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a good thing she knew how to gamble. Sitting as she was with a rather fine hand, she knew her bestchance of winning was to play it right up front and unnerve her opponent before he had a chance to set the stakes.
    “I can’t possibly leave while the Denfords are still in residence,” she said. “They would be rather suspicious if I departed so abruptly.”
    His brow furrowed, as if he knew that as well.
    “So let us come to an agreement,” she offered. “As long as they are in residence, I can remain.”
    He cocked his head and stared at her. “Just like that?”
    She nodded.
    He looked taken aback by this, but recovered quickly. “I’ll have them gone by breakfast and then I expect you to follow suit.”
    Emmaline used every bit of demure acquiescence she possessed to lower her lashes and look ever so thankful. “If you think that is best.”
    “Yes, I do. And I don’t want you to go down to breakfast. Send your apologies and let the servants know you are not feeling well.”
    “I doubt the Denfords will believe I am in ill health.”
    “They are my concern. Just keep to this room until they are gone.” He took one last glance at her, as if weighing a choice, then shook his head. “Now I have another matter to see to,” he said, before he swept from the room, leaving her once again in the solitude of the boudoir.
    She grinned at the empty space.
    So he thought that was it? If Sedgwick really believed Hubert and Lady Lilith could be so easily dispatched, he was in for a shock. The pair had arrived earlier in the day and it hadn’t taken them more than five minutes to start fussing over her expensive changes to the house, as well as peppering her with a bevy of pointed and overly inquisitive questions.
    No, that pair was up to something and Sedgwick would have his hands full disengaging them from Hanover Square.
    Then again, she was also willing to wager that he was in for more than his share of surprises if he thought she’d be leaving before her fortnight was completed.

Chapter 3
    I t took Alex nearly four hours to discover Jack’s whereabouts. He’d tried Camilla’s house, rousting the lady and the gentleman in her bed from a sound night’s sleep.
    Only the man in her bed hadn’t been Jack, but old Ambercrombie. Apparently Alex’s bracelet hadn’t been enough to retain the lady’s affections.
    Ambercrombie had been furious over being interrupted and had threatened to send over seconds in the morning until Alex explained that he had thought to find Jack in the lady’s company. Then, and only then, did Ambercrombie relent—on the promise that Alex told his friend that Camilla looked well pleased.
    A promise Alex made with relish, vowing to regale Jack with the tale…right before he killed him.
    As he left the house, Camilla came downstairs and confided that she thought Jack had been sending flowers to a Mrs. Gannett on Thornton Street.
    “Oh, and my lord?” she called out as Alex stormed down the front steps.
    “Yes?”
    The lady raised her hand and patted a few stray strands of reddish hair back into place. “Thank you for my bracelet.” There on her wrist sparkled the bauble that Jack had insisted was paramount to keeping his ladylove’s affections.
    So she’d kept the token and traded her heart.
    Smart woman, Alex conceded, as he made his way around the corner to Thornton Street.
    As it turned out, Camilla hadn’t been wrong about Jack. He was at Mrs. Gannett’s, warm and cozy in the lady’s comfortable bed.
    What the pretty coquette was doing with Jack, Alex wouldn’t wager. Perhaps she’d seen Camilla’s bracelet. That seemed the likeliest reason, considering the way she cast an appreciative glance in his direction after his unwanted entrance and hasty introduction.
    He made a note to tell the light-skirt there would be no more bracelets from his accounts. Right after he got done thrashing her lover.
    Jack wasn’t as pleased to see his friend, nursing the foul aftermath of a