Lord Scoundrel Dies Read Online Free

cheerful.
    Charlie watched his friend gloomily as he
tucked into the breakfast that, not two minutes before, he could
not bring himself to face. But that was Montague Truelove for you;
troubles tended to sail on by, leaving sunny skies behind. If only.
Somehow or other, Charlie needed to sort out what to do to help his
friend. Because if there was one thing that was certain; for all of
his plans, Monty did not have a clue how to help himself.
     
     
    Brindlebyrn Lodge,
    Hounslow Heath
     
    Not three miles distant from central
London…
     
     
    ‘If you do not tell me what is wrong, I
cannot help you,’ Aubrey, Viscount Talisker, tried to keep the
exasperation out of his voice because he knew from experience it
would make Celeste cry all the harder if she heard it. She was
currently wetting his waistcoat – a very nice waistcoat he was
extraordinarily fond of – her golden head leaning against his
chest. It had come to rest there some time before and he was
beginning to doubt that it was ever going to leave.
    ‘I… c-cannot… I…’ there followed something
unintelligible, followed by snuffling. He knew his sister-in-law
well enough to predict that she would come away from this encounter
in far better shape than he. Somehow, Celeste managed to remain
angelically unblotched while his clothing would probably require
considerable attention.
    This was not how he liked to start the
day.
    Patting sometimes helped, so he patted her
shoulder tentatively. He was very fond of Edward’s wife but there
were times when he wished that it was Edward’s clothing that bore
the brunt of Celeste’s more emotional excesses. The patting seemed
to do the trick because, after a time the sobs became sniffles,
which in turn, settled into a more rhythmic breathing pattern.
    ‘There now,’ he said cautiously. He wanted
to add something along the lines of ‘feel better?’ or ‘that’s the
ticket’ but, once again, experience had taught him well. Sometimes
it was best to just shut up and wait.
    ‘Oh Aubrey,’ she sighed, raising her –
predictably unblotched – face to his. Her blue eyes were still damp
with tears but they merely made her look delicate and vulnerable.
‘You are so good to me.’
    ‘I am,’ he agreed wryly. ‘I’m devilishly
good to you, considering I shall probably have to get changed. But
only tell me, whatever is the matter? Have you quarreled with
Edward?’
    ‘No. Oh no… although if he finds out what I
have done he will likely throw me aside and I could hardly blame
him. I promised, you see and… and…’ The tears threatened again,
making Aubrey fling himself hastily into the breach.
    ‘Why would he do anything of the kind?
Unless…’ he frowned at Celeste. ‘Have you been gambling again?’
    She nodded, perfect pink lips quivering. ‘I
did not mean to. I swear I did not! But Lady Swann told me that she
knew the most marvelous place and… and I only intended to go and
have a very quick look. Not to do anything, you understand. But
then…’
    ‘But then there were card tables and all
manner of other things and you could not resist,’ his lordship said
grimly. ‘How much this time?’
    ‘It is not the money,’ Celeste protested.
‘For truly, I did not lose anything. I came to my senses quite
quickly and I left, I swear I did. And,’ she sniffed sadly, ‘I was
so proud of myself for leaving.’
    ‘So what is the problem, then? I mean I can
see how you might be cast down by the fact that you broke your
promise to Edward by going there in the first place – Lady Swann is
a wretch for taking you – but you saw the light so it’s a happy
ending, yes? I won’t tell him if you don’t. Just make sure it
doesn’t happen again.’
    He couldn’t understand why she was so upset.
Yes, Celeste had promised his brother that she wouldn’t gamble any
more. She had developed a taste for the tables since their marriage
and had managed to rack up quite a few debts in the early days. In
themselves,