The duke fixed her with a probing look. ‘Who is the father of her baby?’ he asked into the ensuing silence. ‘Purvis or my brother?’
Chapter Four
Ross watched Miss Kennard’s reaction as conflicting emotions filtered through her expression. Shock, fear and humiliation competed for dominance as her huge eyes clouded over and she looked at him with apprehension.
‘Baby?’ she asked, her voice a little above a whisper.
Ross felt like a cad for handling the matter so ineptly. He hardly knew Sophia Kennard and would be the first to admit that her fragile beauty stirred his protective instincts and likely swayed his judgement. Be that as it may, he was already convinced that she was not cut from the same cloth as her sister—much as he did not emulate Andrew’s debauched lifestyle.
‘Where is Maria?’ he asked, hoping she would feel comfortable enough to answer him. He resisted the urge to grasp her gloved hand and give it a reassuring squeeze and instead he waited her out in silence.
‘In seclusion,’ she finally said on a long sigh, unable to look at him. ‘She is staying with a distant cousin in Yorkshire until after her confinement.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s such a mess, and I feel wretched because we have abused my aunt’s trust.’
‘None of this is your fault.’ This time he couldn’t stop himself from taking her hand, aware that her own reputation was in jeopardy too, yet her only concern seemed to be for her aunt. Grasping her hand had the desired effect and she jerked her head round to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise. ‘It will be all right.’
‘Will it?’ She stared at the water, barely seeming to notice the rain bouncing off its surface and thumping down on the roof of their shelter. ‘Maria shared Purvis’s bed, or more to the point he shared hers, immediately after he put a ring on her finger, or so she insists. She told me she was anxious to know what to expect and saw no point in waiting until they had exchanged vows. She was absolutely convinced of Purvis’s love for her, you see, and in fairness it doesn’t seem to have waned.’
‘Do you know if…’
‘If she shared a bed with your brother as well?’ Miss Kennard’s cheeks bloomed with embarrassment. ‘She tells me not, and that the baby is Purvis’s, but I did wonder…’
‘Do you believe her?’
‘I want to,’ she replied after a prolonged pause.
‘Where is Purvis now? Does he know about your sister’s condition, and will he accept responsibility for it?’
‘He’s back in Hampshire, and yes, he knows. But he is also aware that a potential heir will not soften his mother’s stance. She will—with some justification I suppose—claim that if Maria is so free with her favours, her son cannot guarantee that the child she carries is his progeny. And since she is aware of Maria cavorting about the countryside with her son and your brother, one cannot blame her for harbouring doubts.’
‘I cannot judge Purvis’s reaction since I am not acquainted with him.’ Ross paused to consider his words. ‘Is he a jealous man?’
Miss Kennard gave him a wary wide-eyed look. ‘You assume that Maria and your brother were intimate, Purvis found out and took the ultimate form of revenge.’
‘The possibility had occurred to me. If he is as enamoured of your sister as you imply, then I can easily imagine jealousy getting the better of him.’
‘He was also very proud of her and keen to show her off, which is why I think he encouraged her wildness with Andrew.’
‘Assuming that my brother would behave honourably.’ Ross shook his head. ‘Foolish man.’
‘I’m hesitant to voice an opinion on such a sensitive matter, but you are right to suggest that Purvis isn’t the full shilling. He’s trusting and easily led, which makes it easy for his mother to manipulate him.’
‘And my brother, too, one imagines.’ Ross’s expression turned to granite. ‘He was a great one for taking whatever he wanted and…excuse me, but if your sister made her availability apparent then…’
‘Then Andrew would not have held back.’ She looked away from him but not so quickly that he didn’t notice the devastation in her expression. ‘Quite.’
‘We are merely speculating.’
‘True.’ She flapped a hand. ‘It’s a relief to talk about it in some respects. I have wanted to, but I honestly didn’t expect to express my views to you of all people.’
