A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2)

by K.J. Charles

That seems highly eccentric behaviour from a nobleman.” “I take it you aren’t familiar with the d’Aumestys.”

He had a scholar’s stoop, or possibly a younger son’s cringe, but when he stood properly he was several inches over Oxney’s height. It transformed his appearance from a surprised owl to a tall surprised owl.

“I beg your pardon. I’m not shouting at you.” “Just near me.”

Lord Oxney was clearly bracing himself to go and apologise for his language. Mrs. Conrad was not obliged to apologise in return, because among the gentility, you could say whatever vile things you liked as long as you expressed them with civility.

“Unfortunately, and this is a devil of a thing for a man of my background to admit, I’ve no feeling for cloth or patterns at all. My stepfather despaired of ever making me a draper.” “How fortunate you had the earldom to fall back on.” Oxney gave a bark of laughter. “Yes, it was that or walking the streets. Sometimes I regret my decision.” “I’m sure you would have made an excellent lightskirt, my lord.”

“Some might call that a rather mercantile approach,” Fulk remarked with a curling lip. “Don’t think of it as a transaction,” Rufus assured him. “It’s a bribe.”

Odo had a kicked-puppy air that ought to evoke compassion, but Luke didn’t like dogs.

“You tried apologising? Sometimes works, if you mean it.” “How? ‘I’m sorry I lied to you from the start and threatened to make you illegitimate and burgled your house and let you trust me and even shared your bloody bed while I was doing all that to you’?” “That…might take a while to get over,” Joss allowed.

“Oh, come on, this is an actual treasure-hunt. It can’t just be lying around in the Cathedral, surely. Why aren’t you looking for it?” “I…was? That’s why you sent me away. This is what I lied to you about. You’re angry about that, remember?” Rufus waved his hand in impatient dismissal. “Balls to that. You didn’t say it was a sodding fortune!”