“Oh, she’s hungry,” Julianne said. “I must take her to the nursery.”
Hawk helped her to rise and kissed her cheek. He kept his gaze on his wife until she disappeared. Then he returned his attention to Will. “I have a proposition that I think will suit you.”
Clearly his brother did not understand. All of his relatives assumed he meant to stay home, but if he’d had any misgivings about leaving before, this ludicrous meeting had abolished them. No matter how much he loved his family, he simply could not continue to live with them.
“My steward is retiring. Someone must take over his duties.” Hawk folded his arms over his chest. “What do you say?”
Everyone, even Montague, beamed at him. Will’s cravat felt like a tourniquet. Their expectations pressed upon him like a thousand-pound boulder. For a moment, he felt trapped, pinned down by the weight of their hopes, but it was his life, not theirs. “I appreciate your generous offer, but I’m a rambler. It’s not in my nature to stay in one place for any length of time. I’m planning another trip to the Continent.”
His brothers-in-law exchanged knowing looks. His sisters were trying to comfort his mother, who was mopping up tears again. Even Hester regarded him with disappointment. Only Grandmamma smiled at him, and that made him feel worse, because he knew she hadn’t heard what he’d said.
Hawk released a sigh. “The issues won’t be resolved at this meeting. I will keep everyone informed, but for now, I know you all have other business awaiting you.”
Montague stood. “If you want my opinion…”
Hawk lifted his hand. “Thank you, but I’ll handle the matter. William, let us repair to my study.”
Will walked about the study and sent the standing globe for a spin as he passed by. “Sorry for the misunderstanding, but you know I’m not one to put down roots.” He turned round and smiled at his brother. “This time, I’m planning to venture to Switzerland.”
When Hawk remained silent, Will added something he hoped would placate his brother and the other members of the family. “Perhaps in a few years, I’ll be ready to settle down in one place.”
“Be seated.”
He gritted his teeth and took a chair in front of his brother’s desk.
Hawk fiddled with the beads of an abacus. “You do realize you’ve dealt a severe disappointment to our family.”
“They’ll grow accustomed to my absence soon enough. It’s not as if I’ve spent much time at Ashdown House.”
“I heard a great deal of grumbling over your frequent absences,” Hawk said. “I promised our mother I would speak to you about a career. Your intention to travel to the Continent for an extended period leaves me with the devil of a dilemma.”
He lifted his palms. “How so? I’m the one leaving, not you.”
Hawk met his gaze. “Without your quarterly allowance, you’ll not have the means to undertake another journey.”
Will’s heart beat faster. “What?”
“I’m responsible for the dispensation of your quarterly funds. If I withhold them, you will no doubt resent me. That’s understandable. On the other hand, if I fund your journey, I will disappoint our mother and likely alienate the rest of the family. They already believe I was too lenient about your extended travels.”
“Ridiculous,” Will muttered.
“You traveled for four years. That’s far longer than most young men on their grand tours. Since your return, you have spent very little time with our family. If I provide the funds for another journey, they will rightly feel that I have paved the way for you, thereby giving my tacit approval.” He moved two beads over and then met his brother’s gaze squarely. “Tell me, Will. What would you do if you were in my situation?”
The question startled him. “How am I to answer? You know my wishes. They’ll not change because others disapprove.”
“Perhaps that will give you some understanding of my predicament,” Hawk said. “No matter what I decide, someone will be unhappy. And I’ll be honest. I think it is in your best interest that I don’t fund this journey. Right now, your life consists of nothing but revelry, and I blame myself for it. I’d hoped when you returned to England that you would give up the carousing. But it has gotten worse. Last night, you were so drunk that you slept in your clothes. You regularly come home in the wee hours of the morning and disturb the servants. It’s not fair to them, Will. They work hard, but you don’t seem to notice or care. Then I realized you would never give up your carousing unless I insisted you take up a career.”
“You were no saint,” Will said.
“I made plenty of mistakes, and I regret them. But I never completely abandoned our family, and I took my responsibilities in Parliament seriously.”
“I won’t allow the family to dictate what I do.” Anger rose up inside him, but he knew better than to let it show. His brother would respect only rational responses.
“They don’t think of it that way, and neither should you,” Hawk said. “When you stated your intention to leave, our family members felt as if you were abandoning them again.”
“Rubbish. I’m not abandoning anyone.”
“If they didn’t care about you, they wouldn’t give a rat’s arse if you disappeared forever. But they missed you. I missed you.”
“I’ll send letters regularly.”
“Given your previous history, I’ve my doubts on that score. The only time you wrote was when you needed funds.” Hawk frowned. “I am to blame for not calling you home sooner. You’ve become almost a stranger to us.”
“For God’s sake, Hawk. I enjoyed my journeys.”
“You grew too attached to traveling.”
Will inhaled deeply and let his breath out slowly. “You don’t understand. There’s a whole world out there that I want to explore while I’m still young enough to enjoy it.”
“I allowed your traveling to go on too long. You were very persuasive, and I had the responsibility of our sisters. It was easier to let you continue to travel.”
