Page 36 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
Ezra’s lips curled up again, and his lavender eyes sparked with amusement. “You’re quite something. And absolutely nothing like the rumours.”
“Pray tell, what are the rumours about me?”
“That you’re weak in the face of your stepmother and half-siblings who, apart from Lord Vincent, bully and abuse you into submission.”
Ouch.
“You’re cruel and spoilt and look down on those below you, which is why you barely have any friends.”
Ouch.
“You send your half-sister, Sophia, to events you’re invited to because you don’t think they’re good enough to grace with your flawless presence.”
Ouchy ouch.
Wait.
“The first two may have been true in the past, but for someone who runs the most infamous information guild, your knowledge is quite lacking on the third point.”
“Ah.” He held up a finger, leaning in close. “I said that was the rumour, not that it was the truth.”
I tilted my head back so I could meet his eyes. “Then what doyouthink the truth is?”
“Marchioness Vermillion is in charge of your letters and has been taking out the best invitations, sending your sister in your place without your knowledge.”
Hmm. It seemed there was a rat in House Vermillion.
“Aren’t you clever,” I said dryly, touching my fingertip to his chest. “Then I suppose you’re aware of how my sister was utterly humiliated at your estate this week.”
“There’s nothing I enjoy more than petty revenge.” He clasped his hand around mine and pulled it away, peering down as if my palm were something to be studied. “I’m also interested in what you know about me, my lady.”
“A lady never reveals her secrets.”
“Oh, you will.” He brought his face close to mine again. “Now what could the eldest daughter of House Vermillion need so desperately that she canonlyspeak to me about it, hmm?”
I stepped back, extracting my hand from his grip. “I need a list of bachelors between the ages of twenty-two and thirty-five who are looking for their first wife. They must be either a first or second son of a marquess or higher, but a count’s household would do if they were high enough in the Imperial Family’s estimation. And I need it within a week.”
Ezra stared at me, shock flashing through his eyes, breaking through his usual cocky demeanour. “You… want me to find you a husband? Forgive me, but isn’t that your father’s job?”
“Yes, but he’s open to my input. I promised to present him a list of my choices for his perusal.”
“And why do you need me to get that for you?”
“I’ve recently learnt of a marriage proposal that may be coming my way,” I said vaguely. “One my father would find hard to turn down, but one I wish to avoid at all costs.”
He tilted his head to the side. “Let me guess; you’re trying to enter a marriage arrangement before that happens.”
I nodded. “If I’m officially engaged, it will be hard for my father to agree, especially if my fiancé is from a duke’s family. However, I simply do not have the means to obtain information about the bachelors of the empire as quickly as necessary.”
His lips curled up into his cocky smile. “Didn’t you tell Jinx that you’d have your father visit mine to propose marriage?”
“Only so I could threaten you into doing what I want.” I shrugged one shoulder. “Don’t misunderstand. I have no desire to enter into any kind of personal relationship with you.”
“Ouch. You just keep breaking my heart here tonight.”
“Can you do it or not?”
“It’s not a matter of if I can. It’s whether I will.” He tapped his fingers against the stone railing. “What do I get out of this?”
