Chapter 70

“So Beresford’s gone and done it, has he?”

“He has. Lovely gel.”

“Old Leighton’s chit.”

Matthias was seated at an empty table, close enough to hear the conversation. He would pay a fair amount to see Esmond’s face when he heard the news.

“She’s a beauty to be sure, but there’s not much of a fortune there. Not if the stories about Old Leighton are true.”

“Beresford doesn’t need to marry a fortune. She’s an agreeable young thing, not bound to give him much trouble, and that’s what’s important.”

Matthias stifled a smile and coughed to cover the abrupt urge to laugh. Beresford was in for a surprise if that’s what he believed. Should Violet prove to be anything like her brother, she simply preferred to lull people into thinkingher agreeable and if she decided it was necessary, she could give someone all manner of trouble.

“Haven’t seen in it the papers yet.”