The Sinners Club by Kate Pearce

Author:Kate Pearce [Pearce, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2013-11-07T16:00:00+00:00

The next morning Mary rose after a night of little sleep and found Jack awaiting her in the breakfast parlor. It appeared that he had already eaten and was finishing a cup of coffee. He rose when she came in and walked around the table to pull out her chair.

“Good morning, my lady. We arrived back rather late last night, and decided not to disturb your rest.”

“How thoughtful of you.” She sat down and poured some tea from the pot the footman placed at her elbow. “Did your trip go well?”

“We found the Keyes dwelling, but the occupants were rather unwilling to talk to us.”

“How odd.”

He shrugged. “We did our best. It is difficult to have a conversation when you are being held at gunpoint.”

She put down the teapot. “They tried to shoot you?”

“The lady of the house did, and then she set the dogs on us. Luckily, we escaped without injury.”

“So your work here is done.”

He regarded her steadily across the table, his blue eyes half-hidden behind his spectacles. “Almost. I would appreciate your hospitality for a day or so more until I hear back from the Lennox solicitors and my employer.”

“You are welcome to stay as long as you like.”

“That is very kind of you.” The butler came in bearing a silver tray. “Ah, here is the post now.”

“I believe they are all for you.” Mary handed the letters to Jack and he thanked her. The butler and the footman began removing some of the breakfast plates, leaving them alone.

“May I make use of the study to attend to my correspondence?”

“Of course you may.”

He stood and bowed. “Simon was here earlier, and is already out visiting the home farm. He sent his love if I should see you.” He paused. “I heard from Mrs. Lowden that George Mainwaring had been bothering you.”

“He came by with a message for you.” She met his gaze. “He wanted you to tell your employer that he was willing to pay half the costs to institute a lawsuit against me.”

“He mentioned that when I visited him.” Jack frowned. “I wonder why he felt it necessary to come here and tell you.”

“He was bursting with the desire to tell me something. He probably wanted to frighten me, and make me suspicious of your motives.”

“And has he done that?”

“Frightened me?” She made a dismissive gesture. “Of course not.”

“And what of your suspicions of me?”

She opened her eyes wide. “Just because we’ve shared a bed doesn’t mean we trust each other, does it?”

For a second something that looked like regret or guilt flickered in his blue eyes. “No, of course it doesn’t.”

“My opinion of you hasn’t changed, Mr. Smith.”

He bowed. “I understand that, my lady, even as I regret it.”

“Why the regret?”

“Because it would’ve been far easier if you’d been what I initially thought you were—a fraud and a charlatan.”

She swallowed hard. “But to many people, I am those things, sir.”

“No, you are a woman who has done what she can to safeguard her future. My own mother would’ve done no less.

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