“Of course,” Wrath said. “You’re not the only one who will be affected if that family gets their claws into you. Besides, if they’re like this before marriage, imagine after marriage.”
Julien’s face darkened. No reason to imagine. He knew all too well. And no one tried to manipulate him without suffering the damn consequences. If Dansbury somehow orchestrated this scheme, he would destroy the man. Financially. Socially. Utterly.
But first, he needed to hunt down Lady Elowyn Price.
What was her play? Was she naive, or strategic? Innocent, or calculating? Another trap in the making? He couldn’t rule out anything at this point. He also couldn’t wait. Look what happened the last time he bloody hesitated.
He’d underestimated the situation once.
He wouldn’t do it again.
Even if the little beauty proved innocent and naïve, she was now a variable he needed to control.
The thought should have annoyed the devil out of him. Instead, it intrigued him in a way that made his skin prickle with something dangerously close to anticipation.
Julien rose to his feet. “I need a favor.” Something about Lady Gabrielle felt off. Even familiar.
“Anything.”
“Look into Lady Gabrielle’s history, acquaintances, everything.”
Wrath arched a brow. “You think she’s done this before?”
“Can’t say.” But he picked up a scent of sorts. “Her execution had been too flawless for mere direction.”
“Very well. What about you? Calling on Lady Elowyn, presume?”
Julien nodded.
“Are you sure that’s wise? That might invite unnecessary rumors.”
A cold smile spread on Julien’s face as his mind raced. “Or just the right kind.”
Chapter 4
“They didwhat?” Persephone exclaimed. “Have they lost every single one of their senses?”
“Agreed!” Isadora fumed. “I cannot believe they descended upon you like a pack of vultures! I’ll give them a piece of my mind.”
Vultures? Did that mean she was a carcass? Elowyn pulled a face. To those women, she might as well be, she supposed. Her friends had arrived an hour after those “vultures” attempted to pry the meat off her flesh. “I held my own.”
“You shouldn’t have to hold your own against them,” Persephone snapped.
Elowyn gestured to the tea tray to attempt to divert their attention. “Eat some macaroons.” She selected one for herself, biting into the almond sweetness.
“They won’t stop, you know,” Persephone pointed out. “The fact that she’s gone to these lengths to snag a duke means she won’t give up. Unfortunately, he is now on alert, so she won’t get a chance to trap the duke again.”
“Which means, I truly am her only hope.”
“Quite right,” a man’s voice cut through the drawing room.
Elowyn stilled.
Who . . .
At the pure shock displayed on her friends’ faces, she slowly turned.
The macaroon dropped from her mouth.