"And you had best get a new modiste." Drucilla swept toward the open door. "That gown you wore to the Hollington ball last night was positively indecent. Not at all suitable to your station. You were hang­ing out of it like a demirep dressed for the opera."

Sebastian was on his feet now. "Goddamn it, my wife can wear what she bloody well wants to wear."

"Angelstone, please," Prudence said, "last night you held the same opinion of my gown, if you will but recall."

"That's different." He strode swiftly across the room, his expres­sion lethal as he bore down on his aunt. "Have you anything else to say about my wife's clothes, madam?"

"I do not know why you have taken offense, Angelstone." Drucilla glanced back from the doorway. "That dress was a disgrace. One could almost see your wife's nipples. It was the sort of gown an actress would wear."

Sebastian's eyes gleamed like hellfire.

Prudence threw herself into his path. "Perhaps you had better take your leave, Mrs. Fleetwood," she called over her shoulder.

"I certainly have no reason to stay here." Drucilla went past Flow­ers and out into the hall. She seemed oblivious of the danger.

Flowers took one look at his master's face and discreetly pulled the door closed with a quick jerk.

"That damned bitch." Sebastian shook off Prudence's clinging hands. "I'll see her and her whole brood in hell. Jeremy can swing, for all I care. They can all swing."

"Sebastian, no, wait, you don't mean that. Stop." Prudence dashed ahead of him and flung herself in front of the door. She stood with her back to it, arms stretched out to form a barricade.

"Get out of my way, Prue."

"Listen to me. The reason she resents you so much is because she was in love with your father."

"Have you lost your wits? She hated my father."

"Because he married another. Don't you understand? She was in love with him and he ran off with another woman. Then you come along and claim the title. No wonder she has never forgiven him. Or you."

Chapter Sixteen

Be reasonable, Sebastian," Prudence panted as she braced herself in front of the door. "What would you do to her if you went after her? She's a woman and she's at least twenty years your senior. You cannot touch her and you know it"

"I am not going to put a hand on her." Sebastian was seething with anger. "I am merely going to inform the old bitch that I intend to cut off most of her income from the Angelstone fortune. I may also cut off the allowances of the rest of the family while I'm at it, for good measure."

"Because of her comments on my clothes?" Prudence looked at him in disbelief.

"She insulted you."

"She did not insult me. She was kind enough to offer her expert advice."

"Advice?"

"She is considered highly fashionable. Hester told me so. She knows what she's talking about," Prudence said.

"She insulted you to your face. In front of me, no less."

"Yes, well, as it happens, I agree with her about this particular gown." Prudence shook out the skirts of her dress. "I have never particularly cared for lavender. I only ordered this shade because I was told it was all the rage. And I did wonder about all these flounces. Your aunt is quite right. I shall have to change my modiste."

"Bloody hell." Sebastian heard the sound of Drucilla's carriage wheels in the street outside the front door. It was too late to go after her, even if he managed to peel Prudence out of the doorway. He turned on his heel and stalked back to his desk. "The woman is a bitch."

"I will not allow you to use a few petty remarks about my attire as an excuse to take your revenge, Sebastian."

"No?" He dropped into his chair and put his feet back on the desk.

"No." Prudence moved slowly away from the door. She pushed her spectacles higher on her nose, blinked several times, and swallowed hard. She focused intently on the fireplace. "I told you that I do not want to be used in that fashion. It is unworthy of you, my lord."

Sebastian eyed her with a sense of savage frustration. Then he frowned as she took a hankie out of her pocket and dabbed at the corner of her eye.

"Devil take it, Prue, are you crying again?"

"No, of course not." She shoved the hankie back into her pocket. "I just had something in my eye. I believe it's gone now."

Sebastian knew she was lying. "You don't understand," he said roughly. He did not look at her. He was afraid he would see more tears.

Prudence sniffed. "What don't I understand?"

Sebastian struggled to find a way to explain what he was only now just beginning to comprehend himself. "It was not revenge for the past that was on my mind a few minutes ago when I tried to go after my aunt."

"If you were not looking for an excuse to punish her because of what happened in the past, why were you so upset by her comments on my gowns?" Prudence's voice sounded steadier now.

Sebastian decided it was safe to look at her again. He did so cau­tiously, hoping against hope that he would find her dry-eyed.

She was. She stood watching him solemnly, her hands clasped in front of her. Her eyes were clear and intent behind the lenses of her spectacles.

Sebastian was vastly relieved. "I was angry simply because of the insult to you."

"To me?" She looked surprised. "That's all there was to it?"

"She had no right to talk to you the way she did." Sebastian looked down as Lucifer vaulted lightly onto his lap. He started to stroke the cat.

Prudence smiled, looking vastly relieved herself. "It was nothing,

Sebastian. Her small offense was certainly not worth the sort of retali­ation you had in mind."

"I'm not so certain of that." Sebastian paused. "What was all that nonsense about her being in love with my father?"

"My intuition together with some of the things she said before you arrived lead me to believe that to be the case." Prudence sat down across from him. "It is very sad, is it not?"

"I cannot imagine my aunt being in love with anyone."

"I can." Prudence leaned back in her chair. "Now, then, let us resolve this issue of what to do about Jeremy once and for all. I don't want you keeping everyone, including me, on tenterhooks just because it amuses you to do so."

Sebastian toyed with the silver-plated wax jack that he used to melt sealing wax. "I'm still making inquiries."

"I rather suspected you were. You are going to help Jeremy, aren't you?"

"I suppose so."

"Do you mind if I ask why?"

"Does it matter?" Sebastian was thoroughly irritated by the ques­tion.

Prudence smiled apologetically. "I cannot help being curious. It is my nature, you know. Are you going to continue your investigation because you feel it is your responsibility to your family?"

"Hell and damnation. No."

Disappointment dampened her smile of expectation. "I see. Then is it because your own curiosity is aroused to such a degree that you cannot resist learning the answers?"

Sebastian shrugged. "That is no doubt part of it." He scratched Lucifer's ears. "But not the whole of it."

"Are you doing it because it amuses you to continue the investiga­tion?"

"Goddamn it, Prue, I'm doing it because of you." Sebastian shoved aside the wax jack. "There. Does that satisfy you?"

She stared at him. "You're going to help Jeremy because I want you to do so?"

"Yes," he said. "I am in a mood to indulge my new bride. What is so unusual about that?"

She frowned. "I see. You're doing this because it amuses you to indulge me."

"As everyone knows, I am inclined to take pleasure in some very odd forms of amusement."

"But Sebastian—"

There was a discreet knock on the library door. Sebastian was profoundly relieved by the interruption. "Enter."