Free Secrets of a Viscount by Rose Gordon Page A

was her husband still. That hadn’t changed because he was commanded out of their house and blackmailed out of England. “Belle, tell me now, what did that man do that makes him an unsuitable husband?” He no longer cared if Mrs. Finch could hear their conversation. He needed to know.
    Belle swallowed audibly and refused to meet his eye. “He and Rachel...”
    “Are lovers,” he finished for her.
    She gave a simple shrug and looked down at her hands. “Apparently not everything made it to the continent.”
    He chuckled. “No. I guess not.” He straightened. “How long?”
    “ Three months. But three months or three years or three encounters, it matters naught. I don’t want to marry a gentleman who’s carried on an affair with my sister.”
    “ You married me, didn’t you,” he teased before he could think better of it.
    Her eyes widened. “You and Rachel...did you two...”
    “No.”
    She blushed and shook her head ruefully. “Not that it matters so much, I suppose. We didn’t share intimacies, either.”
    Except kiss. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he thought better than to remind her of their blacksmith wedding ceremony. He ran his hand through his hair. “Belle, about my arrangement with Rachel—”
    “ I’m glad you agree Sir Michael’s affair with my sister puts him firmly out for being my potential suitor.”
    He frowned. She clearly didn’t want to hear what he had to say, and it was for the best. His attempt to soothe her pride would likely only make things worse between them. “Giles Goddard?”
    “No.”
    “ Why not?”
    “ I don’t even know who that is.”
    Sebastian waved his hand through the air. “No need to worry on that score. I know every naughty deed he’s ever committed—” he dropped his voice to a stage whisper— “believe me, the list is quite short.” At her raised brow, he simply shrugged and added. “He’s been a good friend of mine for a few years now.”
    “Well, then that is a definite no.”
    He twisted his lips in irritation. “Why?”
    “Because he’s a good friend of yours and any good friend of yours is certainly not a man I wish to be leg shackled to for the rest of my life.”
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    Isabelle tried hard to hide her smile at the way Sebastian laughed loudly at her comment.
    She didn’t have to try any longer when she noticed that Edmund had entered the room and was standing by the door, his thin, grey eyebrows raised in question.
    “Edmund,” she chirped. She gestured to an unoccupied chair. “Do join us.”
    Mrs. Finch turned her head. “Oh, I didn’t even see you come in. How have you been?”
    “I’ve been well,” he nearly shouted then took the seat Isabelle had pointed to. “And you Isabelle?” He slowly dragged his eyes to Sebastian, then back to hers. “Have you been well, too?”
    She flushed. “Yes.”
    “I’ve been well, too,” Sebastian offered, eliciting an inappropriate giggle from Isabelle and a sideways glance from Edmund.
    “ Indeed,” Edmund murmured, a slight twitch to his lips.
    “ Yes, indeed,” Sebastian echoed, grinning.
    Once again, Isabelle released a little burble of uncontrollable laugher.
    “And just what brings you by here...again?” Edmund asked.
    Isabelle could have sworn Sebastian muttered something about someone’s name—presumably his—being Belgrave, then raised his voice. “To see Belle.”
    Isabelle tried not to cringe at the use of his nickname for her: Belle. It wasn’t really a name of endearment, he’d always grin and tell her he called her that because she was as loud and annoying as a bell. She stiffened. Then blinked. “Did I miss something?”
    Edmund regarded her with a curious glance and she jerked her eyes away, embarrassed.
    “Well, I’d best be on my way,” Sebastian said with a smile and a sparkle in his brown eyes that spoke of all sorts of mischief.
    Isabelle sat frozen as he stood and made his formal excuses to the room for the