A Duke to Remember (A Season for Scandal Book 2) Read Free Page B

And now, in the quiet and privacy of this space, it left her more than a little unsettled to be reminded of the lengths certain people would go to in the pursuit of their ambitions. Which was ridiculous, she knew. Greed and ambition were the very things that brought business to her doorstep, and the prevalence of both meant that all the members of the firm lived quite well. But for the first time since she had been hired by Chegarre, Elise wondered if perhaps she needed a break from the darker side of human nature. Perhaps she just needed to get out of London for a while.
    Or perhaps she just needed a good, stiff drink.
    “Miz Elise.”
    Elise’s eyes snapped open. “Good afternoon, Roderick,” she said to the boy standing before her. He was about eight, dressed formally as befitted a pint-size butler, though the entire effect was somewhat ruined by the untamable cowlick that stood straight up from the back of his head.
    “Didn’t recognize you from the window or I would’ve got the door for you,” he said, scratching his head.
    “That was kind of the idea,” Elise replied, pushing herself wearily off the door and starting into the hall. Between this job and her work as a part-time actress at the Theatre Royal, she barely recognized herself anymore at any given moment. Every day brought a new role and a new deception to play out.
    “I like that costume,” Roddy offered. “That’s a good one. You look like a real doctor.”
    But she wasn’t a real doctor, Elise thought unhappily. She wasn’t a real anything, in fact. She was a chameleon, paid to become whomever the situation required. And false credentials would get her only so far.
    “Mr. Alex is in the drawing room waiting for you,” Roddy continued.
    “Good.” Elise brightened at that. Alexander Lavoie was not only her brother but a partner of Chegarre & Associates. As the owner of one of the most exclusive gaming hells in London, he was intimately familiar with the most influential and infamous members of the ton. And Alex had a particular talent for taking the secrets of these elite gamblers and depositing them into his coffers along with their money. This talent alone could turn a clever man into a very, very successful one.
    And Alexander Lavoie was nothing if not clever.
    “Lady Abigail is down in the kitchens,” Roddy told her. “Baking again. Says she couldn’t stand waiting and doing nothing. Do you want me to fetch her?”
    “Not just yet.” Lady Abigail had been staying in the upstairs guest rooms of the town house while Elise assessed her case, and Elise couldn’t remember a time when their pantries had ever been as full of biscuits and breads.
    “Are you sad, Miz Elise?” Roddy asked suddenly as they made their way toward the drawing room.
    “What? Why do you ask?” Elise frowned.
    “You looked kind of sad when you came in.”
    She paused in the hall just outside the drawing room door. “Maybe a little. People can be horrible to each other. And sometimes it makes me sad to think about it too much.”
    Roderick nodded sagely. “When I get sad or angry, I like to go down to the river and throw rocks into the water. It makes me feel better.”
    Elise smiled despite herself. “Are you suggesting that I go throw rocks into the Thames?”
    Roddy made a face. “Of course not, Miz Elise. Unless you want to. But surely you have something you like to do that makes you feel better?”
    “Cows,” she said.
    “Cows?”
    “I used to milk the cows whenever I needed to think. Whenever I needed to let my mind rest and settle my thoughts.”
    Roderick wrinkled his nose dubiously. “Did you want me to fetch you a cow? There are some kept over on—”
    Elise laughed. “No, thank you, Roderick. I think you’ve cured any sadness for now. I can skip the milking for today.”
    “Happy to help, Miz Elise.” Roddy flashed her a smile before he disappeared back down the hall, presumably in the direction of the kitchens and the delicious smells