Lord Ashford's Wager (7 page)

“Not that he ever lets on when he is losing,” said Lord Burleigh to his host. “I’ve never seen anyone cooler than Ashford.”

When Claudia arrived, Tony approached her immediately. He had decided to act as though nothing had happened. She undoubtedly had heard gossip, but he wanted to explain himself in the privacy of her drawing room, not at a crowded dinner dance.

Their waltz was something of a disappointment. Although Tony was at his most charming, it felt like a brittle charm to his partner. And all the while they danced, Claudia could not help wondering whether Tony would admit his failure to her.

She had been claimed for supper and was already seated when she saw Tony escort Lady Joanna Barrand in. They were old friends from childhood, Claudia knew, and closer in age than she and Tony. Suddenly she felt her spirits sink. Perhaps affectionate friendship would not be enough for her. Tony was not treating Joanna any differently than he treated Claudia. Although at least she had Tony’s kisses, after all.

Tony was not having as comfortable a supper as it appeared. He was trying to keep his mind off Claudia and on Joanna, but was finding it difficult, and Joanna was not making it any easier. Oh, she was chatting away with him, but he could feel a certain coolness in the air. She would have heard the gossip too, and probably, like everyone else, saw him as a fortune hunter. He cared a great deal about what Joanna thought of him, for she was connected so closely to childhood and Ned in his mind. At some point he would have to reassure her that he did care about Lady Fairhaven, above and beyond her money.

Joanna thought she had been unhappy at the beginning of the Season when Tony’s interest in Lady Fairhaven had first become evident. She had watched them closely, wondering why she was tormenting herself, but wanting some sign that Tony cared about the lady as well as her fortune.

Of course, when she saw them on the dance floor or seeking “fresh air,” she decided, to Tony’s credit, he seemed to have some genuine feeling for Lady Fairhaven. But aside from her relief that her old friend’s integrity was more or less intact, it did not make her feel any better.

She was the world’s biggest fool, she decided. She had loved Tony Varden since she was a young girl. When Ned died, she had been ashamed that her real grief was mixed with hope that the loss of his brother might bring them closer, might reshape the habits and patterns of old friendship. But Tony had never sought comfort from her. Instead, he had sought it at 75 St. James Street. And then in the arms of Lady Fairhaven. The one thing Joanna could be thankful for was that no one had ever guessed her secret.

Tony’s most recent behavior had appalled her. If gossips were correct, he had borrowed a tidy sum from Claudia and immediately thrown it away on
Rouge et Noir
. And here he was, acting as if nothing had happened. How could she respect, much less love, such a man?

At the end of the evening, Tony asked Claudia if he might escort her home. She knew they had to have it out sometime, and so she agreed. The ride home was made in uncomfortable silence, now that there were no social forms to ease their way.

The butler opened the door for them and motioned to Jim to take their wraps.

“Please bring a decanter of brandy to the library, Dawson.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Will you join me, Tony?” asked Claudia, not waiting for an answer and proceeding down the hall to the library. Tony followed, aware that she had chosen a rather formal room for their confrontation, for that was what he expected this to be.

Claudia was shaking with both anger and nerves. Here she was, deeply in love with a man who was on the brink of disaster. She had been able to dismiss Tony’s gambling as a result of his grief and desperation. But he had made her a promise and not kept his word. She knew of too many men who made a life of broken promises over gambling or drinking. She wanted to save Tony from that, but she was not about to sacrifice herself in the process.

“Please close the door, Tony,” she said, and turned to face him.

He looked like a shamefaced boy for one unguarded moment, and this time it did not draw her sympathy but her anger. At some point that boy had to grow up. It was high time.

“I have heard the gossip, Tony. In fact, I have had to put up with Lord Fairhaven warning me that everyone knows you have borrowed money from me and gambled it away. Can you explain?”

Tony was taken aback. He had never seen Claudia angry, nor expected to face more than disappointment. All his
savoir faire
deserted him, and unfortunately he looked even more boyish as he attempted an explanation. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the three hundred-pound notes and held them out.

