Just as Regan was going to run over to congratulate her friend with the others who gathered around the bride and groom, Malcolm stopped her. He pulled her aside to the corner of the room, and Regan giggled.
“Oh seriously, Malcolm, I’m not going to do anything with the marquess. The only gentleman who’ll ever be in my bed is you.”
“It’s not about that,” he said, keeping his voice low. “I just remembered something important.”
“What is it? Does he write for the Tittletattle?”
He hesitated. “I don’t think so, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he does.” He shook his head. “Anyway, what I remembered is that he’s the brother of the Marquess of Dodsworth who just died.”
She had to hold her hand over her mouth so no one would hear her as she burst out laughing. “Goodness, Malcolm. I already told you that. It’s not like you to forget something.”
“Regan, I’m being serious. My friends liked the Marquess of Dodsworth. They didn’t like his brother. I didn’t understand why until now.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“A lot. You wanted me to bring Danette and her new husband to one of my friends’ dinner parties. I thought I could talk them into giving him a chance before I realized who he was. They’ll never stand for it. They’re irrational enough when it comes to propriety.”
Regan hadn’t expected this. It was hard enough going through those dull dinner parties, especially since the ladies his friends invited were just as boring as they were. She’d been hoping with Danette marrying a titled gentleman, she could convince them to extend an invitation to Danette and her husband. Then she’d have someone interesting to talk to while Malcolm and his friends created their business plans.
“Maybe Dr. Westward isn’t scandalous anymore,” she told Malcolm. “I’ve been a perfect lady ever since we married.” At least she was in public where others could see her. But to be fair, Malcolm had a wicked streak in him, too, though it was well hidden.
Malcolm sighed and glanced at Danette’s new husband, who was saying something that made the others laugh. Yes, having Danette and Derek at one of Lord Steinbeck’s boring dinner parties would be a much needed reprieve.
“Maybe I can convince Warren and Robert he’s a better gentleman now that he’s married,” Malcolm said. “A good, reputable lady can have a positive influence on a gentleman. Danette meets with their approval already. She might be the reason they’ll give him a chance.”
Whatever Malcolm needed to tell them to get Danette to a dinner party would be fine with her, but that meant she had to talk to Danette—and soon.
Chapter Seven
No matter how hard she tried, Danette couldn’t slow down the rapid beating of her heart. Somehow, she managed to remain standing as her mother, Chloe, and her mother’s friends congratulated them. She noticed that Regan and Malcolm were talking in the corner of the room and wondered about it. But more than that, she wondered where Derek’s friends were. Certainly, he had them.
She glanced up at her husband as he told them how he performed a trick where he collected coins from the children who were his patients.
“I tuck a few coins into a small pocket I have sewn on the edge of my sleeve,” he told them. “That way they don’t see me pulling them from my pocket. I don’t want to spoil the illusion of magic.”
“They love it,” Chloe said. “My brother looks forward to all of his visits so he’ll see how many coins he made while the good doctor was away.”
“And the better behaved he is, the more coins he makes,” Derek added.
“What a creative thing to do,” Danette’s mother said. “You must like children.”
“I do.” Then he turned his gaze to Danette and smiled. “I’m looking forward to having them.”
Danette was sure her face became a shade of bright red at that moment, especially when the ladies around her giggled. There was no doubt about it. Derek was just like Regan. Both had no trouble speaking their minds.
Regan and Malcolm stopped talking and headed in their direction. Curious about the conversation the two had just been sharing, Danette studied her friend’s face to see if she could guess if it’d been good or bad. Unfortunately, her gift wasn’t reading people’s expressions. She’d just have to be content with asking Regan about it when they had a moment alone.
For now, Chloe was telling them about the first time Derek went to see her brother. “My mother and I weren’t sure what to make of him as he went around Alexander, scanning him up and down,” Chloe said. “We thought he was an odd gentleman. Then he announced he knew what was wrong with him, and you’ll never guess what he said. He said Alexander was a bank!”
This time Danette joined the others as they laughed.
“To be fair,” Derek began, “the lad did have a lot of coins stuck in him.”
Danette’s mother waved at him and said, “You’re a sly one. I can see that you and my daughter are going to get along wonderfully.”
“I think so, too,” he agreed, surprising Danette. “I knew from the moment I met her that this was a good match.”
Regan gave Danette a wink, and Danette quickly glanced away. Yes, her friend had told her that, and her friend had been right. Things were ending up much better than Danette had ever dreamed possible. It almost seemed like it was too good to be true. Surely, at some point, something was going to sweep in and bring her back to reality.
Since there was a lull in the conversation, Danette gestured to Regan. “This is my childhood friend, Lady Cantrell, and her husband, Mr. Jasper.”
“Oh yes,” Derek replied with a bow. “Danette briefly mentioned you while we were playing a game at the park.”
“What game was that?” Malcolm asked.
“We were guessing what the other people were talking about.” Derek chuckled as he gave a playful pat on Danette’s lower back. “You wouldn’t think it to look at her, but Danette can be witty once she opens up to someone.”
