Lord Deverill's Secret by Amanda Grange

there was a billiard-room attached to it which had occupied Rupert and her father whilst she and her mother had chosen their books. On occasions she and her mother had been known to play a game of billiards as well. But it was not to this library that she was now going, for she was going to the newer library on the south side of the Steyne. There were a number of excellent shops in the vicinity and, whilst purchasing anything was out of the question, Cassandra was looking forward to admiring the displays in the windows.
    The morning was cool and the fashionable visitors who were promenading along the Steyne were wrapped up in colourful spencers. They looked pointedly at a group of men who were playing cricket, as if to say, “Go and play your games elsewhere.” It was an old problem. Rupert had often played cricket on the Steyne and had frequently fallen foul of promenaders who took exception to dodging cricket balls, or being knocked down by enthusiastic fielders.
    Cassandra was just about to cross the open space when she saw Justin walking towards her with his hound trotting by his side. He checked on seeing her, and she felt herself torn in two. After their encounter in the conservatory any meeting between them would necessarily be difficult, and with Mr. Bradley’s words haunting her it was even more disturbing, but she could not help feeling glad to see him again.
    He tipped his hat.
    “Miss Paxton, he said.
    “Lord Deverill,” she acknowledged him.
    She stood awkwardly, searching for a neutral topic of conversation to try and convince him that she was at ease. And then, to her relief, the hound nudged her hand with his wet nose and demanded her attention.
    “He’s a fine animal,” she said, as she stroked him behind the ears.
    “He is,” he said. “He belongs to my sister.”
    “Oh! I thought he was yours.”
    “Alas, no. The town house isn’t big enough for me to keep a hound, but I look after Troilus whenever my sister is away. She lives nearby, on her husband’s estate, but she is in London at the moment.”
    “It seems like a useful arrangement.”
    “It is. It suits us both. I have the benefit of Troilus’s company, and my sister is relieved of the worry that the servants will overfeed him.”
    “And do they overfeed him?” asked Cassandra, looking at his sleek figure.
    “No, but Anne is convinced that everyone indulges him when her back is turned. The irony is that she cannot resist giving him titbits herself,” he said with a ghost of a smile.
    Cassandra appreciated his attempt to lighten the situation, and said, “He looks well on it.”
    “Yes, he does. Are you going far?” he asked, introducing a new subject as the old one showed signs of fading away.
    “To the library,” she said.
    She was beginning to feel a little more comfortable. Even so, memories of Mr. Bradley’s words prevented her from being truly at ease. She reminded herself that she knew very little about Justin. She knew that she was drawn to him but she did not want the attraction to cloud her judgement. She would have liked to ask him about Mr. Bradley’s comments but out in public, and with Moll so close, it was impossible to raise the subject, and she knew she would have to wait for a more private time.
    “Are you looking for any books in particular?” he asked.
    “I must confess that I’m hoping to find something by Mrs. Radcliffe.”
    “ The Mysteries of Udolpho , perhaps?”
    “No, I’ve already read that.”
    “And did you enjoy it?”
    “Yes. It sent shivers down my spine. I loved the sword fight.”
    “And the catacombs?”
    “You’ve read it?” she asked.
    “My sister devours everything Mrs. Radcliffe writes. I was so tired of hearing her talk about books I knew nothing about, I decided I must read them as well.”
    “You mean you didn’t lock them up and forbid her to touch them?”
    “No. Nor did I lock her up and forbid her to touch them!”
    “Then you have sadly missed your