“I would be willing to pay you an impressive sum,” Mr. Sullyard said, lowering his voice and leaning in, causing Adam to sit far back in his seat. “If you would allow me to see them first. I presume that many companies, including my own, would benefit from them.”
Adam found himself amused. Had Mr. Sullyard not claimed that he himself was making something of the like? It had been the whole reason that Adam had been pursuing that line of inquiry.
“I’m not interested in selling just yet,” Adam stated firmly. “It is still in the trial phase and needs improvement before I can release the plans to the public.” He eyed Mr. Sullyard as he took a sip of brandy. As he set his drink down, he went on. “I will admit I have seen great growth in my business due to its use but there are…” he trailed off shaking his head slowly, “many things which need improvement prior to showing it to anyone else.”
Mr. Sullyard nodded. “Very well. I will, however, leave this with you,” he said, reaching into his pocket and then slipping a piece of paper across the table. “If you allow me early access to them you will find that my offer is very generous.” He raised his eyebrows significantly. “I will leave you to your leisure, Lord Malmore.”
Adam said nothing, watching in relief as Mr. Sullyard bowed to him and walked away. He picked up the piece of paper, unfolding it. He blinked at the number that Mr. Sullyard had scrawled there in his familiar chicken scratch. He sighed putting it in his pocket. He didn’t need the money. For Adam, money was nothing.
What is Mr. Sullyard’s end game?
He recalled how the two of them had always been pitted against each other during their time at All Souls College. He recalled how Mr. Sullyard had not been above cheating and attempting to compromise Adam’s successes, back then. Mr. Sullyard had snuck into Adam’s workspace at school, ruining one of his projects. Adam had gone in the next day to find his lab ransacked. He hadn’t been able to prove it was Mr. Sullyard but he had known. Mr. Sullyard had looked at him with a smug gleam in his eye.
No, Mr. Sullyard would not do something sneaky because he had money and connections now. He wasn’t some poor scholarship student anymore. He would remain above reproach, which was why he had approached him there at the club. He thought that money would get him everything that he wanted. Adam was pleased to be able to teach Mr. Sullyard a lesson, that money didn’t buy one everything.
Adam smiled to himself as he looked down at his glass. He decided, in that moment, that he would show his plans to a very select few—to keep them out of Mr. Sullyard’s hands for as long as he could.
* * *
When Susannah and Lucy arrived at the ball, it was packed. She looked around at the people gathered there. Her mind swam. She had never been anywhere so crowded. There were people, from wall to wall.
“This isn’t for fine ladies and gentlemen,” Lucy told her. “There are people like us. There should be plenty of young men looking for wives, you know.”
“I’ll send them your way then,” Susannah said, waving her hand in front of her face to cool herself. It was warm in there. The candles were lit, making it even warmer.
She watched as Lucy started talking to a handsome young man. His friend waved to Susannah. She smiled at him, kindly.
“This is my friend, Miss Humphries,” Lucy said, making the introductions. “This is Frederick Hanby.”
“Pleased to meet you,” she said. The young man leaned in, so she could hear what he said.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked. “The musicians are just tuning up now.”
“Yes, please.”
He held out his arm and she placed her hand in the crook, allowing him to lead her out and onto the dance floor.
The first dance was a lively one. The second was, as well. Once that one ended, another friend of her dance partner asked her to dance the third. She felt as though her head were spinning. Everything was moving forward at such a fast pace. Whenever she caught sight of Lucy, her friend was beaming widely.
Susannah was enjoying herself. She wasn’t at all in any danger of falling for her dance partners. There wasn’t that electrically charged feeling that she got whenever she was around the Earl. Whenever she was near him, she felt drawn to him like a moth to a candle’s flame. The next dance was a slower one, the soft strains of the music washing around Susannah like a gently flowing river.
Her dance partner placed one hand on her waist while he held her other hand out to the side. Susannah let him lead as she didn’t know the dance herself.
Susannah closed her eyes, imagining that she was dancing with the Earl. She felt his breath, warm against her cheek, imagining that it was the Earl. Her skin tingled and an electric feeling pooled in the bottom of her belly. She imagined Lord Malmore leaning in to brush his lips against her cheek.
When she opened her eyes, the young man smiled at her. She felt utterly devastated and looked away immediately, trying to hide it. How she ached for Lord Malmore. It could never be!
Why couldn’t I have fallen for an ordinary man? Someone that I could have easily?
As the music ended, her dance partner leaned in to speak to her. She turned her face away from him, her eyes on one of the wrought-iron candelabras.
“Would you like something to drink?” her dance partner asked her.