“I saw far more of the world than most people ever will in a lifetime. There’s no reason for your regrets,” Will said.
Hawk shook his head. “You’ve had too much freedom and insufficient responsibility.”
“I’m responsible for myself,” he said, unable to keep the edge from his voice.
“Sometimes, you have to sacrifice for others,” Hawk said. “And this is one of those times.”
“What are you saying?” Denial rose within him, but he knew.
“I can’t fund your journey without creating a lasting rift in our family. No one, least of all our mother, will accept it. I’ve only recently made amends with the family. And I have Julianne, our daughter, and our son to think of as well.”
“Let’s compromise,” Will said. “Give me six months to purge the wanderlust out of my blood.”
Hawk folded his hands on the polished mahogany surface. “I’m sorry, Will, but I can’t do it.”
“I can’t sit at a desk all day. I’ll go mad.”
“Some of your duties will involve inspecting the property for needed repairs, new construction, and ensuring there is sufficient drainage. You’ll also be responsible for the rent collection.”
“I’m unaccustomed to living my life in a cage.”
“Will, this is hardly a cage.”
“It will feel like one to me. Everyone in the family constantly noses into everyone else’s affairs. I’ll be a lunatic within a month.”
“That brings to mind another issue. For the sake of our female relatives, be more discreet with your liaisons. You need to take their tender sensibilities into consideration.”
Will glared at Hawk. “That is precisely why I stay away. There is no privacy. Everyone meddles in my life.”
Hawk met his gaze. “You have a family who loves you. Does that mean nothing to you?”
“Of course, I care, but I’ve every right to live my life on my terms. That is not negotiable.”
“You’ve lived indepen
dently too long and have forgotten that you should take your family’s needs into consideration.”
Deuce take it. He couldn’t believe this was happening.
“Take the steward position for one year,” Hawk said. “Set aside a portion of your earnings each quarter. In a year’s time, you should have sufficient means to fund another journey. Since it will be money you’ve earned, there can be no question about your right to do with it as you wish.”
Will was breathing harder and trying to control the resentment building inside him. “In other words, I’ve no choice.”
“It’s only for a year, Will.”
A muscle in his cheek twitched. The next twelve months would feel like a prison sentence. His family would mark every move he made and constantly question him about his whereabouts. They would expect him to attend their dinner parties and make appearances at balls. If he didn’t show, someone would be sure to chide him. When he was younger, they had pushed and prodded him to conform to their expectations—when they remembered his existence. Now, they were doing it again, and this time, they would win. How could he bear a year of their constant interference?
Hawk sighed. “I will ask the others to respect your privacy, but if you continue with your flagrant liaisons and wild parties, they will object.”
Will scowled. “In other words, I must surrender my autonomy to please them.”
“That’s an exaggeration, and you know it. All I ask is that you use discretion and attend some of the family events, without having to be prodded. You make the decision about which events are important. Some will not be up for discussion. You need to attend church with the family.”
He pulled a face. “Right. I can see it in the scandal sheets now. The devil went to church.”
Hawk’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Just placate our mother and sisters. Attend a ball or two with them. Dine with the family a little more often. Take our mother to a play. You would make her very happy.”
No matter what Hawk said, Will knew nothing would change.
Hawk stood, walked around the desk, and leaned against it. “I know this is not what you wanted, but the time will pass quickly.”
He had no choice in the matter, but his brother had tried to compromise. Will knew it was a generous offer. “Thank you for your offer of employment, especially since I have a sad lack of experience.”
“You’ll catch on quickly,” Hawk said.
Will did not doubt his ability. He had a keen memory and had always learned faster than his peers. But he’d be bored silly working on account books. More important, he knew his family would poke into his affairs, the way they had done today. They wanted to coerce him to settle in England and have a family. He had no intention of marrying and tying himself to his intrusive relatives.
“You’re disappointed, but I honestly believe the experience will be a good one for you,” Hawk said.
Though he felt trapped, Will saw the concern etched on his brother’s face and sought to reassure him. “I’m sure you’re right.”
“The time will pass quickly. You’ll see. I’ve got to travel to Devonshire and meet with my man of business there. When I return in a fortnight, we will discuss your duties in more detail.”
Will nodded and strode out the door, determined to find a way to escape his family’s stranglehold.
The Albany, later that evening, Harry Fordham’s rooms
Will poured a brandy, set the decanter aside, and downed his drink in one swallow. Then he poured another and sprawled in a shabby chair. He was determined to drown his frustration.
“Most unfortunate about your brother, Darcett.” Harry Fordham stumbled while attempting to stir the coals. The poker fell with a decided clang on the marble.
Andrew Carrington, the Earl of Bellingham, retrieved the poker and set it aside. Then he replaced the screen. “Steady, old boy.”
Fordham lurched over to the cast-off green sofa his mother had given him and sprawled lengthwise on it. A curly blond lock fell over his forehead. “Why is the room spinning?”
“Because you’re corn, pickled and salted,” Bell said.
“I’m jush grieving for Darcett,” he muttered. “It’s hell being a younger son. I should know.”
