A Sister's Secret Read Online Free

possibility exists, marm.’
    ‘Then it is a possibility you must remove, sir, or does the mention of Cumberland intimidate you?’
    ‘Cumberland is a dark shadow in a thousand corridors, marm, but no, I am not intimidated.’ Captain Burnside smiled. ‘I ain’t as much in his way as his elder brothers are.’
    ‘His elder brothers?’ Caroline took serious note of that remark. ‘What is this, sir – an imputation that Cumberland wishes himself the only son of the King?’
    ‘He ain’t said so to me, marm. I merely made an observation. Favour me by continuing with that which is relevant to my commission.’
    Caroline, casting from her mind the unbearable image of Annabelle
enceinte
by reason of Cumberland’s lust, said firmly, ‘I am engaging you, Captain Burnside, for the purpose of freeing my sister from her attachment to the duke. His arms have not yet closed about her, but they will, and perhaps as soon as she is twenty-one. In her giddiness at coming of age, she will be at her most foolish. I require you, therefore, to prevent this by inducing her to transfer her affections to you.’
    ‘Ah,’ said Captain Burnside.
    ‘Since you are infamously successful as a ladies’ man, you should not find that too difficult, I presume? You have the gifts of a virtuoso, have you not?’ Lady Caroline was ironic but hopeful. ‘Much as I detest the thought of my sister transferring her infatuation from a royal libertine to a conscienceless blackguard, I shall nevertheless endure it for her sake. You are following me, sir?’ Her green eyes searched his musing grey.
    ‘I am, perhaps, a little ahead of you,’ he said. ‘Ah – is yoursister of independent means? Comfortably possessed?’
    Her eyes became a little fiery. ‘Sir?’ she said warningly.
    ‘I ain’t disposed to fleece her, marm, nor leave her in tears. If she owns sufficient of the ready or has excellent prospects, then once I’ve won her sweet affections I’ll not be averse to marrying her.’
    ‘Marrying her?’ Caroline flamed. ‘My sister? You?’
    ‘Well, d’you see, marm,’ said the captain reasonably, ‘I fancy that, in detaching her from Cumberland, I may become so much the object of her affections that she’ll conceive expectations.’
    ‘Dear Lord of mercy,’ breathed Caroline, ‘I vow I have never known such a scoundrel, nor one with so much love for himself. Under no circumstances, none whatever, are you to entertain the idea of marrying my sister.’
    ‘Well, there may be tears, marm …’
    ‘So there may, sir, but sooner tears than shameful disgrace. Attend on me, Captain Burnside, and take note that, if you succeed in this matter, you will at once return to the disreputable environment you no doubt inhabit. I will look to my sister and any tears she may shed concerning your disappearance. You will give Annabelle the attentiveness and consideration of a gentleman throughout, practising your deception as forgivably as you can, and then depart honourably, as I require you to and will pay you to. You will say, perhaps, that your regiment has called on you for active service abroad. That is as honourable as can be contrived, I suggest.’
    ‘Quite so, marm; all shall be as you wish,’ said Captain Burnside.
    ‘And now, sir, to the second part of your commission. This also concerns the Duke of Cumberland.’
    ‘The devil it does,’ murmured the captain. ‘The man’s a pervasive darkness.’
    ‘He has a letter,’ said Caroline.
    ‘Damn me, there’s—’
    ‘Sir?’ she said freezingly.
    ‘Humble apologies, Your Ladyship. But I was going to say there’s always a letter lurking somewhere or other. Who is the dear and unfortunate lady?’
    ‘Do not anticipate me, Captain Burnside, or attempt to take the dialogue out of my mouth. The lady in question is my dearest friend, Lady Hester Russell. The letter is of pale blue parchment and the wax seal, although broken by now, is stamped with a crest appertaining to a swan.