‘Revenge. She feels let down by our family and also seemed to think that I’d jilt Olivia in her favour, if only to honour the family name.’
Parker snorted. ‘Just goes to show how little she understands your character.’
‘Someone in the Foreign Department must know the particulars. Someone connected to Thorndike,’ Jake said, referring to the Prime Minister’s aide-cum-fixer. The man who had covered up Jake’s involvement in his brother’s accidental death and used it as a means to coerce Jake into working for the government. ‘He isn’t best pleased that I’ve told him I won’t be at his beck and call anymore, but I cannot see him deliberately letting such sensitive information leak out. Apart from anything else, his own involvement in the removal of Edward’s body would come to light, and Thorndike never does anything to risk his reputation, cavalier though he might be with other people’s.’
‘I still find it astonishing that Southcott left Miranda near destitute,’ Parker said.
Jake shrugged. ‘Perhaps he wasn’t as blind to her indiscretions as she imagines and got tired of being cuckolded. What does surprise me, if what she told me is true, is that Southcott’s sons didn’t inherit as much as they probably anticipated.’ Jake put his glass aside, leaned back in his chair and scratched his head. ‘What happened to all his blunt?’
Parker shrugged his massive shoulders. ‘People do make unwise investments, especially when they’re getting on in years and are no longer so astute. It could be as simple as that.’
‘I’m not convinced. Southcott restored his family fortunes through shrewd and judicious investments. Unless his illness affected his brain, I can’t see him taking unnecessary risks—or his sons permitting him to do so, for that matter.’ Jake stood and paced the length of the rug, consumed by his thoughts. ‘Everything being brought to my attention at present seems to come back to India. That’s where Miranda thinks he lost his capital.’
‘The French East India Company has shrunk to almost nothing, so if he tried reviving it I’m not surprised.’ Parker drained his glass and put it aside. ‘What do you intend to do?’
‘About Miranda? Obviously, I shall not give in to blackmail. I suppose I had best let Thorndike know about her little game. If he has a leak in his inner circle, his first priority will be to plug it.’
‘And his second will be to cover his own back,’ Parker said, scowling.
‘Naturally.’
‘What about Olivia?’
‘She doesn’t know anything about my history with Miranda. It has never arisen and didn’t seem relevant.’
‘Well it’s certainly relevant now. Miranda’s a vindictive woman, Jake. Don’t underestimate her. She thinks she’s been scorned, which makes her more dangerous. She always did have an eye for you, and you will be that much more attractive to her now that you’ve assumed the earldom. If the deployment of her wiles won’t tempt you away from Olivia then her pride will take a denting and she won’t accept being rejected.’ Parker snorted. ‘Her sort never do.’
‘What can she do?’
‘She’ll find a way to get to Olivia and spread exaggerated lies about your turbulent relationship.’
‘Olivia knows about Edward’s death and my part in it.’
‘Perhaps she does,’ Parker replied pensively. ‘But she isn’t aware of Miranda’s existence. And if I know anything at all about women, not having told her that you were once almost engaged to someone else will hurt a damned sight more than knowing your actions saw an end to your worthless brother.’
‘You think I should tell her?’
‘No question about it. You’ve said yourself that she seems to be having last minute doubts about marrying you, sensible woman that she is.’ Jake dealt his butler-cum-friend-cum confidant a droll look that bounced harmlessly off Parker’s hard shell. ‘If Miranda gets to her before you do, it may well be enough to change her mind.’
‘Well then, I shall call at Cheyne Walk early this afternoon and speak with her in private.’
‘Good idea. She will come out fighting mad if she knows you’re willing to trust her with the unsavoury particulars of your liaison with Miranda. The revelation will probably have the opposite effect to the one Miranda intends, in that it will reinforce her wavering determination to marry you.’
‘And she might make some deductions about the damned Indian connection, always assuming there is one, that have escaped me.’
‘As you say, if there is one,’ Parker replied, hauling himself to his feet. ‘It could actually be a coincidence on this occasion.’
