No Decent Gentleman (13 page)

"You conniving witch," he said, leveling a deadly look on her. At that, he flung the window open and climbed outside onto the giant oak to descend the two stories to the garden below.

Lucky for her that the tree aided his escape, Adam thought. If not, Alexis Carstairs would be ruined, for he had no intention of marrying her.

Reaching the street, Adam was surprised to see Abdul and Sagi waiting there with the coach. He'd left them parked near the front door. Sagi sat in the driver's seat while Abdul held the coach door open for him.

Adam smiled at them. "How did you know?"

"The best servants anticipate their masters' needs, my prince," Abdul informed him.

Sagi called from where he sat, "We noted the ladies' arrival and assumed you would require a fast escape."

"Thank Allah for that," Adam said, "but you must remember always to call me
my lord
."

Abdul nodded. "As you wish, my prince."

Adam ducked into his coach, and his bodyguard closed the door. He relaxed back on the leather seat for the ten minute trip to his town house on Park Lane, the most fashionable street in London.

Without waiting for Abdul to open the door, Adam climbed out of the coach and started up the front stairs of his house. He heard someone calling his name and turned to see James Armstrong, the Duke of Kinross, stepping out of his coach.

"Come inside, Jamie," Adam said, smiling at his friend from Eton schooldays. "Let's toast the great escape I've just made."

Jamie grinned. "Escape from what?"

"Why, I've neatly escaped the trap Alexis set for me," he answered.

Jamie laughed. Together, the two friends walked into the town house.

Inside the foyer stood two men. Short, dark, and rotund, Razi had come from the East and acted as his valet. Higgins, his majordomo, was tall and dignified-looking.

"Welcome home, my lord," Razi greeted him as if he'd been gone for two days instead of an hour.

"Has my uncle arrived yet?" Adam asked.

"No, my lord," answered Higgins in a cultured voice. "His chamber is in readiness."

Adam nodded. "Inform me as soon as he sends word of their arrival."

"Without fail, master," Razi promised, obviously eager to please.

"Master?" Jamie echoed as they walked the length of the corridor to the study. "My servants don't give me that much respect. How do you manage such loyalty?"

Adam shrugged. "Razi is a bit old-fashioned."

James Armstrong sat down in the upholstered chair in front of the enormous oak desk while Adam poured two drams of whiskey. "All of the ton prefers mahogony while you cling to sturdy oak," he remarked.

"I set my own standards," Adam said, passing him the whiskey. He sat in his chair behind the desk and raised his glass in salute, saying, "To my latest escape from the clutches of Alexis."

Jamie sipped his whiskey and then asked, "What did Alexis do this time?"

"She lured me into her bedchamber in order to place me in a compromising position," Adam told him. With a smile, he added, "I escaped out the window, and thank God for that oak tree."

Jamie burst out laughing. "I stopped into White's last night," he said. "You are officially the hottest wager in that infamous betting book."

"I am?"

Jamie nodded. "They're wagering on whether or not Alexis Carstairs will trap you into marriage."

Adam smiled. "And?"

Jamie grinned. "Popular opinion is running against you."

"What did you wager?" Adam asked, arching a brow at his friend.

"I didn't," Jamie answered. "That would be the tip about which way the wind was blowing."

"I suppose you're correct," Adam replied, inclining his head. "Listen, you don't mind if I cut short our visit? I'm expecting Prince Adolphus any minute now."

Jamie nodded and set his glass down on the desk. He rose from his chair, saying, "I expect to meet the Savage girl as soon as possible."

"I want you and your wife to meet her tomorrow," Adam said, standing to walk him to the door. "I'll send a message around to your house."

"I do hope that Lily and she will become fast friends," Jamie said.

"I'm certain they will." Adam shut the door behind his friend and sat down at his desk to do some paperwork before the prince arrived.

Focusing on his ledgers that day proved impossible. One particular image, parading across his mind's eye, broke his concentration—fiery tresses framing a hauntingly lovely face, disarming green eyes sparkling with anger or gleaming with mirth or blurred by unshed tears ...

Bloody hell
, Adam thought, and threw his quill down in disgust when he caught himself doodling her image on the damned ledger. To make matters worse, he'd added her saying the words
I love you
.

