He finished cleaning the soot and grime off him determined to eat something and then sleep so he’d be ready to ride at dawn. After completing his bath, he walked into his room and opened the box on his bureau. He picked up the sapphire ring with diamonds on the band and smiled. Her eyes were not as dark as the gem, but still, it reminded him of her.
He placed the ring on the nightstand, so he would not forget it in the morning.
Chapter 23
“GOOD EVENING, MISS Drake,” the ginger-haired man at the door of Hell, said with a bow.
“Good evening. Is Kingsley in his office...? I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“Riley, ma’am,” he replied with a hint of an Irish lilt. He escorted her down the hall to the old rectory.
Louisa knocked at the door and waited to be allowed entrance.
“Come in.”
She opened the door hesitantly and found Kingsley studying something out a window that faced the gaming room. After sliding a glance toward her, his gaze returned to the window.
“You have returned sooner than I expected,” he commented.
She remained silent not wishing to malign his brother, even if Harry deserved it. Hours in the carriage had strengthened her resolve. Leaving had been the right thing to do. He had tried to marry her off to another man and paid his friend to stay away from her. And after giving herself to him, he had not spoken one word of love or marriage.
He walked to the door and spoke to a man there before returning to her. “So, are congratulations due? Are you to be my half-sister-in-law? That’s a mouthful.”
“Hardly. After what he did, I never want to see him again.” So much for not criticizing him. And telling Mr. Kingsley a complete lie. She doubted anything would stop the desire to see Harry again. She couldn’t think about this now, or she would end up crying in front of his brother.
Mr. Kingsley poured two snifters of brandy and handed her one. “Sit and tell me what happened.”
“I just want to return home,” she said before sipping her brandy.
“Of course you do, which is why you had my driver come here instead of directly to your mother’s house,” he replied. “Sit. Talk.”
Louisa sank into a chair and took another long sip of the heady liquid. Before she could stop herself, she told him almost everything. She wasn’t about to admit that she had taken his brother to her bed. No one must learn of her greatest mistake.
Mr. Kingsley took a long draught of his brandy before saying. “So, you honestly believe my brother has no feelings for you at all?”
Lust. But she couldn’t say that. She wiped away a tear that had fallen. “I doubt he does.”
Mr. Kingsley smirked. “If you say so.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“Not at all.” Mr. Kingsley took another sip, draining his snifter. “I am quite certain you did not come back in the same virtuous state you left here two days ago. And my brother would never do such a thing unless he loved you.”
Her heart leapt with the thought until reality returned. “He wanted me to marry Collingwood. He offered Ainsley five thousand to stop courting me. Does that sound like a man in love?”
Mr. Kingsley laughed. “It does indeed.”
She would never understand this man. “I must leave. Will you arrange a hackney for me?”
“No, you will go in the carriage.”
“I mustn’t. My mother might notice and know I wasn’t at my sister’s home.”
Mr. Kingsley shook his head. “Your mother is at Lady Huntley’s musicale with your younger sister.”
“How would you know that?”
Mr. Kingsley leveled her a knowing look. “I keep track of what events are happening amongst the ton. And I do know your mother would never miss her dearest friend’s musicale.”
“Very well, thank you again for the use of your carriage.” Louisa stood and then curtsied to him. She walked to the door but stopped at the sound of his low voice.
“Miss Drake, I look forward to the day I can call you my sister.”
“Unless you marry Emma, I do not believe that day will ever come.”
He laughed then sobered. “Miss Drake, why do you think he offered to pay Ainsley to stay away from you?”
She shrugged and departed for home.
THE NEXT DAY LOUISA and Emma walked in Hyde Park, discussing some of what happened over the past three days. Louisa still felt weary since she’d done little but think of Harry even in the middle of the night. She’d tossed and turned until dawn when she finally rose and tried to think of something other than Harry to no avail. Nor had an answer to Mr. Kingsley’s question come to her.
Why would Harry offer to pay Ainsley not to court her?
It made no sense. Ainsley was a better man than Collingwood. Ainsley was Harry’s friend. When his inheritance came through, he would have more than enough money to sustain a family.
“Louisa, did you and Worthington...”
“What?”
“You know what I’m asking. Might you be with child?”
Louisa sighed. She had thought of little else last night. The scandal of her being with child would eclipse the deaths of Tessa’s husbands and the duke’s suicide. Lady Bolton would insist her son break the engagement. Louisa shook her head. Oh, what a mess she’d made of things.
“I won’t know for some time, Emma.”
“Oh, dear,” she whispered before leaning closer. “What was it like? Did it hurt dreadfully?”
She smiled, thinking about how happy she’d been for that short time. “No, it didn’t hurt much. A pinch and then...”
“What?” Emma asked eagerly.
“I don’t think Mamma would approve of me speaking to you of such things.”
“Mamma will never tell me what it is truly like. She told me that I must lay there and let Bolton do what he must.”
“Mamma said that to you?” Louisa could not believe what a hypocrite her mother was when it came to such matters.
“Yes.”
