by Meara Platt
It was early yet, so she had intended to write notes to Penelope and Poppy to let them know she had comfortably settled in with the dowager duchess. She was also hoping Beast would stop by before Matilda awoke, for she wanted him all to herself for what she expected would be a brief visit before he rushed off again.
She rose and hurried out to meet him, surprised he’d brought someone along with him. She stopped herself from addressing him with the familiarity to which they’d grown accustomed. Beast. “Er, Your Grace. I’m so glad you found the time to stop in.”
He grinned and bowed courteously over her outstretched hand, but his gaze revealed his thoughts were not at all courteous. “I’m glad you’re up and dressed. Do you have time for me this morning?”
She nodded. “Always.”
“Good.” He introduced her to Homer Barrow, one of the runners he’d spoken about to her. “We are going to pay a call on your banker.”
She tipped her head in confusion. “I have a banker?”
He nodded. “And a trust fund, it seems.”
Her eyes rounded in surprise. “I’ll fetch my reticule and be right back.”
Beast and Mr. Barrow filled Goose in on as much as they knew while the carriage slowly made its way toward Bond Street where the bank was located. “Wait for us here, Hawkins,” Beast said to his driver, wanting the bank manager to notice the elegant, polished black conveyance and his ducal crest embossed on the door as soon as the bank opened for business.
He did not expect any of the bank’s directors to be there at this hour of the morning. Those gentlemen were of the Upper Crust and not likely to stir until noon. But the manager was someone who could be persuaded into revealing all he knew about Goose’s trust fund.
Beast expected that a mere scowl from him would be enough to have the manager cowering. “Mr. Barrow, wait here for us,” he said, motioning to a row of chairs. “Do let me know if you see Lord Marston or Lord Gosling come in. For that matter, keep your eye out for anyone suspicious who might be following us.”
He then turned to Goose. “Let me do the talking.”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. I’m not certain I would know what to ask. Finances are not in a young lady’s curriculum. Playing a musical instrument or pouring tea gracefully is what’s deemed important for us to know. Utterly useless, of course. I’d like our daughters to be prepared to–”
She stopped suddenly and her eyes widened in horror. “Oh, Beast. I didn’t mean to presume… oh, dear. We aren’t even married yet and I’m thinking of our children.”
He grinned. “The female brain at work? Just as men are driven to spread our seed, women are driven to nest?”
She eased and smiled back at him. “It must be true. It’s written in The Book of Love.”
Her hand had been resting on his arm as they’d walked into the bank. He placed his hand over hers where it still rested on his arm. “It is no small thing, Goose. Women are the givers of life. And although men are given the credit as protectors, it is no less true that a woman will fight fiercely to protect her children. But that discussion is for another time. Right now, we need to find out about your trust fund and if your guardian had assistance at this bank to hide his theft.”
“Your Grace, how may I be of help?” The manager, Mr. Pershing, a small, thin man and quite obsequious, introduced himself as he rushed forward.
“Let’s speak in your office, Mr. Pershing.”
“Yes. Yes, of course. Do come this way, Your Grace.” He bowed repeatedly as he spoke, reminding Beast of a bird pecking at seeds that had fallen on the ground.
Beast escorted Goose in and they sat beside each other in the two guest chairs placed in front of the manager’s desk. “Lady Olivia Gosling,” he said, nodding toward her, “and I are soon to be married. She has a trust account established by her father with your bank. As her husband, I will be taking over management of it shortly. I’d like to know what has been coming in and going out over these past two years.”
The manager’s face reddened. “It will take me a few days to–”
“Now, Mr. Pershing. I do not give a fig what instructions Lord Gosling or Lord Marston may have given you. I am now overriding them. Show me her account ledgers.”
