Sins Of A Duke Part 7

"You'll do anything for a biscuit, won't you?" Sebastian observed.

"Apparently."

Peep served more lemonade and biscuits while Sebastian resumed his perusal of the book. The detail amazed him-variations in climate according to elevation, with a huge portion of the text devoted to, basically, how a new arrival in the country might go about making a comfortable living. Both town occupations and farming were covered thoroughly. Parts of it sounded both familiar and deathly dull, but he couldn't count the number of the d.a.m.ned things he'd read over the years.

"You went to Almack's last night, I heard," Zachary said abruptly.

Looking up, Sebastian took a sip of lemonade. "I did."

"And Prinny made an appearance?"

"For about twenty minutes or so. I believe he and Lady Jersey are on the outs. Why do you ask?"

"Just making conversation." Zach devoured a biscuit. "You escorted the Costa Habiba people again."

"Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela," Peep enunciated. "It's in Central America."

"Yes, I did," Sebastian answered again. "Are you taking a survey?"

"No." Zachary laughed, the sound strained. "Of course not."

"I wish you had brought Harold today," Peep said, sighing. "He likes biscuits."

Sebastian set the prospectus aside. "That dog is not welcome in this house."

"Just because I named him after Great-grandfather? That's a bit-"

"Because you named him after me, Zach. As in Sebastian Harold Griffin. When I suggested you prove your capacity for responsibility by getting a dog, that was a jest."

"But Harold's a good dog," his daughter chimed in again.

"He would be as good a dog if his name was Foxy or Royal or something."

Zach's grin was easier this time. "It actually does bother you that I named him Harold, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does." As if he'd ever made any secret of that.

"Good. It was meant to."

"Gentlemen, please," Peep put in, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, "let's be civil."

The playroom door opened again. "What are we not being civil about?" Shay asked.

Penelope stood again. "Lord Charlemagne, how delightful! Please join us for tea."

With a glance between them and the full-sized chairs, Shay lowered himself into one of the miniatures. "When we did this with Nell, I don't remember the chairs being so small."

"That was fifteen years ago," Zachary pointed out. "We were smaller."

If anyone outside their circle ever spotted the three large Griffin males hunkered down at a miniature table for a tea party, no one would fear them any longer. Sebastian eyed the sibling closest in age and temperament to himself. "What brings you here?"

"Just visiting. I had no idea there would be tea-" he took a sip from the undersized cup Peep handed him and made a face "-lemonade, I mean, and biscuits."

As Sebastian watched, his brothers looked at each other, neither seeming terribly pleased at his sibling's presence. Hm. "Are you joining us at the Beardsley recital tonight, Shay?"

"No. Sarala's parents have invited us for dinner." He cleared his throat. "I think they're hoping to hear...news," he continued, glancing at his niece.

Startled, Sebastian sat forward, nearly dumping himself out of the tiny chair. "And is there...news?"

Shay's face reddened. "I am not prepared to confirm or deny anything at this moment. In another week or so, perhaps."

"Is Aunt Sarala going to have a baby?" Peep asked, giving a scowl and folding her arms across her chest. "You can tell me such things, you know. I'm not six."

"We should know in a few days," Shay said, taking Peep's hand. "You will be the first to hear, one way or the other."

"It seems as though you should have decided something that important already, but very well."

Sebastian looked down at his cup of lemonade. He'd made certain that Penelope would be extremely well-off for her entire life, but he couldn't do anything about his t.i.tle. With no son of his own, upon his death it would go to his nearest male relation-Shay. If Sarala was with child, and if the babe was male, the Griffin name would continue with the Melbourne t.i.tle for at least another generation. Thank G.o.d.

"Seb?"

Shaking himself, he looked up. "Yes?"

"How was Almack's last evening?" Shay asked, then winced as Zachary kicked him in the foot. The low table bounced. "Very subtle, nick ninny."

