“Are they secretly betrothed?” Matthew held his breath, praying for the answer he wanted to hear.
“I should tell you that she is.” Selby sipped his drink.
“Then she isn’t,” Matthew said with relief.
“No,” Selby admitted. “But I would far prefer a match with him than with you.”
Of course he would. Why would any man want a penniless earl with a scandal attached to his name for his sister? Especially if he could arrange for his sister to marry a wealthy marquess who would be a duke one day.
“If you attempt to do anything further to ruin her name, I will call you out,” Selby said before walking to his wife.
So much for thinking Selby might agree to the marriage should he find them in a compromising position. Matthew knew he would have to depend on the dowager Lady Selby to convince her son that Matthew would be acceptable.
Somerton entered the salon, stood at the threshold, and scanned the room with his usual arrogance. Matthew nodded to him and tilted his head so that he would understand his need to speak with him. Somerton inclined his head so slightly most people wouldn’t have noticed. But Matthew did.
After observing the room like a lion on the hunt, Somerton sauntered toward him.
“Yes?” he said with impatience in his voice.
“I need you to get a missive to Lady Jennette,” Matthew whispered.
“Good God, man, do I look like a footman?”
“There is no one else I can trust.”
Somerton shook his head. “Very well, hand it over.”
Matthew casually removed the small note and gave it to Somerton. “Don’t let anyone else see it.”
Somerton grinned. “And I thought you trusted me.”
“Only in the smallest measure.”
“As it should be.”
Somerton cupped the missive in his palm and walked away. Matthew continued to watch him as the footman announced dinner. Somerton neared Jennette and then appeared to trip, catching himself on her. Matthew supposed that Somerton ha
d handed the note to her while attempting to right himself.
Jennette assisted Somerton to his feet as a small paper floated down between her breasts. How had the man done that? She leaned in closer as if he needed more help.
“For me?”
He gave her a quick, knowing nod. “I apologize, Lady Jennette,” he said for the benefit of the room.
“It is of no consequence, my lord.”
He sent her a quick wink as people surrounded them. “Thank you for saving me from a most un-gracious fall.”
Jennette attempted to keep her lips from twitching in humor but doubted she succeeded. For all his scandalous reputation, there was something oddly endearing about Somerton. Walking out of the room, she headed for the ladies’ retiring room instead of the dining room.
Once there, she walked behind a screen as if to use the chamber pot. She pulled out the small note and unfolded it. Shaking her head as she read it, she could not believe he would ask her to meet him. She would never be so dim-witted again.
She had satisfied her curiosity regarding Matthew and their lust. But she couldn’t let that happen again. There had to be someone who would marry him. As much as seeing him with another woman would break her heart, it had to be done.
Walking back to the dining room, she entered from the side door. She ambled past the table, looking for her seat and with whom she would be eating. Her eyes widened as she found her place and Matthew across from her.
He smiled slowly at her. Her gaze slid to Lady Aston, who looked away, but not before Jennette noticed the malicious grin on her face.