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Caroline dug an elbow into his ribcage. “Feel like a piece of meat tossed to hungry lions yet? Welcome to the only reason for the house party,” she said under her breath.

The look he sent her could have curdled milk.

Debra frowned. She fluffed her black curls and then popped the handle of her willow basket in the crook of one arm. “What is the meaning of this, Caro? Are you so bored you’ll stoop to bothering me?”

There were times in her life that having a sister far younger than herself was more annoying than it was worth. Trying to regulate her breathing, Caroline shook her head. “We merely need to ask you some questions about the man who was killed.”

“Mr. Blythe?” She shrugged. “I, uh, was acquainted with him, yes.”

“How?” Felix wanted to know .

A slight blush went through her sister’s cheeks that had nothing to do with the sun. “At one time, I had a tendre for him.”

Caroline frowned. “For him or Mr. Lockhart? The reason I ask is because the two men oftentimes exchanged places, and Miss Lockhart said she wanted her brother to court you so you could be like sisters.”

“Oh.” Debra caught her bottom lip briefly between her teeth before letting it go. “Here’s the rub though. The man I wanted to attract wasn’t Mr. Lockhart, though. It was Mr. Blythe.”

“That’s surprising. You’re a social climber, so why wouldn’t you want a man who would be a duke instead of a man with a stack of debt and who would have been a viscount someday?”

The look her sister sent her was withering. “As if you can talk; you’ve never had a beau.” Then she just as quickly dismissed her in favor of resting her gaze on Felix. “I found Mr. Blythe to be more exciting.”

“When you had dealings with him, was it in his pretend persona as Lockhart?”

“Not at all. I always knew it was him.”

He frowned. “Were you with him and the group during the welcome luncheon when they’d dared each other to walk the rooftops of the outbuildings?”

“I was not. In fact, I was in the front parlor.” She dropped her gaze, and her dark lashes formed arcs on her pale cheeks. Of course she would do that. Everything was always for effect with her sister.

“Why?”

Debra shrugged. “I was waiting on Mr. Sutton, hoping for a kiss, to be honest. He is one who I’ve got my sights on just now, for he’ll be an earl someday, except that Mama doesn’t think his reputation is the best.”

“At least you’re consistent.” However, Caroline frowned.

Her sister couldn’t have gone from the parlor to the icehouse in that short amount of time, couldn’t have even reached the ballroom in said time, and especially not without being seen.

“Also, Miss Lockhart said you argued with one or the other men at the entrance to the maze that morning. Did you?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Felix cleared his throat. “Actually, it is, especially during a murder investigation.”

“Fine.” She blew out a breath. “Yes, we argued.”

“What about?” Caroline wanted to know. “And which man was it?”

Debra gripped the handle of her basket. “Mr. Blythe. I gave him a dressing down for continuing to pretend to be Lockhart, but he was determined to put a dent in Devon’s reputation.”

“Whyever for?” Caroline couldn’t fathom why someone would willfully destroy another person .

“Who can say?” She shrugged. “But he said he was desperate, and something needed to change else debtor’s prison was in his future.” Then she huffed out a breath. “Frankly, though he liked to flirt and chase skirts, I’m not convinced it wasn’t an act, at least part of it.”

“How do you mean?” Felix asked with confusion in his eyes.

“I just always had the feeling he was keeping a secret.”

“Ah.” While Caroline doubted that Mr. Blythe’s viscount father would let his son and heir go that deep, it was laying the groundwork for murder. “Do you know if Mr. Lockhart owns a pistol?”

“I would have no idea. That doesn’t come up in polite conversation.

” Debra narrowed her eyes. “Are you quite finished? There is nothing wrong with what I do when in the company of my friends. As for Mr. Blythe’s death?

It’s awful, of course, but I didn’t do it.

I have far too much to do than faff around with such dirty things. ”

Annoyance stabbed through Caroline’s chest. “Have some respect. You knew the man. Don’t you care that he’s dead? Don’t you want to see someone come to justice for killing him?”

“Not right now. He’s dead, isn’t he? I’m not, and I want to catch a gentleman’s eye to get on with my life.” Angry red stained her cheeks. “Stop asking me questions. I’m not the problem here, but Mama might be.”

Both her and Felix gawked at Debra.

“What? Never say Mama is involved.”

“How should I know?” Debra shrugged. “She wants her daughters married off. I have the feeling the man’s social standing doesn’t matter, but she was quite miffed when Mr. Lockhart rebuffed her efforts to match him with me.”

Dear heavens. Why is this so complicated?

“I rather doubt Mama murdered a man because he wasn’t interested in you.” Or a man pretending to be someone else.

Her sister sniffed. “God, you’re a scare, Caro.

Are you so jealous of me and my life that you can’t fathom men wanting to court me?

” To add insult to injury, Debra raked her gaze over Felix’s form.

“And you’re allowing such behavior. I thought better of you than that, Major, especially at your age.

” When he blustered, she shook her head.

“Why did you drag her into this anyway? Mama wants her out there mingling to land a man. This is taking up too much of her time.”

A thunderstorm brewed in his expression.

He gripped the head of his cane in a tight hand.

“Perhaps your sister knows her own mind. There is more to life than husband hunting.” There was a low growl of warning in his voice that sent skitters of fear down her own spine.

“After all, what will you do with a man once you land him? Order him about by his nose for the rest of your lives? Men don’t like that. ”

Her sister’s jaw fell open. “Oh, you are just as annoying as Caroline and Andrew!” Then without another word, she flounced away to join her friends. Immediately, titters of laughter filled the air, followed with stares and looks from the bunch.

“Come.” Felix led her back toward the house. “You are nothing like your sister.”

“Thank goodness.” Her mind still reeled from his unexpected defense. “You, um, the words you said back there, about me? They were lovely.”

“I didn’t like how your sister spoke to you. She’s young, so she thinks she can act ugly and no one will say anything because she’s pretty.”

“Perhaps.” Did that mean he preferred Debra to her? That was if she cared that the major might fancy her. “Out of curiosity, which of us do you think is more attractive?”

“Oh, no. I’m not falling into that trap.” He chuckled.

Damn his eyes. He was clever, of course, but she couldn’t help but grin.

“Look there.” The major pointed with the head of his cane. “Lockhart’s holding court within a bunch of young ladies.”

Indeed, he was as he laughed and joked with a handful of women gathered around him on the terrace, all tittering and batting eyelashes and fluttering fans.

“Clearly, he’s popular among the ladies, which belies his earlier insistence he is in love with that Miss Perkins. Why do I have the feeling that no one at this house party is telling the truth?”

“It’s human nature, I’m afraid.” He guided her across the terrace and then into the house. “People are afraid of their feelings—both good and bad—and they want to be seen in the best light. Also, everyone harbors secrets—again both good and bad—but they don’t want to be judged upon them.”

“Do you harbor secrets, Major?” Why did he need to be so intriguing?

“Any man worth his salt in the military or Bow Street has secrets. Sometimes, that’s the key to surviving.” As he strolled through the corridors on the lower level, he seemed content enough.

“Where are we going?”

“To the library. I need somewhere quiet to think. Perhaps go over our notes.”

“Oh.” And here she thought he might be open to exploring the snapping energy between them.

“Also, I might try to steal a kiss or two with a woman who is quite a bit more lovely than her younger sister,” he said as the hand at the small of her back when he led her into the library slipped to put a fleeting caress across her buttock.

A tingle twisted down her spine while heat went through her cheeks. “Oh!”

Perhaps they could both use a short respite from investigating.