How could he explain this to his army of accountants? He'd be the laughingstock of London. He could hear the gossipmongers now. The fabulously wealthy, aristocratic rogue who'd broken more than a few hearts had been shot by Cupid's arrow and become smitten by an unsophisticated country girl, albeit a titled aristocrat.
The Times
would profit handsomely by that juicy piece of gossip.

And then Adam smiled. There really was no need to lose face with his employees. He lifted the container of ink and poured it over the page, effectively blotting out his weakness. Ah, well, accidents did sometimes happen, and there was nothing to be done for it.

"Come in," Adam called when he heard the knock on the door.

Razi and Higgins hurried inside. The little valet and the dignified majordomo shot daggers at each other with their gazes.

"I'll introduce him," Razi said.

"No, I will," Higgins replied. "I am the marquess's majordomo."

"But I am his most trusted valet."

Instead of arguing, Higgins announced, "His Royal Highness, Prince Adolphus, the Duke of Cambridge, has arrived."

"You forgot the Earl of Tipperary and Baron Culloden," Razi added angrily. "Prince Adolphus is those things too."

"Please escort the prince here," Adam said, rising from his chair.

Razi turned around and called, "Come on inside."

"You idiot," Higgins said, cuffing the back of the little man's head.

"I wanted no fanfare," Prince Adolphus said, walking into the study, "but they insisted."

"Your Royal Highness, I am honored by your presence in my home," Adam greeted him with a smile as his retainers left the room. "Please sit down."

At forty-two, Prince Adolphus was a big man who covered his growing baldness with a blond wig. He was affable by nature and well respected by the general public. Unlike his brothers, he had never had scandal attached to his name.

Adam sat when the prince sat. "Have you brought those documents?" he asked.

"I have them right here," Adolphus answered, reaching into his jacket. "Yes, I do ... I do ... I do."

Adam smiled to himself as he lifted them out of the prince's hand. So, it was true. He'd heard that Adolphus was becoming a bit eccentric in his midlife and had even picked up his mad father's habit of sometimes saying the same words three times.

Adam quickly perused the document granting him receivership of the Savage assets. Then he reached for his quill to affix his name to it.

"My God, what happened to your ledger book?" Adolphus asked.

"Nothing really," Adam replied, signing the document. "I spilled ink on the page."

"Accidents will happen," Adolphus said, nodding. "Yes, they will."

"Now, Sir, the Savage assets are safe," Adam said, sitting back in his chair. "Is there anything else?"

"There is a great deal else," Adolphus replied. "Do you believe poor Henry committed suicide?"

Adam shrugged. "I know for a fact that his death was no accident, and Sabrina insists her father would never have taken his own life."

Adolphus appeared shocked. "Are you suggesting murder?"

"Sabrina says her father had no enemies," Adam answered.

"What do you believe?" the prince asked.

"I trust Sabrina's judgment about her father's state of mind," Adam answered, choosing his words carefully. "However, I believe she's much too innocent to recognize an enemy when she meets one. Now, what about the burial in hallowed ground?"

"I'm still working on that," the prince answered. "Prinny is not a favorite of the clergy." He raised his eyebrows, adding, "You know his lifestyle. Very immoral ... immoral ... immoral. Tell me about the daughters."

"Courtney, the youngest, is brown-haired and brown-eyed," Adam told him. "She's also sweet and biddable. I think Dudley Egremont, Viscount Dorchester, would suit her very well, and I intend to bring about a match between them."

Adolphus nodded in agreement. "Dorchester is a good man. What about the other sister?"

"Sabrina is the opposite of her sister," Adam said with a smile. "She possesses fiery red hair and enormous green eyes and a temperament to match her beauty."

"She sounds as tempestuous as her mother," Adolphus said, and then chuckled. "Now there was a plucky woman. Plucky ... plucky ... plucky."

Adam grinned.

"By the way, thank you for allowing me to invest in your businesses," the prince rambled on. "They have proven quite lucrative."

Adam inclined his head and then changed the subject. "You will attend the girls' coming-out? Your presence would assure them social success."

"I owe Henry Savage a great debt for his selfless friendship and wouldn't miss his daughters' coming-out for all of the gold in the world," Adolphus replied. "No, no, no. Missing their debut wouldn't do at all."

