Free The Seducer by Madeline Hunter

describing, unnecessary.”
    “Perhaps he thought I would be late returning. We are to attend the theater tonight.”
    Margot’s eyebrows went up again.
    “I must go now.”
    “No. Come in and meet my friends.”
    “I should—”
    “Come in. Let him wait.”
             
    Margot did not invite Daniel in. She barely acknowledged him. She ushered Diane into the house, where her friends were drinking wine.
    They were an attractive assortment of young people. The four men were English. Monsieur Johnson was not present.
    Margot drew Diane to a bench seat in front of the window. Glancing over her shoulder, Diane could see Daniel still leaning against the door of his carriage. Margot brought over one of the men and practically pushed him into place on the bench too.
    Margot introduced him as Monsieur Vergilius Duclairc, the brother of an English viscount, then left them alone.
    Monsieur Duclairc was a young man, and handsome in a dark, roughly chiseled way, with startling blue eyes.
    “Do you live in Paris like these other countrymen of yours?” Diane gestured to the three other men fawning over the women.
    “I am only visiting for a short while, to view the sites and attend the theater. I am not one of the vultures who has come to feast on your defeated nation, mam’selle.”
    To feast on the women made desperate due to that defeat, his tone promised.
    “Do you know Margot well?”
    “We met through friends a few days ago and she was kind enough to invite me today.”
    Diane glanced to where Margot, despite her conversation, was keeping an eye on the window seat. “To meet me?”
    “I do not know. It appears that may have been her intention, doesn’t it?”
    Yes, it did. First Madame Oiseau, and now Margot. Perhaps her friend thought of it as a form of salvation.
    Monsieur Duclairc certainly was up to Margot’s standards. Diane’s speculated on what it would be like to be his Margot. She felt her face getting red and an unpleasant sensation knotting her stomach.
    “I think it was to meet me so that I could ply you with questions. I will be going to London soon, to take a position as a governess.”
    “If you have questions about the city, I will be glad to answer them.”
    “Those are not the sort of questions I mean. I will also be looking for someone’s family. Perhaps you have heard of them. The name is Albret.”
    “Your name. Your relatives?”
    “Yes.”
    “I do not recall ever meeting or hearing of someone with that name. I am very sorry. Is it a London family?”
    “I do not know for sure. One of their sons was in shipping. Perhaps, as the brother of a viscount, you did not move in the same circles.”
    “Perhaps. However, there are ways to search for people if one knows the names. The owner of a ship would have to file certain documents. If he bought insurance, the brokers would have the location of his home, for example. That would be a place to start.”
    Monsieur Duclairc appeared interested in the idea of unlocking a puzzle. Diane asked him how to locate the brokers who insure ships.
    As he began replying, a hush fell over the room and his voice suddenly sounded very loud. A shadow loomed in front of them. She looked up, right into the crisply annoyed face of Daniel St. John.
    Monsieur Duclairc appeared startled for an instant. Then a smile broke. “St. John. A happy surprise to see you. I did not know you were in Paris.”
    Daniel’s own smile could have cut steel. “Nor I you, Duclairc. I see that you have met my cousin.”
    Cautious eyes slid in her direction. “Your cousin?”
    “My cousin.”
    “I had no idea, I assure you.”
    “I hope not.”
    Margot had moved to a position where she could observe. Her eyes glittered with triumph. Diane suddenly understood. Poor Monsieur Duclairc had only been a pawn in her friend’s game. She had sat them here by the window where Daniel could see the yellow muslin beside the dark coat.
    Daniel held out his hand. “Come, Diane.”
    He