by Wendy Vella
Her soft gray eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “Oh dear, I had thought it was flower arrangement.”
This time it was Cam who narrowed his eyes. The woman had a smart mouth, which she rarely used unless he was nearby. Beneath that black velvet bonnet was hair the color of the honey he drizzled on his morning toast. She was slender, and he’d often thought her willowy, but to her face he called her skinny. He personally liked women curvaceous and less caustic.
“As it is likely that I am standing between you and this lecture, one would think you could find your way to being nicer,” Cam said.
“Why are you standing in my way?”
“Where is your maid?” Cam asked instead of answering her question.
The gloved fingers at her side clenched briefly, then released.
“Not here.”
“You are surely not attending alone?” Cam looked around but saw no one that would be keeping her company. He knew most of the staff in her household. “In these conditions?”
“I am, and usually do so.”
“I don’t believe James or Max would like the idea of that.”
Her lips formed a straight line.
“My brothers trust me. Besides, I have always walked about London alone, I see no reason to change that.”
“It’s cold enough to snow, and the streets are lined with ice. That alone, without the other ten reasons, should have been enough to make you use common sense.”
“Only ten? I am surprised.”
“You,” he pointed a finger in her face with a total disregard for manners, “are a mouthy woman.”
“Thank you.” Her chin rose.
“It was not a compliment, as you are only mouthy in my company. You have your family fooled into believing you are a sweet natured, timid individual.”
“I’m sweet natured!”
Cam scoffed. “How is it I have yet to see you at any lectures?” He raised a hand as she opened her mouth to speak. “Wait, I have it, you slip in at the rear, then leave before everyone else.”
“I have no wish to discuss this with you.”
She attempted to walk by, but he grabbed her arm, effectively stopping her.
“You sneaked out of the house, didn’t you, and your family see no reason to question your actions as usually you are the epitome of well behaved, or squirreled away in your bedchamber?”
Emily looked uncomfortable and Cam realized he was on to something.
“How long has this been happening? Hiding in your room, where your family rarely venture, and then slipping out when they are not looking?”
She kept her eyes forward.
“I have no idea what you are talking about. I would never lie to my family.”
“Lie, no; evade, yes.”
“I don’t have time for this.”
“And what of your reputation should anyone chance upon you gadding about London alone... on foot?”
She scoffed. “I hardly think I can do any more to ruin my reputation, Cambridge.”
She attempted to leave once more, but Cam simply tugged her with him as he stepped to the side and out of the line so those behind him could enter, as the doors had finally opened.
“What does that mean?”
She had a way of looking at him that made him want to gnash his teeth. When Emily was near he had the urge to behave very badly... and often did. She brought out the worst in him and Cam had no idea why.
“I’m the bastard daughter of a duke.” The words were cold and clipped. “I would have thought it obvious.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Don’t be ignorant, Cambridge, it has a great deal to do with everything, especially in the way people see me.”
“And this is why you have not entered society as James wished?”
Emily shifted her weight slightly, just a small movement, but he knew her well enough to see it as discomfort.
“Because it is not right I do so, as you very well know. James is blinded by the fact I am of his blood, but it is not done for me to enter society. It will make life extremely uncomfortable for him, and Eden, in fact all of you, should I so much as step foot inside the hallowed walls of a nobleman’s house.”
It made him uncomfortable to acknowledge that maybe she was correct, so instead he said, “He wants only the best for you.”
“I know.”
“What was that business you and Mr. Lotus were discussing... loudly?”
“’Tis nothing.” She dismissed his words.
Cam noted the arm he was not holding was behind her back.
“You said something about showing Fossett your paper,” Cam remembered.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Tsk tsk, Emily. You are lying to me.”
Reaching around her, he grabbed the hand she was hiding and brought it forward. In her fist was clutched several papers.
“You will not touch those!”
“Tell me what they are, then I won’t have to.”
“They are private, and mine; that alone should be enough to end this discussion.”
Cam laughed. “That has never stopped me, or any of my family members. Lord, Emily, if I simply stood back and waited for people to tell me things I would be constantly in the dark.”
“I don’t have time for this, Cambridge. I wish to attend that lecture, and plan to do so.”
He grabbed her arm again as she turned away from him, and walked her forward. After her encounter with Mr. Lotus, he couldn’t discount the man refusing to admit her and he would not tolerate that. She may irritate him like a rampaging plague of ants, but he was not having her insulted by anyone but he.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Lotus.”
“Mr. Sinclair.” The man bowed, and shot Emily a narrow-eyed look.
“This is my sister-in-law, Miss Tolly. She wishes to attend the lecture. Is that a problem?”
“No indeed. If she is to enter in your company, Mr. Sinclair, I have no problem with that.”
Cam felt Emily stiffen, but he ignored her and took some money out of his pocket. “She also wishes for these papers to find their way into Mr. Fossett’s hands. Is that also possible?” Cam wrenched the papers from Emily and put the money on top. He then handed them to Mr. Lotus.
The man bobbed his head. “I shall see it done, Mr. Sinclair.”
“Why will you take his money and not mine?”
“You tried to bribe him?” Cam was shocked, he’d never thought her capable of such a deed.
“Well you just did.”
“Yes… well yes, but it’s expected of me,” Cam managed to get out.
Mr. Lotus opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word Cam had dragged Emily away.
