Malice at the Palace (The Royal Spyness Series Book 9)

 

 

She nodded. “I suppose so. But we’ll still make time for evenings out without them. This was fun tonight.” She beamed at our escorts. “Thank you both. I’m rather sad, now, that I’m getting married with such delightful company in London.”

 

The two boys had the grace to blush. We got up to leave. Whiffie and Monty escorted us into the foyer and sent for our car.

 

“So you’ve promised we can see you again as soon as this blasted wedding business is over,” Monty said to me. “You will come to a hunt ball?”

 

“That will be nice,” I replied as he put my wrap around my shoulders.

 

The manager appeared. “Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence, Your Royal Highness,” he said, bowing unctuously. “Allow me to escort you to your car.” He ushered her out of the front door. I was about to follow when an employee tapped me on the shoulder. “I was told to remind you to collect your winnings, Lady Georgiana. They are being held for you. Please follow me.”

 

My winnings, of course. How silly of me. It just shows what too much champagne and brandy can do to the brain. I was escorted across the gaming room.

 

“I was told that they were being held for you in here,” he said and opened a door for me. I stepped into one of the small private gaming rooms with a baize table in its center. While I was taking this in, and looking for where my winnings might be, I heard the click of a latch as the door was closed behind me.

 

I spun around. Darcy was standing in front of the door.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 24

 

 

 

VERY LATE ON NOVEMBER 7

 

“What are you doing here?” I demanded angrily. “I thought you’d be in a dungeon in the Tower of London by now.”

 

He grinned. “I might say the same for you.”

 

“It was quite obvious I had done nothing wrong,” I said haughtily. “Now please open this door immediately. Princess Marina is waiting for me.”

 

He put a restraining hand on my shoulder. “The princess has been sent home without you. She has been told you have met an old friend and will be following in a separate car.”

 

“You had no right to do this!” I tried to get past him to the door handle. “Now let me out of here or I’ll scream the place down.”

 

“I don’t think you’d want to cause any unpleasantness,” he said. “Think of the scandal. Your family wouldn’t approve.”

 

“This is kidnapping,” I said. “I’ll report you to DCI Pelham. He can add it to your other crimes.”

 

“I rather think not.” Darcy smiled now. “In fact I’ve been asked to keep an eye on you.”

 

“DCI Pelham thinks you’re a slippery customer. He told me so.”

 

“DCI Pelham doesn’t know very much. Luckily someone high up in the Home Office came to my rescue and had me released, or I’d still be in a cell. I couldn’t tell Pelham exactly what I was doing, you see.”

 

“With Bobo Carrington? I should think that was rather obvious.”

 

He actually laughed then. “You are adorable, Georgie. Do you know that?”

 

“No. I’m na?ve and stupid,” I said. “I know nothing about drugs or people like Bobo Carrington. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m going to do my duty and marry a young man of impeccable background and forget all about you.”

 

“Georgie,” he said softly. “When you asked me if I’d slept with Bobo Carrington, I was caught off guard. I did sleep with her, but that was several years ago. Long before I met you.”

 

“Several years ago, or one year ago?” I demanded.

 

He shook his head. “No, I am not the father of her child, if that’s what you’re wondering. I believe we slept together a couple of times when I was newly arrived in London. The way one does.”

 

The way one does. Those words rattled around in my head. How easy it seemed to be for other people. “But your dressing gown. I saw it behind her door.”

 

“That’s actually quite simply explained,” he said.

 

“Really?” I gave him my best sarcastic look.

 

He nodded. “I need somewhere to stay when I’m in London. Bobo lets me use her flat sometimes, when she’s out of town. I left my dressing gown behind once. She said it was cozier than hers and she was keeping it in payment for using the flat.”

 

“Oh,” I said. I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Part of me was thinking that this was highly plausible and part was reminding me that Darcy was Irish and had the gift of the gab. I wanted to believe him. I was trying to believe him. “So you are trying to tell me that you haven’t been near her recently?”

 

“I haven’t been near her recently, at least not in the way you mean.”

 

“But you were seen at Crockford’s with her.”

 

“Ah. That’s true. We did bump into each other at Crockford’s.”