Ross softened his gaze when she turned back to look at him. He took in her troubled expression and wished they could talk about something…anything else. He wished too that she didn’t have to be exposed to the tawdry details of her sister’s activities. For the first time Ross considered giving up on his efforts to expose his brother’s killer’s identity. Did it really matter? Dead was dead and nothing could bring Andrew back.
Perhaps he would drop his investigation, but for the fact that he sensed Sophia’s determination to get to the truth, regardless of the damage the revelations might indirectly cause to her own reputation. He admired her tenacity far more than was sensible. He admired far too much about her, for that matter.
‘I’m sorry if you find the subject matter disquieting but we must—’
She waved aside his concerns. ‘As I say, it’s almost a relief to speak about it,’ she replied. ‘As you can imagine, it has been playing on my mind.’
‘Your aunt and uncle don’t know that your sister is increasing?’ Ross was unable to disguise his surprise.
‘It has never been discussed, and since we have given my aunt so much trouble, I am reluctant to make her face up to the awful reality. She is adept at ignoring anything that she doesn’t want to confront, and why should she have to?’ Miss Kennard sent Ross a defiant look. ‘She has been so very good to us, but now the whole of London is talking about Maria and my aunt’s reputation is in danger of suffering the consequences.’ Miss Kennard straightened her shoulders. ‘I will do everything in my power to ensure that my aunt never discovers the truth.’
A bark of laughter from Tanner, who was doing a sterling job of obeying Ross’s orders and entertaining Miss Kennard’s pretty maid, briefly distracted them both. A faint smile touched Miss Kennard’s enticing lips. Lips that under different circumstances he would be giving serious consideration to kissing.
Thoughts of her beautiful mouth and finely etched features had invaded his dreams the previous night and prevented him from concentrating his thoughts on chasing down Andrew’s killer. It was the sort of distraction he could do without, and yet he welcomed its intrusion. Ross remained impervious to the weather as he sat in this damp shelter, enjoying the lady’s company a little too much despite the seriousness of a plight brought about by an inconsiderate sister.
‘Your concern for your relative’s feelings does you credit,’ he replied softly, giving her hand another squeeze before reluctantly releasing it.
‘What are your thoughts on the matter?’ she asked, after they had sat in silence for a minute or two, consumed by their individual thoughts. ‘What shall you do to try and discover who killed your brother?’
‘I need to speak to his friends here in London. I managed to get a few names out of Emily. They are men with whom he gambled for high stakes but couldn’t afford the losses he incurred. I know because Emily passed me his vowels. That, I suppose, will give me a legitimate reason to speak with them. I’m sure they will receive me if they think there is the prospect of their being paid.’
‘I am sure they would receive you anyway.’ A spark of animation had returned to her eyes. ‘You clearly don’t want to assume the dukedom and have yet to learn that there are advantages inherent to that position.’ A smile played about the mouth that so fascinated him. ‘No one refuses a duke.’
He smiled at her. ‘People tended not to refuse me before I assumed my new responsibilities. I can be very persuasive.’
A touch of colour invaded her wan cheeks. ‘I am perfectly sure that you can.’ She paused and looked away from him, concentrating on the Serpentine as the wind whipped up the wat
er into frothy peaks. ‘Who are these gentlemen with whom Andrew gambled? Would I know them?’
‘The names of Darren Blake and Giles Swinton have been mentioned to me several times by people other than Emily.’
‘Ah, I should have anticipated that.’ Miss Kennard’s expression darkened. ‘They have both earned reputations as appalling rakes. Even so, they are still invited everywhere. Allowances are made for them that wouldn’t be afforded to Maria, simply because they are men, and men are expected to sow their wild oats, for want of a better description of their outré behaviour. Wild oats are sown by the wind, I’ve always thought, and grow by accident. There is nothing accidental about the behaviour of the men we are discussing. They go out of their way to create scandal for their own indolent amusement.’ She gave a disgruntled little tut. ‘They are both rich, entitled, lazy individuals and, excuse me, perfect playmates for your brother. I am not surprised that they got along well.’
