An Improper Proposal (The Distinguished Rogues Book 6) (21 page)

Martin stilled as a sinking feeling overcame his happiness. “What place?”

“My good man. Do you not know?” The duke drew back in shock. Then shook his head. “Dear God, you must not or you would not ask. I must have done my work too well in concealing his whereabouts. A bribe here and there can silence most wagging tongues. It was all I could do for the daughter. Alexander Hedley is a guest of the Marshalsea Prison. He’s been there all along. A year or more I think it must be now.”

 
“That could not be. She never said a word about her father being in England.” He shook his head to deny the claim. “Why would Iris not tell the truth about her father?”

“It is not at all surprising, when it must have seemed there was a chance to make a match with you.” The duke winced. “Now though, I’m sure you’ve come to your senses and can make an escape from any understandings that might exist. I’ve no idea how she came to be mixed up in it all but it’s assuredly for the best. Alexander will be ashamed that his daughter has fallen in with a rough crowd, despite Lady Heathcote’s best efforts to shelter her.”

Martin’s head reeled. “What rough crowd could you possibly mean?”

The duke tilted his head. “Why, the robberies plaguing society this season. Surely Meriwether alerted you that she was in league with them, acting as an accomplice inside the
ton
? That is why she is here tonight. I am against the trap being set but my nephew is determined to lend his support to prevent anyone else being harmed.”

Rage filled him. Fury. Nothing could have induced Iris to agree to such a situation but the worst kind of pressure. She was too good to play a part in any robbery. The duke must be wrong. He couldn’t imagine the woman he loved agreeing to rob anyone.

He took a step toward the duke and then stopped in shock. Dear God, the woman he wanted to marry, the woman he’d fallen in love with, was considered a felon.

Ettington knocked on the tabletop to draw everyone’s attention. “Shall we rejoin the ladies?”

Damn right he would. He wasn’t about to let Iris from his sight until he clarified that the duke was wrong about her activities.

Iris was seated at the rear of the room when the doors opened to admit them. She perched between Ladies Hallam and Daventry, and appeared extremely uncomfortable.

When the countesses rose to greet their husbands, Iris remained behind. Her shoulders tensed. He nodded to her and kept his distance, not trusting himself for the moment to blurt out his questions in front of his friends.

“She is lovely,” Miranda murmured at his elbow.

Martin squirmed. Lovely, but a thief? “Agreed.”

“And I understand you’ve been calling on her daily.”

“Not every day,” he corrected. He’d been on a fool’s errand in search of Alexander Hedley. The man was in the Marshalsea, a place he’d never considered he’d be. Why had she let society think he’d fled his debtors for so long? He risked a glance at Iris. Did she visit her father? Did they speak?

“Of course she does,” he muttered out loud. She went out every day and he’d accepted her lies, little realizing how much she hid from him.

Miranda grinned at him. “Look at you, barely able to take your eyes from her even in company. A lucky find indeed, my friend. By the way, my fellow wives are firmly of the opinion you should not let her get away. If you are not careful, you’ll find yourself leg shackled before the week is out.”

“It’s not like that.” Martin wasn’t sure now what to think of Iris, but there was no way he could marry a felon. In a way, he could understand why she might have lied to him about her father. Embarrassment. Concern he’d turn away, as so many had done before. “How do you know a person well enough to be sure you’re not making a mistake?”

“Trust that feeling in your heart. The voice that won’t let you sleep at night, wondering where they are and what they’re doing. I’ve never met a man, or woman for that matter, who wasn’t afraid of making a mistake until the last moment of giving up his freedom, and I’m sure you are no different.” Miranda sighed. “So it’s the altar and life starts anew.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Martin warned, glancing around. “Now really isn’t a good time for this conversation. I need to think.”

His friend laughed softly. “Just don’t take too long. I think she’s as uncertain of you as you are of her. It’s clear she likes you very much, and don’t deny you like her too.”

