Page 24 of How to Fall for a Scoundrel
“Ah.” Tess nodded, satisfied. “Very well. Let’s meet back here at noon tomorrow to discuss what we’ve managed to find out. Justin and I are attending the Levensons’ soirée tonight, but if the Willinghams are in attendance, I’ll try to get an introduction.”
“I’ll call on my other cousin, Edward, the barrister, tomorrow morning. He might know if the Willinghams have ever been involved in any court cases.” Ellie stood and rounded her desk. “See you both tomorrow.”
Chapter Twelve
Ellie’s cousin Edward suggested a walk in Hyde Park when she called on him the following morning, and she readily agreed. The weather was cold and crisp, but the sky was blue—typical of December—and she laughed at the way her breath made dragon puffs of “smoke” when she exhaled.
Unfortunately, Edward had no useful information to tell her about Lord Willingham, other than the fact that they were both members of the same gentlemen’s club, and that Willingham and his wife, Cassandra, were known to have been vocal supporters of Bonaparte before his defeat.
They were just walking beside the northern section of the carriage drive, discussing William Garrow’s sponsoring of a parliamentary bill to prevent animal cruelty by proposing increased penalties for riding horses until their severe injury or death, when a familiar figure appeared from a side-path.
Ellie’s stomach did a foolish little somersault, even as she let out a sigh of resignation as Harry sauntered toward them, the silver top of his sword cane glinting in the sun.
She reluctantly made the introductions.
“Edward, have you met Henri Bonheur? He’s recently arrived in London after some years on the Continent. Monsieur Bonheur, this is my cousin, Edward Hussey.”
The two men shook hands, and Edward sent her an intrigued glance. The two of them had practically grown up together—his mother being her aunt—and they’d always been more like siblings.
“And how are you two acquainted?” Edward asked Harry. “Ellie’s never mentioned you before.”
Harry sent her a smile. “Oh, we met on a professional basis. I recently found myself in need of King and Company’s services. Your cousin has been a wonderful source of assistance.”
Edward was too polite to inquire further into what he surmised were unfortunate circumstances, but Ellie was sure his sharp gaze was assessing Harry’s expensive clothing and drawing his own—incorrect—conclusions; namely, that a man as wealthy as Harry had probably been the victim of a crime, instead of the likely perpetrator.
Appearances could truly be deceptive.
She was reluctantly admiring Harry’s dove-gray coat and wondering how many of the things the blasted man owned, when an incongruous detail caught her eye. A lone leaf dangled from the shoulder of his otherwise immaculate sleeve, and she reached out and brushed it off without conscious thought.
Harry looked down at her in obvious surprise, and she felt her cheeks heat at the impulsive, intimate gesture.
“You had a leaf,” she said quickly. “It must have fallen from a tree.”
All three of them glanced up at the leafless branches above them, and Harry let out an amused laugh.
“It would appear not. It’s far more likely I picked itup when I was rolling around on the ground with Lord Willingham a few moments ago.”
Ellie gaped at him, and his dimples deepened in delight at her obvious shock.
“What do you mean?” Edward demanded with an astonished laugh.
“I’m afraid I made the poor man’s acquaintance in the most unfortunate manner. It was my fault. I bumped into him, quite literally, just over there by the duck pond.”
Harry gave a vague wave in the general direction of the Serpentine, and sent Edward a self-deprecating shrug. “I was so busy thinking that I reallymustcommission a waistcoat the exact green of the feathers on a mallard’s head, that I failed to look where I was going, and barreled into poor Willingham. We both took a tumble.”
Ellie sent him a narrow-eyed look of suspicion, which he returned with an innocent smile that fooled her not one bit. He’d clearly engineered the encounter with Willingham to effect an introduction.
Or worse.
“I thought I’d managed to restore my usual sartorial elegance, but apparently not.” He made a great show of smoothing his cravat and checking the tails of his coat for additional debris.
Ellie shook her head. “Edward, I hope you don’t mind, but I have some news for Mr. Bonheur about his case. Mr. Bonheur, if your carriage isn’t far, you may give me a lift back to Lincoln’s Inn Fields.”
Edward nodded in easy agreement, while Harry said, “I’d be delighted.”
Ellie took his arm and the two of them started along the path, but as soon as Edward was out of earshot she turned to Harry with a glare.
“All right, out with it. What did you do to Willingham? Steal his wallet? Pilfer his house keys?”