Free Ashes To Ashes: A Ministry of Curiosities Novella (The Ministry of Curiosities Book 5) by C.J. Archer Page A

did Buchanan.
    He looked as if he were about to walk off when one of his friends cleared his throat. Buchanan appeared to make up his mind about something. "My apologies," he drawled, hand on his heart. Behind him, his three friends snickered. "It's Lady Vickers, is it not?"
    She held out her hand and he kissed it. "Are we acquainted, sir?"
    "We are now. Shall I assist you to win this round? I'm an excellent player."
    "Are you? Then, by all means, join in." She indicated a vacant seat to her right. "I do love a challenge."
    She threw in her hand and pushed her waged coins to the player opposite. A new round was dealt, which she won. She also won the next two, and Buchanan declared that he was out. He got up from the table amid protests from Lady Vickers, who claimed to have enjoyed playing against him.
    "Of course you did," Buchanan muttered. "You fleeced me."
    She laughed, as did her companions.
    Buchanan rejoined his friends, who were also laughing. As they walked off, he handed them each a bank note. Lady Vickers watched them go with a satisfied curve to her lips. She caught sight of Lincoln, nodded, and turned back to her game.
    Lincoln returned to the ballroom where the band struck up a waltz. He spotted each of the committee members, conversing in separate groups. If he wanted to investigate them, he needed to join them. It was going to be a long night.
    Julia approached and he allowed her to intercept him. "Why did you come, Lincoln?" she said, toying with the diamond and sapphire necklace at her throat.
    "I've been told I need to socialize more." He watched Lord Marchbank over the top of her head. The nobleman appeared to be listening intently to the fellow on his right, a Liberal politician. "Apparently all the important decisions are made at parties."
    "Dinner parties, mostly. Why this sudden interest in politics? You never used to care about the government, and I admit that I rather saw you as above all that."
    "I wasn't referring to politics. If you'll excuse me, I need to mingle."
    "You are mingling. With me." She sipped her champagne and watched him over the rim of the glass with a practiced flutter of her eyelashes.
    "You and I are through mingling , Julia."
    She lowered the glass. "So you keep saying."
    He couldn't tell if she believed they were over or not. She seemed to think he would change his mind again. Sending Charlie away and breaking off their engagement had probably reignited Julia's hopes.
    "Miss Overton hasn't been able to take her eyes off you." She nodded at the Overton girl, standing in her mother's shadow with a gaggle of ladies. "Why don't you ask her to dance?"
    "I don't dance."
    "If you want to mingle, you must learn to dance."
    "I didn't say I can't dance."
    "Then you have no excuses."
    "Except that I don't want to dance. The girl needs no encouragement." It would be cruel to dance with her if he had no intentions toward her. But it was in Julia's nature to be cruel to others if it benefitted her. Marrying him off to the guileless and obedient Miss Overton would clear the path for a woman who wanted to be his mistress but not his wife.
    "I don't know why you resist her." She smiled at Miss Overton who glanced behind her, thinking someone else had caught Julia's interest. "She would make the perfect wife. Her family is well connected and wealthy; she's healthy, pretty and young, just the way you like them."
    "Don't," he growled.
    "And she's a far more agreeable girl than…others. You could manage her very well, and I dare say, after a year, you would have molded her into whatever shape you desire. As long as you use a delicate touch and don't frighten her, that is." The eyes she turned on him were as cold and hard as the gems at her throat.
    He turned his back on her and wove his way through the crowd. He joined Lord Marchbank and the politician but quickly realized their discussion wouldn't tell him anything important.
    After ten minutes, Marchbank accepted a drink from his wife with a