“How dared he,” she fumed. “Because I am a woman my money is not worthy of his consideration. But you wave some about and charm him with your smile and—”
“Take a breath, Emily, you are turning puce.”
“He... he is a-a—”
“Small-minded imbecile?”
“The very thing.”
Cam found he quite liked seeing Emily with fire in her eyes. It did not happen often, and usually only when a member of her family, or his, was under threat.
“Come along then, Miss Tolly, we shall find you the best seat in the house, then you can sit and bask in Mr. Fossett’s magnificence. Should that not happen then I shall be on hand as a substitute.”
“Bloody hell,” Cam heard her say.
He could not muster a smile; as always, he felt like a cat with his fur rubbed the wrong way in her presence.
“Don’t drag your feet, Emily.”
“I am not, but your legs are longer than mine!”
He adjusted his stride as they entered the building.
“A simple thank-you will do.”
She sighed. “Thank you for making him take those papers, Cambridge. Do you really think he will hand them to Mr. Fossett?”
“I hope so, but at least he now has them in
his possession. Will you tell me what they are?”
“In Mr. Fossett’s last journal, The Stars Are Aligned, he asked for submissions regarding the discovery of comets.”
Her face was alive suddenly. Eyes sparkling, lips smiling, and color riding along the ridges of her cheekbones.
“So astronomy is your particular passion? Do you have another copy? I would like to read it.”
“Really?” She looked shocked.
“Why does that shock you?”
“Because I did not think it would interest you.”
She was looking around the room, no doubt in search of the noxious Mr. Fossett.
“And yet here I stand, awaiting an astronomy lecture, so it seems you are wrong.” She was craning her neck now to see around several gentlemen who were standing in the aisle. “How long have you been interested in this?”
“Quite some time.”
“You hid that well then, because until today I thought your character had the depth of a thimble.”
The breath hissed from her throat, sounding like a snake, as she returned her eyes to him.
“You, sir, are no gentleman.”
“Is that meant to be an insult, because if it is, you will need to put more effort into it. After all, you know who my family are.”
“I shall find my own seat here at the rear.”
“No you will not.” Cam led her down the aisle between the seats until they were about halfway, then moved right, dragging Emily with him. He saw two spare seats. “Max and James would thrash me if they heard I let you sit in here alone with so many men present.”
“Release me!”
He didn’t until they were seated.
“How long have you been attending lectures?” Cam asked.
She huffed, and then twitched her skirts before smoothing them, and finally settled the little satin bag on her lap, hands now clasped neatly around the ribbons. He had the urge to ruffle her slightly.
She had fine features. A small round nose, arched brows, long lashes tipped with gold, and soft pink lips. She was vastly different from the woman he and his family had met many years ago when she had come to live with the duke. Then, she’d been a shadow of the Emily Tolly he saw today.
“I’m attempting to be polite, Emily, perhaps you could reciprocate?”
“Since arriving in London,” she said reluctantly.
“And your brothers do not know?”
“Max knows, well some of it anyway.”
“But not James?”
While James was a duke, Max was the bastard child of his father, like Emily. She’d never been close to James, but with Max it had been different from the beginning.
“H-he would not approve.”
“I doubt Max does.”
She shrugged one slender shoulder.
“What is your problem with James? He rescued you, housed you, and from what I gather he is always kind and generous to you.” This too had always annoyed Cam, the fact she treated her brother like a stranger even now, after everything he had done for her.
“I have no problem with James.”
“That is a lie, Emily. You keep him at a distance unlike Max, just as you isolate yourself from the Sinclairs when you can.”
“Be quiet, the lecture is starting.”
“This discussion is not finished.”
Cam would question her again because James deserved better from her. He was a friend, and one who had saved Cam from himself. He would get to the bottom of this. Unfortunately, to do that, he had to spend time in this woman’s company. The thought was not a pleasing one.
Scent Of Danger – available now
Other Books By Wendy Vella
Historical Romance
Regency Rakes Series
Duchess By Chance
Rescued By A Viscount
Tempting Miss Allender
The Langley Sisters Series
Lady In Disguise
Lady In Demand
Lady In Distress
The Lady Plays Her Ace
The Lady Seals Her Fate
The Lady’s Dangerous Love
The Raven & Sinclair Series
Sensing Danger
Seeing Danger
Touched By Danger
Scent Of Danger
Vision Of Danger
Tempting Danger
Seductive Danger
The Lords Of Night Street Series
Lord Gallant
Lord Valiant
Lord Valorous
Lord Noble
Stand-Alone Titles
The Reluctant Countess
Christmas Wishes
The Earl’s Encounter
Mistletoe And The Marquess
Contemporary Romance
The Lake Howling Series
A Promise Of Home
The Texan Meets His Match
How Sweet It Is
It Only Took You
Don’t Look Back
A Long Way Home
Ryker Falls Series
Somebody To Love
From This Moment
Love Me Tender
Only Just Begun
About the Author
Wendy Vella is a bestselling author of historical and contemporary romances
such as the Langley Sisters and Sinclair and Raven series, with over a million copies of her books sold worldwide.
Born and raised in a rural area in the North Island of New Zealand, she shares her life with one adorable husband, two delightful adult children and their partners, four delicious grandchildren, and too many cantankerous farm animals.
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This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or use of this work in any part is forbidden without the express written permission of the author.
Sinclair and Raven Collection is published by Wendy Vella
Copyright © 2019 Wendy Vella