Free Bargaining With a Rake (A Whisper of Scandal Novel) by Julie Johnstone Page B

blue eyes flashing and pushing her husband, Alex’s dearest and
oldest friend, out the door to play the defender. “Sally’s daft. I don’t give a
damn about my honor. People will believe the worst no matter what.” And the way
Lady Staunton had been chasing him around despite her ill husband’s presence
was bound to make tongues wag.
    Alex swirled the
remaining liquor in his glass before setting the glass down. He’d had his
limit, and he knew better than to have any more.
    “Interesting that
Lady Staunton has set her cap on you again,” Cameron said.
    “Not really. She knows I’ll be duke
someday.”
    Cameron’s face relaxed visibly.
    “Were you worried for me, little
brother?” Alex asked with a laugh.
    “She is beautiful.”
    “And vile,” Alex retorted. “Don’t
worry. Besides, Father will probably outlive us all.”
    “That’s not what Catherine says.”
    “What has our dear sister been saying
now?” Alex jerked his hands through his hair at the reminder of the duty he’d
left untended. He had to get to Sheffield soon and speak to Catherine’s husband
about her constant gossiping and need for drama. He would stop in on his way to
the hunt in Yorkshire. “Why isn’t Forrester controlling her tongue?”
    “You know as well as I Catherine
cannot be controlled. She’s taken it into her head Father’s going to drink
himself to an early grave, and she’s apparently been lamenting about it all
over Sheffield.”
    “Well that explains
Lady Staunton’s renewed interest in me.” Alex glanced away from Cameron and
toward the front door. He wanted to get out of here and forget everything, just
for an hour. Catherine was right to worry about Father―he had been
drinking too much. But he’d been doing it since the day Robert had killed
himself and the old codger appeared none worse for the liquor.
    The front door to White’s slammed
open, and Alex’s friend Dansby loomed in the doorway. Alex raised his hand to
wave him over. Judging by the way Dansby shoved through the crowd of men around
the books and strode toward Alex, the visit must be urgent. He stood to greet
Dansby.
    “What brings you out at this late
hour?”
    “Your father sent me to find you and
your brother.”
    Alex’s gut clenched. His father never
involved anyone in family affairs. “What’s wrong?”
    “It’s your sister, Allysia.”
    “Damnation.” He grabbed his coat and
jerked it on. “I knew something was wrong with her. Is she ill?”
    Dansby shook his head.
    “Well, what is it?”
    Dansby’s gaze shot to Cameron and
then Sutherland.
    “Spit it out,” Alex demanded, barely
containing his temper.
    “She’s dead.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    “I wish I were dead!” Gillian fell
backward onto her bed. She pulled the covers up over her head and stared into
the darkness.
    “Gillie, don’t say such a thing, even
in jest.” Whitney plopped onto the bed and tugged the covers away from
Gillian’s face. “You know I couldn’t get on without you. I’ve every confidence
you’ll manage to avoid marrying Mr. Mallorian.”
    Gillian struggled into a sitting
position at the note of desperation in Whitney’s voice. Whit needed her. “Don’t
fret, Whit. I’m just allowing myself a moment of pity that Father wants to rid
himself of me so badly that he would betroth me to Mr. Mallorian.”
    Whitney shook her head. “Father loves
you. He just…” Whitney gave Gillian a pleading look. “You know Father. He
doesn’t think things through when he’s imbibed too much.”
    Gillian pressed her lips together on
her retort. Father had thought things through, and that was the point,
but Whitney needed to cling to her hope that Father adored them both. There was
no point in trying to make Whit see the truth now when they were hopefully
escaping soon.
    A shudder ran through Gillian as she
pictured herself posed for a Westonburt family portrait flanked by Lady
Westonburt and Mr. Mallorian. The idea of Lady Westonburt being