‘Well, I’d best change into evening clothes. Charles will meet us at Cheyne Walk and might have made discoveries that will help us. Needless to say, Charles and Lady Cantrell will not be told about Miranda.’
‘Obviously not.’
‘I want you to come as well, Parker. Franklin can go with your men to Faulk’s meeting this evening and follow his connection to…well, to wherever it leads him. I will need you on hand, just in case we have to take quick action.’
Chapter Nine
Olivia happened to be alone in the drawing room when Jake and Parker arrived earlier than she had been expecting the pleasure of their company.
‘Unable to stay away?’ she asked Jake with a sultry smile. ‘Or could it be that you don’t trust me to keep Megan safe?’
‘Definitely the former,’ he replied, bending to kiss her cheek. ‘I was eager to spend a few moments alone with my future wife.’
‘In that case I’ll be away to give Franklin his instructions,’ Parker said. ‘I know when I’m not wanted,’ he added, with an exuberant smile for Olivia as he slipped from the room and closed the door quietly behind him.
‘Poor Parker feels unappreciated,’ Olivia said, pouting. ‘He probably wonders about your intentions.’
‘Ha! It is not him who’s in any danger. As to your own safety, however…well, that’s another matter entirely. And,’ he added, softly caressing her cheek. ‘If you keep looking at me as you are now, you will only have yourself to blame if I forget myself entirely.’
‘You do not scare me, Lord Torbay,’ she responded, meeting his intense gaze.
‘Well, you don’t need to worry about Parker’s sensibilities,’ Jake said, looking away first and taking the seat beside Olivia. ‘He is going to arrange for Franklin to supervise Faulk’s meeting with his contact.’ He grasped her hands. ‘How have you been today?’ he asked.
‘We have kept ourselves occupied. Megan is upstairs in the nursery and seems to be in tolerable spirits. The day has been a non-stop procession of dressmakers for me and finding suitable clothing for Megan amongst my old mourning gowns. Utterly exhausting. Thankfully Eva spent most of the day with us and her advice has been heaven-sent. Unfortunately she and Isaac have another engagement this evening and will not be dining with us.’
Jake touched her face. ‘Don’t try to pretend that you haven’t enjoyed yourselves, since I shall not believe you. Ladies like nothing more than to indulge their love of fashion. And that, I am reliably informed, is especially true when they are on the point of matrimony. The bride has a duty to beguile her new husband by decking herself out in finery.’
‘In case he regrets his decision?’
‘You could marry me wearing sacking, my sweet, and I would still consider myself the luckiest man in all of creation.’
‘Hmm. Thank you for the pretty compliment. I shall not pretend I don’t deserve it.’
They both laughed.
‘I wish that Megan wouldn’t garb herself in black. The colour drains her complexion. It is no longer strictly necessary but since she genuinely mourns the passing of her husband, I cannot criticise her for it.’ Olivia plucked abstractedly at her lower lip. ‘I think she will continue to wear dull colours until she gets some answers.’
‘Then let us hope we can find some for her.’
‘What is it, Jake?’ Olivia turned to look at him, a slight frown creasing her brow. ‘You look preoccupied. Has s
omething happened that I know nothing about?’
‘Perceptive as always, my love.’
‘Would you like a drink?’
‘No, not at present. I had best keep a clear head in order to say what I have to.’
‘That sounds serious.’
The lightness of Olivia’s tone belied her fear. Jake always remained staunchly calm when faced with a crisis. His robust self-assurance had…well, reassured her in perilous times too often for her to recall. What could he possibly have to say to her that made him seem so vulnerable? God forbid that he had undergone a change of heart and required her to release him from their engagement. The fact that she herself had been having jitters was neither here nor there. Brides were supposed to be nervous. Their future husbands had a duty to remain resolute.
‘You’re frightening me, Jake,’ she said, conscious of the slight tremor in her voice.
‘Which was not my intention.’ He smiled at her. ‘I suppose you have been inundated with visitors today.’
