AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I amnotan investor,” the earl said impatiently. “Do you think I would travelall dayto discuss something as undignified as a business venture? Hardly. I have people who do such things for me. No, this is of a more personal nature.”
Lucas’s mother, who’d seated herself on the settee during this exchange, straightened at the earl’s condescending words.
Lucas’s father simply looked at the earl with benign curiosity. “I’m sure I can’t begin to imagine what you’re talking about, although you seem to presume that I do, for some reason. Please sit, my lord, and we will sort this out.”
Lucas’s pulse had been increasing steadily as he listened to the conversation like he had as an infantryman waiting for the command to fire. There had been something troubling Lavinia; she’d warned him, but he hadn’t understood.
My past will find me no matter where I go.
Lucas wandered over to the side table, poured himself a bracing drink, and downed it in one swallow.
“I received word that you have a young woman staying with you at present,” Cosgrove said.
“That is true. She is betrothed to our son,” Lucas’s father replied.
“My felicitations,” the earl said with no little sarcasm. “However, a young lady happened to slip through my fingers at the same time your son seems to have found himself betrothed, despite her claims to having been betrothed for years.”
“Years?” his mother asked, looking at Lucas.
“Ah, it is as I expected, then. It is my belief that your son has taken what belongs to me.”
“What are you implying, Lord Cosgrove?” his father asked.
“I am notimplyinganything. I am speaking plainly of mychère amie,” the earl said impatiently. “My mistress, if you wish me to be even more blunt.” He fingered his quizzing glass, its jewels flashing garishly in the candlelight.
“Language, sir,” Lucas’s father warned. “I will not allow a virtual stranger,regardless of rank, to speak in such a manner in my home, or indeed makesuch accusations. You will choose your words carefully. Alice, I would haveyou leave the room so we gentlemen can talk.”
“I rather think not,” Mama replied, every inch the viscountess. “Lord Cosgrove, you are entirely mistaken. There is nochère amieof any sort here at Alderwood. The very idea. My son would never bring such a woman as you describe to dwell under our roof.”
“If that is the case,” Cosgrove said, “it should be no hardship for me to see the young woman in question and discern for myself if my assumptions about her identity are correct.” He turned to look straight at Lucas. “A few questions, if you will oblige me, about this betrothed of yours. By any chance, is she excessively beautiful? Does she possess the figure of a goddess?”
Lucas refused to answer, his jaw clamped tightly shut.
“A mouth as red and ripe as cherries? Eyes like silver?”
Lucas only glared at the earl, his hands clenched as though his rifle were in them, loaded and ready for use.
“And is her hair long and luscious andsinfullyred? The sort of hair a man dares only dream about?” The earl’s voice rose in crescendo with each question he posed.
“Cosgrove, you will cease speaking about her in this way,” Lucas growled, fairly vibrating with rage.
His mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Lucas, what is going on?” his father asked.
“And would her name beRuby Chadwick?” Cosgrove boomed.
Wait, what?
Lucas drew back in utter shock. Ruby Chadwick? Who in blazes wasthat?
His parents, next to him, exhaled loudly in relief. “Well, there you go. There’s no Ruby Chadwick here, I’m afraid,” Lucas’s father said with an edge to his voice. “It would appear your journey was all for naught. Good evening to you, my lord.”
Cosgrove saying a name other than Lavinia’s had been wholly unexpected. Lucas’s mind, however, was now awhirl with snatches of conversations and observations about Lavinia since he’d met her. Could there betwosuch extravagantly beautiful redheaded females in England? Of course. But would both of them have left London within the past few days, headed to Lincolnshire?
Not likely.
And then a particular card game he’d joined at the Hissing Goose beforeleaving London and the discussion regarding Ruby Chadwick that had accompanied it flashed through his mind.
