Griffin Stone: Duke Of Decadence (Dangerous Dukes Book 3)

by Carole Mortimer

  Griffin sat beside Bea on the chaise, where he had placed her tenderly just minutes before, and now held one of her limp hands in his.

  The other man frowned. ‘I thought we had agreed last night that we would not tell Bea anything until after Maystone’s arrival?’

  ‘You agreed that with Maystone, not I,’ Griffin growled. ‘And in making that agreement the two of you seem to have forgotten that Bea is a person not an object, and that she at least had the right to know who she is.’

  Christian ceased his pacing before slowly nodding. ‘I apologise.’ He grimaced. ‘You are right, of course.’

  Griffin raised surprised brows. ‘I am?’

  ‘Do not look so shocked, Griff, you are sometimes right, you know.’ Christian smiled ruefully. ‘I freely admit I was wrong to agree otherwise, no matter what Maystone’s directive.’

  ‘You have had a drastic change of mind since yesterday?’ Griffin eyed him suspiciously.

  Christian turned away. ‘I discovered, while walking in the garden with Bea earlier today, that she is a lady about whom it is easy to feel...concern.’

  Griffin scowled darkly at his friend’s obvious admiration for Bea.

  An admiration Griffin shared but now found himself resenting. Deeply. ‘Is that the reason you chose to confide in her as to the nature of our association with Maystone?’

  Sutherland looked uncomfortable. ‘As I said, she is one in whom it is easy to...feel empathy.’

  Griffin stiffened. ‘Indeed?’

  ‘Oh, not in that way, Griff,’ Christian snapped his impatience. ‘She is just so vulnerable, and so very alone. Damn it, Griff, you were the one making love to Bea when I arrived late last night, not I!’ He scowled his exasperation with Griffin’s scowl. ‘And do you really know me so little that you believe me to be capable of ever attempting to usurp one of my closest friends in the play for a lady’s affections?’

  ‘I am not making a play for Bea’s affections.’

  ‘Perhaps that is because you do not need to do so!’ the other man bit out tersely.

  ‘You misunderstand the situation, Christian.’ Griffin gave a shake of his head. ‘Bea is grateful to me for my part in her rescue; that is all.’

  Christian now eyed him pityingly. ‘You are a fool if you believe that to be all it is.’

  His eyes glittered in warning. ‘I am not having this conversation, Christian.’

  ‘Why on earth not? Griffin,’ he continued in a reasoning tone, ‘it is wrong of you to allow the events of the past to dictate how you behave now.’

  ‘It is none of your affair, Christian.’

  The other man continued to eye him in exasperation for several moments more before nodding abruptly and changing the subject. ‘Do you think it possible that revealing Bea’s name to her may have triggered a return of her memories?’

  ‘Why?’ Griffin looked at his friend through narrowed lids. ‘What is it that she knows, Christian, that is of such importance Maystone sent you here almost immediately he received my letter? Why does he need to come here himself?’

  Christian straightened. ‘I have allowed that Maystone and I were wrong in deciding to keep Bea’s identity from her until he arrives, but I will not concede any further than that. Please try to understand, Griff,’ he added persuasively. ‘I assure you Maystone is not being difficult, but he has his own reasons for remaining cautious. Reasons I cannot as yet confide.’

  ‘I believe I might perhaps shed at least a little light on the matter,’ Bea spoke softly as she opened her eyes and attempted to sit up on the chaise. A move hampered somewhat by the fact that one of her hands was being held firmly clasped in both of Griffin’s. She avoided meeting his concerned gaze as she carefully but determinedly released her hand before sitting up and looking up at Christian Seaton.

  ‘Lord Maystone mistakenly believes, as did my kidnappers, that I have information detrimental to their plans. Is that not so, Your Grace?’

  Most, but not all, of Bea’s memories had painfully returned to her the moment Griffin had revealed her full name. Along with the raw pain of losing the parents she had loved so dearly, both of whom had been killed during a winter storm when a tree had fallen onto and crushed their carriage with them both inside.

