Page 28 of An Unexpected Earl

Pearce didn’t believe in coincidences. “Who?”

“I’m afraid I cannot say. Discretion is my business.”

“Odd,” Merritt interjected, looking up at the ceiling. His half-veiled threat emerged as innocent musing. “I thought prostitution was.”

She slid a murderously narrowed glance at him but didn’t deign to reply. She turned toward Pearce and answered, “Miss Amelia Howard.”

His blood turned cold. “What did Miss Howard want to know about blackmail?”

“Apparently, how to do it. But the poor thing is in over her head. You really need to give her lessons, Brandon.” She gestured her glass at Merritt as an example. “After all, you’re very good at extortion.”

He smiled tightly at that backhanded compliment. “I’m here about her brother.” Amelia would never blackmail anyone. She was too good a person. “Frederick Howard.”

“Ah, so someone beat her to it.” She traced a fingertip around the rim of the glass. “What a shame. The Honorable Mr. Howard is one of my best customers.”

That didn’t surprise him. “What would someone use to extort him?”

She feigned ignorance. “What makes you think I would know?”

“I hear Australia’s lovely this time of year,” Merritt commented to the room at large.

“Bore!” she snapped at him over her shoulder. Then, with a long sigh, she faced Pearce and admitted, “He visits frequently and prefers small blonds with large breasts. His favorite is Marigold. You met her when you came in. She led you upstairs.”

Yes. A very pretty and vivacious blond who asked all kinds of questions of him and Merritt.

“Overall, his proclivities are tame and nothing unusual. I’ve heard that he likes to brag about how politically powerful he is, how well connected. How the laws do not apply to men like him. I’ve no hard evidence, of course, only hearsay, but he’s talked of questionable activities—bribery, smuggling, bank schemes, fraud. If it’s true, then he’s done more than enough to be blackmailed for.” She waved her hand dismissively at the brothel around them. “But you know how most men are when they’re with women. Always attempting to make themselves seem more masculine and important than they truly—”

“And Scepter?” Pearce pressed.

Her face paled, her hand freezing in midair. Of course she knew about the organization. She couldn’t be in the business of London prostitution these days and not hear of it, so ubiquitous had the group become.

The amusement she’d worn like a mask melted away. She lowered her hand to her side. “I have nothing to do with them.”

“Does Howard?”

“Not if he knows what’s good for him.”

He fixed his gaze on her. “What do you know about them and their plans?”

“Just enough to stay away,” she answered sincerely. “And I have no intention of learning more.”

To punctuate that, she set down the empty glass on the side table with a soft thud.

The mask returned as easily as her smile. “Now that we’ve concluded your business, is there anything I can do to help you find pleasure?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes lit up hopefully.

“Leave Amelia Howard alone.”

She stiffened territorially. “I won’t pass up a good business opportunity, no matter how small.”

“And the bracelet you told her I gave you?”

“Bracelet? I said no such—Oh,that. I never said you gave it to me.” She laughed at the misunderstanding. “But truly, though, I only have it because of you.”

Merritt’s brow inched up.