‘I know very little about either of them.’
‘Well, of course, I suppose you would not. They are both younger than you and would still have been in the schoolroom when you left these shores.’ She paused. ‘Blake is Lord Falcombe’s heir. He will be the Viscount Falcombe when his father dies. He is an only son and horribly indulged—explaining his loose morals, one supposes. Children need guidance, good examples to follow.’ She twitched her pert nose in disdain. ‘Swinton is no better. He’s not titled himself, but his father is the Marquess of Trowbridge’s younger brother. He and Blake are neighbours, both only sons who grew up together and appear to be joined at the hip. Where one goes, you can be sure to find the other lurking close by. They egg each other on to ever greater depths of depravity.’
‘It doesn’t surprise me that your description of the two men is diametrically opposed to the version offered to me by Emily. Apart from their familial circumstances, nothing is the same. Emily has it that they are both charming, respectable and highly sought after.’
Miss Kennard elevated her chin. ‘I shall keep my opinion about that to myself.’
Ross chuckled. ‘I am more inclined to believe you. Andrew was never happier than when mixing in low company.’
‘Don’t underestimate them, your grace. Blake and Swinton might be morally corrupt but they are not foolish. They will have known about your brother’s straitened circumstances and his love of gaming and probably set about attempting to ruin him simply because they could.’ Disapproval underscored her words. ‘They would think it great sport to have a duke beholden to them, which is why they would not have resorted to murder. They are cowardly blaggards and don’t have it in them to go quite that far.’
‘You sound as though you are well acquainted with them.’
‘More than I ever want to be. They are very good at disguising their depravities when mixing in society, and swagger around ballrooms as if they own them. Both of them have tried their questionable charms on me but I find them easy to resist.’ She twitched her nose again; a habit that he found endearing. ‘Anyway, as I say, they might be able to tell you more about Andrew’s activities shortly before his death, but I think it unlikely that they are responsible for the untimely death in question. I mean, if Andrew was in debt to them…’
‘And yet I will settle his debts.’ Ross paused to reflectively rub his chin. ‘Andrew was aware of my success in America and probably spoke of it. It’s the sort of boastful thing he would do. If Andrew was unable to pay, perhaps Blake and Swinton got tired of waiting and rightly assumed that I would honour my brother’s obligations.’
Miss Kennard shook her head decisively. ‘I think you are wrong about that. They are both fabulously wealthy, have elderly parents who indulge their every whim and don’t check their behaviour or their extravagant lifestyles. Funds are not a problem for either of them. Cutting a swathe through society and amusing themselves by causing mayhem and ruin is more their style.’ She paused. ‘If you asked me to guess at their reasons for drawing Andrew in, I would have to say that as well as being amused by having a duke beholden to them Andrew could also have opened doors that would otherwise have been closed in their faces. He could introduce them at Court, get them the king’s ear, that sort of thing.’
‘Well then, it seems I must definitely speak with them. I shall be interested to see if they try to hoodwink me.’
Miss Kennard chuckled. ‘Not in a million years. I have already told you, neither of them wants for wits and it would be a foolish person indeed who tried to undermine your authority.’
‘They attempted it with Andrew.’
‘Andrew had a weakness for gambling and, excuse me for saying so, he also possessed a low moral character that they would have identified and preyed upon.’
Ross nodded, staring off into the distance as he conceded the point. ‘Perhaps,’ he said, thinking that Miss Kennard was very intuitive, to say nothing of being intelligent and outspoken.
‘You would be best advised to meet them in a social situation rather than seeking them out, which would put you at a disadvantage and make them less likely to answer your questions,’ she remarked after a short pause. ‘Not that you are likely to get straight answers anyway. They will think it good sport to try and mislead you.’
‘I’m not at all sure that the matters I want to discuss with them could be voiced in a stranger’s drawing room.’
Miss Kennard laughed. ‘You are out of touch. It’s how things are generally done. Are you for Lady Carpenter’s soiree tomorrow night?’
