The Inevitable Fall of Christopher Cynster: A Cynster Next Generation Novel by Stephanie Laurens

Author:Stephanie Laurens
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781925559224
Publisher: Savdek Management Pty Ltd

Chapter 12

They spent the next hour thrashing out the outline of a plan. Sadly, once they’d agreed on the major points—all those they could predict—they were flagging and agreed it was too late to do any more detailed plotting.

Louisa swung her feet to the ground and prepared to push upright. “Regardless, you”—she looked at Toby and Christopher—“can get the ball rolling at first light by putting a handful of wildflowers on that grave.”

Drake rose, took her arm, and helped her stand. “We can work on putting all else in place once that’s done.” He looked at Christopher and Toby. “We can reconvene over breakfast.”

Turning toward the door, Louisa arched her brows. “I believe I’ll join you over the breakfast cups.”

“Not me,” Ellen said.

Christopher would have felt relief if he’d believed she wouldn’t expect to play an active role in whatever plan they finally hatched.

Indeed, as they followed the others into the front hall, she met his eyes and smiled. “I’ll come over after breakfast and see how far you’ve got.” She caught Louisa’s eye. “I’ll be here by nine o’clock.”

Louisa nodded. “I’ll keep them in line until then.” She waved and headed toward the stairs. “I’m for bed. Drake?”

Drake nodded elegantly to Ellen, cast a warning look at Christopher and Toby, then called “I’m coming” and went after his wife.

Toby held back until the pair were out of earshot, then chuckled. “How the mighty have fallen.” With a cheeky look at Christopher, Toby saluted Ellen and ambled toward the stairs.

“Come.” Christopher waved Ellen toward the front door. “I’ll drive you home.”

He opened the door, and after collecting her bonnet and her reticule from the hall table, she preceded him onto the front porch. He followed her gaze as she looked up at the stars; the night sky was the color of midnight silk with diamonds scattered over it by a generous hand. There were no clouds to veil the moon, over half full and riding high.

She raised her face to the gently riffling breeze. “It’s almost balmy, and there’s enough moonlight to see.” She glanced at him. “Rather than disturbing your grooms, we could walk. If we go via the direct path rather than the drives, it’s really not that far.”

He arched his brows. “I haven’t walked that way since I was a boy.”

He waved her on, and they descended to the forecourt, then veered toward the shrubbery. Instead of donning her bonnet, Ellen held it by its ribbons; after looping her reticule cord over her left wrist, she allowed the purse to ride in the bowl of her bonnet as she walked along. “Did you often go over to Bigfield House when you were a child?”

He grinned. “I did—or rather, we did, Gregory and I, and Therese often tagged along as well.”

Ellen glanced at him; his expression suggested he remembered those excursions fondly.

“As Humphrey and Maud didn’t have children, we more or less had the run of the place as well as the manor.” Through the shadows cast by the shrubbery’s high hedges, he met her eyes and smiled.

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