Grace glanced at her pin watch. “It is half past eleven. We can at least make a start.”
They spent longer looking at furniture than they did with the fabrics. Matt was happy to find his love liked the cleaner lines of Sheraton and Hepplewhite. Once again she surprised him by having a list of items they needed.
He gave her full rein picking out the chairs, sofas, and tables. He discovered he liked the lion paw feet that were popular, but when she chose a narrow daybed he overruled her. “Do you have anything a bit wider?”
The clerk bowed. “Yes, my lord. If you’ll just come with me.”
Obviously not thinking along his lines, Grace asked, “Why do you want a larger one? I’m not sure it will look right.”
He leaned closer and murmured, “It will look perfect with you draped on it.”
Grace blushed fierily and choked. “I suppose the reason you want it larger is so there is room for you as well?”
He stroked her back from neck to bottom, enjoying her response as she tried to maintain her countenance. Matt smiled wickedly and whispered in her ear, “How perfectly you know me.”
* * *
At two o’clock, Matt knocked on the door of Herndon House where he and Grace were shown into Lord Herndon’s study.
Grace’s uncle rose and greeted them with a somber mien. “My dear Grace, Worthington. I have bad news I must share before we discuss the settlements.” He handed her a letter.
Taking it, she perused the contents with a deepening frown. “Oh dear. This cannot be good.”
Matt read over her shoulder.
Dear Lord Herndon,
I regret to inform you that Mr. Edgar Molton has arrived in England. He did not receive my letter to him telling him of the disposition of Lord Timothy’s estate, and he was not at all pleased. I have agreed to set up a bank account for him. Though, as you are aware, I shall not represent him in any legal matter.
Yr Very Obedient Servant,
Jos Chiswick
The ne’er-do-well. Matt wished he knew more about this uncle.
“My dear,” Uncle Herndon said as she raised her eyes from the note, “do not allow him in your house at all. Once there, it will be almost impossible to get him out.” He grimaced. “As I have reason to know.”
Biting her lip, Grace responded, “I shall inform the staff.”
Herndon frowned. “Do not even allow him into a parlor to wait for you. It’s a terrible thing to say about your aunt’s brother, but he’s not to be trusted in any way.”
Grace’s teeth firmly gripped her bottom lip. “I understand. My mother warned me about him when it was rumored he was in England shortly after my father died. When he was young, he had stolen a locket she cherished a great deal from her to pay gambling debts.”
“That was the least of his faults,” her uncle said in a wintry tone. “He was into moneylenders and had taken advantage of more than one innocent.”
Damn the blackguard. Matt wanted to hold Grace close to him. Molton’s timing couldn’t be worse, showing up now when he could do the most harm. Matt had been racking his brain trying to figure out why that lad had been watching them. Could the boy have something to do with her uncle showing up? If so, what was Molton up to? Matt didn’t like it one bit, and the only way to protect Grace was to have her safely married to him. The question was, would either she or her uncle agree to move up the ceremony again?
He searched her face. “My love, it’s just occurred to me he may be behind the lad we saw.”
She rubbed her brow. “Why would my uncle have sent him?”
“Worthington is correct, my dear,” Uncle Herndon said. “He could be planning to break in.”
Matt could have kissed Herndon. Much better that she did not think he could be after the children. “It’s a possibility we can’t dismiss. You daren’t trust him at all.” He took her hands and glanced at Herndon. “Grace, my lord, how would you feel about bringing the wedding forward?”
Her startled eyes flew to him. “What can you be thinking? With Easter coming, the only possible day would be to-morrow!”
“Yes. If we can finish the settlements, my lord, then Grace and I can stop in at St. George’s and make the arrangements.”
