowland and the child. There’s even an underworld reward out for them.’ Alec leaned back in his seat, but his eyes never, for one second, left Stephen’s face. ‘I do hope it’s nothing to do with you.’

      Stephen laughed shakily. ‘You’ve got a wild imagination, brother.’

      ‘I’m not the imaginative kind,’ said Alec flatly.

      ‘I could retaliate by asking—why is this Rosalie Rowland of such interest to you? Though she’s a spirited jade, isn’t she, if a little outspoken for a whore.’

      Alec’s fist stopped just short of Stephen’s jaw. ‘You’ll never call her such names again. Ever.’

      Stephen flinched, then began to sneer. ‘Really? Why not?’

      ‘Because,’ said Alec softly, ‘I’ll take retaliation if she and that child are in any way harmed.’

      ‘Is that what you’ve come here to tell me?’

      ‘I think it is, yes.’

      ‘Falling for Athena, are you?’ Stephen’s lip curled. ‘Has she submitted to your rugged charms yet? My God, and you’ve still got Susanna hankering after you, too—she’s had enough of me, that’s for sure. Thanks to you.’ His voice was bitter.

      Alec caught his breath. ‘Our stepmother pleases no one but herself. I don’t imagine for one minute that I can influence her decisions.’

      ‘But I heard you were with her at Lord Fanton’s ball.’ Stephen’s voice was rising. ‘And I know that you spoke to her when our father was taken ill, before he went with her to the country. You must have said something, to make her spurn me!’

      ‘Perhaps it took very little. And keep your voice down, brother. You’re beginning to sound hysterical.’

      ‘Hysterical! My God!’ Stephen was on his feet. People were looking. He sat heavily back in his chair. ‘I think it would be suitable revenge,’ he ground out, ‘to tell your Rosalie everything about you and Susanna.’

      So. The blow Alec had long expected had at last been struck. Family loyalty. Aloud he said nonchalantly, ‘You’ll not win on that one, Stephen. I don’t think for one moment that Mrs Rowland would care.’

      ‘No? Should I tell her, then?’

      ‘By all means, if you wish,’ said Alec shortly. ‘It would mean exposing your own sordid secrets, remember.’ He got up to leave. ‘I repeat—Mrs Rowland and the child are under my protection. My warnings, as you’ll know, are not to be taken lightly. You see, unlike you, Stephen, I’ve nothing whatsoever to lose.’

      He turned to go. Stephen said, in a voice tinged with venom, ‘So sure of yourself! So confident, damn you! Have you considered, Alec, what would happen if the father of this bastard child actually decided, quite legally, to claim his brat?’

      Alec swung round to face him, jaw clenched. ‘Let him just try it, brother mine,’ he breathed. ‘Let him try it.’

      After Alec had gone, Stephen ordered another brandy and sat alone. He most definitely could not afford to have any more dirt raked up over his past; he’d been flying too close to the wind anyway because of Susanna and he’d always half-suspected that she only used him to get closer again to damned Alec!

      But now this widow, Mrs Rowland, had emerged and things were looking more dangerous by the minute.

      Most of the gentry paid for their pleasure from time to time, or kept discreet mistresses. But Linette had been a mighty big mistake, because she had been gently born and a virgin.

      The stupid girl had thought Stephen would marry her. Kept pestering him, until he’d paid her off—generously, he’d thought—and by God, he’d taught her a few skills she’d find useful in earning her living keeping other men happy! But he’d not known she’d been pregnant and had gone to her grave lamenting him. If word got around that he’d abandoned her, that she’d died in deep poverty …

      He could deny it! But hell’s teeth, there was a child. Damned Alec had clearly worked it all out. And now, Alec had taken both the child and Rosalie Rowland under his wing.

      Alec was, unfortunately, pretty unassailable in his fortress-like house that was, not without reason, called a castle. Alec was considered a hero amongst his band of ex-soldier ruffians and didn’t give a damn what society thought of him. But if the child really was Stephen’s, which seemed all too likely—what should he, Stephen, do?

      What would a true gentleman do?

      Stephen’s lip curled in an unpleasant smile. He would do just what he’d hinted at to his brother. He’d admit, sorrowfully, that he’d sadly lost contact with the mother whom he’d adored, but announce that he was willing to provide for the child. To claim her as his own, in fact.

      Oh, how Alec and his pretty little widow from the Temple of Beauty would hate that.

       Francis has news, my dear, such surprising news, of your family …

      That night while Alec was out, Rosalie received a letter. It had been delivered earlier to Two Crows Castle—Sergeant McGrath had taken it from the post boy, grumbling at the charge—but then McGrath had been called out and forgotten it; it was past nine in the evening when Mary spotted it lying on the kitchen table amongst a heap of bills and brought it to Rosalie.

      The letter was from Helen. As Rosalie opened it, another folded-up missive slipped out; she put it aside and started on the first one.

      Helen’s letter began with the usual expressions of concern for herself and Katy in that place. Rosalie could almost hear Helen’s disdain. There was news of Toby, who was well, and good news, too, of the church school that Francis had been asked to set up. There were also fervent wishes that Rosalie and Katy would join them in Oxfordshire—in time for Helen and Francis’s marriage!

      Rosalie was glad because she felt that Francis was ideal for her old friend. Helen went on to tell her that the first banns had already been read.

      But then came the real bombshell.

      You know, of course, Rosalie, that Francis has contacts in Paris and lately he received interesting news about the Lavalle family.

      Rosalie’s hand tightened on the letter as she remembered how her sister, alone in London, had called herself Linette Lavalle—their mother’s name, before she married.

      Francis asked me to enclose another letter for you, Rosalie, from an attorney in Paris … Swiftly Rosalie unfolded the second missive. And felt her world changing, for ever, around her.

      When Alec got back to Two Crows Castle half an hour later his men melted away rather hastily at the sight of his brooding expression. Only Ajax came up to nudge sympathetically at his hand.

      Garrett pulled the dog away quickly. ‘Think I’ve found ‘im a new home, Captain!’

      ‘What?’ Alec was looking abstracted.

      ‘A new home. For Ajax.’

      ‘You’re getting rid of him?’

      ‘Thought that was what you wanted, sir.’

      Alec shook his head. ‘Oh, no. He might as well stay. After all, he’s doing no harm.’

      He didn’t see Garrett’s secret smile of satisfaction, but went straight up to his own room and tugged off his coat. Running his hand through