“But, Your Grace–”
It troubled Beast the man did not appear at all surprised or confused by the mention of Lord Marston’s name. He’d brought it up on a mere hunch. But it was now obvious Lord Gosling did not always come alone when making his withdrawals. “Do you wish to continue this pretense, Mr. Pershing? I am good friends with the Duke of Lotheil, your bank’s chairman of the board. Neither he nor the other board members will be happy when I notify them of the theft that has systematically been occurring in this account.”
Beast leaned forward, his expression severe. “I suspect we will find matching deposits into the account of Lord Marston as well as that of Lord Gosling. The only question is, do you wish to cooperate? Or will I bring you down along with them?”
The man shot out of the seat he’d settled in only a moment ago. “I shall retrieve the ledgers for you. Rest assured, Your Grace. If those gentlemen stole from Lady Olivia, I shall cooperate in every way possible.”
“Excellent. Mr. Barrow will accompany you.” He walked out with the manager and motioned to his Bow Street runner to join the man. He did not want a warning sent to Lord Gosling or Lord Marston before he was ready to confront them.
Goose smiled at him when he returned to her side. “You were brilliant.”
He shook his head. “It’s the eyepatch. Scares everyone.”
“And your fierce scowl. I would not like to be on the receiving end of it.” She glanced toward the door and sighed. “I’m glad you are doing this for me, but I wish I had thought to do it for myself.”
“Your guardian purposely kept you in the dark. Had you known of this account, I’m sure he and Lord Marston would have lied to you about its value and made certain you were never told the truth.”
“They didn’t have to try very hard to convince me. I never questioned what I was told.”
He took her hand in his. “Goose, they fed you the lies while you were grieving and vulnerable. Both Gosling and Marston knew exactly what they were doing. Perhaps Marston wasn’t involved from the beginning, but I have no doubt he’s in it up to his neck now.”
“Why would he do this? Surely, he doesn’t care what happens to Lord Gosling.”
“He probably loathes the man, but he advanced him funds and now he wants his loan repaid. I think he wants more than that. He wants you, too.”
Goose shivered. “The man makes me uncomfortable. He looks at me in an unsettling way.”
“So do I. You have a way of rousing a man’s desire.”
She shook her head vehemently. “No, he doesn’t regard me in the noble way you do.”
“You are a beautiful girl, Goose. Even a venal, old goat such as Marston could fall in love with you. He’s a widower now. He may wish to marry you.”
She snorted in disdain. “I would have sensed it if he were. The man is driven by greed. And now it is obvious Lord Gosling is driven to save his own hide. I would not be surprised if they’d hatched a plan to have Lord Marston marry me so he can then get his hands on my inheritance. Of course, my guardian would only give his consent if he were released from all his debts.”
“I was thinking the same.” He cast her a grim nod. “I should have thought to ask Sir Winston’s clerks if Lord Marston ever stopped by their chambers.”
“We can stop there next, if we have time.”
“You have an appointment with your modiste. I shall catch hell from Matilda if I don’t have you back in time.”
“It’s early yet. We’ll have time to visit my father’s solicitor before my meeting with the modiste or yours with Prinny. It will be easy enough for us to find out if Lord Marston was involved in feeding Sir Winston false information about the funds drawn out.”
“Very well.” Since he still
held Goose’s hand, he gave it another light squeeze. “I’m glad we’re just figuring this out now. Had you grown suspicious sooner, they might have been forced to act quickly. Who knows what harm they might have done you.”
“Beast, I’m glad you wish to marry me.” She gave a light, laughing groan. “Gretna Green is looking better and better. I wish we were on our way there already.”
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “Hopefully, we’ll save ourselves the trip. The special license is right here in my breast pocket. A consent from Prinny is all we need. I shall obtain it today. It is my priority.”
“You’re awfully confident all of a sudden. What makes you think he will agree?” Her eyes widened and she gasped. “You’re going to give up something important to accomplish it. Oh, Beast. Don’t do this because of me. What do you have in mind to give him? What will he demand of you?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He cast her a wistful smile. “I don’t care. You’re more important to me than any piece of property.”
