He pulled his hand away, bitterly regretting coming here in the first place. ‘By facts, you mean rumours when I can assure you I have no time for silly gossip.’
‘There wouldn’t be so much gossip about the family if there wasn’t a grain of truth in it, Lucius. You know that.’
‘Do I? This week alone I have apparently become both engaged and become an expectant father simply by going to the theatre.’
‘Some of my friends have already expressed their concerns over the acquaintance. Concerns which I share, by the way, for what do you really know of them—of her—beyond that which they want you to believe?’
‘I know all I need to know about Hope and her family to come to my own conclusions, thank you very much.’ And he wouldn’t sit here and hear either her or them slandered. ‘And I fail to understand why I should care whatyourfriends think of mine?’
‘If we ignore, for one moment, the poor connections and dubious lineage of the parents...’
‘I have no interest in either of those things.’
‘Well you should, Lucius, and not because anyone thinks it would be unseemly for you to marry beneath yourself, but because the Marquessate is an attractive proposition and lesser people will take advantage of that fact.’
‘Lesser people?’ He scoffed because she was being ridiculous. ‘The Brookes family have no need of my rank and title, as they are doing quite well enough on their own.’ To prove it, he pointed to the enormous Augustus Brookes portrait of his pompous brother looking imperious on the wall. ‘How much did you have to pay for that monstrosity, because I know for a fact Augustus doesn’t get out of bed nowadays for less than a hundred guineas!’
‘Perhaps, but the coup of rising in the ranks is not to be ignored. Money alone will not get them accepted here.’
‘Yet the Brookes family seem to be on the exact same guest lists as you and I.’
‘Not on every guest list, Lucius.’ Her expression of disdain suddenly matched his disapproving brother’s on the wall. ‘There are still many esteemed houses which exclude them, thank goodness. Nor have they ever been allowed into Almack’s, which speaks volumes hereabouts.’
‘To you maybe, but not to me.’ He pushed his chair from the table and was about to stand and make his excuses, when she grabbed his sleeve.
‘Are you aware the eldest recently snared herself a wealthy viscount? She took advantage of the gentleman at a very difficult time in his personal life and then, once she had thoroughly seduced him, she marched him down the aisle in case he had a change of heart?’
‘Lord and Lady Eastwood seemed perfectly happy with their situation at the Writtle Ball.’ He hadn’t properly met Faith and her husband Piers, as he had been drunk and reeling at their engagement ball before Hope had dunked him in the fountain, but from what he had briefly witnessed, it didn’t take a genius to see the pair of them had been besotted.
‘Don’t be naive, Lucius. Those Brookes girls are predators and always have been. The youngest is a shameless flirt who goes out of her way to flatter and bewitch the most eligible gentlemen at every entertainment, and from what I have heard, is quite overt about it too. The way she pursues Lord Denby, the heir to the Duke of Loughton is quite shameless. What is that if it is not predatory?’
There was no denying Charity did enjoy the effect she had on men and did seem to have atendrefor Lord Denby, though heaven only knew why as the man was a dreadful dullard, but she was young and her interest in a future duke was likely more harmless than predatory. He had a great deal of time for the girl and considered her one of his staunchest allies in his own pursuit of Hope even though she had flirted shamelessly with him the first time they had met too. But once Charity realised he only had eyes for her sister, she did everything in her power to encourage that—including giving them space at Vauxhall by chasing that future Duke. ‘Flirting isn’t a crime, Abigail. If it was, I’d be locked in Newgate by now.’
‘There is no smoke without fire, Lucius, and she is very indiscreet. The mother is worse. She adores gossip and has the reputation for spreading it.’ That he couldn’t deny, as Hope had said as much herself, though Roberta was never malicious. Not really. ‘Is it wise to align yourself with such a family when you have quiteparticularsecrets to keep which could destroy the Thundersley reputation in one fell swoop?’
He resented that implication!
‘If you are referring to my mother, then the only aspect of what happened to her which could destroy the Thundersley reputation is the appalling way they treated her!’
Abigail’s lips pursed. ‘My point was merely that your poor mother would be devastated to have all her dirty laundry washed in public, especially now that she has returned to London. Whatever happened to her, whether by Cassius’s hand or your father’s, she has thus far been spared the shame of it. I am sure it is a secret she would wish to keep to her grave, and therefore, we must be careful whom we share it with. I certainly wouldn’t trust the youngest or the opera singer with it as far as I could throw them...’ Abigail shuddered as she clutched her heart. ‘And do not get me started on the middle daughter. Now there is a shameless harlot if there ever is one!’
Luke tossed down his napkin and stood. ‘You go too far, Abigail! There is only so much of your vitriol I will humour.’ He had reached his limit long before the witch had brought Hope into it.
‘Oh, Lucius...’Feigned concern again rather than defensiveness or contriteness, the fluttering hand now hovering by her trembling lips. ‘You already have feelings for her, don’t you?’
While he debated how to answer, she sighed again, more pitying this time. ‘I can see why you have been seduced. That redhead has the sort of allurements which strip a man of all sense...and she uses them with such deadly precision. But be sensible... Please.’
‘Goodnight, Abigail.’
She caught his arm at the door. ‘I am not telling you to completely avoid the association, Lucius. Men will be men and it is only natural that you should wish to indulge your passions. But be pragmatic about it. You do not have to marry the wench to have her as she will likely accept a lesser arrangement if the deal you offer is favourable enough...exactly as she has done before without the promise of a ring on her finger.’
He pulled himself roughly from her grip, refusing to believe that vitriol. ‘Enough, Abigail! Or so help me!’ He had always been brought up to be respectful of all women, yet he had never felt so violently angry towards one. Had she been male, he would have knocked her out by now for maligning Hope so, when he knew her well enough to know it couldn’t possibly be true. If you delved beneath the surface, Hope was more prude than seductress. More saint than sinner.
‘If you do not believe me, ask around. I know of at least three gentlemen who have sampled her delights...’ She followed him as he stalked to the front door, unrepentant for her vindictive slander. ‘So sample them too if that is what your whim dictates—just don’t be a fool about it. A man in your position has to think pragmatically, Lucius, especially when he needs to avoid a scandal at all costs.’
He flung open the door. ‘Hope is not a whim, Abigail.’ She was everything. ‘And if you ever speak of her with such flagrant disrespect again, I promise you, I will not be responsible for my actions!’
Luke was too angry to confine himself to the carriage, and instead walked the two miles home to Bloomsbury, all the while thinking of Hope and how unfair it was that she was so underestimated and unfairly judged by everyone. He would hold his own hands up to that today too, for he had misjudged her in assuming she wouldn’t be able to properly negotiate on her own behalf when she was one of the most canny and intelligent people he had ever met.