“Thank you, but no,” she said politely. “I must go and find my friend.” She curtsied to him, then let the crowd surround her. Susannah had to weave in between people. The sound of voices was a loud buzz. She caught snatches of conversations as she passed. She felt warm and she waved her hand in front of her face.
She thought that if she made it to the edge of the gathering, perhaps she could find some space by the wall. As she made her way through the crowd, she kept an eye out for Lucy.
Only a short time ago, if I’d found myself alone in a crowd like this, I might have been frightened.
The longer she’d been in London, though, the more she’d gotten used to crowds. She found Lucy off to the side with a young man. She was resplendent in her blue dress with her blonde ringleted curls. Her cheeks were a bright shade of pink. Susannah paused, seeing that her friend was occupied.
She saw the way that Lucy looked at him and knew that her friend had found someone special. She couldn’t bring herself to interrupt. She sat down on one of the benches folding her hands in her lap. She glanced over toward the door, wishing that Lord Malmore would walk through it. It was devastating to know that he would never appear.
Susannah let her mind wander, imagining that he would. Perhaps, if it were a masked ball. She knew she would know him immediately. He would enter, his eyes drawn to her.
Lord Malmore would stride confidently over to her, the crowd parting before him. He would take her by the hand, whisper in her ear. Then, he would take her to the dance floor, where he would hold her in his arms.
Chapter 15
Gerard was walking across the room toward Adam. He was smiling from ear to ear. Adam, who was well into his cups by then, wondered why he was so happy. Adam himself was mildly annoyed but mostly because he’d had to listen to Mr. Sullyard and his companions bragging about their exploits from across the room.
“I’m sorry that I’m late,” Gerard said, sitting down. He looked at Adam curiously. “What’s got you so down?” he asked and turned his gaze toward the barkeep motioning with his hand.
“Mr. Sullyard has made me an offer to see the designs for my new invention.”
“Has he?” Gerard asked. The barkeep arrived. Gerard turned to him. “I’d like a whiskey, please. And another for Lord Malmore.”
The barkeep bowed and then moved away into the hazy room.
“Yes. A very substantial offer,” Adam muttered finishing his drink and setting the empty glass aside.
“You still don’t care for Mr. Sullyard very much, do you?” Gerard asked.
“No. Can’t say that I do. He was willing to cheat back at university; I can’t see how he’s changed since.”
“
So, it’s almost ready, then? Your invention?”
“Somewhat,” Adam replied, smiling.
With all of these lies what is going to happen when everyone finds out that I have nothing to show?
Gerard looked at him oddly. “Very well. Keep your secrets.” He had said that before, recently. When he had met Susannah.
Adam thought of Susannah with pleasure. He thought of the moment when they could both acknowledge their feelings for each other. When he could hold her close, and then not let her go. He thought about it—in the lab? No. His bed chamber. In the firelight.
“When you’re ready, I’m looking forward to seeing it,” Gerard said, drawing him out of his thoughts.
“Of course. When it’s ready.” He needed to change the subject. “I received an interesting letter from my father today.”
“Oh?”
The barkeep arrived setting their drinks down in front of them and disappeared again.
“He says that he and my mother are coming to London for the Season this year.”
“When was the last time that they’ve been here for a Season?” Gerard asked, curiously.
“At least five years ago. I was wondering if you’d said anything that might make them…nervous about me.”
Gerard took a sip of his drink and set it back down slowly before he answered. “I said that you’ve been hard at work. I haven’t told them anything more than that. They’re very concerned about you.”
“I don’t know why.”
“Lady Cecily ended your engagement,” Gerard pointed out.
“It was the best thing to happen to me. I’m…well, for the first time, I think I might be happy.”
Gerard blinked in surprise. “Oh?”
Adam nodded reaching forward to take some of the nuts. He ate them, chewing slowly. “I’ve never been happier, to be honest.”
Gerard was silent studying Adam closely. Gerard rubbed his chin with two fingers. Adam knew that this was a surprise to him. No doubt, everyone thought that he was miserable.
“Any news from you? Why were you so late?” Adam asked.
“I’ve met Miss Sarah Fentmore,” Gerard said a slow smile spreading across his face.
“The actress?” Adam asked, frowning.
“The very same.” It was clear from the way that Gerard was beaming that things between them had gone well—very well. Adam was happy for his friend.
“Ah,” he said.
“I went to see her in Macbeth the other night. She absolutely shone as Lady Macbeth, let me tell you—she was bewitching. After the show, I went backstage with a bouquet of roses and orchids. We spent the evening together,” Gerard told him.
“Did you romance her?” Adam wondered why it was fine that Gerard could romance an actress, but Adam could not do the same with his maid. He was tipsy, his blood humming with the alcohol.