Adolphus rose from his chair. Adam stood when the prince stood.

"For the moment our business is concluded," Adolphus said, shaking his hand.

"Let me escort you to the door," Adam said.

The two men walked down the corridor to the foyer. Higgins and Razi, obviously bickering, saw them approaching and snapped to attention.

"I appreciate all that you are doing, son," Adolphus said, shaking his hand again.

Adam inclined his head. "Being of service is my pleasure, Sir."

"Remarkable servants, those two," the prince said, turning to leave. "If ever they leave your employ, I would be glad to invite them into mine. Yes, I would ... I would ... I would." And then he was gone.

Adam looked at his majordomo and his valet. Both men stood proudly erect, preening beneath the prince's compliment. "Any messages?" he asked.

Higgins spoke first, saying, "The Duke of Kingston and his entourage—"

"—have arrived at Grosvenor Square," Razi interrupted, earning himself a glare from the majordomo.

"Have Abdul and Sagi bring my carriage around front again," Adam instructed.

"Immediately, my lord," Higgins said.

"I'll do it," Razi said, and hurried down the corridor.

Like a rival schoolboy reluctant to give his adversary the advantage, Higgins rushed after the little valet and called, "His Lordship told me to do it, you tiny toad."

While Adam was riding in his coach the short distance to his aunt and uncle's Grosvenor Square town house, Sabrina walked down the main staircase to the foyer and sat on an upholstered bench. Ten minutes earlier, Forbes had taken Winston out to the garden area and would be returning soon.

Sabrina fingered the frog brooch the marquess had given her. Would he notice it? she wondered. As if her thoughts had somehow conjured the man, the marquess stepped into the foyer at that moment.

The first sight of the marquess in almost a month made Sabrina's heartbeat quicken with anticipation. In spite of his unacceptable boldness toward her, Abingdon Manor had seemed so empty without him. She never felt so alive as when they were together, even if they were arguing.

"Thank you, Baxter," Adam said, passing his cloak to the majordomo.

The man inclined his head. "You are welcome, my lord."

Adam turned and saw her, and then crossed the foyer to where she sat near the staircase. He bowed in courtly manner over her hand and gave her a devastating smile that made her feel as if she'd swallowed a butterfly.

"You're wearing the frog brooch," Adam said.

Sabrina smiled, pleased that he'd noticed right away.

"I missed you," he added. "Did you miss me?"

"I told you a month ago that I would miss you as much as my last toothache," she answered with a smile.

"You are still wearing black," Adam observed.

Sabrina lost her smile. "I am still in mourning."

Adam let that remark pass without comment and asked, "Why are you sitting alone in the foyer?"

"I am waiting for Forbes to return with Winston," she told him.

"You brought Forbes and Winston to London?" Adam asked, looking surprised.

"If I left Winston behind, he would surely pine for me," Sabrina said. "Forbes came along, too, so he could visit his cousin, Baxter."

Adam turned around slowly to stare in surprise at his uncle and aunt's majordomo. In response, the man rolled his eyes heavenward in a long-suffering gesture.

"Forbes hails from the unfortunate side of the family," Baxter said. "In the thirty minutes that he has been here, I have recalled why I limited our communication to one letter per year."

Adam gave the man a lopsided smile, but Sabrina was not so amused.

"That isn't very kind of you," she scolded. "He spoke highly of you along our journey."

"I apologize, my lady, and will assuredly make my cousin welcome here," Baxter replied.

"Where is everyone?" Adam asked her.

"Our aunts and my sister went upstairs to rest before tea," Sabrina told him. "Uncle Charles has retreated to his study."

"Shall we go see him?" Adam asked, offering her his hand. "Prince Adolphus visited me today, and I can share the particulars with both of you."

Eager for news, Sabrina needed no second invitation. She rose from her perch on the bench and slipped her arm through his as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do.

When they walked into the study, Uncle Charles rose from his chair in front of the hearth. The two men shook hands, and Sabrina sat in the vacant chair beside the duke's.

Adam gestured to his uncle to sit down again and men reached into his jacket to produce the document, saying, "Prince Adolphus delivered this to me today." He passed the document of receivership to his uncle, who perused its contents. Sabrina leaned close and read it too.