Will snorted and took a drink. “Until today, I rather liked being the spare. No obligations, no wife, no brats.”
“No money,” Fordham mumbled. His empty glass dangled from his hand. “I need another drink.”
Bell scoffed. “You’re three sheets to the wind.”
“Not foxed.” Fordham’s glass rolled onto the carpet. Within minutes, he was snuffling.
Bell lifted the decanter and eyed Will. “One more?”
Will crossed the room with his glass.
Bell topped it up. “This isn’t the outcome you wanted, but your brother provided you with a means to earn the funds.”
Will downed the brandy and set the glass aside with a thunk. “Yes, but that means living with my meddling family. Everyone is trying to coerce me into settling down. There is no privacy. Nothing I do pleases them, because I refuse to conform. If anything goes awry, they call a family meeting. Hell, today, one of my sisters offered to find me a bride.”
Something flickered in Bell’s eyes. Then he looked away.
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” Will said.
“Don’t.” Bell returned his attention to Will. “It’s been four years. Life goes on.”
Will poured another brandy, remembering the haunted look in Bell’s eyes after he’d lost all his family—mother, father, and younger brother—to consumption. The night after the funeral, Will had taken him to Fordham’s rooms. They had plied him with brandy, hoping Bell would pass out. None of them said a word. In the wee hours of the morning, Bell had broken down and wept. It was an awful thing to witness. He’d thanked God when the three of them had left for their scheduled grand tour shortly thereafter.
A year later, long after Fordham’s family had called him home, Bell had admitted he’d considered blowing his brains out. To this day, Bell’s confession shook Will.
Bell regarded him with an assessing expression. “Do me a favor. Don’t think about it.”
“Right.” He drank his brandy to cover his thoughts. Most people thought Bell cold. Will didn’t view him that way, but he’d known Bell before the tragedy. His friend had been a devil-may-care sort of fellow with a sunny disposition. But while their adventures abroad had enlivened Bell to a degree, he wasn’t the same. It was as if someone had permanently snuffed out the candlelight within him.
Bell held his glass aloft. “A toast to your new position.”
“I’ll be bored out of my mind.”
“You bore easily.” Bell pushed his fist into Will’s upper arm. “You know what your problem is?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I haven’t bedded a woman in a week.”
Bell shook his head. “Everything has been a little too easy for you—including women.”
“And you don’t take advantage of easy women?”
“Touché. My point stands. You’ve never struggled for anything before.”
“Neither have you.”
“I’m a relatively intelligent man, but unlike you, I can’t just read something and have it branded in my brain. I don’t know if it’s your confidence or if you’re hoodwinking everyone, but you always manage to come out a winner.”
Will shrugged. “I decide I want something, and I pursue it.”
“This is the first time you’ve come face-to-face with a real obstacle.”
Will laughed. “Give over. We had plenty of obstacles during our travels. You can’t have forgotten the time we tumbled the twin sisters in Paris, and their brother showed. Lord, I didn’t know if he’d take our coin as recompense or not.”
“That incident is a perfect example of how you charm others to get your way,” Bell said. “You made him feel as if he were your old friend and an equal to boot. By the end of the night, he was so taken with you that he com
pletely forgot or didn’t care that we’d bedded his sisters.”
“He was also drunk,” Will said. “And the sisters were more than willing if you will recall.”
“I believe that was the first and only time a woman tried to rip my clothes off,” Bell said. “We had some wild adventures.”
“We will again. All I need is money,” Will said.
“You know I have the blunt and could finance the journey,” Bell said, “but then I’d become your family’s enemy.”
“There’s got to be a way around my situation.”
“It’s a challenge,” Bell said.
A slow smile spread across Will’s face. “You’re brilliant.”
“I assume you intend to explain.”
“What could be more challenging than the gaming table?” Will said.
Bell frowned. “It’s not a good idea to gamble what you don’t have to lose.”
“As far as I’m concerned, I have nothing to lose,” Will said. “You know my memory. I’ll walk away with a bloody fortune.”
Bell set his glass aside. “It’s risky.”
The risk made it all the more exciting. Will clapped Bell on the shoulder. “We’d best leave Fordham to his snoring. Tomorrow, I’ll dazzle him with my winnings.”
White’s, thirty minutes later
A thrill sizzled through Will’s veins as he and Bell strolled into the gaming room. “I feel lucky tonight,” Will said.
Bell cast a sideways glance at him. “Remember, get out while you’re ahead and watch the waiters. It’s easy to lose track of how often they top up the glasses.”
He’d no intention of playing conservatively. His superior memory had always served him well in card games. Tonight he meant to gain the fortune he needed for his passage to the Continent. He acknowledged that in order to win he had to be prepared to lose. Long ago, he’d determined that nerves could undermine a man’s judgment.
Bell joined him at the green baize table. Will ordered a brandy and so did Bell. The game was vingt-et-un. Will outwardly tamped down his excitement, but inwardly, a thrill pulsed through his veins. Luck played a part, but strategy was involved as well. The latter could make or break a man. Will had played the game numerous times and trusted his ability to play well, because of his excellent recall.
How to Ravish a Rake Page 4