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“Let’s get to the reason I am here.”
“Quite.I have a busy day tomorrow.”
“Arranging a marriage for the Duchess of Sandhurst, perhaps?”
“You’ve mistaken me for another industrious madame.The duchess has no business with me.”
“’Making things happen.’Isn’t that your boastful saying?”
Alice pursed her lips and turned away from him, walking toward the sideboard.Matthew’s mouth watered watching her pour, but when he smelled the gin, he decided he wasn’t so thirsty after all.Drinking pine tar had never been high on his list of alcoholic preferences.Truth be told, Matthew could drink many a man under the table, as it were, but he did have his standards.Gin did not make the list.
“You’re not denying it,” he said.“I’m sure she appreciates that you can keep a confidence.”
“What I do here is none of your business, sir.”
“My name is Matthew Hardy, if you don’t already know.”He’d had a nickname when he’d first met Alice.Now, about London, he was known by his many enterprises.Doubtless Madame DuPuis had at least heard of his current endeavors.
“I don’t remember you.But then, you aren’t important enough to remember if you are not one of the Ten Thousand.”
“I’m not, but that shouldn’t bother you if it means making money.And money you can earn without blackmailing one of your patrons.”
“How dare you?”She puffed up in anger.
“How dare I?How dareyou?Is it a surprise someone would discoverallthe details of your endeavors?When, with whom and for how much.”
“What do you really want?”
“Rose Elliston, the Duchess of Sandhurst,” he said again.“And you can help me win her.”
“The duchess?You want Her Grace, the Duchess of Sandhurst?”Madame DuPuis said with genuine surprise, her brows winging in disbelief, as she finally understood what he wanted.What did she think they were talking about?“And how do you expect me to do anything about that?”Alice’s laughter filled the room.Only the dull cacophony from below muted her amusement.She swirled her drink before she swallowed.
“You bought Dane’s establishment.He devoted an entire floor to the private needs of women.And the Duchess of Pelham and the Duchess of Sandhurst visited you yesterday about an urgent need.I know what that need is.She won’t know of our arrangement, of course.Whatever Her Grace is paying you to find her an accommodating husband, I will pay the same amount to make sure I am that man.And don’t think about exaggerating the amount.I already know what it is.”
“Her Grace’s reputation is impeccable, and you are punching above your weight.”
“The Duchess of Sandhurst, yes, beyond reproach.Anne VanLandingham, on the other hand, has a slightly more tarnished character.Whatever happened here, it would have been her idea, while Rose Elliston meekly followed along, and you gleefully agreed to participate.”
“Whatever you think you know, I can assure you Her Grace would never need anything from me, unless she wants to lose money at one of my tables.”
“Then she hasn’t told you everything.”
Matthew’s scheme was audacious.He had more money than Rose Elliston, by far, and he would use it to buy her in this arrangement with Alice.The duchess urgently needed a husband and Matthew required a duchess.A new compulsion, to be sure.Alone, his ascent in London was all but impossible, even with money.
Alice had a way with secrets that could rival Matthew’s own ability to discover what other people wished to keep hidden—the difference was they now came to Alice’s door willingly, while Matthew had to employ and pay many people throughout London who ferreted out such information.All those ruined reputations that Alice fed upon.All those gambling debts she encouraged for unsuspecting dupes.
It actually made some sense.When a quick marriage was required, perhaps other pressures could encourage one party to make a decision they wouldn’t otherwise.
Alice turned to him, wearing a wry smile.“You think to blackmail me into your paltry scheme?I know who you are, Mr.Hardy.My clients have been quietly asking about you since you have been sneaking around London looking for information for your petty little gossip rag.”
Matthew knew that too and wasn’t at all panicked.“It’s a scandalously ridiculous offer, Alice.You ought to take it.”
“Or what?You will publish a tawdry article about me?Believe me, there is nothing you could say that isn’t already known in the streets of London.Aside from the fact it will never be published.”
“Oh?Why is that?”Matthew knew quite a bit more than Alice did, in this case, but he let her wield her influence.
“Because I offered to purchase theDaily Informer.And shortly thereafter, you will be unemployed.”
“Alice, Alice.I feel rather dishonorable to inform you that the transaction is moot. Jack is one of my best friends and he only said he would consider it.You see, I am the other owner of theDaily Informer,and we have no intention to sell such a lucrative paper.Now, let us continue with this discussion about the duchess.”The paper was such a small part of his businesses, but even he had to admit it was one of the more entertaining.