He
had
liked her. He’d fallen in love with her dignity and honest desire of a better life. Only now, after speaking with Exeter, he wasn’t sure he had ever known her. While he’d been speaking to Miranda, Iris had stood and moved restlessly through the room, never settling in to converse with anyone for long. No one else but him seemed to notice where she went. She paused to glance out the east window, where rain was pattering against the glass, lost in her own thoughts.

She was lovely but he didn’t know whether he could marry her if Exeter’s claims were fact. He’d thought the existence of his daughter might tarnish the family name. Marrying Iris would be an undoubtedly worse scandal if her double life was revealed.

He moved toward her. “Is the view remarkable?”

She spun about to face him and pressed her hands to her chest with a soft shriek. “You startled me.”

He stared at the window and his heart stopped. The catch was open. It had been locked earlier in the evening. He’d seen that for himself. His mouth tasted of ashes as he realized Exeter’s claims were all too true. She was the thief in their midst. “I apologize.”

She seemed confused by his short reply but then smiled. “I like your friends.”

“I like them too. I would be very concerned if something or someone intended them harm.”

Her cheeks drained of color and she glanced across the room toward the marquess. “So would I. They are kind people indeed.”

She couldn’t mean that, given what she’d just done. She should not be mixed up in any of this. “You should return to Lady Heathcote. I believe she was about to leave.”

“Yes, of course.” She dipped a curtsey, a frown creasing her brow. “Good evening, my lord. I hope to see you soon.”

“Perhaps.” He didn’t want to talk to her tonight. He wanted her to go so he could sort out his conflicted feelings. He did not like being lied to and leaving out such an important revelation stung.

She fled to Esme’s side and after a flurry of whispers, the pair eventually departed. That left him standing near the unlocked window that would ensure his closest friend was robbed.

A hand clamped on his arm. “We need to talk,” Ettington hissed, and dragged him toward the nearest doorway and down the darkened hall.

When the study door closed behind their back, the marquess swore. “Devil take it, do you want to get her killed?”

“Excuse me?”

“Miss Hedley, you fool.” Ettington shook his fist. “If you’d locked that window after she’d finally worked up the courage to accomplish her goal, you could have put her life in peril. And her father’s.”

The marquess raked his fingers through his hair and strode to the sideboard to pour himself a drink. “Damn frightful business, I don’t mind telling you. I’ve never been very good at keeping my wife in the dark.”

“You’ll be robbed.”

The marquess spread his arms. “And I
need
to be robbed tonight.”

“What?” His heart sank. “Why?”

“These robberies are getting out of hand. They’ve grown even more cocky and dangerous after every success. Tonight someone is going to steal some very good paste gems from my safe. Gems planted there to avert suspicion falling on Miss Hedley ahead of the
real
trap set for the next large ball. In the meantime, Miss Hedley must play her part without any interference, as much as we all dislike the situation. She is the inside spy, finding targets and ensuring access to the best homes, and all so her father’s throat won’t be slit. You almost spoiled our one chance to set everything in motion.”

Martin sank into a chair in shock. “Who is we?”

“Meriwether. Lady Heathcote. Miss Hedley confessed to them a few days ago after being attacked.” The marquess shook his head. “Despite the potential risk to herself and her father if they suspect her of duplicity, she wants it all to stop.”

Martin stood. Dear God, what had he done? He’d sent her away without letting her explain herself. “I should go to her.”

Ettington shoved him back in the chair roughly. “Sit down. You cannot do anything to stop this. And you certainly cannot help her without giving the game away.”

“She has no idea of what she’s doing or saying.” Martin covered his face. He’d judged her and found her wanting just as everyone else had done since her father’s ruin. “She’ll be sent to prison,” he whispered.

“Most likely. The woman has had ample time to consider the consequences of her actions but still she came forward. The attack on Hazelton scared her into hesitation at the next opportunity and she was threatened very badly.” The marquess pressed his lips together in a tight line, his expression filled with compassion. “I don’t know if she can escape judgment, but if not then let’s hope sensible heads prevail at sentencing.”

