Wicked Nights With a Proper Lady (14 page)

“How did that bastard accomplish it?”

“His loyal valet, whom I have dispatched only this morning on a ship to Australia. Though he actively took part in aborting the baby, he did not know that the poisoning had succeeded.”

“I presume your reasoning for sending him off is that he can tell no one.”

“Precisely.”

“Has Jez sought help?”

Hayden swept his hand through his golden locks and scratched the back of his head. “When she found out what her husband had done, she saw a midwife outside of Town. She had hoped that the damage could be reversed, but it was too late to save the babe. The pains for her miscarriage, from what she told me, started just after her husband’s funeral.”

Hence her immediate retaliation against the man who stood to inherit it all, and her need to lose herself in a bottle of rum with her friends who were not aware of her situation.

“How long will she be away from society?” The unasked question was how long would the miscarriage last. How long before others noticed something to be unusually off with Jez?

“It’s hard to say. She was maybe four months into the pregnancy. She said the sickness at the beginning made her body too weak to withstand the herb Fallon had laced her food and drink with. I think she’ll be on her feet again in a week or so.”

Leo paced the room, rubbing his hand over his eyes and face as exhaustion from the long day settled over him.

While he empathized with Jez’s reasons to stop Mr. Warren from marrying, he better understood where the revenge stemmed from. Who was to say the man was as bad as she made him out to be? This had, in the course of a couple of hours, become an incredibly delicate situation.

He paused and then turned on his heel to face Hayden. “Does Tristan know?”

Leo wasn’t upset that Jez had chosen to confide in Hayden. She was closer to him, just as he was closer to Tristan in their friendship.

“He does not.”

Leo took to pacing the floor. “How is it you came by this information?”

“She was forced to reveal the truth when I had my solicitor start looking over the will. He asked if she was sure there was no possibility she was in a delicate way. She asked to speak to me privately at that point. She was very specific in her wish that I tell no one and to find some other wording that would let her contest the will.” The underlying meaning was that the fewer people who knew the better. “I’m sorry that included you and Tristan.”

“There is no need to apologize. I understand.”

Leo also assumed that he wasn’t to reveal any of tonight’s events to Tristan. And had he not come to talk to Jez, he probably never would have found out the truth, either.

“About the business with the girl,” Hayden said. “I suggest you give Tristan some excuse not to carry through. Mr. Warren has caught himself in the middle of a feud with Jez and her dead husband. Jez will regret her decision to ruin the girl’s hopes for a decent marriage when the melancholy of her loss subsides.”

“Tristan’s eyes are set firmly on the young lady. He’ll not be easily persuaded to leave the task unfinished.”

“If Tristan succeeds in this, I’m positive Jez will feel immense guilt when she is back to her old self.”

Would she? She had more reason than any to seek vengeance in a form that was satisfying and equal to that of her own loss.

“I hope you’re right. I’ll head over to Tristan’s house in the next few days. His sister arrived with his brats only yesterday, so he’ll be occupied with them.”

Hayden reached out and clasped his arm. “I know it’s difficult to keep this to ourselves, but we must do so for Jez’s sake. I worry she won’t pull through this and emerge as the woman we count as our dearest friend.”

“She’s not been herself since the funeral preparations were made.” He plucked his jacket from the chair he’d tossed it on earlier. “I’ll find a way to convince Tristan that this isn’t right.”

“I know you will,” Hayden said before Leo left for home.

Chapter 10

Though this writer did not receive an invite to the most talked-about house party of every summer, nor, would it seem, did the most ostensible Marquess of C
^___
. Dear readers, can you guess which friend of the marquess’s
did
receive an invite?

Another noteworthy event is that Lady of G
^___
birthed the duke’s heir only three months after nuptials. The question remains as to who sired the love child since rumor has it that the duke dueled at an undisclosed location two days after the birth of his son.

The Mayfair Chronicles, June 14, 1846

Not telling Tristan what had transpired at Jez’s townhouse had been more difficult than it should have been. But he had kept his word and would continue to remain silent.

