Free Brushed by Scandal by Gail Whitiker

you.’
    ‘No. Edward did.’
    ‘Edward?’ Anna repeated, confused. ‘But…when were the two of you ever at a society function together?’
    ‘It wasn’t at a society function we met.’ Peregrine ran his fingers through his hair, hopelessly dishevelling it. ‘Edward had been on at me, saying that if I had any hopes of becoming a gentleman, I needed to educate myself in gentlemanly ways.
    That meant knowing how to shoot, how to ride and how to fence. Since I’m already a good rider and I can handle a gun, that only left fencing, a sport to which I’ve had absolutely no exposure. Edward offered to take me to Angelo’s and I met the Marquess of Yew there.’
    ‘That doesn’t explain how you met his wife,’ Anna pointed out.
    ‘She was waiting for him outside in their carriage,’ Peregrine said. ‘Edward pointed her out to me when we arrived. When I commented on how beautiful she was, he kindly offered to introduce us.’
    Kindly?
Anna doubted her brother had
ever
had a kind thought in his head when it came to Peregrine. ‘All right, so you were introduced. If you knew Lady Yew was married, why did you pursue her?’
    ‘Because on the way home after the match, Edward told me about their marriage. He said it was a loveless union and that Lady Yew was desperately unhappy because Yew paraded his mistresses right under her nose and didn’t give a damn as to what she thought.’
    ‘Be that as it may, she
is
his wife and you were wrong to interfere.’
    ‘But she doesn’t
love
him!’ Peregrine said, his voice rising. ‘She told me that what she feels for me is the most wonderful, the most exciting feeling she’s ever experienced, and that when we finally are able to be together—’
    ‘Together?’
Anna interrupted incredulously. ‘Are you telling me that Lady Yew said she was going to
leave
her husband?’
    ‘Not in so many words, but—’
    ‘Don’t play games with me, Peregrine. Did she or did she not
say
that she was going to leave her husband?’
    ‘Not exactly, but—’
    ‘So she made you no promises that she would run away with you,’ she said flatly.
    ‘Well, no, but—’
    ‘There are no buts, Peregrine. Lady Yew has been playing with you.’
    ‘She wouldn’t do that!’ he said hotly. ‘You don’t understand how it is between us! She
loves
me!’
    ‘Love? I doubt the woman knows the meaning of the word,’ Anna said dismissively. ‘In fact, I can give you the names of at least ten other young men with whom she claims to be in love. Men with whom she has flirted and danced and driven nearly insane with jealousy. It’s what she does.’
    ‘I don’t believe you,’ Peregrine said, stubbornly clinging to his beliefs. ‘She said nothing to me about other men. And even if there were, it doesn’t signify. What she felt for them could be nothing compared to what she feels for me. She said she’s never met anyone like me before.’
    Anna sat down, aware that Peregrine was no more educated in the ways of love than poor Mercy Banks. ‘I’m sorry, Peregrine, but Lady Yew is
not
going to run away with you. Her husband is one of the richest men in England. He owns properties in four counties and his personal worth is staggering. As his wife, Lady Yew is one of the most influential women in society. If you think she would risk throwing that all away to run off with the penniless godson of the Earl of Cambermere, I would advise you to think again.’
    ‘But Edward said—’
    ‘I don’t care what Edward said,’ Anna said, though she damn well did care and she intended to talk to her brother at the first opportunity. ‘Tradition is the foundation upon which society is built. Noble families marry into noble families, thereby ensuring that the tradition carries on. Casting discretion to the wind and haring off because you believe yourself in love with someone else’s husband or wife is destructiveto the fabric of society—and nobody knows that better than those who occupy its uppermost