Dangerous Deceptions Read Free

remarks were ornamented by rather overmuch showing of dimples and batting of eyelashes on all sides. I suppressed the urge to slap them both on their noses.
    I will say that if one did not know his true character, one could easily make the mistake of considering Sebastian Sandford handsome. He possessed an arresting face, and when it was not covered by a curled and powdered wig, his hair was pale gold. He was tall, a fact emphasized by his high-heeled shoes with their silver bows. The rest of his clothing was as rich as his footwear. Tonight, he dressed in pale mauve silk and white velvet, all decorated with great lashings of lace and silver braid. Mary’s mischievous eyes made a thorough and obvious inspection of all these points as she toyed with the lace edging her own low neckline.
    “You have not answered my question, Mr. Sandford.” I attempted to give Mary a warning glower, but I needn’t have bothered. Mary was not paying my discomfort the slightest bit of attention. “What are you doing here?”
    Sebastian, in a belated concession to courtesy, moved his gaze from Mary’s countenance, and other highly visible attributes, back to me. “I have come for the drawing room, of course,” he said. “I was hoping I might see you there, Miss Fitzroy. In fact, I was hoping you’d accept this trifle from me when we did meet.” He held out the jar, which was elaborately painted porcelain with a gilded lid.
    I did not take it. Mary gave me a look clearly meant to inquire whether I had lost my senses. “Poor Miss Fitzroy, she’s quite overcome with seeing you again, Mr. Sandford.” She helped herself to the jar and peeked inside. “Oh . . . how wonderful. Look what your admirer’s brought you, Peggy.”
    Curiosity is a slave driver, and as Mary held out the jar to me, I could not help but glance inside, although I made sure to keep an expression of complete indifference on my face. Sebastian was already looking far too satisfied with himself. The jar contained some black, crumbling substance with a strong herbal perfume.
    “It’s tea,” said Sebastian. “Have you tried it?”
    “Of course,” I answered. This was even true. I’d drunk the stuff once or twice with several grand ladies. I confess I preferred chocolate or coffee, which was just as well. Tea was abominably expensive, and not part of the rations allowed a maid of honor in residence at the palace. When considered in combination with the gilded jar, Sebastian was indeed offering me a costly present. Its value might be best judged by the fact that Mary made no move to hand the jar to me, but did eye Sebastian with fresh interest.
    I took the jar out of Mary’s hands and set it on the mantel. “You could have sent it up,” I said. “That is, after all, the expected form.”
    “I could,” Sebastian admitted with a shrug that I think was supposed to be modest. “But when I arrived, I was told you would not be in attendance at the drawing room. I wanted to assure myself nothing was wrong.”
    Which meant that either he had been wandering the halls or he had bribed someone to bring him here. I promised myself I would discover who had committed this outrage. He would be turned out. Possibly hanged. Slowly. In chains.
    “You might have sent a note.”
    Seeing that I remained uncharmed by his appearance, his flattery, or his gift, the mirth faded from Sebastian’s sharp face, and for a moment he actually looked abashed. “I did not think you would answer.”
    “You were correct.” At this, Mary smothered a laugh, and I felt ready to strangle on my own impatience. Well, I felt ready to strangle something. “Mary, isn’t Her Royal Highness expecting you?”
    “Not for another hour at least.” Mary’s tone said she hoped to spare me any undue concern. This was all the acknowledgment she gave me. Her attention remained fixed on Sebastian.
    “Tell me, Mr. Sandford, how is it that you know our so-fascinating Peggy?”
    “She has not told you?”