Regan’s smile widened. “I noticed that with her when we were younger. You won’t have any trouble getting her to talk soon enough.”
“I was wondering about this game you were playing,” Malcolm began after he cleared his throat. “What is the purpose of it?”
“There is no purpose, really,” Derek said. “It was simply a nice diversion. I still laugh when I think of some of the things Danette and her mother came up with.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Danette’s mother told Derek. “Both of us couldn’t stop laughing for the rest of the day after some of the funny things you came up with.”
Malcolm’s eyebrows furrowed with worry. “I don’t understand how guessing what someone is saying is funny.”
Regan nudged him in the side. “Not everyone finds the pursuit of making money as fun as you do.”
“I just don’t see the point,” Malcolm told her.
“That’s the beauty of it,” Derek said. “There is no point. We were only having a relaxing day.”
“Exactly,” Regan agreed then turned her gaze back to Malcolm. “Sometimes people do things for the sake of enjoyment. It’s no different than the times you’ve counted the money in your ledger.”
Malcolm offered a nod as if he accepted her reasoning, but Danette sensed he was only doing it to appease her. And that was when Danette knew what the dark cloud overshadowing her marriage was going to be. She’d known Malcolm was more serious than most people, but she’d underestimated just how serious he was.
Early on in Regan’s pursuit of him, Danette had sympathized with him. Regan had thought little of potentially causing a scandal. Had he known Regan’s first husband, Frederick, her actions would have made more sense. Frederick had been sheltered his entire life. The moment he met Regan, he’d wholeheartedly embraced her tendency to do whatever she wanted regardless of what others thought. Regan, wishing to make up for the fun he’d missed out on during his childhood, had been eager to do all the risky things he’d wa
nted to try.
Malcolm was so different from Frederick. His goal was to avoid anything remotely scandalous, and from what she’d gathered, he distanced himself from anyone who might threaten his reputation.
Since the marriage, though, the two had found some common ground, and Danette had assumed Malcolm had loosened up. But now she was beginning to think Regan had been the one who’d changed. Maybe Regan was more inclined to stay away from scandals now.
Under normal circumstances, Danette would have been relieved. She didn’t care for being the object of a scandal any more than Malcolm did. If Regan was right, then Derek probably didn’t mind scandalous activities. And that could very well pose a problem.
While one of her mother’s friends asked him about a certain pain she’d been dealing with, Danette decided to talk to Regan. “Malcolm, do you mind if I talk to my friend?” Danette asked.
“Of course not.” Malcolm stepped aside, so the two could make their way to the other side of the room.
Once they were out of everyone else’s hearing, Danette focused on her friend. “Something’s wrong. Malcolm doesn’t like my husband.”
Regan shook her head, her gaze going heavenward. “Now that you know the groom is happy, why do you insist on looking for something bad to happen?”
“I’m not looking for something bad to happen.” All right. She might be prone to looking for the downside in all things, but this was different. She didn’t ask for Malcolm to respond to Derek the way he had. “I could tell Malcolm didn’t like Derek’s answer when he asked him about the game.”
“Danette, I love Malcolm with all of my heart, but it doesn’t mean I always agree with him. There was nothing wrong with the game you played at the park. In fact, it sounds like a lot of fun. We should try that at one of the balls. That is,” she added with a teasing gleam in her eye, “if you have the time now that you have one of the most handsome gentlemen in London to spend the evening with.”
Despite herself, her lips curled up into a smile. “Derek is good looking, isn’t he?”
Regan nodded. “And just wait until you see him without his clothes on. It’s a shame you missed the Duke of Rumsey’s ball when he ripped off his shirt in front of everyone. But then, you’ll get to see him tonight, so maybe the surprise will be even better.”
She gasped. “He didn’t.”
“He did. Remember, I told you he was banned from most of the balls because of that.”
Banned from most of the balls? Danette briefly recalled hearing a scandal about a gentleman deliberately going around to create scandals. Oh dear. It couldn’t be… What were the chances that the gentleman would be the one she just married?
“Are you sure the gentleman who did that at the Duke of Rumsey’s ball was Derek?” Danette asked, hoping Regan was mistaken.
“I didn’t realize he was Dr. Westward until I saw him, but there’s no mistaking that wonderful physique. Even with clothes on, he makes a good impression.”
Danette could understand why her friend was thrilled to learn she had just married one of the most devilish gentlemen in London. Regan thrived off the excitement of going against the Ton’s expectations. But this was horrible. She glanced at Derek, who seemed to be holding all of her mother’s friends captive with one of his stories about being a doctor. If he was banned from most people’s balls, did that mean she was banned, too? Would people assume she was just as scandalous as he was?
“Your husband wants to be with you,” Regan said, touching her arm to get her attention. “That’s what matters. Don’t mind what other people think.”
Danette couldn’t help but notice that Malcolm looked uncomfortable, even though he listened to what Derek was saying. Danette’s gaze went back to her friend. “What if one of those people is Malcolm?”
