“The typical activities, I suppose. The theater is agreeable. I also enjoy dancing, but not the waltz.”
“Why not?”
Her face once again burned. She debated not answering, but didn’t want to upset him. Her father’s rage always increased the quickest when one of his questions went unanswered.
“It’s improper. The contact is much too intimate, particularly in such a public setting.”
“I find your denunciation rather unusual.” The corner of his mouth trembled as if he would smile, but his straight face prevailed in the end.
“How so? Many women I know share my sentiments.”
“I’m sure the response from those staid proper ladies isn’t uncommon. However coming from the woman who set out to entice me is peculiar.”
Part of her wanted to defend herself and admit her father had been the one to insist she act that way, but she kept silent. She didn’t know if her father’s involvement would enrage him, and she decided it would be better not to know.
“Perhaps you dislike the dance because you haven’t enjoyed it with a skilled partner.”
“And I suppose you are at the proper skill level?”
“Merely passable,” he confessed with a shrug.
Abigail shook her head. Although his attempt at flirting was clear, his inexperience shown through. During her first few Seasons, she had been flirted with and favored by many gentlemen looking to secure the hand of a duke’s daughter. Each one exercised different tactics that would have worked had she not known the violent nature of men. The viscount, however, managed to elicit more of her interest than anyone else despite his substandard efforts. She could not understand what about him drew her in.
“I have told you about myself, now it’s your turn to reciprocate. What pastimes do you enjoy?”
His silence stretched to the point she doubted he would answer. “Cards.”
“You are a gambler?”
“Yes.”
His admission put everything together for her. He, like most of his type, enjoyed gambling to his own detriment. Her father must have discovered the extent of Lord Merrick’s gambling debts and assured him her dowry would cover everything. Then he would be rid of her. Once she wed and her dowry disappeared, where would that leave her? The thought of being disgraced in such a manner filled her with trepidation, but she had no choice.
Their conversation didn’t resume even as they exited the carriage and strolled down the paths of Hyde Park. As they encountered others, the reactions they received were unusual. What about them attracted such attention?
“Abigail,” she heard her cousin call.
Turning her head, Abigail saw Julia and Winston walking in their direction.
“My lord,” Abigail addressed the viscount. “Could we wait for my cousin to arrive? She and her husband are coming this way.”
“Certainly.”
Julia offered her a warm smile as they approached. Abigail was pleased her cousin would be able to meet Lord Merrick, but she worried Julia would say something inappropriate to him. Julia wasn’t known for her discretion.
“Good afternoon, Abigail,” Winston said. “I don’t believe I have met your companion. I’m Winston Hosand, Earl of Scholton, and this is my wife, Julia.”
“Pleased to meet you both.” The viscount inclined his head. “Greyson Thorpe, Viscount Merrick.”
“Nice to meet you, my lord.” Julia took Abigail’s arm and began strolling along the path as the gentlemen followed.
“Merrick, you say? Your name is familiar to me, but I can’t recall why,” Abigail heard Winston admit.
“I’m not surprised. My name has been tossed around frequently.”
“Ah, yes. I, too, am familiar with scandal surrounding my name. Rest assured, I’m not one to judge nor am I one to believe too easily.”
“He is handsome,” Julia said, pulling her attention away from the gentlemen behind them.
“Yes,” Abigail acknowledged, although she would have preferred to continue listening to the other conversation. She still had so many questions about her betrothed she needed answered.
“I can see now why you wanted to entice him. Did my plan work for you?”
“Julia, keep your voice down,” Abigail whispered.
“No one is listening.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Abigail saw the two men deep in conversation. Her cousin was right, but she remained unwilling to risk being overheard. Besides, she didn’t want to tell Julia how wonderful it had felt to be kissed by Lord Merrick. The plan turned on her, as she’d been the one enticed.
“I have been meaning to ask you about something. Winston seemed to be familiar with Lord Merrick. Do you know anything about him?”
“No. I don’t recall ever having seen him before. As far as gossip, I’m only privy to the type that occurs while the subject is in the room. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious. As you know, we are betrothed, and I recently realized how little I know of him.”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“I would prefer to discover the real story, not the parts of his past he chooses to tell me.”
“True. I’ll do my best to discover what Winston knows.”
As they parted ways, Abigail felt lighter. If her cousin could discover any secrets Lord Merrick hid, she would be able to use the knowledge to her advantage. Or at least she would be able to prepare herself for what awaited her in the future.
Glancing over at the viscount, she saw a satisfied look in his eyes and was pleased to know the success of the outing. As long as he remained happy, her father would be.
The companionable silence between them on the way back to the townhouse proved to be pleasant. She smiled. Perhaps her life would be less bleak than she’d expected.
Chapter 3
Greyson pushed through the double doors of Ravenhurst, and headed straight to his office. It wasn’t often that Jonathan sent him a missive requesting his immediate presence. As a matter of fact, Greyson could not recall a single time before now.