Today, while he convinced his friend to abandon the Ponsley girl, he wouldn’t whisper a word of what he knew. Would Jezebel ever confide the truth in Tristan? Was she ashamed of what had happened? That would be outlandish considering she had had no control over the situation.

He’d been to visit her last evening but she’d been in too much pain to enjoy his company. Not that he was sure she even wanted his company when she was still out of sorts. It had been an uncomfortably short visit. He’d given her time to open up the gift he’d purchased—the fan that Hayden had told him about—and left without whispering a word of his concerns. She had put the present down without a second glance and given him a lackluster smile of gratitude.

Of course, he’d not been able to broach the subject of Lord Ponsley’s daughter, so he resolved to discuss it directly with Tristan.

“What brings you to my neck of the woods?” Tristan asked.

They rarely convened any business of a professional or personal nature at Tristan’s home. Mainly because of the brats his friend let rule his life like wild animals. Though Leo admitted he was fond of the children. They were well behaved and intelligent enough to have a conversation with now that they’d outgrown the awkward babbling toddler years.

And really, they were as bad as their father with their pranks, trickery, and charming wit.

Rowan, the youngest at seven, was as sharp as a sword. Veronica, or Ronnie as everyone addressed her, was a match in intelligence to anyone who dared to challenge her inquisitive ten-year-old mind. While Rowan was the very image of his father, Ronnie was a blue-eyed blonde—and a beauty in the making.

Chin resting on her folded hands atop the luncheon table, she scrunched up her nose as though she were trying to put together a long-unsolved puzzle.

Why hadn’t he thought to come later in the day? Sometimes it was easy to forget that when Tristan was in residence with his children, he turned into a doting, caring father, who actually enjoyed time with the little devils. The only thing missing was a mother for Ronnie and Rowan and a wife for Tristan. Though his friend swore that another person in his life was the last thing he wanted.

Oddly enough, Tristan shed this dutiful, fatherly appearance the moment he stepped out into society. Perhaps he only wanted to be a good role model? He had come into fatherhood at a young age—nineteen to be precise.

Leo narrowed his gaze from one child to the next. Tristan took his meaning.

“It’s off with you lot now, isn’t it?” Tristan ran his hand through his son’s hair and tugged gently on a long lock of Ronnie’s hair. “Up to see your aunt you go.”

“But Papa, we have a guest,” Ronnie protested.

“There will be plenty of guests another time, angel. Right now, I need to discuss business with Leo. So do me a favor and run up and see Beatrice. If you finish your lessons early and to her satisfaction, you can have one of those chocolate tarts Cook makes.”

Ronnie pouted out her lower lip and reached for her brother’s hand. “Come on, Rowan. Papa thinks we’re intruding.”

“Don’t be mean to Papa, Ronnie. Aunt Beat will make you write out lines if you say bad things.”

Their voices faded as they left the room. The last thing Leo heard was, “Not if you don’t tell her.” It brought a smile to his face. They were a mischievous set, and he was glad they weren’t his children.

“As I was saying, what brings you here?”

Leo leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “We need to discuss Ponsley’s daughter.”

“Ah, I see.” Tristan turned to the waiting attendants. “We can serve ourselves, you are dismissed.” To Leo he said, “Coffee? Cook always works some sort of magic with that vacuum pot of hers; I wish I could figure out how to get the grinds out. She manages to make it taste better than any of the coffeehouses about Town.”

“Coffee without grinds sounds perfect. I don’t have anywhere to be this early in the day, anyway.”

Tristan handed over the carafe with a grin. “I suppose not. Can’t imagine why you’d come so early to discuss Lady Charlotte.”

After pouring himself a coffee and adding a generous helping of milk, Leo made himself comfortable in his chair. “I would like to call off our wager in courting and winning the girl to our favor.”

“Poor sportsmanship of you, isn’t it? We did bet that fine filly of yours.”

“How about I offer breeding rights?”

Tristan leaned back in his chair and gave him a scrutinizing look. “Have you managed to steal the chit right out from under my nose?”

“I’m glad to say that I have not. Nor do I wish to pursue this mission of Jezebel’s.”