“Very well, it was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced, Emma.” At least it was until the next afternoon when her world fell apart.
“Oh my,” Emma whispered. “He was very big? I’ve heard some men are bigger than others.”
“Emma!”
“Susan told me. She has four brothers and knows these things.”
“Harry was...well...perfect,” she admitted slowly. He was her weakness. The man who could anger her one second and touch her heart so deeply the next.
“Oh, my,” Emma said again.
A carriage pulled to a stop near them. They stopped to see who had blocked their path. Lord Collingwood jumped down from the coach with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Good morning, Miss Drake,” he said with a nod toward her and then added, “Miss Emma,” with a nod toward her sister. “Would you mind if I interrupt your walk with your sister? I need to speak to her for a moment.”
“Of course not,” Emma said with a worried look toward Louisa. “I will be right here.”
Collingwood held out his arm toward Louisa who took it hesitantly. “I am so happy you have returned from visiting your sister.”
Thank God for Emma’s lie. “Yes, I haven’t spent much time with Tessa lately, and it was lovely to have a few days with her before the baby arrives.”
“Have you thought about my proposal? It’s been almost a week.”
“My lord, this is not the place for such a conversation.”
“I need an answer now,” he demanded.
Taken aback by his forceful demeanor, she answered truthfully, “I am sorry, then, my lord. I cannot accept your proposal as I find my heart has become lost to another.”
“I see.” Collingwood tightened his grip. “I will speak to your mother regarding this matter. Perhaps she can impart a little common sense.”
“My mother has very little influence over me, sir.” She softened her voice, realizing she might have
hurt his feelings with her rejection. “I am certain you will find another woman to love.”
“Love?” Collingwood laughed as he neared his carriage. “I do believe you have my feelings for you all wrong, Miss Drake. I do not love you.”
“Oh?” A tingle of fear straightened her back. “Then why would you wish to mar....” her voice trailed off. The money, of course. She must be tired to have forgotten that so quickly.
Collingwood tapped the toe of his boot impatiently waiting for something. “Well? That is your answer, then?”
“Yes,” she replied more firmly than she’d ever felt about any proposal. She would rather live off Tessa for the rest of her life than marry this man.
“Very well then,” he spat.
Louisa watched as he abruptly turned and climbed into his carriage without a glance back at her. A sense of relief mixed with unease. If not Harry, someone must be paying him a fortune.
And she needed to discover who.
Chapter 24
HARRY WAS DELAYED ARRIVING home due to his steward’s questions regarding the fire at the Smiths’ house the previous night. When he finally returned to London, it was nearly four, and he was filthy from riding. As soon as he had bathed and dressed, he would call on Louisa to settle this mess. His valet entered the room to pull out the appropriate clothing.
“The burgundy jacket?” he asked as Harry worked on the buttons of his dust-covered breeches.
“Yes, that will be fine,” he replied.
A scratch sounded at the door. “Your Grace, Mr. Kingsley is—”
“Here,” Simon said, pushing past Jenkins. “Everyone out.”
Jenkins and Andrew sent glances to Harry.
“You heard my brother,” Harry commented.
“Yes, Your Grace,” they replied in unison.
“Thank God you are home,” Simon added as the door shut. “What the bloody hell happened at Worth?”
Harry continued to work the buttons on his breeches. “I do not believe that is any of your business.”
Simon sank into the chair by the window with a sigh. “It is when a beautiful lady returns to my gaming hell in tears from a liaison with you. Then she relates a story of how you paid Ainsley to stop courting her. And that she believes you paid Collingwood to marry her. None of this makes any sense at all, Harry.”
“I didn’t pay Collingwood, Simon.”
Simon stared up at him with an angry look. “And Ainsley?”
Harry gave up on the breeches and poured them both a whisky. After sitting on the end of the bed, he replied, “I offered Ainsley money to stop courting her. But he didn’t accept the money. Too much damned pride.”
“Why would you do such a thing?”
“He needed the money, so he wouldn’t have to marry some unacceptable lady.”
Simon shook his head. “But you tied it to his courtship of Miss Drake.”
“Killing two birds.” Harry sipped his whisky.
“No, it was completely thoughtless of you,” Simon said in an irate tone. “If you didn’t wish to marry her yourself, Ainsley would have been a far better match for her than Collingwood. But you were only thinking of yourself. You could not stomach the idea of seeing her with your friend, knowing that he was taking her to his bed while you were stuck with some plain-faced acceptable lady.”
Harry bore the scolding from his younger brother as penance for his actions. But enough was enough. “You’re right, Simon. I was a pigheaded fool for trying to bribe Ainsley.”
“No, you were a pigheaded fool for not telling that beautiful lady how much you love her.”
“Does she hate me?” he whispered, not wanting to know if she did.
Simon closed his eyes with a sigh. “I doubt she hates you, but she is not happy with you now. You will need to make this up to her.”
“How can I do that?”
His brother glanced over at him with a smug grin. “I believe she might be willing to accept your apology if it came with the name of the person who was willing to pay Collingwood.”
Harry rose and paced the room. “Except I have no idea who might have paid him off.”
