Griffin Stone:Duke Of Decadence

Griffin frowned in thought. ‘You were abducted from a house party?’

‘Yes. Sir Rupert Colville and his wife had invited my aunt and I— I am such a fool!’ Bea pounded the palm of her hand against her forehead. ‘Griffin, I tried to speak with you earlier. I know now who my guardian is—’ She broke off to look up at Seaton. ‘That is the reason you have kept your own counsel since you arrived! Why you have been so protective of me.’

‘Yes,’ he confirmed grimly.

‘Would someone care to enlighten me?’ Griffin raised an impatient brow.

Bea turned back and unthinkingly clasped both his hands in hers.

‘It is Sir Walter Latham, who is my late mother’s cousin and now my guardian!’

Griffin gave a start, pulling sharply away from Bea before standing up. ‘Sir Walter?’ he repeated disbelievingly. Bea was the niece Sir Walter had spoken of so affectionately? The niece who had been in London with her aunt but whom Latham now claimed to be staying with friends? ‘But he has no interest in politics or society.’ Griffin frowned. ‘He is a pleasant and jovial enough fellow, but otherwise— You already knew of this connection, Christian, and said nothing?’ he accused, recalling how he had sensed his friend’s air of reservation when they had spoken of Sir Walter earlier.

The other man gave a frustrated shake of his head. ‘The fact that Lady Bea is his ward does not make Sir Walter guilty of any more than negligence at the moment, in having failed to report her as missing. And there are often other reasons than kidnapping for a young lady’s sudden disappearance,’ he added dryly.

Griffin turned back to Bea. ‘You said your aunt accompanied you to this house party?’

‘Yes,’ she confirmed hesitantly.

That Lady Francesca Latham, always so cold and mocking, might be involved in intrigue and kidnapping, Griffin certainly could believe.

Especially so, when only this morning she had told him herself that her niece had decided to stay with friends rather than immediately accompany her aunt to her new home to Lancashire.

Unless...

Unless he was allowing his own dislike of Lady Francesca, and her past influential friendship with his wife, to colour his judgement?

The possible explanation for Lady Francesca’s lie, as to her niece-by-marriage’s whereabouts, might be that she was under the same warning of silence as Lord Maystone if she wished to have her niece safely returned to them.

Did Sir Walter know of Bea’s abduction too, but was keeping up his jovial front in an effort to prevent that truth from becoming public, also in an effort to protect the life of his niece?

There were far too many questions yet unanswered for Griffin’s liking!

And he was prevented from asking any more of them as the doctor came back into the room with his report on Aubrey Maystone’s state of health.

Apparently the older man had suffered a slight seizure of the heart, but would recover fully, in time. For the moment, it was best that Lord Maystone rest as much as possible.

‘I believe I will go and sit with Aubrey for a while,’ Christian quietly excused himself once the doctor had gone.

Leaving Griffin and Bea alone together.

Bea was instantly aware of a change in the atmosphere, a charged tension totally unlike the one that had existed when they had all spoken together of the unfortunate situation regarding the Corsican usurper, and how the deposed Emperor seemed to be the connection between the two kidnappings.

Did Griffin feel that tension too?

A glance from beneath her lashes revealed his expression to be one of wariness. As if he feared what she might say to him.

It was ridiculous of him to feel wary of her. Admittedly, she was still hurt at overhearing his rejection of their lovemaking. But she could never be truly angry with Griffin. She cared about him too much for that to ever be true. He could not be blamed for not having that same depth of feeling for her.

‘What are—?’

‘Are you—?’

They both began speaking at once, both stopping at the same time.

Bea looked across at Griffin shyly as he politely waited for her to speak first. ‘What are we to do next, do you think?’

‘Regarding the recovery of Maystone’s grandson?’

‘What else?’ she prompted softly.

What else indeed, Griffin acknowledged, knowing it was ridiculous of him to think that Bea would have any interest in discussing the subject of their closeness last night when she now knew exactly who she was.

Who Michael was.

It irked that as yet she had still made no mention of the other man in her life.

Out of embarrassment and awkwardness, perhaps, because of their own closeness last night?

Bea need have no qualms in that regard where Griffin was concerned; what had happened between the two of them had been madness. A wonderful sensual madness, but it had been madness nonetheless.