After all the years spent working together, they understood the need to be honest with one another. To withhold information often meant putting lives in danger and so they’d made a pact never to keep secrets.
“The person I wish to avoid is the person I brought with me to London,” Sebastian said, running his fingers through his hair.
Aware of Dudley’s confused expression, Sebastian proceeded to tell him everything — including a rather embarrassing confession relating to an impromptu kiss at Rockingham Pool.
“I could not help myself,” Sebastian declared, standing to pace back and forth in front of the desk. “I don’t know what came over me. One minute I am sitting on my horse admiring the view. The next, I am devouring her mouth with the urgency of an opium addict drinking his last tincture.”
“Without wishing to cause insult,” Dudley said in an even tone, “from what you have told me, Miss Beaufort is hardly gently bred and by your own declaration was a willing partner.”
“That does not make it right,” Sebastian argued, thoroughly ashamed of himself. The thought of his blatant disregard for propriety caused his temperature to rise, and he pushed his fingers down between his neck and his collar in an attempt to allow the air to circulate.
Dudley narrowed his gaze and the corners of his mouth curved into a mischievous grin. “Do you care for her?”
His question was like a slap in the face and Sebastian stopped his pacing and placed both hands on the back of the chair for support. “Of course not. I hardly know her,” he blurted. “Most of the time I have to stop myself from grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking some sense into her.” Or from pushing her to the ground, covering her with his hard body and plundering her sweet mouth, he added silently.
Dudley laughed. “I seem to remember feeling the same way about Charlotte, and I married her.”
“I am not going to marry Miss Beaufort.”
“Yet in the space of a few hours you’ve kissed her twice,” Dudley said, making him sound like the worst of scoundrels. “You need a wife and you said yourself, as soon as all financial matters concerning the estate were settled your priority would be to beget an heir.” Dudley shrugged. “Why not ask Miss Beaufort? She obviously stirs some grand passion within you. I have never seen you so agitated over a woman. I have never seen you so … so …” Dudley waved his hand in the air as he struggled to find the right word.
“Frustrated?” Sebastian offered.
“I was going to say unbalanced,” Dudley replied, unable to hide his amusement. “I assume Miss Beaufort will stay in Red Lion Square. But what about you?”
Sebastian swallowed. “I cannot leave her there alone.”
“You intend to stay there with her? Is that wise?”
Sebastian didn’t have chance to answer the question as there was a gentle knock on the door and a footman entered carrying a tray of meats, cheese, and sweet biscuits.
Dudley cleared a pile of papers and asked for it to be placed on the desk. “Don’t wait for me,” he said obviously aware of Sebastian's greedy gaze. “You look ravenous. It’s a good job Miss Beaufort’s not here as you’d be in danger of devouring her whole.”
“Am I to be the whipping boy for all your poor jokes?”
Dudley patted him on the back and handed him a glass of claret. “I hate to be the one to preach —”
“That’s a lie,” Sebastian interjected. “You love making me look foolish.”
“Well, yes. But as your friend I feel it my duty to remind you of the potential outcome of your situation. You know I speak from experience.”
Sebastian swished his wine around in the glass. ‘There is only one possible outcome,” he said, his tone subdued. “I shall return Miss Beaufort to her brother, untouched and unwed.”
Dudley’s mouth curved into a sardonic grin. “I think we both know that will not be the case.”
Sebastian muttered a curse and popped a chocolate macaroon into his mouth.
They sat for a while in relaxed silence while Dudley dipped his nib into the inkwell and scratched out a few notes.
“Do you want me to inquire into Lord Beaufort’s whereabouts?” Dudley asked as Sebastian finished his repast.
“No, I shall see to Beaufort,” Sebastian replied taking a mouthful of wine. “I need you to find out anything you can about the Comte de Dampierre. He must have an address here in town. Miss Beaufort seemed confident she could find him if need be. She seems to think some sort of deal had been struck. Her brother had promised to sell or trade the necklace and then for some reason refused.”
Dudley frowned. “Can you trust Lord Beaufort?”
“With my life,” Sebastian replied without hesitation. “The gentleman I know would not renege unless something prompted him to do so.”
Dudley put a definite cross through one of the notes he had scribbled. “Is the necklace valuable? Perhaps when Beaufort came to London, he discovered it was paste and didn’t want to look foolish.”