"What did you two hear?" Sebastian demanded.

"Nothing," Shay said hastily. "It was the first large public introduction of the rey and his party. I just wondered how it went."

"It went well. Perfectly uneventf-"

The door opened again, and Eleanor stepped into the room. "h.e.l.lo, everyone," she said with an exasperated smile. "Don't you boys look...imposing. Did I miss an invitation to a family meeting?"

"No, it's a tea," Penelope corrected. "Are you having another baby?"

Her face went white. "'Another'? Sebastian, is Princess Josefina pr-"

"What?" He shot to his feet, the little chair toppling over backward behind him.

Zachary and Shay were right behind him. "You mean Melbourne and the princess are-"

"No!" he interrupted before Zach could finish. "Is that what this little invasion is about? For G.o.d's sake, if that's the rumor, why the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l didn't anyone say-"

"It's not," Nell said, hurrying forward to put a hand on his arm. "It's not. Not at all. But when Peep said-"

"She was talking about Charlemagne and Sarala."

"Oh. Oh." She turned around and hugged Shay, who belatedly returned the embrace. "Congratulations, Shay."

"It's not certain yet. But why did you think Melbourne and the-"

"Enough!" Sebastian roared. "You two," he ordered, gesturing at his brothers, "sit down and have tea with your niece. You," he continued, taking Nell by the arm, "come with me."

"May I have a look at this prospectus?" Shay asked as they strode for the door.

"Yes. Stay put."

Ignoring the rest of the protests and commentary, he practically dragged Eleanor out of the playroom and shut the door behind them. He headed down the stairs and into his office, where he closed that door, as well.

"If you think you're going to lecture me about gossip or something, you are sadly mistaken," Nell said sharply, moving behind the desk and sitting in his chair. "And you certainly won't do it from here, the way you used to. I am a married woman, not a child."

Things had definitely changed over the past two years. "Will you be quiet for a moment?" he muttered. "I'm thinking."

From her expression, she hadn't expected that response. He didn't give it often. And he would never have admitted he was unsure about anything to anyone-until now, apparently. Until b.l.o.o.d.y Josefina Embry had appeared in his life.

"Why would you come to the conclusion that I am-or was-having an affair with Princess Josefina, with whom, I might add, I've only been acquainted for four days?"

She grimaced. "You have to admit, walking into the room to see you sitting there like overstuffed midgets and then hearing 'Are you having another baby'-it was a bit offputting. And you are the only other of us who has 'another' child."

He nodded. "Very well. I'll grant you that." Slowly he walked to the window and back again. Whatever else he was, he remained the head of this family. As such, he was unused to having his actions questioned, and he disliked the idea that his family in particular might be doing so. "Zach and Shay are here asking about last night at Almack's. Why?"

"Why don't you ask them?"

"I did." He moved forward again, taking one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk from his sister. "What did Valentine say that has you over here, as well? And don't tell me to ask him, because you're the one who decided you should be here."

"He said that you appeared to be off-balance last night. And he thought that you might have an interest in Princess Josefina."

"That rat. I asked him to observe them, not me."

"Is it true, then?"

"Honestly," he said, uneasy at even discussing it, "I don't know. I've been alone for four years, and yes, I find her interesting. Whether it's because of her or because of the four years, I'm not certain."

"But it is her specifically, and not any or every lady you encounter."

"I suppose so."

"Then you should see more of her."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Thank you. Advice from a chit twelve years my junior."

Nell smiled. "Now you sound like Melbourne again."

"That's the thing, Nell. I am Melbourne. I am not going to pursue the only offspring of a foreign king. If his country lasts past Michaelmas, if and when he dies, Josefina becomes rey or queen or whatever they decide the t.i.tle should be. If it pa.s.ses to her spouse, then that would make me the King of Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela." He forced a smile. "I prefer being an Englishman, and I won't give up my t.i.tle to be otherwise."