“I did lose the other night, Claudia, but I won back half of it.”

“But you did not pay off any of your debts as you promised.”

“Well…no…you see, I was hoping to double what you had given me and pay you back as well.”

“And now?”

“I know this will sound outrageous…but I was hoping you could lend me more. Only three hundred this time,” he rushed to point out before she could open her mouth.

Neither heard the door click behind them or noticed Dawson standing there with the brandy.

“You are a fool indeed if you think I will give you a penny more of my money, Lord Ashford,” said Claudia, furious at his effrontery.

Dawson cleared his throat. “The brandy, my lady.”

Claudia blushed and Tony turned his back to the butler, walking over to the window.

“Set it down, Dawson. And you may retire.”

‘Thank you, my lady.”

Tony turned around and looked Claudia in the eye. “I understand completely, Lady Fairhaven. I am sure you wish me in Jericho right now. I promise I will not bother you again. I cannot spare you the gossip, but it will die down, I assure you.”

There was no trace of the bewildered boy in Tony’s eyes. They were a man’s eyes, bleak and despairing, but at least facing things as they were.

“Don’t leave, Tony,” said Claudia softly as he turned to go.

“I am sure I have hurt you, Claudia, and I wouldn’t have done that for the world. I do have a great affection for you. I want you to know that. And we both have felt the attraction between us. But I also need your money. God help me,” he groaned, “I never thought I would end up the rankest fortune hunter. But at least I can leave you alone from now on.”

“So that I can fall prey to a fortune hunter who doesn’t care about me? Or even desire me?” asked Claudia with a crooked smile. “Someone like Mark Halesworth?”

“Mark Halesworth! God forbid!”

“You know,” said Claudia, pointing at the portrait of her husband, “I almost think that Justin made his will in such a way that the title and fortune might be brought together. He may have meant well, but I could never marry Mark.”

“I hope not, Claudia. Even I would be better than Fairhaven.”

“Much better, Tony,” she agreed.

“What are you saying, Claudia?”

“I think I am going to ask you to marry me, Tony.”

“You are mad!”

“No. I am quite sane and serious. But there is a condition.”

“Yes?”

“You would have to give up gambling. I will not marry someone I cannot trust.”

“And could you trust me now, if I made you another promise?”

“I think so. Because if you marry me, you would have no more reason to return to the tables. As my husband, you will have all the money you need to restore Ashford and take care of your mother. But if you break
this
promise, Tony, I will break our engagement. I promise you that as faithfully as I promise my love.”

Tony didn’t move. He couldn’t. He knew he should do something. What? Sweep her into his arms and rain kisses on her face to thank her? It would have felt despicable to take advantage of such generosity. No, he would begin this betrothal honestly, or not at all.

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “Claudia, I will make that promise. And not only for Ashford, although that is part of it. I won’t begin this with a lie. Nor can I even begin to thank you right now. But I can tell you that I care for you very much and that I find it difficult at this moment to resist your lips. But I want to prove these things to you slowly, day by day.”

“Then your answer is yes?”

“My answer is yes.”

Claudia let out a long breath. “That was very unwomanly of me to propose, I know…”

“I am glad you did. I don’t know when I would have had the courage. But I must go, or I will break my first promise and have to kiss you.”

“I wouldn’t mind that broken promise, Tony,” Claudia whispered.

“I know, my dear, but first I need to redeem the other.” Tony squeezed her hands and turned to go.

“Wait, my dear. You have forgotten something.” Claudia walked over to her husband’s desk and, opening the drawer, took out three hundred pounds.

Tony blushed. “I hate to take this.”

“But you must.”

“Unfortunately I must,” he admitted. “I will redeem my vowels tonight.”

“You may tell all your creditors that they will be fully paid over the next two weeks.”

‘Thank you, Claudia.”

“Good night, Tony,” she said, smiling at him.

“I will call on you tomorrow. Good night, my lady,” he added, caressing her with his voice.