She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. “It galls me to think our Prince Regent would hold up England’s finest war hero. He ought to be bestowing gifts on you, not taking them from you. If our running off to Gretna Green will avoid a royal extortion, then I’m ready to go this instant.”
He laughed. “Duly noted.”
“More important,” she said, now serious and quite distressed, “if our running off to Gretna Green will put you in greater trouble with the royal family, then let’s end the betrothal now. The last person I’d ever wish to see hurt is you.”
There was no opportunity for further conversation as Mr. Pershing scurried back into his office with several ledgers in hand. “This one is Lady Olivia’s account record. These are Lord Gosling’s and Lord Marston’s.” He glanced nervously toward the door. “Please do hurry, Your Grace. I’d rather not have anyone know I’ve taken them.”
It did not take Beast long to sift through them. Gosling and Marston were sloppy and arrogant, neither one taking pains to hide what they were doing, especially with the recent withdrawals and deposits. It gave him a sense of unease. These were not stupid men, but they obviously appeared no longer concerned about hiding their tracks. That indicated to him they’d struck their devil’s bargain and would act fast now that Goose was back in town.
Thank goodness he’d insisted on her staying with Matilda.
He struggled to suppress his seething rage. They would have put their nefarious plan into action the moment she walked through the door of the Gosling townhouse.
It was clear Lord Marston wanted Goose.
It was also clear Lord Gosling wanted his debts forgiven.
Her marriage to Lord Marston would solve both men’s problems. As her husband, odious or not, Lord Marston would have full access and right to her inheritance. No man, not even a powerful duke such as he, could have interceded.
“The deposits match exactly,” Goose muttered, tossing him a questioning glance. “Whatever was taken out on a particular day showed up the same day in my guardian’s account or Lord Marston’s. Why be so obvious in their theft? What does it all mean?”
He rose and took her hand to assist her to her feet, not wishing to explain it all in front of Mr. Pershing. Goose had figured out most of it already. He’d respond to her question once she was back in his carriage.
Beast turned to the manager whose face was ashen and who was wringing his hands. “Not a word of this visit to Lord Marston or Lady Olivia’s guardian. Do you understand me, Mr. Pershing?”
He nodded. “But others will have noticed your carriage out front, Your Grace. And my staff has seen you in my office.”
Beast dropped a hundred-pound note on the manager’s desk. “Open up an account in the name of Lady Olivia Gosling, the soon-to-be Duchess of Hartford. If anyone asks, that is what we came here to do.”
He strode out with Olivia at his side.
She looked up at him as they walked out of the bank. “Will anyone believe it, Beast?”
He shrugged. “They might. They might not. It doesn’t matter. Marston and your guardian are bound to find out soon enough. I want them to know I’m breathing down their necks. No one is going to marry you but me.”
She cast him an apprehensive glance. “They’ll try to hurt you.”
“No, they won’t. I’m a duke.”
She sighed. “They won’t care.”
“They won’t dare. It’s over, Goose.” He lifted her into the carriage and motioned for Mr. Barrow to ride up front with the driver. He then climbed in and settled beside her, needing to have her by his side and liking that she would soon be the one always beside him. “If they have any sense, they’ll steal whatever else is left to steal and leave England this very afternoon. And if they are idiots and don’t understand I will kill them slowly and painfully if they so much as set a finger on you, I have four Bow Street runners guarding you with orders to shoot them on sight.”
She cast him an impatient glance. “They need me alive. They need you dead before you can marry me.”
“We’ll speak more on the matter this evening.” He withdrew his watch fob and glanced at the time. “Let’s make a quick stop at Sir Winston’s office and then I’ll drop you off at home.”
She tucked her arm in the crook of his. “Beast, that sounds wonderful. At home. You said it so naturally, as though it is ours to share.”
“It is. Or soon will be.”
“Assuming the Prince Regent does not have you arrested and shipped off to the farthest reaches of the British Empire.”