“Lady Bolton?”
“Why?”
Simon shrugged. “The viscountess loves her son and will do whatever is necessary to keep her good name. Associating your name with the Drakes will cause talk...again. If she keeps you and Miss Drake apart, then there is no gossip.”
“Seems a rather extreme measure.” Harry paced the room. “How can we find out for certain?”
“Whoever is paying him is keeping this extremely quiet. I’ve heard nothing of it until Miss Drake mentioned it to me. So, he or she is not telling anyone about the scheme.”
Harry looked over at his brother. “Then how do we discover the culprit?”
“We break into his home and search it.” Simon gave him a wicked smile. “A man like Collingwood would keep all written correspondence in case he needed to blackmail the person.”
Harry blinked and absorbed what his brother said before laughing. “You suggest we just sneak into his home, while his servants are about and ransack his study?”
“Yes.”
Harry let out a bark of laughter. “Simon, people do not break into houses of peers. It is truly bad form.”
“Perhaps not peers, but I know a few people who will sneak into anyone’s house for a price.”
“We would have to be certain Collingwood wouldn’t be in the house.” Was he considering his brother’s insane idea? “No, this is foolish. I will stick to my original plan and go to Louisa’s home and apologize.”
“She needs more than an apology.”
“She will have my love and become my duchess.”
Simon rose slowly. “And she will always have that sliver of doubt.”
“She will get over that.”
“And if you believe that, you’re a bigger fool than I thought possible.” Simon strode out the door.
Harry grabbed his whisky and swallowed it down in one long draught. His brother was wrong. He had to be. Harry had known Louisa for years. He knew her better than Simon.
Still, doubt remained. But there was only one way to discover who was right in this matter. “Andrews, get in here!” he shouted to his valet.
An hour later, Harry climbed out of his carriage in front of the Drake home on Chandler Street. He moved slowly toward the door. If he was wrong, then what? He couldn’t live without Louisa. He had to make her understand why he paid Ainsley and that he had nothing to do with Collingwood.
He banged on the door with the silver head of his walking stick.
“Good evening, Your Grace,” the butler said with a nod.
“I am here to see Miss Drake.”
“I am sorry, Your Grace. Miss Drake is not at home.”
“Please inform her that I am here,” he demanded.
The butler stiffened. “Sir, she is not at home. For anyone.”
Louisa wouldn’t even see him. Emotions swirled in him from anger to disappointment to guilt. He had done this by not being honest with her. If he hadn’t let the guilt of his actions over Ainsley show, she would have believed him when he said he hadn’t paid Collingwood.
“Your Grace? Is there something else I might assist you with?”
“No.”
He returned to the carriage and banged on the roof to gain the driver’s attention. “Take me to Hell.”
LOUISA WATCHED HARRY leave from the window of her bedroom. Her finger traced the square windowpane. A part of her wanted to run down the stairs and jump into his carriage. But she could not. At some point, she would see him. She could force Davis to refuse him entry to the house, but her mother would insist she attend the next ball. That only gave her two days to determine how she would act. He might even try to cause a scene.
No. Harry would not do that. He hated being the subject of the gossipmongers’ bitter talk.
But he might attempt to get her alone.
She could never be al
one. Tessa or Emma would be with her at every moment. That would take care of the issue, until the next ball. Or the one after that. At some point, she would have to face him.
Her door swung open, and Emma strode into her room. “Why did you refuse him?”
Louisa closed her eyes. “This is not one of your penny novels, Emma.”
“No, it is not. This is your future happiness at stake.”
She had no illusions of her future now. She would live her life, watching her sisters with their husbands and their children. She would be the eccentric aunt who never married. The one, her nieces and nephews, would always wonder about. And she would love each one like the children she could never have.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered. She wanted a husband and children of her own. No, she only wanted Harry.
“What did you say?” Emma asked. “I didn’t hear you.”
“I need to know who paid Collingwood.”
“And how do you propose we do that? I doubt asking him outright would work.”
Louisa shook her head as she crossed the room to her bed. “I don’t know.”
“Whoever paid him will not be happy that he hasn’t completed the task. Perhaps we attend Lady Holcombe’s fancy dress ball. If we are disguised, we might be able to overhear a bit of conversation.”
“I suppose we could try.”
“You don’t sound very convinced,” Emma remarked.
“I highly doubt anyone would be careless enough to get into such a discussion at a ball. Masked or not.” Disappointment slid over Louisa. She must discover who paid Collingwood. The more time away from Harry, the more she missed him. But the lingering doubt remained. He’d paid Ainsley, so it stood to reason that he would have compensated Collingwood. Except, her mind refused to allow that he’d paid the viscount.
Then why had he paid Ainsley? Kingsley question still reverberated in her mind. She’d told him that Harry paid Ainsley to stop his courtship. So why did he ask that question?
“Emma, why do you think he would have offered Ainsley five thousand to quit his courtship?”
Emma laughed, but her eyes grew widened. “It’s just like one of Mrs. Lewis’ stories again! Oh, what was the name of that one?”
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