“Have you told her?”

“Once she stops mourning her old life I’ll find the time to tell her.”

Tristan gave him a look that said he didn’t believe him. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am. Think on it, Tristan, Jez is in a rough patch right now. Mr. Warren has never shown an inclination toward brutishness. I’ve never heard a bad word about him.” Leo paused deliberately and let his words sink in. “Besides, once you gain favor with the Ponsley girl, I guarantee you there will be another … and another after that to keep away from Mr. Warren. In fact, I don’t see an end in sight.”

Tristan took a long sip of his coffee and set the empty cup on the table to pour himself out more of the dark brew. “But this is
Ponsley’s
daughter. Have you forgotten that?”

“I haven’t.”

“It’s that woman, isn’t it? Miss Camden has your balls in a noose.”

Genny
.

Of course this was partially about Genny. “I assure you, I came to my senses long before seeing Miss Camden again.”

“Precisely how did you come to know her before?”

“Tristan, you’re not focusing on the topic at hand.”

“Oh, indeed I am. You have a
tendre
for Miss Camden and you don’t want to upset that if I move on the Ponsley chit.” Tristan actually guffawed like some old biddy might do at the latest joke and smacked the flat of his hand on the table. “This is brilliantly hilarious! I didn’t believe I would ever see a day when you actually cared for someone more than you care for yourself.”

Leo gave him a droll, unimpressed look and ignored the jab at his character. “Think of your daughter, if you won’t think of the damage you will do to this young woman.”

“I assure you, that young woman is nothing like my daughter.”

“And what if someone wanted to ruin Ronnie’s chances to marry into a decent title and fortune?”

“I think you are mistaking my children for someone else’s. Unless you have forgotten their roots, let me remind you that their mothers dropped them off on my doorstep without so much as shouting out a hallo.”

“I do not mistake their origins. But that isn’t to say that young men won’t chase after your daughter as we have chased after so many women. I hate to admit this but the Ponsley girl seems decent. A hell of a lot more decent than her father.”

“Decent?” His friend snorted at that and took another sip of his coffee. “That is not a word I would associate with Lady Charlotte.”

“You think you have a better understanding of her character than I do?”

“I have spent time with her, so yes, I like to think I have a good understanding of her disposition.”

“Is your mind set on garnering her favor and ruining her chance at marrying Mr. Warren?”

“I didn’t say that precisely.”

“Then stop beating around the truth and spit it out, man.” Leo sat back in his chair, quite frustrated that this conversation was going nowhere.

“Look, I can’t make any promises where Lady Charlotte is concerned. She’s become a problem for us both, eh? Not only through Jez but by her own scheming tactics.”

“She’s fresh into society and you claim her to be cunning? This I need to know the details of.”

“It is probably better you don’t. Let it alone. Well, not the bit about giving me breeding rights on that equine you managed to get your hands on.”

Leo wasn’t sure if this meant Tristan agreed that they needed to leave the young lady alone or not.

He wasn’t sure he had accomplished anything in coming here. Should he warn Genny of someone’s—not specifically Tristan’s, because he’d not inform on his friend—intent to ruin Lady Charlotte’s upcoming nuptials? Or would the girl be able to fend off Tristan on her own? It was unlikely she would have the defenses needed to steer someone of Tristan’s reputation in a different direction.

This whole scenario put him in a damnable position. Where should his loyalties lie in all this? With Jez who stood to lose everything and already had in a sense? With Tristan whom he’d known all his life, or with Genny, the woman he wanted back in his life if she would accept him?

*   *   *

Was it possible she was in the clear? She hadn’t laid eyes upon Leo since the night of the opera. Nor were any more inappropriate gifts sent to the Ponsley residence. He must realize bribery would not sway her assessment of his character.

Over the past week Castleigh hadn’t tried absconding with her cousin once. They hadn’t seen the marquess since the Carleton party. Was he already bored with the idea of chasing a young debutante?

Clasping the vellum envelope between her hands, Genny broke the wax seal and removed the heavy parchment. After reading it over quickly, she looked across the breakfast table to her cousin.