An Infamous Betrayal (Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, #3)

by Lynn Messina

She was just imprudent enough to fall in love with him but too clever to believe for a moment that he could ever return her regard.

Furthermore, she had her own difficult relations to contend with, including an aunt who would seek to lock her in a tower and throw away the key if only the house had been fortuitously blessed with that particular architectural feature.

But obligation did not follow the strict dictates of decorum and instead flouted them openly. It lay down on the settee and stretched its legs, so to speak.

“I cannot speak to what thoughts are actually forming in your head, your grace, but I wish to assure you that the ones coming out of your mouth make no sense at all.

“Naturally, I will stay out of your way, as well, although I trust it goes without saying that I would never stand in the way of any man in his pursuit of insipid children. After all, dull progeny are the birthright of the ruling class.”

“Miss Hyde-Clare, I admire your ability to concoct a theory of guilt out of a ball of yarn and a misplaced kitchen spoon, but I assure you that you’re digging for a bone in the wrong graveyard.

“Well done, Kesgrave,” she said approvingly. “Very well done. You have the ability to learn from past mistakes, which is a very attractive and rare quality in a man. I believe there is hope for you yet.”

Recklessness is just stupidity pretending to be bravery. No one is fooled.”

You have thoroughly corrupted me,” he admitted, “and like any reprobate worth his salt I’m a grateful participant in my own downfall.”

“I love you, you daft woman. I love you madly. And if you had allowed me to speak any time in the past two weeks, you would have known it already and not be sitting here on a villain after extinguishing flames in his hair.”

“I must beg to disagree, your grace, as there is no cause and effect that ties the two events together and I defy you to come up with one.”