Why is he changing the subject? ‘Yes, but I didn’t receive many of them. My family came, of course, and my mother seemed to think that she ought to stay with me and help me to prepare for the big day. Needless to say, I put her straight on that point.’
‘Naturally.’ Jake’s expression conveyed amused forbearance. ‘I am well aware that it would be necessary for you to swallow your pride in order to receive any of your family members.’ He pressed a finger to her lips, his eyes dark and intense. ‘That you were willing to do so for my sake is deeply gratifying. I hope they didn’t exhaust your patience.’
‘They didn’t ask for hand-outs, if that’s what you suppose. Not even my brother is that crass. But one of us will be approached before long. Never doubt it for a moment.’
‘They will be easily pacified.’
Olivia shuddered. ‘If you say so.’ She flashed a bright smile, sensing a slight relaxation in his rigid posture. If he was willing to discuss such nugatory concerns, perhaps he was not having second thoughts. Please God that he was not! ‘What of you? How many beat a path to your door?’
‘Naturally, I was saved from the majority of society ladies. They couldn’t invent excuses to call upon an unmarried gentleman but that didn’t prevent them from sending their husbands on the flimsiest of excuses.’ He swallowed, and Olivia sensed that his thoughts had returned to the urgent matter he wished to discuss. ‘However, I did receive one person and she was‒’
‘She?’
Jake ran his forefinger down the length of hers, looking so discomposed that Olivia’s discomfort increased. He did mean to jilt her after all. ‘There are some things about me, about my past, that we have never discussed,’ he said softly.
‘Some dark hidden scandal that has come back to haunt you?’
‘Not a scandal precisely…but, well‒’
Olivia listened as Jake told her about his adolescent love. Her relief that he didn’t have something worse to admit quickly turned to indignation when she learned that the lady had transferred her affections to his brother.
‘And when your horrible brother would not do the honourable thing and you wouldn’t take her back, she found someone else.’ Olivia shuddered. ‘She sounds vile but I can understand why you received her. In your position I would most likely have done the same thing. Apart from anything else, curiosity would have got the better of me.’ Olivia squeezed his fingers. ‘I suppose she either wanted to congratulate you or try and talk some sense into you.’
‘Perceptive as ever, my sweet.’
‘I hope she didn’t try to entice you away from me. If so she will be sorely disappointed. You are mine and I’m not ready to give you up, or to share you, either.’
‘I am very pleased to hear you say so.’
‘I am only surprised that you haven’t mentioned her before now.’
‘When she turned to Edward I was heartbroken.’
‘And undoubtedly decided that all women were perfidious and not to be trusted, accounting for the amount of time it has taken you to commit yourself to matrimony.’ She placed a delicate kiss on his lips. ‘I am flattered that you have chosen me, and we shall not permit the return of your first love—inconveniently timed though it is—to impinge upon our happiness.’
Jake shook his head and returned her kiss with a little more fervour. ‘I wish that we could dismiss her that easily, but unfortunately there is more.’
Olivia sensed his hesitation and squeezed the same hand a little harder. ‘It cannot be so very bad.’ Can it?
As Jake started to speak, she realised that it was.
‘Say something, my love.’ Jake slid a protective arm around her shoulders when he ran out of words. ‘She is out to make trouble for us because…well, I’m not sure why, but‒’
‘I am,’ Olivia replied with asperity, attempting to tamp down her growing anger. ‘She had the good sense to fall in love with you when you were still both little more than children. But she was dazzled by your brother’s title and riches and probably assumed that he was as honourable as you are.’
‘I couldn’t forgive her for being so shallow at the time and still cannot. I can’t help feeling that she only has her ambition and greed to blame for her subsequent travails.’
‘It sounds to me as though she has little to regret. I have seen her name mentioned once or twice in the society columns. She has been living a luxurious life in the midst of Parisian society and very likely forgot her wedding vows on countless occasions. The French look upon such peccadillos with a far more tolerant eye than we British do, so she would have been in her element.’
