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Chapter 18

"And you're absolutely certain of this, Sarah?" Charles said wearily.

Sarah twisted her fingers and bowed her head, her long shimmering golden mane sweeping forward. "Absolutely certain, m'lord duke."

Dick narrowed suspicious eyes on her. "If I find that you're lying to get the little fox out of the picture --"

"Never, m'lord!" Sarah practically shrilled and fell to her knees at the marquis' feet.

They were in the parlor downstairs, taking tea as the afternoon sun poured through the windows. On the table was a beautiful tea set, quietly steaming on a tray, beside which stood a small glass vase of yellow flowers, fat and short and filled halfway with water. The clock on the wall was ticking softly and steadily, and the many pretty trinkets in the room stared like a silent audience at the ongoing conversation.

Charles stood peering out the window, his paws behind his back, his glasses perched on his snout, his white mane pulled back in a low tail. He was dressed in a dark blue waistcoat and tight breeches. The white tail that cut from the back of his breeches was low and swayed every now and then with thought.

Dick was sitting at the table, presiding over his tea with tired eyes. He pulled a flask from his coat when Charles wasn't looking and poured a little liquor into his teacup. Sarah saw him and lowered her eyes again with a disapproving tisk.

Dick's intense eyes zeroed in on the top of Sarah's head as she bowed before him. Finally, he sighed and said, "Get up, girl. I know you aren't lying."

Sarah obeyed, looking at the marquis in relief. "We have to stop them, m'lord. The world is a dangerous place for Miss Evie, though she don't seem to understand --"

"Yes, yes," said Dick over her and looked at her in amusement. "And . . ." He laughed shortly. "This has nothing to do with getting rid of the fox?" He lifted his brows and sipped from the cup.

Sarah lowered her eyes and her lips tightened in an angry line. "Now I would be lying if I said otherwise, m'lord. She should go to the king as a pelt. It was what Miss Evie wanted in the first place."

"No. It wasn't," Charles said from the window. He turned to face the room. "I do believe Evelyn always meant to run from here. She was lying through her fangs about that whole business with the king. She might as well have admitted it to me. We were talking the other day . . . and the apology in her eyes." He shook his head and came to the table, where he eased into a chair opposite the marquis with a groan. Sarah hurried to her master and filled his teacup. He thanked her in a whisper.

"I have something of a confession myself, love," Dick said after watching Charles drink for a moment.

Charles stared at Dick over his spectacles. "Why am I not surprised?" he said dryly. He set the cup down and sat back, sliding one leg over the other. "So you lied to me about something as well? Wot, is this Lie to Charlie Month?"

Dick pushed a tired paw back through his red mane. "I was only thinking of you and Evie. The truth is, the king sent that invitation about a week back. In fact, more than that."

Charles stiffened. "Wot!" he cried, leaning forward. "And you were content to ignore it for this long?" His face twisted. "Do you have any idea what sort of an affront - why they haven't butchered me at court already --"

"Calm down, love," Dick returned tiredly. "I sent a reply telling his majesty that Evelyn was ill and indisposed. I never wanted her to go any more than you." He snorted. "We both knew that fool plan of hers wasn't going to work, but now that we know she was right lying about going anyway . . ." He shrugged and took a sip from his cup.

Charles leaned back in his chair again, ears forward and alert. "Well, what did the letter say, damn you? Are you going to tell me that much? Or do I have to shake it out of you?"

Dick smiled. "The king heard about Evelyn's predicament and offered his assistance in the form of an arrangement that would be 'quite beneficial' for the both of them." Dick snorted, glaring at his tea as he stirred it. "What do you think that means?" he said sarcastically. "When the letter came, I was content to hide it if it meant safeguarding her from it." He sighed dismally. "If only for a while."

"M'lord, I don't understand," Sarah said, hovering behind Dick's chair with her head down. "Being taken by his majesty is every girl's dream. If he sent a letter for me, I'd drop me knickers and go right now!"

Dick laughed softly.

Charles cleared his throat awkwardly. "Be that as it may, Sarah," he said, wearily adjusting his spectacles, "it is not the king we are worried about."

"It's the queen," Dick said darkly. "She hates Evelyn. I shouldn't be surprised if she had her poisoned in the first week and blamed it on the cake."

Charles shook his head, staring dully at the table. "What do we do?"

Dick smiled. Charles never knew what to do. He hadn't a clue how to run a manor, numbers made him dizzy, and he hated politics. He was not suited to be a noble lord, nor did he want it. Charles was a simple soul, and when Dick came to visit, he was only too happy to leave the affairs of the estate in his lover's more adept paws. Dick looked at Charles now, wishing he could take the burden off his shoulders forever. He would gladly marry the duke and care for him, manage the books, the servants, and the court. For the rest of their lives.

"We send the vixen to the king," Dick answered after a pause.

Sarah brightened and nodded righteously.

"As a slave," Dick said firmly, and Sarah bowed her head sulkily. "We offer her up with our condolences that Evelyn could not make an audience. Meanwhile, I marry Evelyn. She is out of reach of the king, and our little problem with the vixen is solved." Dick took a sip from his tea and set down the cup, staring out the window thoughtfully.

Charles nodded, relieved. "What would I do without you?" he said, smiling at Dick across the table.

Dick laughed shortly. "Have Evelyn run the estate most likely."

Charles closed his eyes and laughed as well. He slid his paw across the table and closed it over Dick's. They smiled at each other, and watching them from behind Dick's chair, Sarah smiled too.

"I know you don't want to. . ." Charles lowered his eyes to the table and sighed sadly. "But we both know it would solve so many problems if the two of you simply married."

"Are you forgetting my mother?" Dick said and his lip curled as he sat back, sliding his paw from Charles. "The moment I marry Evelyn, she will have a legal claim to the estate again. She'll move in. And be . . . really annoying."

Charles laughed dryly. "Better she annoy us than the queen behead my sister."

"So . . ." Dick drummed his fingers on the table and smiled, a lick of red mane falling in his sharp eyes. "I've been a clever boy. Where's my kiss?"

Charles' lips pulled in a half smile. He pushed back from the table and came around it to Dick. Dick pulled him down on his lap, and they kissed, sensual and slow, as Sarah watched with her lashes fluttering.

With hungry eyes, Dick pulled Charles' white mane loose of its tail. Charles frowned with pleasure and his head fell back as his lover trailed hot kisses down his neck, pulled him close in his arms, grabbed under his tail in fistfuls with his . . . more adept paws. Dick put Charles' paw on his crotch and muttered between kisses, "Sarah . . . do be a dear - mm -- and run upstairs . . . turn down the bed . . ."

"Yes, m'lord!" shrilled Sarah, whose face had grown hot from watching the heavy groping and kissing. "Oh . . . Oh, Richard, not here . . ." Charles panted as she retreated.

Hearing Sarah's light footfall as she listened out in the hall, little Hadly jolted and scrambled, her tail flashing behind her as she whisked up the stairs . . . and back to Evelyn.