“Thieves are transported. Dear God, I cannot lose her.” Martin closed his eyes as horror and guilt brought tears. He brushed them aside with the back of his hand. “I might never see her again.”

Ettington’s hand settled on his shoulder. “She’s more concerned for her father than her own future, I’m told. He’s vulnerable and she knows he might not last long in the Marshalsea.”

Martin stood. “Then that is what I can do. All I can do. I’ve been looking for him for some time to ask permission to marry her and now I know where he is.”

“You cannot marry her. Not now.”

“I have already promised to do so, and once Alexander Hedley is free and gives his consent, we will be wed by special license. Everyone expects us to marry anyway and if I don’t follow through, there will be too much speculation over why I did not.”

“You’ll ruin your family name for no good reason.”

“No, I won’t.” Martin smiled. “I’m doing this for the right reason. I love her.”

Seventeen

At the door to Lady Heathcote’s London townhouse, Iris almost broke down in tears. Her visit to her father that day had been horrible and had broken her heart. When she’d first spoken, he’d looked at her blankly and Iris had needed to remind him of her name. He’d shrugged off the incident but upon her leaving, he’d looked at her so strangely again and only pressed a courtly kiss to her hand rather than his usual buss to her cheek.

She rapped the knocker and almost fell inside as Higgins admitted her. “Miss Hedley, are you all right?”

She nodded, keen to hide her distress from the servant. “Simply exhausted after my long walk.”

Higgins knew where she went but they never spoke of her destination. Today he seemed troubled. “You should not go so far on foot next time.”

She had no choice but to keep up the ruse. Esme’s butler was a kind man and she liked him very much, but she didn’t want to inconvenience the staff, and she could not change the method of her travel without being noticed by Talbot. Everything depended on her keeping up the charade just a bit longer. She removed her bonnet and handed it to him. “Is Lady Heathcote at home?”

“She is,” he glanced around, “and somewhat impatient about your return.”

“Oh.” Iris nodded. Had Esme taken Meriwether’s fears to heart and believed she would flee the consequences of her actions? “Then I should not keep her waiting.”

“No, you really shouldn’t,” Esme said irritably at her back.

Iris spun around. “Good morning, my lady.”

“It is
now
.” Lady Heathcote glanced at the butler. “We will take tea in the parlor as soon as it’s convenient.”

“Faster than that.” Higgins nodded and rushed off to do his mistress’s bidding. Esme embraced her and led her into the parlor one flight up. In this private domain where Esme always led her closest friends, Iris felt most secure.

Once the door was closed, Esme caught her chin and stared into her eyes. “You don’t look very well today.”

“I could not sleep a wink, worrying that someone would be hurt.” She drew in a deep breath. “Is there any word about last night in the papers?”

“The robbery took place and the papers say the marquess is furious. Meriwether’s men followed the thieves but he would not say to where.” Esme led them to a cozy pair of chairs and pressed her down. “How is your father today?”

Iris bowed her head as tears spilled down her cheeks. “Oh Esme, he didn’t recognize me when I got there. I had to remind him that I was his daughter.”

Esme embraced her and rocked her back and forth.

“It hurts so much to see him like this. What am I going to do? I feel as if I’m being pulled apart.”

Esme stroked her back. “Your father loves you.”

“He’s not himself anymore.” She sniffed back her tears and dabbed at her eyes. “He is so changed I don’t think he’ll ever be the man I remember. Even if he were free again, if I can escape imprisonment and Talbot, he couldn’t move about in society.”

“Oh my dear girl. Now is not the time to worry about the future. There’s little we can do but wait. I suspected Alexander was headed for Bedlam a long time ago. Why do you think I’ve pressed you to make a match? Louth is a good man, sensible, and he will not judge you for your father’s odd behavior.”