"But Sebastian, if you like her, then-"

"Then what? Firstly, I said she interests me. I'm not certain whether I like her or wish to wring her neck. Secondly, I've known of her existence for four days. Thirdly, I don't want to have an affair. I am not of a mind to pursue at all, especially when there's no future in it."

Slowly she stood. "Since you've thought it through from every angle, measured the logic and found it wanting, I suppose there's no more to say."

"I suppose not." He rose as well, and opened the door for her. "Tell the halfwits, if you please, so they'll stop pestering me, but do so away from Peep's hearing. She doesn't need to know any of this."

"As you wish." With a swish of her muslin skirts, she left the room.

Sebastian watched her up the stairs, then closed the door again and seated himself in the chair she'd vacated. Hopefully this nonsense would go no farther than his own family. And the best way to insure that would be to avoid Princess Josefina Embry at every opportunity, however much he looked forward to another argument-another kiss-with her. Sighing, he opened his desk and removed a sheet of paper. He needed to write a note to Prinny.

"Ready?" Lieutenant May asked, ducking his head back into the coach.

Josefina parted the curtains and peeked out. "Good heavens," she breathed. "I had no idea the enterprise would be this popular."

Beside her, Conchita reached over to fluff her sleeve. "Ready, Your Highness?"

"Even if I wasn't, since Mother and Father are on their way to Scotland to talk with the banking ministers there, I don't think I have much choice." She drew a breath. "But yes, I'm ready."

Lieutenant May hopped out to lower the coach steps and offered her a hand to the ground. As she emerged, the true size of the crowd struck her.

More than two hundred people lined the street in front of the Bank of England, and the doors hadn't even opened yet. They'd advertised the availability of the stocks in the newspaper only yesterday, but the well-heeled queue wrapped all the way around the building and into the alleyway.

As they approached, Sir Henry Sparks emerged from the group of employees standing at the entrance. "Good morning, Your Highness," he said, beaming. "Quite a turnout we have, isn't it?"

"This is amazing. Do you think they'll mind if I say something?"

"I think they would love it."

Lieutenant May turned a crate on its side and helped her onto it. "Good morning," she said in a carrying voice, and the noise around her died down. "I am Princess Josefina, and I want to be the first to welcome you to your new partners.h.i.+p with Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela!"

The crowd roared. At Sir Henry's signal, the bankers opened the door and stepped through. Behind them, the queue moved forward. Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela was officially open for business.

She stepped down and waded into the crowd, recognizing many of them from her excursions into their ballrooms and a.s.sembly halls. For over an hour she smiled and shook hands and answered questions. Originally Melbourne was to have been with her, but all her father had said that morning was that there had been a change of plans. In a way, though she could have used his presence to further bolster investor confidence, the day's goal was to sell bonds-not to think about kissing Melbourne.

Finally she thanked Sir Henry once more, and nodded at May. The lieutenant helped part the crowd again for her to exit. Applause followed her as she stepped back into the carriage.

"My goodness, that went well," Conchita exclaimed, grinning. "Your father will be so pleased."

"I'll send him the news as soon as we return to Branbury House," she said, settling back and fanning her face. They had all worked so hard for this, and now, finally, they could begin to see the results.

At the moment, though, she looked forward to nothing so much as a quiet sit-down with a book. Her face felt stretched from smiling for so long.

"Are you still attending the Allendale soiree tonight?" Conchita asked. "I thought perhaps the mustard-colored silk would be appropriate."

"I a.s.sume I am. Melbourne was to escort me. If he hasn't sent over a note, I suppose I shall be forced to send one to him."

When they stopped on the front drive of the borrowed house, however, she thought that perhaps a note wouldn't be necessary. A curricle stood there, and though she'd never seen Melbourne in one, she supposed that he owned several.

"I trust your morning was successful, Your Highness?" Grimm the butler intoned as he pulled open the front door.

"Indeed it was. Who is calling?"