“Is it?” She attempted to appear bored, to little effect.

Will laughed. “You forget I have known you your entire life, Scamp. I can tell when there is something of import in that lovely head of yours.”

She stayed quiet, willing herself not to rise to her brother’s bait.

“You also forget,” he said in a deceptively casual tone, “that I spent the day with Blackmoor.”

Alex sat up straighter, causing Vivi to lose her headrest. She was unable to hide her eagerness. “Did he say something about me? What was it?”

Will laughed, enjoying the power he held over his little sister. “My, my. Is this the same sister who spent much of her time prior to this season expounding on both the irrelevance of men to her future and her marked lack of interest in marriage and the trappings of romance?”

“I didn’t say men were irrelevant to my future. That’s ridiculous. Nor did I show a lack of interest in romance.” She ignored the three sets of eyebrows that rose in a silent yet eloquent response to her statement. “What happened? Was Father difficult with him?”

“I thought you weren’t interested in discussing Blackmoor?”

“Oh, William, I do wish you would be quiet if you have nothing to say,” Alex growled in irritation, then sat back and said, “I’m not interested. I was merely being conversational.”

All three of her companions snorted with laughter. “You cannot honestly think that he’d actually believe that, can you?” Vivi asked before turning to Will. “Take pity on her, my lord. Have you never wondered what a girl thought of you?”

“Never.” He lied baldly, a broad smile on his face, then pressed on. “Well, I shall simply say that our father and he are currently having a serious conversation.”

“What?!” She leaned forward, squashing Ella’s head on her lap, causing her friend to cry out and sit up. Alex’s “I beg your pardon, Ella” was followed immediately with, “William! What are they talking about?”

“I haven’t any idea.” Will leaned back in his chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him. “It seems to me that it would likely have something to do with your inappropriate display this morning.”

Alex stood. “Oh, no! Do you think Father is angry? Do you think Gavin is being lectured? Do you think I should go to him?”

“In order: No, I don’t think Father is angry. Yes, I do think Gavin is being lectured—that’s what Father does, remember? And no, I definitely do not think you should go anywhere near the study while they are locked in there. I think you should sit down and attempt to relax,” Will said, finally sounding more like the brother she loved and less like the one she wanted to murder.

“You might try lowering your voice as well,” Vivi suggested. “You’ll wake everyone in the house if you keep on like that.”

She sat. And lowered her voice. “I’m sorry. I simply…well, I seem to be rather overly excited.”

“Really?” Ella said sarcastically, leaning back on the couch, one hand over her eyes, exhausted, but still managing to elicit a laugh from the others in the room.

“What is it that is amusing you all?” The voice came from the doorway of the library, drawing the attention of the entire group. Four heads turned toward Blackmoor, who entered with a tired, curious smile on his face.

Alex drank in the sight of him, thoroughly disheveled—somewhere he had lost his waistcoat and his cravat, his blond hair was unruly, falling into his face after hours of his running his fingers through it in concentration, and she could detect the hint of a beard on his face, which he had not shaved since that morning. He had never looked more handsome, more remarkable. She had never wanted to be near him so very much.

His grey gaze fell on her from across the room, and she could feel his inspection as he studied her. She longed for five minutes with a looking glass as she touched her hair nervously, knowing that he was seeing the stray auburn locks that had come loose from her topknot, her tired eyes, her wrinkled dress. Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she looked into his eyes and recognized the intensity there. It was the same emotion she’d seen that afternoon, and the night before. Her breath caught. He loved her.

She was shaken from her reverie by Vivi and Ella, who stood up in unison.

“I find myself exhausted,” Vivi said, making a show of a wide stretch.

“Indeed. It has been a long day for me as well,” replied Ella, who did not have to fabricate the yawn that followed her words.

They looked to each other with a nod, and then to Will, who was still seated comfortably in his chair. “And you, my lord?” Vivi said politely. “Are you not tired after your long day?”

“No. I find myself feeling rather energized.”

Ella and Vivi looked at each other, and Vivi tried again, with a slightly firmer tone, “Perhaps you would feel differently if you found your chamber, my lord.”

“I don’t think so.” The corner of Will’s mouth twitched, betraying his amusement.

“William, you would try the patience of a saint,” Vivi said with a smile. “Must I ask you to escort two young women frightened of the dark upstairs?”

He laughed aloud. “You two? Frightened of something? I find that very difficult to believe.”

Ella lost her patience with the entire conversation. “Will, just leave the room. Go wherever you’d like. But give Alex and Blackmoor some peace, please?”

Will winked broadly at her. “Now that’s a request to which I cannot help but respond.” He stood, waiting for Ella and Vivi to kiss Alex good night, then motioned them to precede him from the room.