Page 94 of The Art of Sinning

And Jeremy’s obligation toherwould be fulfilled, as well. If he chose to leave, she had no way to compel him to stay, the paintings notwithstanding.

“Are you all right?” Jeremy asked softly as he re­­entered the room.

She blinked back her tears. She would die before she let him see how upset she’d become over his leaving. “I’m fine. I just... can’t believe they were able to find him.”

He came over to place his hand comfortingly on her waist. “Yes, well—”

The door opened and Edwin entered. “Don’t let me interrupt,” her brother said in an unusually jovial voice. “I see that you’ve told her, Keane. And I assume that since you’ve called me in, she has accepted your offer.”

“What offer?” Yvette stared at Jeremy, whose hand was still on her waist, and the answer hit her. “You’ve already asked my brother for permission to marry me?”

“Yes.” His eyes locked with hers. “This morning before anyone arrived. He said that his answer is dependent upon yours.” He took her hand. “And so is my future. So I do hope you’ll say yes.”

She noticed he hadn’t mentioned love or any great yearning for her company, or anything else to indicate that his feelings about her had changed since last night. Before she leapt willy-nilly into his arms, she had to determine if he was still just offering for her out of duty.

“Why do you wish to marry me?” she asked.

With a furtive glance at Edwin, he murmured, “You know why.”

“Actually, I don’t. Pray enlighten me.”

Would he reveal what they’d done together? Or drum up some other reason they ought to wed?

He just stared at her, looking frustrated. Itwasas she’d feared. He was marrying her because it was the right thing to do.

She drew her hand from his. “I’m sorry, Mr. Keane, but—”

“No, don’t refuse me yet. At least think about it.” His eyes burned into hers, full of feeling. Why couldn’t he express it?

But he was right. She should not refuse him out of hand. “Very well. I shall take some time to consider the offer.”

“Wait a minute, Yvette,” Edwin said. “If he wasn’t asking you to marry him when I came in, what the devilwashe doing?”

Oh, dear. Time to be honest with Edwin.

Forcing a smile, she turned to her brother. “It turns out that Mr. Keane has managed to locate Miss Peggy Moreton and her child.” As she saw the shock spreading over Edwin’s face, she gulped down apprehension. “You’ll be pleased to hear that Samuel’s son has been found at last.”

Twenty-Three

Jeremy tensed. Blakeborough didn’tlookpleased. He wore an expression of betrayal, as if he’d just been kicked in the ballocks.

An unfamiliar sort of guilt settled in Jeremy’s chest. He’d had few close friends in his life, and he’d certainly never betrayed one.

Then Blakeborough turned his anger on Yvette. “You told Keane about Samuel’s supposed by-blow. And about that... thatwoman.”

Jeremy’s guilt vanished, replaced by an instinctual need to protect Yvette. “Yes, she told me.” He moved in front of her. “She needed to confide in someone who could help her decide how to act. And as I explained this morning, she and I grew quite close during our time together doing her portrait.”

“Really?” the earl snapped. “I was there, too, and I don’t recall talking about my damned brother and the damned request he made of my sister.”

“Edwin—” Yvette began.

“You forget that she and I didn’t work all the time.” Jeremy fumbled for an explanation of how they’d grown so intimate. “We danced together at the masquerade ball. Occasionally, you left us alone with Damber so you could attend to estate work.”

“So now your insolent apprentice knows my family’s business as well?” Blakeborough roared.

“Stop it, Edwin!” Yvette cried. “I told Mr. Keane about Samuel the first night I met him, when we danced. I said the only way I would agree to sit for a portrait was if he found my nephew for me.”

That halted the earl’s fury right well.