An Invitation to Sin

Lord Zachary Griffin lifted a glass of claret from a passing footman. "For God's sake, hurry it up," he muttered, gazing at the pair of dancers twirling halfway across the room.

Thirty other couples swished about the Tamberlake ballroom, but he scarcely noted them. Likewise the half dozen single young ladies edging toward him along the wall -- they occupied him only insofar as they kept him on the move to stay ahead of the silk and lace-draped gaggle.

Under normal circumstances he had no objection to waltzing with pretty young chits; he enjoyed it, in fact. However, the first order of business tonight was, well, business. He could dance later.

Across the room, his older brothers, Sebastian, the Duke of Melbourne, and Charlemagne, had also declined to waltz. The pair of them were in deep conversation with Lord Harvey and were no doubt finalizing negotiations to buy out the viscount's shares in their shipping business. He wished them well, but just the thought of all the damned numbers and percentages flying back and forth over there made his head ache.

The waltz finally swirled to an end. Most of the dancers headed back to their companions or toward the refreshment table. The pair Zachary was after separated in front of the chocolate cremes. With a last glance at his brothers, he moved in.

"Glad to see you still in London, Major," he said, putting a hand on the gentleman's red-clad shoulder.

John Tracey faced him. "Zachary," he returned with a smile, offering his hand. Zachary shook it. "You look well."

"Is there a reason I shouldn't? Other than your sister deciding she didn't want to marry me, that is."

"None of us expected that," Zachary conceded, his own smile tightening. Damn Nell. He didn't need any complications tonight. "Except perhaps for Melbourne, of course. He tends to know everything."

"He might have informed me then, that Lady Eleanor meant to marry the Marquis of Deverill before he asked if I wished to join the family."

Zachary shrugged, not certain how genuinely perturbed Major Lord John Tracey was by recent events. As much of a handful as his sister Nell had turned out to be, he wouldn't have wanted to be leg-shackled to her. "She eloped with Deverill. We even caught up to them once, and they still got away from us. After that, there wasn't much we could do. Valentine and Eleanor together are rather unstoppable."

"So I gathered. What can I do for you, then? It can't be marriage again. You don't have any other female siblings to send in my direction, and Melbourne's daughter is what, eight?"

"Peep is six," Zachary returned. "Actually, I have a favor to ask of you." "Ask away."