The Devil's Web Read Free

wounded at the Battle of Waterloo. The engagement had been broken, however—typical of Madeline and her shallow nature. Except that perhaps she was not really shallow. Perhaps he had just made her so in his mind so that he would not love her.
    Her twin brother, Dominic, Lord Eden, had married, Alex had announced in that last letter. But not Madeline. He wished she had married her officer. He could have forgotten about her then.
    Perhaps.
    â€œWill you be going to any balls, do you suppose?” Jean Cameron asked.
    He looked down at her wistful face and smiled. “Not if I can avoid them,” he said. But he felt again the tenderness for her youth and eagerness that he was finding hard to resist. “But if I do have an invitation that cannot be refused, I shall take you along with me—if you wish it and your father permits it, of course.”
    Her face lit up so that once more he had to hold himself aloof, prevent himself from bending forward and brushing her lips affectionately with his own. “Oh, would you?”she said. “Would you really, James?” Her eyes focused on a point over his shoulder. “Duncan,” she called. “Come and hear what James has just promised. Oh, do come.”
    James Purnell looked back over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows in a rather rueful expression at his stocky, sandy-haired friend.

    L ADY M ADELINE R AINE was sitting in a window recess in the drawing room of the Earl of Amberley’s house on Grosvenor Square. She was holding her two-month-old niece on her lap and gazing down into the child’s open eyes. Her twin brother, Lord Eden, the father of the child she held and of its twin, who was sleeping in his own arms, sat with her. They were a little apart from the other occupants of the room and participated both in the general conversation and in their own private one.
    â€œWhat a fascination babies are,” Madeline said. “Have you noticed, Dom, how a baby will always be the center of attraction in any room?”
    â€œI have noticed that you have no eyes for anyone but Olivia,” he said with a grin, “and occasionally Charles. You have scarcely glanced my way, Mad, even though we have not seen each other for almost two months until today.”
    â€œHow foolish,” she said, smiling back at him. “You know I am always glad to see you, Dom. There is always something missing when you are not close by. I am so glad you and Ellen came to London after all. I feared you would not come this year with the children so young and with this newfound delight of yours in the country.”
    â€œWell, you know,” he said, “the chance of bringing the children to town for the admiration of Mama and Edmund and Alexandra and you was quite irresistible. Not to mention Ellen’s father, who has made no fewer than three whirlwind visits into Wiltshire already to assure himself that his grandchildren are growing and Ellen recovering her health. And of course Ellen wanted to bring Jennifer back to town to her grandfather. You must not forget that Ellen is the stepmother of a marriageable young lady, at the grand age of six and twenty. When Charlie died at Waterloo last year, he left Ellen a widow with responsibilities—Jennifer is only eight years younger than she. She is here for what remains of the Season.”
    â€œWhatever your excuse,” Madeline said, “I am glad. She has green eyes, Dom, like you and me. Olivia, I mean.”
    â€œYou have been enjoying the Season?” Lord Eden asked. “You are in good looks, Mad, as usual.”
    â€œIt is quite shameful, is it not?” she said. “This is my ninth Season, though last year did not really count, as I was in Brussels for most of the summer. One of these days, I swear, I am going to take to wearing caps and carrying my embroidery around with me.”
    Lord Eden grinned and glanced down at his son, who stirred before settling back to