Once in his office, the most unusual scene greeted him. Jonathan sat in a chair, his legs propped up on the desk and a brandy in his hand. The sofa held Daniel, face down with his hands tied behind his back with something that looked like a cravat.
“Ah, Greyson. There you are. Would you like some brandy?” Jonathan’s tone sounded conversational.
“Help me, Lord Merrick,” Daniel pleaded from the sofa. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Where are your manners?” Shock colored Jonathan’s words as his feet hit the ground. “You are interrupting. Now, Greyson, about that brandy?”
“I have the feeling I’m going to need one.”
“Good choice.” Jonathan poured the liquid into a fresh glass and refilled his own cup.
Greyson took a seat. Jonathan loved being in control, and in Greyson’s experience, there was no rushing him. He preferred to do things in his own time. Luckily Greyson had patience in abundance. If Richard were here, the situation would be different. His impatience always served to fuel Jonathan’s power and prolong the suspense, but Richard wasn’t here this time.
Slowly sipping his brandy, Greyson leaned back in his chair and faced his friend. “Anything new to report?”
“Now that you ask, I do believe there is something.” Jonathan resumed his relaxed position.
“I can’t imagine what,” Greyson muttered dryly.
“Early this morning I had the compulsion to visit the club. Daniel here was on duty. I caught him trying to relieve us of some of our private reserve.”
“That is a lie,” Daniel protested. “I was only moving it to make it more secure.”
“So you believe it’s safer to store the inventory in a location other than the club? When I found you, your intended destination appeared to be out the door.” Jonathan’s demeanor remained relaxed and jovial, but his tone was hard.
Greyson couldn’t remember the last time he saw his fr
iend so serious about something.
“I was—” Daniel started.
“Enough.” Greyson raised his hand. “As of now, your employment is terminated. If you wish to keep The Watch out of it, then you will tell me everything you know.”
Silence stretched as Daniel appeared to be weighing his options. With the man’s connection to this theft, Greyson wondered if he had been involved with the break-in they had suffered almost a year ago. Daniel had been knocked unconscious, but it could have been deliberately done. Pushing the thought aside, he concentrated on the present.
“I never take much, and no one even misses it. The other man is the one you want. He is the one trying to ruin you.”
“Who is he?” Greyson demanded.
“I don’t know. If I did, I would have eliminated him long ago.”
“Do you honestly believe that is enough to save you from The Watch?” Jonathan demanded. “You are going to have to come up with more than that.”
“That is all I know. You have to believe me. Think about it. Why would I want the competition? I had the perfect setup until he showed up.”
Greyson agreed with his logic. However if Daniel turned out to be the “other person” it would explain just as much. He didn’t voice his thoughts as he had a better plan for Daniel.
“Since you have cooperated with us, we will uphold our end of the bargain as well.” Greyson stood. “I’ll get Nathaniel.”
As he sought out his head employee, he worked on perfecting his plan. They had to move now, for they couldn’t let Daniel go without precautions, but they couldn’t hold him here any longer.
“Nathaniel, I have a problem I need you to handle.”
“Daniel?”
“He has been stealing from Ravenhurst.”
“Oh, that explains it. I have never seen Lord Jonathan so angry before.” Nathaniel shook his head. “How many others are we to lose before this is over?”
“Hopefully not too many. I haven’t heard that Algers has made any progress, so I want you to handle Daniel.”
“You want me to follow him?”
“No. I want him trailed, but not by you. I need you to find someone trustworthy and unknown to Daniel to shadow him. Do you think you can do that?”
“I already have someone in mind.” Nathaniel grinned.
“Good. Have Daniel guarded until your man is prepared. Report directly to me with your findings.”
After Nathaniel set off to collect Daniel, Greyson leaned back against the wall and rubbed his temples. Ravenhurst seemed to be having more and more issues as of late, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with it any longer.
His connection to the duke had already garnered a positive effect on Society, and the last thing he needed was to increase his time at the club. It would enhance the chances of someone discovering his association went beyond that of an investor. Once the theft was handled, he would speak to Jonathan about selling out.
“So what is the plan?” Jonathan asked as Greyson returned to the office. “Nathaniel obviously had directions when he pulled Daniel out of here.”
“He is going to have him shadowed.”
“What about Algers? I thought you had him assigned to the task.”
“He is lazy. I’m beginning to believe my faith in him was misplaced.”
Jonathan shrugged as he took a sip of brandy. “It has been an unusual morning.”
“I second that. It has been more years than I can count since I have seen you this early in the morning.”
“This is my usual escape after I dismiss my mistress. I find the chore more pleasant in the morning while they still have the glow of a well-pleasured woman.”
“You have had more mistresses than you have taken breaths. Why?” Greyson could not resist asking.
After all the years he, Richard, and Jonathan had been friends, Greyson still didn’t understand Jonathan. Richard made sense to him. Logic drove him, as well as his ideas of honor and loyalty. Jonathan, on the other hand, played by his own set of rules.
“I’m very lucky. I’m in high demand, and I would hate to disappoint anyone by not sharing myself.” Jonathan set his empty glass down and focused his attention on Greyson. “Speaking of women, how is your betrothed?”
