Hardly a Husband (Free Fellows League 3)

"I haven't heard any unfavorable comments about her." Alyssa chewed on her bottom lip. "But now that I'm a duchess no one ever confides the juicy gossip to me. Miranda's the one…"

"Speaking of which," Jarrod said, "I thought she'd be here tonight."

"So did I," Alyssa told him. "I know she was invited and I know she planned to come, but I haven't seen or heard from her since last night."

"No one has," Griff added. "Or from Sussex either."

Jarrod looked at Alyssa. "Is there any chance that Lady St. Germaine and His Grace are together?"

"One can always hope," Alyssa said.

"My sentiments exactly," Griff added. "In the meantime, no one I've talked to today knows where they are or what's happened to them." He fixed his gaze on Jarrod. "I'm beginning to get alarmed. Have you spoken with Colin yet?"

Jarrod shook his head. "Not yet. Why?"

"He told me to tell you that you should ask Gillian to dance," Griff said.

Alyssa gave her husband a funny look.

"It's code, Puss," Griffin told her.

Jarrod frowned. "Yes, it's code. And what the devil is the good of having one if you tell your wife about it?"

"She'll find out eventually," Griff said with a shrug. "Telling her is quicker."

"But not nearly as fun," Alyssa reproached. She rapped Jarrod on the forearm with her fan. "Besides, you know that I'm completely trustworthy."

"That's not the point," Jarrod said.

"It never is," Alyssa retorted, rapping him again with her fan. "But the results are the same."

"Now, Lys." Griffin closed his fist around her fan. "No need to beat him into submission, because he's absolutely right. You are completely trustworthy, but there are others within hearing distance who aren't."

Alyssa sighed. "Shall I make our excuses?"

"I don't know yet." Griff looked at Jarrod. "What do you think?"

"Let's hear what he has to say and decide afterward," Jarrod reasoned.

Griff leaned down and kissed his wife. "I'll try not to be too long."

Alyssa nodded, knowing her husband would tell her what he could when he could despite Jarrod's objections. "Lord Shepherdston?"

She addressed him formally, so he answered in kind. "Yes, Your Grace?"

"Once you've danced with Lady Grantham, perhaps you should ask me to dance," she suggested much to Griffin's surprise.

Griff gave his wife a disapproving glance. "Lys."

Alyssa ignored him and smiled up at Jarrod. "That's code for 'He doesn't want me to know it, because he knows how much I like to dance, but my husband's leg is paining him tonight. He's trying his best to ignore the pain and partner me, but I'm afraid the wal

tz is beyond him.'"

"I understand and obey, Your Grace," Jarrod told her. "And will be honored to waltz with you."

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three