‘I have been invited…I think. There have been so many invitations.’
Miss Kennard’s tinkling laughter ensured her of his full attention. ‘That amuses you?’
‘It amuses me that you are surprised by your popularity. You don’t seem to realise quite what a stir your return has created among the plutocracy. A handsome and eligible duke appearing in the middle of the season is manna from heaven as far as the chaperones are concerned.’ Her smile was wide and uncontrived, sending Ross’s mind on a most inconvenient sensual detour. ‘Of course you will be invited everywhere, you silly man. Every mother with a daughter to marry off will have you in her sights.’
‘Oh good heavens!’ Ross shuddered.
‘Anyway, the reason I mentioned Lady Carpenter is that she is Blake’s maternal aunt. Lady C adores her nephew and he returns her regard. He never misses one of her social events, which means you can guarantee that both he and Swinton will be in attendance. I can introduce you and that way the meeting will seem accidental.’
‘I don’t want you to be troubled by their attentions.’
‘Thank you, but I can take care of myself. Besides, I have a vested interest in getting to the truth as well,’ she reminded him, the amusement leaving her expression. ‘I want my sister to be able to hold her head up in public. Not that she deserves to, of course, but that is beside the point. Until Andrew’s killer has been identified there are those who will always be willing to cast doubt upon Maria’s involvement with him.’
‘Very well then, I shall accept Lady Carpenter’s invitation, if only for the pleasure of seeing you again.’
‘Purvis will likely be there as well. I believe he and his mother are in town. One assumes that Lady P is anxious to see her son more suitably affianced.’
‘How very gauche of her.’
‘The marriage mart is not to be taken lightly. Haven’t you learned anything yet?’
‘I have certainly learned to be wary.’
‘Very wise. Nothing in this ridiculous social parody is what it appears to be.’
‘What of you? You must find yourself pursued relentlessly.’
‘Hardly.’ She waved the suggestion aside, seeming surprised by it. ‘I have no money to speak of, you see.’
Ross arched a brow. ‘Not all the gentlemen in need of a wife are short of funds, surely?’
‘Most of those who don’t need to marry for money are either as silly as Purvis or as depraved as Blake.’
‘Ah.’ Ross smiled at
her. ‘I see.’
‘Fortunately, I am not desperate for a husband. I shall persuade Maria to sell our family home eventually and divide the spoils between us. It will give me enough to fund a modest lifestyle and I shall not need to marry at all.’
‘That would be the most dreadful shame.’
‘Would it?’ She seemed unimpressed by his opinion. ‘I am a great observer and have seen nothing of the married state that speaks of joy. As it is, the woman has a far worse time of it, having to endure the risk to her life and the pain of childbirth and also do everything that her husband tells her to. If that husband was as stupid as Purvis, imagine the torment of keeping one’s opinions to oneself.’
He smiled. ‘I barely can.’
‘Well, I have spent a great deal of time considering the situation and cannot abide the thought of meekly doing as I am told.’
‘There is nothing remotely meek about you,’ he replied, fixing her with an ardent look tinged with amusement.
‘Thank you,’ she said primly. ‘I shall take that as a compliment.’
‘It was intended as one.’ His expression softened. ‘No one said that life is supposed to be fair,’ he added, ‘and we men are accustomed to assuming the role of protectors.’
‘Well, if anyone did express thoughts on the fairness of life as it stands, that opinion would have been voiced by a man.’
‘Not this man.’
‘Then we are in agreement.’ Miss Kennard stood, obliging Ross to follow suit. ‘Come along, Phyllis,’ she said. ‘Whatever his grace’s gentleman is telling you will have to wait for another time. I can see you are being so well entertained that you have failed to notice we are about to get drenched.’
The earlier rain had stopped but Ross glanced up at heavy clouds hanging low over the park and could see that more was on its way. He had been enthralled by Miss Kennard’s lively company and hadn’t noticed the weather closing in again either.
A Duke in Turmoil: Dangerous Dukes Vol 9 Page 5