“Very well.” Uncomfortable with the switch of topic, Greyson pulled his deck of cards from his pocket and began shuffling. The sound comforted him and always helped remove any feelings of inferiority. “Care to play?”
“I would prefer to talk of Lady Willimena. I have heard gossip about the two of you.”
Greyson ignored him and continued shuffling the cards. Jonathan was his friend, but he didn’t want to talk about his betrothed. Something was different about the relationship he had with her. Although unusual, he enjoyed it, and he didn’t want to upset the delicate balance.
He would see her tonight at a ball, and he had every intention of waltzing with her, then whisking her into the garden to steal a kiss. In addition, the time had passed for them to speak of the future. She had proven herself worthy of his deference. He would receive what he wanted from the marriage, so he only needed to discover what she desired from it.
“The Duke of Donetic has been making his endorsement of you clear, and judging from the fact you have been seen with his daughter, the speculations are running rampant.”
“It’s of no consequence.”
“My favorite theory is that His Grace is trying to fix your reputation so you can marry his daughter, who is carrying your child.”
“I can’t wait for their disappointment when the child does not appear until well into the marriage.”
“So it isn’t true.” Jonathan shook his head slowly. “I had high hopes after you announced your betrothal to me. Believing you had done the unthinkable and lost your head over a woman had been a pleasant thought.”
“Such a ridiculous notion.” Greyson slipped his cards back into his pocket and lifted his brandy to his lips. Jonathan had too many fanciful ideas about women. Although Greyson enjoyed female companionship, he never understood how men could give up so much of who they were, or what they wanted, to have a single woman.
He had a plan. He had a future, and he would never alter it for anyone. Certainly not for a woman, regardless of how intoxicating she smelled or how enticing her innocent kisses were. No, nothing would stand in his way.
Abigail scanned the crowd for the hundredth time that evening. Although Lord Merrick arrived directly behind them, she barely had a moment with him before he went off with her father to obtain introductions. Something seemed odd about her father’s sponsorship of the viscount. She could not believe the duke would do this for her future, and he certainly didn’t have any kindness in his heart to draw from.
“There you are, Abigail,” Julia called out from behind her. “I saw your father off with Lord Merrick and your mother with her usual crowd. I have been looking for you ever since.”
“I didn’t feel like taking my customary place by Mother’s side tonight.”
“I wonder if it was a certain gentleman who brought about this change.”
“Perhaps.”
Considering how enamored Julia was with her husband, Abigail didn’t feel shame in admitting a slight interest in her betrothed. She knew her marriage would never achieve the level of happiness her cousin’s had, but she could not cease her fascination with Lord Merrick. Surely the feeling would wane once his true colors were revealed.
“As you requested, I discovered something about the viscount if you would care to hear.” Julia ran her hands down her skirt to smooth out the pleats as she looked anywhere but at her cousin.
Abigail sighed. Of course the news wouldn’t be favorable. She felt silly to have thought otherwise. Regardless of how terrible, she had to know.
“What is it?”
“He is illegitimate,” Julia whispered.
“That . . . That is impossible. He holds a title.” Abigail couldn’t have been more shocked.
“The
late viscount had no legitimate heirs, so he passed his title and belongings to the only son he had.”
“Why did the family not contest the will?”
“There was no other family to carry the line. The title and all holdings would have been reverted to the crown had he not established an heir.”
As her cousin explained, a vague familiarity settled over her. Somewhere she had heard this story before. She recalled how when she met the viscount, his name tried to emerge from her memory.
More of the pieces she had puzzled over fell into place. If she cared about other’s opinions, she would be mortified, but she’d never been one to care over Society’s latest gossip sensation.
As she thought about it, Lord Merrick’s illegitimacy actually suited him. He was unique, and that quality drew her interest. If his questionable parentage awarded the characteristic to him, then she welcomed it.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“What are you going to do? Your father is endorsing him. Do you suppose he knows?”
“I’m sure Father knows. Even if he did not, his sponsorship of Lord Merrick will help eliminate some of the stigma associated with his birth. Although informative, this knowledge does not change anything.”
At that moment her father appeared. Her gaze met with Lord Merrick’s, and her breathing increased. A softness shone in his face and a light brightened his eyes, presenting a vision she had never seen before. She couldn’t be sure if she put it there or the endorsement from her father, but she decided to enjoy his happiness nonetheless.
“Lady Willimena,” Lord Merrick greeted her. “Would you honor me with this next dance?”
Immediately the pleasure at seeing him vanished. The dance in question was a waltz, and she’d already made her feelings clear about that dance. One glance at her father told her of his displeasure with her hesitation. Pasting on a smile, she nodded and took the viscount’s arm.
Although she had been instructed on every dance since birth, he obviously had not. At first he moved with hesitation, but he quickly gained his confidence and swept her around the floor. He pulled her in closer making her skin tingle everywhere their bodies touched. For once in her life she wished she had not donned her armor. How would it feel to have his warm body pressed against hers?
His Perfect Game Page 4