After Tony had gone, Claudia perched on the arm of the sofa and looked up at her husband’s likeness. “I am sorry to have to disappoint you, Justin. But I know that Tony and I are well matched.” She smiled up as though Justin had answered her. “Yes, yes, there is a slight difference in our ages and he needs my money—but with all that, there is a chance for real love, I think. It seems I am as much a gambler as Tony, for I am willing to take my chances on that. And I could never have married Mark, my dear.”

“I am very sorry to hear that, Claudia,” said a voice behind her.

Claudia nearly fell off the sofa. “What are you doing here at this hour, Mark? Who let you in?” She was so furious at having her privacy violated that she didn’t even care what he had overheard.

“I came at once when I heard Ashford had escorted you home. I was afraid you would succumb to his wheedling charm, and now I hear that you have. James let me in.”

“Well, I will have to speak with James in the morning,” replied Claudia, getting up and walking to the door.

Mark blocked her way. “Oh, no, you are not leaving yet.”

“Get out of my way, Mark, before I call for James and embarrass us both.” Mark didn’t move.

“Get
out
of my way,” Claudia repeated.

“Get out of your way? When you have been in my way these past seventeen years! No, my lady, you are going to hear me out,” said Mark, grabbing her by the shoulders and backing her toward the sofa. He gave one shove and Claudia sat down with a gasp.

“How dare you touch me like that! Justin would have horsewhipped you.”

“Yes? Well, Justin is gone, although that was quite a touching monologue I overheard. And Justin was a fool.”

“Justin’s little finger was worth more than every bone in your body, sir!”

Mark kept talking as though he hadn’t even heard her. As though, Claudia thought, she wasn’t even there.

“First, he had to go and marry a seventeen-year-old. Every summer I would dread my visit, worrying that you would at last be increasing. And every summer my hopes would rise again. But then I’d spend the whole year worrying. Of course, after a few years it did seem unlikely, and then, just not possible. No way of knowing, of course, if it was you or Justin to blame, but it is usually the woman’s fault, I understand,” he added contemptuously. “Then when Justin died… Well, that was a wonderful day.”

Claudia made a sound between a laugh and a sob, but Mark just went on as though he hadn’t heard her.

“Until they read the will. Oh, yes, I got the title and the estate. They were entailed, he had no choice. But you…you got everything else, everything I’d worked for and waited for all those years.”

“Justin
had worked for it. And Justin gave you more than enough to support both the estate and yourself in style.”

Mark looked down, and the hatred in his eyes frightened her so much that she sank back into the sofa.

“I think you are right about one thing, Claudia. I think Justin set up his will to bring us together. That way, I would have both the title and the fortune.”

“But according to your reasoning, no heir.”

“Who knows what might have happened, Claudia, who knows? But now it is too late. Or is it, my dear? Are you really going to marry that irresponsible boy, Cousin Claudia?”

“Lord Ashford is not a boy, Mark. He is a young man who temporarily caved in under tremendous pressure. He has convinced me that he is to be trusted and, more important, he cares about me. And I care for him. You care for no one but yourself. I always suspected it, but I never disillusioned Justin.”

“How kind of you.” Mark sat down next to her, and only with the greatest effort could Claudia keep herself from shrinking away from him.

“I was hoping Ashford would not redeem himself…or his vowels,” added Mark with a humorless chuckle at his own pun. “But it seems he has.”

“Yes. As of tonight, we are betrothed.”

“And if you marry and should you conceive, then all that money is lost to me forever. I cannot let that happen.”

“You can’t do anything to stop it, Mark.” Claudia started to get up. “Now please go.”

Mark pushed her back down and pinned her to the sofa with his knee between her legs. He cradled her head in his hands and brought his face close, as though he were going to kiss her, but there was no warmth, no humanity, in his cold, shuttered stare. Suddenly, Claudia was very frightened again.

“There is one way to stop you from marrying Ashford, my dear.”

Claudia froze as his thumbs moved gently on her throat, as though seeking her pulse, which, no doubt, was racing. But she would not give him the satisfaction of showing her fear.

“Let me go, Mark,” she said as calmly as she could.

“Oh, no, I can’t let you go and do something as foolish as marry Ashford instead of me,” he whispered.