  One memory she was profoundly grateful to have returned to her, however: neither Jacob Harker nor his accomplice had violated her. He had been an unpleasant man, and cruel in his care of her, but he had not physically harmed her in any way. Even the beatings had all been carried out by his accomplice, who had upbraided her jailer that day and so allowed Bea to overhear that his name was Jacob.

  ‘Mistakenly?’ Christian repeated slowly.

  ‘Yes. Might I have a glass of water or—or perhaps some brandy, do you think?’ Bea requested faintly as she lay her head back on the chaise, her mind once again swirling as some of the memories still danced elusively out of her reach.

  ‘Of course.’ Griffin stood up immediately to cross the room to where the decanter and glasses sat upon his desk top, pouring the dark amber liquid into a glass before returning.

  Bea had managed to sit up completely in his absence, slippered feet placed firmly on the floor, her hands shaking slightly as she accepted the glass before taking a reviving sip of the drink.

  So many of her memories had now returned to her. Her parents’ death the previous winter was the most distressing.

  They had been such a happy family. Her parents were still so much in love with each other, and it was a love that had included rather than excluded their only child. So much so that they had been loath to accept any of the offers of marriage Bea had received that previous Season, determined that their daughter should find and feel the same deep love for and from her husband. They wished for her to find a happy marriage, such as they had enjoyed together for twenty years.

  After their sudden deaths her guardianship had been given over to her closest male relative— Oh, dear Lord!

  ‘Bea?’ Griffin prompted sharply.

  She looked up at him with pained eyes. ‘Please be patient with me, Griffin. It is such a muddle still inside my head.’ Could it really be possible that the answer to her abduction and present dilemma was so close at hand?

  Well, of course Bea’s head was a muddle, Griffin accepted, feeling that he was in large part responsible for her present distress. Her face was deathly pale, her hands shaking slightly as she held tightly to the brandy glass. Christian had been quite right to upbraid him for his stupidity in having revealed Bea’s name to her so unthinkingly that she had fainted from the shock.

  At the time he had thought only of preventing her from leaving when things were so strained between the two of them. Instead his outburst had caused Bea immeasurable pain, and the distance between them now seemed even wider than it had been before he had spoken.

  Much as it grieved him, Griffin realised that most of that distance was coming from Bea herself. Because her memories were too distressing? Or because she was still angry with him? Whatever the reason, Griffin had no choice but to respect her feelings, and so continued to keep his distance as Christian now took his place on the chaise beside Bea.

  She gave the other man a tentative smile. ‘I fear Lord Maystone’s visit here may be a futile one in regard to myself,’ she voiced regretfully. ‘Even with my memories returning to me, I still do not have any idea what it is that my abductors thought I might know.’

  ‘No idea at all?’ Seaton looked disappointed.

  ‘No,’ she confirmed heavily before turning to Griffin. ‘However, Griffin, I am now aware of who my—’

  ‘Lord Maystone, Your Grace.’ Pelham had appeared unnoticed in the library doorway, quickly followed by the visitor.

  Bea turned in surprise to look at the visitor as he strode hurriedly into the room without waiting for Griffin’s permission
to do so.

  Lord Maystone was a man possibly aged in his mid to late fifties, and he appeared a little travel-worn, as might be expected. But he was a handsome man despite his obviously worried air, with his silver hair and upright figure.

  Bea did not recall ever having seen or met him before this evening.

  Griffin scowled darkly as he looked across the room at Maystone. ‘It’s about time you arrived and gave an explanation for this whole intolerable situation!’ He turned all of his considerable anger and frustration onto the older man.

  ‘Griff—’

  ‘I will thank you not to interfere, Christian.’ Griffin eyed his friend coldly.

  ‘I believe Aubrey might be in need of some refreshment before we do or say anything further?’ Christian pointedly reminded Griffin of his manners.

  Griffin shot his friend an irritated glance before turning to the silently waiting butler. ‘Another decanter of brandy, if you please, Pelham, and possibly some tea,’ he added with a glance at Bea, waiting only long enough for the butler to depart before speaking again. ‘Neither I, nor Bea, I am sure, appreciate this ridiculous need you feel for secrecy, Maystone.’