He cast her a wry smile. “He won’t.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I wish The Book of Love had the power to bend monarchs to its will as well as eligible bachelors.”
“That book ought to be kept under lock and key.”
Goose nodded. “It is a prize indeed. Every young woman in England will be itching to get their hands on it. But Poppy has it next.”
“Heaven help the unsuspecting bachelor. Does the poor bloke stand a chance?”
She grinned. “Did you?”
“No, I suppose I was done from the moment I entered Gresham’s bookshop. I’m not complaining, mind you.” He took advantage of her closeness and their privacy to steal a kiss. Her mouth felt warm and soft on his, her body sweet and willing as he drew her closer and deepened the kiss.
He drew away as the carriage came to a halt. The ride from the bank to Sir Winston’s chambers was not nearly long enough. “Ready?”
She nodded as she fussed with her gown that might have gotten a bit rumpled during their exchange of kisses. “Give me a moment to right myself. You are a fiend, surely you know that.” She gave a mirthful chuckle. “You’ve left me quite foggy-brained.”
“You seem to rattle my senses, too. Every one of them.” He helped her down from the carriage and escorted her up the stairs to Sir Winston’s office.
The solicitor’s clerks rushed forward to greet him. By their expressions, Beast realized they had not heard from their employer and were now beyond merely concerned but frantic with worry. “I have put my Bow Street runners on the matter of his disappearance,” he said, introducing the senior clerk, an earnest young man by the name of Mr. Poole, to Goose and Mr. Barrow. “Have faith that Mr. Barrow and his men shall find Sir Winston and his family. He’s here to ask you questions. Be as helpful as you can. Does he have a home outside of his London residence? What about his wife’s family? But first, show me and Lady Olivia the documents you’ve gathered for us.”
“Right away, Your Grace.” The young man led them to Sir Winston’s desk and drew up a chair for each of them before bowing his way out and leaving them alone to peruse the gathered material.
After a moment, Goose looked up at him in confusion. “Can this be right? My father left me a generous inheritance. Gosling Hall in Wellesford is mine, just as Lord Plimpton suggested. So is the family’s London townhouse. And a trust fund, managed by Sir
Winston. Thank goodness my father left him in charge of it, for it is obvious from our review of the bank accounts this morning that Sir Winston was diligent in his duties. Income was deposited into my account, but diverted by Lord Gosling.”
She shook her head and began to seethe. “How dare that toad do this to me. My father left him well provided for. The entailed properties and the funds to manage them were more than ample. He could have had a substantial income with little effort had he used the slightest care.”
Beast placed his hand over hers. “It will all be made right.”
She sank back in her chair and put her hands to her now aching temples. “I hope so. I won’t rest until I know Sir Winston and his family have been found unharmed. Look at these letters, Beast. He obviously had no idea what Lord Gosling was doing at first, but had begun to grow suspicious. Oh, dear. I shall never forgive myself if he or his family has been hurt.”
“Mr. Barrow is the best. He’ll find them.” He understood Goose’s frustration. Had her father realized how corrupt his cousin was, he would never have given the bounder guardianship of his precious daughter. The solicitor had no choice but to adhere to the terms of the testament and allow Lord Gosling to oversee her affairs until she came of age or sooner married.
What a mess her father unwittingly created.
Mr. Barrow knocked on the door to Sir Winston’s office that had been left open. But he was not about to step in without Beast’s permission. “Your Grace, it seems Sir Winston has a house in Ipswich. I think I ought to send a man to search there. With your approval, of course.”
“You have it, Mr. Barrow.” He turned to Goose. “They’ll be found there. Safe.”
She nodded. “Your instincts?”
“Yes.” He cast her an affectionate grin. “I am never wrong. It irks my aunt to no end.”
After making arrangements with Mr. Poole for his own solicitors to take possession of the Gosling documents, Beast returned Goose to his townhouse. It was almost noon and her modiste would soon arrive.
