However, the reply that arrived the next afternoon was not at all what he expected. Once again, Marcus was moved to profane language on scanning the contents of the letter.
“So I have done quite enough and am to back off and not get any more involved!” he muttered. The paper was balled up and tossed on the carpet, where his polished Hessian gave it a swift boot for good measure. “It might be dangerous, Firebrand says,” continued the earl through gritted teeth. “Well, what does the old fellow thinkheis going to do about it? Dangerous, indeed! I imagine I have a great deal more experience in this sort of thing than he has.”
Now that his sense of justice had been piqued, he’d be damned if he would abandon something that obviously meant so much to his friend.
Still fuming, he crossed to his desk and took a seat. But instead of giving rein to a flare of emotion and penning a heated answer, he caught himself and let his temper cool down to alow simmer. Perhaps it would be best not to alert Firebrand to the fact that he had no intention of abandoning the matter. No, rather than give away any inkling of what he intended to do, he would simply continue the investigations on his own. Firebrand may have no small skill with books and words, but Marcus was sure that he would have a great deal more success in sussing out what needed to be known than his learned friend.
A grim smile spread across Marcus’s face. Whether Firebrand liked it or not, he was going to help him right whatever wrong had been done.
“Are ye sure, Missy?”Jamison ran his hand through his carrot-colored hair, leaving it standing in spiky disarray. “I cannot say that I like the idea above half.”
Augusta slowed her mount to a walk so that his horse could draw abreast of hers. It was still rather early and the park was nearly deserted, save for a few gentlemen letting loose with a good gallop on the other side of the Serpentine. “Well, I don’t like it above three quarters, but I see no other way to proceed,” she answered.
“I could go by meself,” ventured the big footman, who had replaced her usual groom this morning to ensure the opportunity for a most private conversation.
She eyed his broad shoulders and thick chest. “You would never fit through the opening I have in mind.”
Jamison could think of no argument to that. “Ye heaven, if Mister Edwin were here, he would like as tan my hide fer allowing ye to think of?—”
“Well, he isn’t and he can’t,” snapped Augusta. They rode on in silence for a few awkward moments. “Are you going to help me or not?”
His injured expression only deepened. “As if ye have to ask, Missy. Think I’d let ye hare off on this by yerself? Not bloody likely!”
“I knew I could count on you.”
“Aye, ‘cause I’m the only one as daft as ye,” he grumbled. “What ye need, young lady, is a husband to?—”
“Oh, don’tyoustart on that, too!” Under her breath she added, “The way everyone goes on about it, one would think a female simply can’t live without one. If they are so important, then why doesn’t the good Lord just pop us out with one already leg-shackled on?”
Jamison ducked his head so she couldn’t see the laughter creasing his leathered face.
She gave a sigh, then returned to the matter at hand. “It may take several days to discover what evening the gentleman is planning to be away from home. Then, we shall?—”
The sound of an approaching rider caused her to fall silent. A large black stallion, his coat glistening from exertion, tossed his head in the air, clearly unhappy at being reined to a sedate pace.
“Good morning Lady Augusta.” The earl tipped his curly brimmed beaver hat in greeting.
“Good morning, Lord Dunham,” replied Augusta politely, determined for once not to be uncivil. “It is a pleasant morning for a ride, is it not?”
“Indeed.”
“However, it looks as though we might get a spot of rain in the afternoon.”
He slanted a sideways look at her and chuckled. “It’s devilish work, isn’t it, trying to be polite on an empty stomach.”
Augusta fought to control the twitch of her lips.
“You have an excellent seat,” he said after a moment, taking obvious care to follow her lead in mouthing the standard platitudes, though there was a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “I take it you enjoy riding?”
She nodded as she watched him control his high strung mount with casual ease. “You appear to be quite at home in the saddle as well, milord, though it looks as if your horse is not best pleased at having his exercise curtailed.”
A dark brow arched up. “Ah, a subtle hint that I have overstayed my welcome?”
Actually, it hadn’t been. Augusta looked a bit startled. “I?—”
“A shame. We still haven’t gotten around to discussing those books yet. But then again, perhaps we should actually get through one encounter without facing off with, say, lemonade at ten paces.” He tipped his hat and gave the stallion his head.
Jamison eyed the bruising rider fast disappearing around a bend, then the young lady’s face, where a stain of color was fast rising to her cheeks. His own brow arched ever so slightly, for in all his years with the family, he had never seen Augusta affected in the least by any male presence. “Hmmm.”