  ‘Griffin!’ Bea was now the one to reprove him sharply as she stood up quickly to cross the room to Aubrey Maystone’s side. ‘Can you not see that Lord Maystone does not look at all well?’

  She placed her hand gently on the older man’s arm as she looked up at him in concern.

  Griffin had noticed that Maystone looked slightly pale about the mouth and eyes, but he had assumed it was from the exhaustion of travelling so far and so quickly at his advanced years.

  On closer inspection Griffin could also see that the older man had lost weight since he’d last seen him. To a considerable degree: his face was thinner, his jowls no longer firm, and his well-tailored clothing seemed to hang loosely upon his upright frame.

  ‘Come and sit down, My Lord,’ Bea encouraged gently, her arm gentle beneath Maystone’s elbow as she guided him over to sit on the chaise.

  ‘I am sure I shall feel perfectly well again soon, my dear.’ Maystone patted Bea’s hand reassuringly as she sat down beside him. ‘Possibly after I have drunk a reviving glass or two of brandy.’

  ‘Griffin?’ Bea prompted pointedly, her attention and concern all on Aubrey Maystone.

  Griffin caught the mocking glint in Christian’s eyes as he moved to pour Maystone a brandy. As if the other man found Bea’s somewhat imperious behaviour towards him amusing. Or, more likely, Griffin’s reaction to it...

  As far as he was concerned, this situation had already caused more than enough of an upset between himself and Bea, and he did not intend to tolerate much more of it. His scant patience had come to an end.

  He moved stiffly away to stand before the window once he had handed over the glass of brandy to Maystone. ‘I assure you, I am nowhere near as tolerant of this situation as Bea!’

  ‘Griffin!’

  ‘Griff!’

  He scowled as he was simultaneously reprimanded by both Bea and Christian.

  ‘Rotherham is perfectly within his rights to feel irritated by my request for secrecy.’ Lord Maystone sighed deeply once he had swallowed a large amount of the brandy in his glass and some of the colour had returned to his cheeks. ‘It is—’ He broke off as Pelham returned with a tray carrying the second decanter of brandy, the pot of tea also in evidence. ‘This is something of a lengthy tale, so I suggest we all make ourselves comfortable by sitting down and having tea or a brandy while I tell it,’ he suggested heavily once the butler had departed at a nod from Griffin.

  Bea continued to sit on the chaise beside the older man as Griffin first poured a cup of tea for her and placed it on the table near her, before replenishing Lord Maystone’s glass, and then pouring brandy into two more glasses for himself and Christian, those two gentlemen then taking up occupancy of the chairs on either side of the fireplace.

  There were several significant things she had now remembered that she needed to discuss with Griffin, but perhaps those things would become clearer to her, to all of them, once Lord Maystone had told his lengthy tale.

  She believed there was something else beneath Lord Maystone’s obvious pallor and fatigue. Possibly an air of despair? Or perhaps even grief?

  ‘Firstly, my Lady Bea,’ Maystone began wearily, ‘let me apologise to you for your having innocently become involved in this situation.’

  She squeezed his arm reassuringly. ‘I do not believe that it is your apology to make, My Lord, but that of the people responsible for my abduction and imprisonment.’

  He grimaced. ‘Nevertheless, I might have done something to prevent it. I am not sure what,’ he added distractedly, ‘but... Are you aware that I work within the Foreign Office?’

  ‘I am, yes.’ Bea gave Griffin a sideways glance from beneath her lashes.

  Maystone nodded. ‘Then I must also reveal that both Rotherham and Sutherland have for some time kindly assisted me in my less public work for the Crown.’

  ‘I am aware of that also, Lord Maystone.’ Bea turned away from Griffin’s scowl to give the older man a reassuring smile. ‘I am sure that you can appreciate it was necessary, for my own protection, that I be made aware of it?’

  ‘I am sure Griffin acted only for the best.’

  ‘I was the one to inform Lady Bea of the reason for my hurried presence here, not Griffin,’ Seaton interjected decisively.

  Lord Maystone’s brows rose. ‘Indeed?’

  ‘Could we just get on with this?’ Griffin glared his impatience over the delay; he just wanted to get this whole sorry business over and done with.

