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father and grandfather so much, or he’d have murdered them both in their sleep long ago. He lowered his hand to his lap and leaned toward Miss Parnell. “I don’t know quite how to say this, but—”
    “Allow me to guess. Your father and grandfather had a row, your father let slip what you told him, and Grandfather sent off the notice without anyone else’s knowledge, and now you want me to cry off.”
    This might prove easier than he thought. “The thing is—”
    “Are you promised to someone else, Moncreiffe?”
    Alistair shook his head.
    “Are your affections engaged elsewhere?”
    “No, but you see—”
    “Do you wish to be married, my lord?” She was leaning forward now, hands tightly clasped, her expression intent. He could almost see the wheels turning behind her blue eyes.
    He tried to choose his words carefully. “Eventually, yes. It is expected of me, part of my duty. But I had hoped that would not happen for several years at least.”
    “But your grandfather wishes for you to marry sooner rather than later?”
    He nodded. “He thinks that would help ensure I do not become a loose screw like my father.”
    “Might your engagement make him just as happy as an actual marriage, at least for a while?”
    Alistair leaned back in his chair. “What are you getting at, Miss Parnell?”
    “My brother wishes for me to marry. Like you, I do plan to marry, but I hope to make it later rather than sooner. An engagement would please him much in the same way it would please your grandfather.”
    Alistair felt some of the tension leave his neck and shoulders. “Are you suggesting we indulge in a bit of subterfuge, Miss Parnell?” He held back a smile at the confirmation of his suspicions. This was no empty-headed miss before him, regardless of what she may have wanted him to think.
    She batted her lashes. “At the end of the Little Season, our plan is to remove to my aunt’s home in Bath for the winter. By then I think you and I will have spent enough time in each other’s company to find we don’t really suit after all.” She rose to her feet, her hand extended. “Are we in accord, Moncreiffe?”
    He grasped her petite hand in his. “I believe we are, Miss Parnell.” They shook on their agreement. Alistair allowed himself to smile, for the first time in days.
    Their hands were still clasped when the door burst open and a familiar, tall blond man entered.
    He quickly shut the door behind him, depriving thefootmen of the chance to gawk at the proceedings, and stood there with his hands on his hips. “I thought the name in the announcement seemed familiar.”
    Miss Parnell hastily withdrew her hand. She cleared her throat and blinked several times, then smoothed back a strand of hair and faced her brother, hands loosely clasped. “Steven, Lord Moncreiffe and I were just, ah, discussing terms. We—Wait, you two know each other?” She shot Alistair an accusatory glare before turning it on her brother.
    “A mutual friend introduced us the other night.” Alistair tugged his waistcoat into place. “Had I realized the family connection, Blakeney, I would have sought your permission before pursuing a match with your sister.”
    Alistair’s thoughts moved at lightning speed as he spoke the mundane platitude. Blakeney worked for the Home Office, as did Nick. Nick saved me and Charlie from having to swim a time or two. Miss Charlotte Parnell dangling from the rooftop, trying to sneak into the room beyond the balcony door, now made much more sense.
    But the war was over, and had been for some time. What would two ex-spies be after in London?
    Clearly, Miss Parnell was not working in complete harmony with her brother. Rivals, more like. At the least, she wanted to deceive him about the nature of her engagement.
    Once again, two people were using Alistair as a pawn in their power struggle. By going along with her deception, he was playing right into her hands.
    As he looked down at the pretty blonde beside