Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(5)

The Sinclair brothers shook their heads as if to clear them.

“Am I such an ogre that you think I would stop you doing these things then, Essie?”

Dev was subjected to what he termed the Sinclair look, a thorough searching study from one of his siblings. He had received it more times than he could count, yet it still made him want to wriggle on the carriage seat.

“No. I know you would never stop me doing something like this, Dev.” Essie expelled a deep breath. “I just decided not to tell you, as you are very protective of us all.”

“All right, we will leave the matter of you frequenting some of the less desirable London streets for now, and return to Miss Braithwaite. Have you discussed the subject of the children with her again?”

“Briefly, but she wished only to discuss scarves and hats. She is not the easiest person to strike up a conversation with, as you know.”

“She simpers a great deal, and then there is the inane giggling.” Cam sighed.

The first and only conversation Dev had shared with Miss Braithwaite had been at a ball two years ago. She had been dressed in a hideous ill-fitting gown of mustard, with her hair pulled back so tight it made her eyes squint. Poked in the top of it had been a mustard feather that nearly took out his eye when she nodded. Her glasses had borne a smudge on one lens, and while Dev was not a perfectionist by any standards, he had some... standards. And the woman quite literally hurt his eyes to look at.

There was also the little matter of his body tingling when he had drawn near to her. Disturbing, because he had never felt it before, and equally as disturbing was the fact that he was experiencing it with Miss Braithwaite.

He had made the effort to approach, as he had sisters and would hate for them to be snubbed in any way, but it had been the first and only time. Miss Braithwaite had spent the entire dance discussing the Grey Shrike, a bird that apparently she had spent a large amount of time studying. She had bored him silly with its migration patterns, the size of its feet, and the color of its feathers. By dance end, Dev was more than happy to return her to her aunt and flee. He pushed from his memory his reaction to her, and never approached her again.

Now, however, knowing what he did about her, he knew the source of his reaction. Christ, he could still not believe she had his colors!

Had it all been an act? He wasn't sure why she would put on such an act night after night. It made no sense.

“Essie?”

“Yes, Dev?”

“I want you to find out whatever you can about her.”

“Who?” She gave him a sweet smile.

“You know who, so don’t play the innocent.”

“What do I get?”

A Sinclair never did something for a sibling without recompense. If they did, the requests would never cease.

“I know!” She clapped her gloved hands together. “You will dance with the Riddly twins!”

Dev groaned. “Have mercy, Ess. They are sweet, but you know if I do that, their mother will have me wed to one of them before dawn.”

His sister merely smiled once more, and he knew she would not budge.

“Very well, but I expect you to do your bit.”

“Done!”

“Well now, I shall enjoy this evening immensely, and watch both of you with interest.” Cam rose as the carriage stopped.



After greeting the host and hostess and exchanging pleasantries, Dev and his siblings followed the other guests into the ballroom. Everything glittered and sparkled, including the guests, and he stood for a moment inhaling and exhaling slowly as his senses adjusted to the color.

He felt a blinding flash of pain behind his eyes that instantly eased as he adjusted to the brightness and to the myriad of colors. Releasing another breath, he stood between his siblings, one pressed to either side of him, in case it became too much for him to bear and he landed flat on his face.

“I am well.”

They started walking again, nodding as people greeted them. Soon Essie left to talk with some friends. He and Cam continued to circle the room.

Over the heads of several guests, he found Lilliana Braithwaite seated with a group of ladies along the wall. Once again she wore glasses and was dressed in a hideous shade of purple. Not the color of grapes or lavender bushes; no, this was closer to a moldy fig. Her hair was once again scraped back from her face and piled high and decorated with—

“Christ, is that a tree in Miss Braithwaite's hair?” Cam whispered.

“It appears so.”

“I wonder if her aunt lets her dress in such a manner?”

“Perhaps she has little say in the matter,” Dev said.

“Perhaps.”

“I saw her without her glasses,” Dev added. “Her face was also not composed with that vacant look she has perfected. She was beautiful.”

“Really?”

Dev nodded.

“What happened between you has really unsettled you, hasn't it?”

“Yes, because I thought I knew who she was, but now I'm not so sure. Seeing her out there, doing what she was, risking her safety for that boy….” Dev shook his head. “I can find no reason for it.”

“And you like everything to have a reason. Everything in its place, no unanswered questions?”

He did; it was how he lived his life, and he did not like the unexpected.