  So that he might talk alone with Bea.

  So that he might apologise for upsetting her earlier.

  So that he might be alone with her.

  He had always enjoyed Christian’s company in the past, and the same was true of Aubrey Maystone, but here and now they both represented a deepening of that barrier between himself and Bea that he found so intolerable.

  ‘Of course.’ The older man sighed as he turned back to Bea. ‘Several months ago there was a plot to assassinate the Prince Regent. A plot that was effectively foiled, my dear,’ he added as Bea gasped and raised a hand to her throat. ‘With the aid of Rotherham, Sutherland, and several other worthy gentlemen.’ He nodded. ‘After which, most of the perpetrators were found and arrested.’

  ‘But not all?’

  Griffin had long appreciated Bea’s intelligence, and he could see it had not failed her now either, and that she was beginning, if not completely, to understand the restraints that had been placed upon his own conversations with her this past week.

  ‘Not all, unfortunately,’ Maystone acknowledged heavily. ‘We have all of us been attempting, these past few months, to find those of the plotters who have infiltrated society itself. Do not be alarmed, my dear.’ He placed a reassuring hand on Bea’s arm as she drew her breath in sharply. ‘I am sure you are perfectly safe here with both Rotherham and Sutherland to protect you.’

  Griffin sincerely hoped that was the case, although he still suspected—and feared—that Jacob Harker was in hiding somewhere within the district.

  It made no sense to him, with Bea now free and able to talk of her captivity, to assume that the other man would have completely disappeared from the area. Finding Bea, and possibly silencing her once and for all, would now be Harker’s mission. After all, he could have no idea that Bea had suffered a temporary loss of her memories following the trauma of her abduction and frightening escape.

  Nor did Griffin believe, with the information Christian had imparted to him, that Harker was acting upon his own initiative.

  One, or perhaps more than one, other person was most assuredly in control of these events.

  ‘My concern was not for myself,’ Bea now ass
ured Lord Maystone huskily; in truth, her present alarm was all on Griffin’s behalf upon learning that he had been involved in the risky business of preventing a plot to assassinate the Prince Regent.

  That Griffin might have been killed before she’d even had opportunity to meet him.

  ‘What a sweet and caring child you are.’ Lord Maystone smiled at her warmly before that smile turned regretful. ‘Which only makes my guilt all the deeper regarding my own involvement in your sufferings— Not her abduction, Rotherham.’ He frowned as Griffin tensed in his chair. ‘Do give me a little credit, please. I was not even aware of Lady Bea’s abduction until after you wrote and told me of it.’

  ‘But you most certainly knew something was afoot,’ Griffin put in testily. ‘As is someone else; Bea’s real guardian must also have been aware of it when she completely disappeared.’

  ‘Griff—’

  ‘Allow him to have his say, Sutherland.’ Maystone sighed. ‘Truth be told, I have handled this situation very badly, and as a consequence I deserve any approbation Griffin may care to lay at my feet.’

  ‘I disagree.’

  ‘Enough!’ Griffin rose restlessly to his feet. ‘Will you please just state the events, Maystone, and cease leaving Bea and I in this infernal state of uncertainty?’

  Bea did not rebuke him this time; she knew from the pallor of his face and the nerve pulsing in his tightly clenched jaw that Griffin really was at the end of his patience.

  And who could truly blame him? He had no doubt initially travelled to his country estate with the intention of enjoying some peace and quiet. Instead he had happened upon a woman in the woods who must have appeared to him to be deranged, quickly followed by the arrival of the Duke of Sutherland and now Lord Maystone. The poor man must have thought himself caught in the middle of bedlam this past week.

  With no end to his suffering in sight.

  He also had no idea as yet that Bea had now remembered the name of her guardian.

  Lord Maystone emptied the rest of the brandy from his glass, his voice flat and unemotional when he spoke again. ‘Three weeks ago an eight-year-old child was abducted, taken from his home, his parents and his family, for the sole intention of using the threat of taking his life as leverage in gaining access to certain information that might, indeed undoubtedly would, help in their cause against the Crown.’