Free How to Plan a Wedding for a Royal Spy by Vanessa Kelly Page B

girlish giggle. “Oh, my dear captain, I do hope you’re sitting next to me at dinner this evening.”
    Lord Portmire gaped at his wife, clearly stunned by her behavior.
    â€œWe can only hope, my lady,” Alec replied. “And, now, if you’ll excuse us, duty calls.” With that, he took Will’s arm and decisively pulled him away.
    â€œI take it that Lord Reese does not, in fact, desire our company,” Will said.
    â€œOf course not,” Alec said. “I was just saving yer arse.”
    â€œWill you please leave off playing the noble son of Arran? It gives me a headache when you do that.”
    â€œYou’re not the only one,” Alec said. “But it does work wonders with the old ladies. Aye, and with the young ones, too.”
    â€œAfter that performance you’d best hope you’re not sitting next to Lady Portmire at dinner. I suspect she’d have her hands all over your sporran. ”
    â€œThank you for the unnecessary warning, but I suggest we turn our minds to business. Have you talked to Beaumont yet? Because I haven’t been able to get near the man. Miss Whitney seems to be guarding him like a mamma cat with only one kitten.”
    â€œI’ve yet to be introduced. Lady Reese has been parading me around the drawing room for the last half hour, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”
    â€œI have.” Alec swiped a goblet of wine off the tray of a passing footman. “You said she didn’t like you, so that’s a bit odd, don’t you think?”
    â€œI do think, but I can’t worry about that now. I have to spend some time with Beaumont—and Evie.”
    â€œLet’s deploy a new tactic. We’ll circle round and come at them from opposing sides. Trap them in the gully, so to speak.”
    Will didn’t much enjoy approaching Evie like he would an enemy, but he nodded his agreement. Alec wandered off at an angle, as if heading to speak to Lord Reese, before casually strolling around to come up behind Evie. Will, meanwhile, made a head-on approach.
    When he was still several feet away, he could see Evie’s shoulders go up around her ears as if she sensed him nearing, even in the midst of a serious conversation with Beaumont. She turned her head, snagging Will’s gaze. Behind the glint of reflected candlelight on her spectacle lenses, her eyes widened with dismay.
    Damn.
    Aside from her evident distrust making his job more difficult, he hated the idea that she wasn’t comfortable around him. He supposed it was inevitable given the years apart and the way he’d disappointed her, but he didn’t share her unease. From the first moment he’d seen her today, he’d been overcome by a sense of familiarity so strong it had robbed him of breath. Was it merely a reactive instinct to returning to his childhood haunts? He’d not felt that way when visiting with Aunt Rebecca only a few weeks ago, but perhaps the sorrow over his uncle’s death had mitigated the cheer of that particular homecoming.
    Beaumont, noticing Evie’s distraction, had broken off and turned to face Will with a puzzled look on his features. When their gazes met, Beaumont’s head jerked back as if he had just sighted the enemy. He moved a step closer to Evie, one hand disappearing behind her back, and Will had little doubt that Beaumont’s hand now rested protectively on her waist. Obviously, the man had good instincts where his almost-fiancée was concerned—a useful if unwelcome bit of knowledge.
    â€œWolf . . . Will . . . good evening,” Evie stammered. “It’s . . . it’s nice to see you again.”
    Evie’s awkwardness in company was nothing new. But awkwardness with him was. Will gave her a slight bow and the warmest smile in his arsenal.
    Her smooth complexion pinked up with a pretty blush and her generous bosom rose and fell on a quick exhalation of breath, the plump mounds