“I already talked to Malcolm. Yes, he’s shocked to learn you married someone with Derek’s reputation, but I’m sure he’ll come around.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Malcolm isn’t as uptight as he seems. He learned to fall in love with me, faults and all. I’m sure once we get him and Derek together, he’ll want to befriend him. We’ll invite you and Derek to a dinner party. A nice, private dinner will ease a lot of tension.”
Danette wasn’t so sure her friend was right. Things couldn’t be that simple. Things were never that simple.
“Everything will be fine,” Regan said. “Remember, you promised to suspend your doubts for once.”
Danette sighed. Her friend was right. She had promised that, and she was determined to follow through on that promise. “All right. We’ll have the dinner party and see how things go.”
“Wonderful!”
“But don’t expect too much,” Danette warned before her friend could get too optimistic. “As much as I seek out the bad, you seek out the good. Things can’t be good all the time.”
“Well, I know Malcolm. When it comes down to it, he’ll choose what’s right.”
“Or what he thinks is right.” Before her friend could argue, Danette added, “They’re probably wondering why we’ve been talking for so long.” Plus, Malcolm looked uncomfortable by himself. Without waiting for Regan to reply, she headed back to the group.
***
Derek noticed a considerable difference in Danette after she talked to her friend. He’d spent his life watching people, and he’d gotten pretty good at figuring out what they were thinking. This gift had also gotten him into some serious trouble when he chose to confront them about it, especially if they said one thing but meant another.
In this case, Danette’s conversation with Regan had left her feeling insecure. It wasn’t something he faulted Regan for. The conflict, Derek guessed, stemmed from Malcolm’s reaction to him.
Derek didn’t know the first thing about Malcolm, beyond his relationship to Danette’s friend, but since he was Danette’s husband now, he had a responsibility to do whatever he could to ease any possible tensions that could arise between them. Without knowing the cause of the conflict, however, he wasn’t sure how to best proceed with things. The safest bet, he figured, would be in talking to Danette. It was Danette’s feelings, after all, that mattered.
So after the wedding breakfast was over and he took Danette to her new home, he led her to the drawing room and shut the doors to ensure their privacy. He urged her to sit on the settee and settled next to her.
“Danette, I’d like for our marriage to start out in a good position. Would you be willing to tell me the truth about a certain matter?”
“I will if I know the answer to your question,” she slowly replied.
He couldn’t help but note the way she clasped her hands in her lap as if she expected something horrible to happen. He placed his hand on her back, hoping the soft contact would help her loosen up. The poor thing worried much more than she should. He really wasn’t all that hard to please, despite what his brother believed.
“I sense something is troubling you,” he finally said after carefully weighing his words. “Will you tell me what it is?”
She didn’t answer right away, and he wondered if she felt comfortable enough with him to tell him. It was hard enough she was shy, but he was also asking her to be vulnerable, which was a tricky thing for any lady who’d just married a gentleman she hardly knew.
“Well, I…” She unclenched and then clenched her hands. “Regan said she recognized you from the Duke of Rumsey’s ball. She said you were the gentleman who took off your shirt.”
“Ah, I see.” So that was the problem. She’d heard of his reputation. Since he’d heard nothing of her, he knew she had a pristine reputation. He just assumed she knew who he was. It seemed as if all of London knew of his reputation. “I thought you recognized me when we met.”
She shook her head. “I attend a lot of balls, but I was sick the night of Rumsey’s ball.”
“I haven’t been to many since then.” Now that he thought about it, he could count all the balls he’d been to on one hand. “I�
�ve only been to three of them.” He debated on how he might best proceed from here. His brother had admonished him to be mindful of what he said instead of blurting out the first thing that came to mind. Finally, he opted for, “When I inherited my brother’s title, I promised I wouldn’t do anything else to upset the Ton.” Then, hoping to add some humor to the situation, he continued, “You needn’t worry I’ll go out to the park and remove any clothing.”
She chuckled, and the mood lightened considerably.
“I know my reputation has left a lot to be desired,” he added, “but I won’t do anything to embarrass you. I promise.”
“It’s probably silly I let gossip bother me as much as it does,” Danette replied. “I mean, what people say shouldn’t have such a strong hold on me.”
“I think it’s different for ladies than it is for gentlemen. Ladies have much more to worry about.”
“I know some ladies who aren’t bothered by scandals.”
“Everyone’s different. Some ladies are more sensitive than others.” He offered her a smile. “I like you just the way you are.”
“You do?”
“You’re a refreshing change from the prominent ladies of the Ton. I’m happy to be your husband.” And he was. He couldn’t think of anyone better. She had a refreshing sincerity so few did. “Is there anything else you wish to tell me?”
She shook her head. “No. That was the only thing on my mind.”
“Well, that was easy enough. Why don’t I show you around this place? I’m sure you’re curious about it.”
She glanced around the room. “I am, but I’m wondering where your portrait is. I see several gentlemen.”
“Oh those.” He’d meant to put them in another room, but with all the activity over moving his things in and getting rid of his old residence, it’d slipped his mind. “Those are my ancestors, especially those who held the title. The older ones are in the den, but in here are my great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and brother.” He pointed to each one respectively.
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