Jake inclined his head. ‘Undoubtedly.’
‘Your brother showed himself in his true colours the moment he got her alone. He was probably jealous because she preferred you, most likely gauged her ambitious nature and found it comparatively easy to tempt her away with sweet words and idle promises. Your Miranda was left in a difficult position. She couldn’t be sure that she wasn’t increasing and needed to marry…quickly.’
‘I understand all of that, but not her need to take it out on me.’
‘That is because you cannot see yourself the way we ladies do.’ She ran fingers abstractedly along his thigh. ‘I know of a dozen females who are heartbroken at the prospect of our marriage and will likely never speak to me again.’
Jake guffawed. ‘Miranda is still attractive. She will not have any trouble finding someone else. Why she feels the need to blackmail me I cannot imagine.’
‘Your family let her down and must be made to pay, I suppose. The woman’s pride is hurt.’ Olivia leaned her head against Jake’s shoulder and snuggled into a more comfortable position. ‘What shall you do about her threat to spread rumours about your brother’s death?’
‘See Thorndike, I suppose, and have him put a stop to it. At the very least, he needs to discover who in his department let word leak out. Not many people were privy to the details so it shouldn’t be too hard to uncover the identity of the culprit.’
‘Must you?’ Olivia lifted her head and fixed Jake with a worried frown. ‘You know very well that Thorndike won’t do you any favours unless you do him one in return. He tried hard to dissuade you from giving up working for him. It wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t take the opportunity to ensure Lady Southcott heard the particulars himself, or at least enough of them to give her something to hold against you and send you running back to him for help.’
‘There’s not much I would put past Thorndike, but surely even he isn’t that desperate?’
‘Think of all the difficult situations you were responsible for resolving at his behest. Situations that would have seriously embarrassed the government if they hadn’t been fixed. It will be hard for him to replace you. I would go so far as to say impossible, but for the fact that your self-confidence needs no boosting from me.’
Jake spread the hand that was not engaged in caressing Olivia’s shoulders. ‘Even so, my circumstances are different now. When I first agr
eed to work for Thorndike I suppose I felt guilty for inheriting a title I didn’t especially want and I didn’t much care if I lived or died. That made me reckless.’ He stroked her hair and coiled a stray curl around one finger. ‘But now I do care if I live. I care very much since I have someone special to live for.’
‘Oh, Jake!’
He kissed her with urgency, as though to emphasise the point.
‘If you go back to Thorndike,’ Olivia said, somewhat breathlessly when Jake released her, ‘I predict that he will prevent Lady Southcott from spreading rumours about your brother’s death with comparative ease. But you will also find yourself once again firmly in his employ.’
‘He cannot make me work for him.’
‘Isn’t that precisely what he’s doing now?’
‘I’ll give the Thorndike matter consideration. I just wanted you to be aware that Miranda is back in England. She will probably find a way to approach you since she is out to make mischief for us both.’
Olivia grinned. ‘They why don’t we make it easy for her?’
‘What are you planning?’ he asked, sounding more in control now that he had unburdened himself. The fact that the fear of losing her had made him so anxious lifted the cloud of doubt that had consumed her since agreeing to become his wife. He was hers, hers alone, and Miranda Southcott couldn’t have him.
Nor could anyone else.
‘Have your received an invitation to Lady Garmin’s ball in two nights’ time?’ she asked, glancing at a mantelpiece lined with invitation cards.
Jake shrugged. ‘I expect so. Why do you ask?’
‘Well,’ Olivia replied playfully. ‘Lady Garmin is a close friend of the Hepplewaites, so your Lady Southcott is bound to be at that ball. As a newly affianced couple we really ought to show our faces in society, don’t you think?’
‘You are very conniving,’ Jake replied, grinning as he kissed the end of her nose. ‘And I don’t deserve you.’
‘Very likely not, but you are stuck with me.’
Olivia glanced at the clock, extricated herself from Jake’s arms and stood. ‘I had not realised the time. You had best excuse me whilst I change for dinner.’
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