I’d best watch out. If I let anything slip, he’ll report it immediately to my parents.
“Naturally. I believe that she’ll make a fine mistress,” Gerard said.
“You’d…never consider her for a wife?” Adam raised an eyebrow. It made his blood boil.
Is there no end to it all?
Gerard looked at him as though he’d grown a second head. “You’re joking.”
“I am not. Please, enlighten me.” He genuinely wanted to know. Perhaps, he could find the root to the problem and proceed to yank it out.
“You expect an actress to become the next Lady Wrentbour? My mother would die,” Gerard exclaimed. He was looking at Adam very closely.
“I don’t see—”
“That’s the problem,” Gerard said, cutting him off. “You don’t believe that the rules apply to everyone. Society has rules, Adam. I am bound to them, as are you.”
Adam sipped his drink. He nodded. “Perhaps, you’re right.”
“Is there something going on with you? You seem—”
“Intoxicated,” Adam finished for him.
“No. Not just that,” Gerard said, whispering as he leaned in. “It’s been the past few weeks. Since Lady Cecily ended your engagement. Is that it? I thought that you were handling the rejection a little too well, but—” he trailed off, his eyebrows raised.
“Not in the slightest,” Adam assured him. “It was the best thing that could have happened for both of us.”
Gerard was silent, frowning. Adam felt himself color as he thought of Susannah. He stared back at his oldest friend. He felt his anger like a storm inside of him. He wasn’t sure that this was a gentleman whom he wanted to remain friends with.
“I need to leave,” Adam said.
“Why? I’ve only just arrived,” Gerard stated.
“We’ve been friends all these long years,” Adam announced. “I’ve put up with your negative behaviors and opinions. You know that I don’t agree with them. But I’m intoxicated. If I stay, I may say something that I regret.”
“Surely, you could have something to eat—” Gerard said.
Adam shook his head. He felt weary, most of all.
“Goodbye, Lord Wrentbour.” He got up and then walked over to the barkeep so he could pay his tab. He didn’t, as he usually would have, pay for Gerard’s as well.
As he stepped out of the club and into the wintry night air, he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt freer—as though the very air that he breathed was better, clearer somehow.
* * *
Susannah and Lucy were on their way back home, their arms linked. They were both laughing. Susannah’s cheeks were red from the warmth of the dancehall and the plunge into the bitter cold. Even though it was late, the London streets were still packed with people and carriages.
“I would have been terrified of all of this only a few weeks ago,” Susannah commented.
“Only a few weeks ago, you were a country girl. Now, you’re a city girl who has a proper job and money of her own.”
Susannah smiled.
“You belong here, Susannah,” Lucy told her.
“Thank you,” she murmured as they neared the house. It was all dark, the lights in the upper rooms were out.
She wondered where Lord Malmore was as she recalled how he’d looked at her when she’d finally told him the truth. She ached for him, wishing that his carriage would pull up next to them as they walked. But they reached the house, turning down the little alleyway that led around the back so they could enter through the servants’ entrance, and there was no sign of the Earl’s carriage.
Susannah was coming to think of the place as her home. She was coming to think of Lord Malmore as home. She knew that this was dangerous for it could never be.
The two of them crept silently to their room; they both then undressed, putting on their nightgowns and climbed into their beds. Susannah lay awake, staring up at the ceiling, her mind filled with thoughts.
She didn’t know what to do nor how to stop things from moving forward. It had all come about naturally. Lord Malmore was drawn to her as much as she was drawn to him.
She thought of how she had felt like she was on fire; all of her senses were wide awake as he had held her. It had felt so good and yet—it had felt wrong somehow.
There was so much at stake and she was the only one of them who had anything to lose.
I wonder if he has even considered that.
Susannah swallowed, the lump in her throat painfully. In the darkness, despite Lucy sleeping nearby, Susannah felt alone.
* * *
Adam returned home from his evening out and was feeling agitated. He got out of the carriage, striding purposefully through the front door, which Mr. Howard was holding open for him.
“How was your evening, My Lord?” Mr. Howard asked as he accepted Adam’s coat and hat.
“It was…” Adam sighed, “it was long, Mr. Howard.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, My Lord. Can I get you anything? Some brandy, perhaps? I believe there’s an open bottle of Merlot if you’re so inclined.”
“That sounds good, Mr. Howard
. Please send it up to the parlor.” He didn’t need more to drink. But he wanted to think about what he had just done. Part of him felt liberated. Ridding himself of Gerard’s influence was freeing in a way that he had never realized.
“Very good, My Lord.”
“Perhaps, some cheese, as well?” he asked, knowing that he should eat, “and crackers.”
“Certainly, My Lord.”
Lured Into Sin By The Wicked Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 12