Free Kathryn Caskie by Love Is in the Heir

swirl of ham and smiling back at him as he chewed.
    “Yes, Garnet, I can see how that is the best possible explanation.”
    “Glad you agree.”
    “Are you mad? How could anyone agree with your solution? Damn it all, Garnet, just what the hell were you thinking?”
    Garnet chuckled to himself as he polished his signet ring on the lapel of yet another new coat supplied by the earl. “I assure you, I only had your best interests in mind, dear brother.” Then he huffed what sounded like a sarcastic laugh. “We both know that the truth was clearly out of the question. This little charade of ours is not only affecting your romance, brother, but mine as well.”
    “Yours?”
    “Your darling Miss Chillton introduced me to the most beautiful miss. Someone I greatly desire to know better. But I could not do so at the ball—for I was being . . . well,
you.
”
    Griffin exhaled a frustrated sigh as he rose and moved to the drawing-room window, just as a magnificent carriage turned into the square and, surprisingly, drew up before their door.
    He gripped the mullion and leaned closer, for surely his eyes deceived him. “Oh,
no
.”
    A pang of dread pinched at his middle, and Griffin held his breath as he waited to see who would emerge from the carriage, praying it was not who he believed.
    The footman opened the cabin door, and who else should step out but the ebony-garbed Pinkerton followed by the squat Earl of Devonsfield himself.
    Griffin spun around to warn Garnet, but even as he did so, he heard the click of the lock followed by the whine of rusted hinges as Mrs. Hopshire opened the heavy front door.
    It was too late.
    “Where is Griffin?” Though he was still standing outside on the front steps, the earl’s usual gruff voice sounded thin and distressed.
    “Griff?” Garnet’s eyes were as wide as his tea saucer. “You failed to tell me that the—” As his words broke off, Garnet’s expression shifted from abject shock to absolute delight as his eyes alighted on the earl and his man, Pinkerton. “Dear sir, I had not expected you. How wonderful, though, that you are able to visit . . . and
all
the way from Devonsfield as well. What an honor you pay us.”
    The earl’s beady eyes shifted from Garnet to Griffin. “What is this folly, boy? From your wrenching missive I was led to believe Garnet was missing and that you feared the worst. Yet here he stands.”
    Garnet stared at his brother. “Griff? What is this about?”
    “I beg your pardon, my lord.” Griffin swallowed deeply. “Did you not receive my second missive informing you that my brother had been delayed, but had just arrived in Bath?”
    “Do you think I would be standing here in your doorway had I received it? Do you? Think you Devonsfield is just around the corner?”
    “No, my lord, I suppose not.”
    “Of course
not
. Why, I left the very instant Pinkerton apprised me of the dire situation.”
    Damn me.
The day had just sunk from bad to horrid.
    Garnet called for Mrs. Hopshire to fetch a decanter of brandy, then managed a jovial smile for the grimacing earl. “But now that you are here, my lord, I must tell you of my brother’s progress. Why, I wish I had half the good fortune he has had in finding a potential bride.”
    The earl turned his head from Griffin to Garnet, then back again, so quickly that his wig did not quite follow in time and now sat slightly askew atop his head.
    “A potential bride, you say? Well now, perhaps coming to Bath is not wholly a waste after all. Might stay a while and observe the proceedings. Yes, yes, indeed I shall,” the earl muttered to himself before turning an eye to his man. “Pinkerton, be a good man and see what the delay is with the brandy. I own the journey from Devonsfield has left me quite parched.”
    Pinkerton nodded and, as requested, disappeared silently into the entry hall.
    The earl crossed the room to the sofa, flipped up his coattails, and took his ease on the plump cushion. “Now, lad,”