Free A Clandestine Courtship by Allison Lane Page A

reputation.”
    Which he had done. James clenched his fists, recalling the snide remarks that had filled the drawing room before dinner. Country memories were long, meaning that malicious rumors would remain forever. What had she suffered? And why?
    Stupid! The why was easy – to hurt him. By befriending Mary, he had drawn John’s wrath onto her head. So he must somehow rescue her reputation.
    He should have questioned John’s veracity long ago. Instinct had tried to warn him at the time, but he hadn’t listened – and wasn’t listening now, he realized grimly. She had been describing John’s tactics, most of which he’d missed.
    “And he drew my husband into repeated trouble,” she continued, pacing the room. “John was a profligate wastrel – not that it mattered to a man of his means. But Frederick could not afford such a life. The ones who suffered the most were his sisters.”
    “Is that why you are throwing them at my head?” he demanded. “Am I supposed to pick one and launch the other to make up for John’s sins?”
    “Not at all. I would never approve a match based on guilt. Both parties would be miserable. Nor would I consider a match at all now that I see how unreasonable you have become. Perhaps I discounted the rumors too quickly. I had remembered you as a man who treated people fairly. Unfortunately, maturity has robbed you of your virtues while repairing none of your naïve blindness.”
    “That is hardly a fair assessment, my lady. And not typical of someone who used to weigh all the evidence before jumping to conclusions.”
    The address was an attempt to regain lost ground. He had badly mishandled this meeting. His biggest error had been believing John. Thus he had hurled unconscionable charges at her face. He would not have treated the lowliest tenant like that, so why had he done it to Mary? Her title might derive through marriage, but even the vicar’s daughter he had once befriended deserved more respect than he had shown.
    She was innocent, both of murder and of liaisons with John. His heart leaped for joy, swelling until he feared it might burst.
    Slow down, he admonished himself, fighting to steady his breathing. This wasn’t the moment to pursue his desire. His accusations had put her back up – as her vow proved. His second mistake had been his failure to anticipate her reaction. Thus he had inadvertently alienated her. She would likely refuse to see him again.
    He must remember this lesson in the future, he noted in an aside. He could not accuse anyone without shackling his hands. They were already tied too well by his kinship with John.
    So he had two problems. He still needed her help. And now that he had removed John from the picture, he wanted her in his bed. But she would require wooing – especially after this fiasco.
    Yet even wooing wouldn’t work if she refused to see him. So he must convince her to join his investigation. It would provide frequent contact. By the time they discovered John’s killer, they would have reestablished their friendship – and more. It was a clandestine approach, but the only one available.
    “We have drifted far from the subject,” he said, injecting as much respect as possible into his voice. “Please accept my apologies for allowing my emotions to control my tongue. John’s insinuations had been eating at me, for I had not expected that from you. But that is no excuse for my unmannerly display.”
    She stared stonily at him.
    “Please, Mary. Even if you cannot forgive my lapse, I do need help. And you are the best one to provide it. I have to find John’s killer. Who had the worst grievances against him?”
    She shrugged. “Take your pick. The only one who did not hate him was Frederick.”
    “But hatred does not usually lead to murder. That would take a mixture of fury and fear. Did he do anything worse than usual in the last year or two?”
    “Who knows?” She wandered over to the window and gazed into the darkness for