Wicked Wager

by Mary Gillgannon

  He got to his feet, leaving his food untouched, and went to the kitchen. The new cook gaped at him as he strode past and made his way downstairs to the servants’ quarters. Maggie and Jeremy were eating breakfast. They immediately jumped to their feet. “Yes, sir, can we help you?” the footman asked.

  Marcus glanced from one servant to the other. “Do either of you know where Pen…where Miss Montgomery is?”

  Maggie was the first to respond. “Why, no, sir. She never called me up to help her dress.”

  “What of you?” Marcus demanded of Jeremy.

  “Well, I…”

  “Did you get her a horse from the stables this morning?”

  “No, sir.”

  Seeing the guilty expression on the footman’s face, Marcus almost lost control. “But you do know where she is, don’t you?”

  “Not exactly,” Jeremy answered.

  “What does that mean?” Marcus snapped.

  “It means…I…she had me call her a hansom, sir. But I don’t know where she was going.”

  Marcus whirled and left. As he made his way back to the main floor and through the house, he grew more and more agitated. Where was Penny taking a hansom cab so early in the morning?

  He found Bowes in the foyer. “Did you see Miss Montgomery leave, Bowes?”

  The manservant looked startled. “No, sir. I didn’t know she was gone.”

  “Well, she is. Jeremy says she had him fetch a hansom.”

  Bowes looked troubled. “I’ve been here the whole time and never saw any vehicles drive up.”

  “Well, then she must have gone out the back way.” He didn’t understand. The night before they’d been so close, as if they were connected in some deep and powerful way. Then today, she left without telling anyone where she was going. Could she be planning some sort of surprise for him? That must be it. It wasn’t possible he’d completely misread her.

  He told himself to relax. She’d be back soon and the reason for her odd disappearance would be clear.

  ****

  Penny huddled in the shadows in the alley behind the club and watched the back entrance. Although she’d been waiting well over an hour, there was no sign of Adrian. Nor had he been seen by the hansom driver, whom she’d asked to watch the front entrance.

  Maybe it was too early for Adrian to contact the viscount. Some of the nobility didn’t rise until noon. She’d have to wait a while longer. Eventually Adrian would leave to meet this man and explain the arrangements. Then she would follow him. She had to know who this man was so she could decide what to do.

  ****

  “I’m going to James’s house,” Marcus told Bowes. “If Miss Montgomery comes back, send Jeremy to get me immediately.”

  “Of course, sir,” Bowes replied.

  Marcus hurried to the phaeton he’d had Jeremy fetch. Glancing at the footman, he said, “You’ll be certain to come and get me if Penny returns?”

  “Of course, sir.”

  Marcus climbed into the phaeton and headed to James’s townhouse.

  Vincent met him at the door. The butler barely had time to greet him before Marcus demanded, “Has Miss Montgomery been here?”

  “Why no, sir.”

  “She hasn’t been here at all?”

  “Not today, sir.”

  Marcus let out his breath in a sigh. He’d truly thought…

  “Would you like to come in, sir?” Vincent asked.

  “Yes. And get James for me. Tell him it’s urgent. And Miss Wilson as well.”

  “Very good, sir. Let me take you into the drawing room, and then I’ll announce you.”

  As he waited, Marcus considered having some brandy. But he realized that after scarcely eating breakfast, he’d end up half-foxed if he started drinking this early. He needed to keep his wits about him, in case something had happened to Penny.

  Although he told himself it was too soon to worry yet, a part of him was already panicking. After such tender, intimate lovemaking, it seemed extremely odd that Penny would simply disappear.

  But according to Jeremy, she’d left the house of her own free will, even sneaking out the back entrance. What could have caused her to do such a thing? Could her wretched cousin be to blame?

  “What’s this all about?” James entered the drawing room, looking unaccustomedly disheveled. “Frankly, it wasn’t a good night with Charles, and we’d hoped to sleep in a bit.”

  “Its half past ten,” Marcus pointed out. “I’ve never known you to stay abed this late, even in our old days of carousing.”

  “Maybe I’m getting older and more sensible,” James groused.

  “The reason I’m here is that I’m looking for Penny. She had one of the footmen fetch a hansom cab this morning, then left by the back way. When she didn’t return, I thought she must have come here.”

  “Haven’t seen her.” James yawned.

  “I’m getting alarmed, James. I worry something’s happened to her.”

  “Why? She obviously left of her own free will.”

  “It’s merely a feeling I have.”

  “Well, give it a few hours. If she isn’t back by this afternoon, we can look into it then.”

  Lily entered the room and immediately approached Marcus. “You’re looking for Penny, aren’t you?”

  Marcus felt his insides grow tight. “Yes. Yes I am.” When Lily regarded him with a look of pity, he grew more distressed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “She didn’t leave you a note?”

  “A note? What sort of note?” Marcus took hold of Lily’s arm. “What is it? What’s happened to Penny?”

  “For heavens sake, Marcus!” James approached, glowering. “Let go of her! She doesn’t have anything to do with Penny leaving!”

  Marcus released Lily. “I’m sorry. But please tell me what’s happened. Where has Penny gone? Is she in danger?”

  Lily looked away. “I can’t…” She heaved a sigh and then met his gaze. “Penny’s not in danger. At least not that I know of. That’s all I can tell you.”

  Marcus stared at the young woman. He wanted to find a way to force her to tell him the truth. But James wouldn’t allow him to press her. He’d have to find another way.

  He gave Lily and James a curt nod and left.

  As he drove home, the sick feeling inside him grew more intense. Although Lily said Penny wasn’t in danger, something was terribly wrong.

  Chapter Twenty

  After waiting for what seemed like hours more, Penny finally decided Adrian wasn’t going to seek out her prospective husband until later in the day. Perhaps he wouldn’t do so until it was time to go to the Gardens. In the meantime, she desperately needed to find a necessary and to get something to eat. She felt almost faint with hunger.

  Returning to the hansom, she had the driver take her back to Mrs. Bly’s.

  She paid the man and asked him to return for her later that evening. She purchased a meat pie from a nearby shop and headed to her rented room. At the top of the stairs, she was startled to find Lily waiting there. “What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Marcus came asking after you. But he has no idea you mean to break things off with him. He thinks something’s happened to you, that you’re in danger.”

  “Why would he think that?” Penny asked.

  “Because he cares about you! At any rate, you need to write him a note and tell him what’s going on.”

  Penny felt a wave of anguish. “I don’t know if I can. How can I bear to write such lies? How can I tell him I don’t care about him when it’s not true?”

  “Well, you need to tell him something so he stops worrying and doesn’t go searching for you. He suspects I know what’s going on, and he won’t rest until I tell him the truth. I know you don’t want to break his heart, but if you don’t make your intentions clear, he’ll suffer in another way.”

  “And if he seeks me out and confronts me, I’ll never be able to convince him I don’t love him. I suppose ther
e’s no hope for it. I’ll have to write him and make him believe this is my choice and I truly don’t want to marry him. Otherwise if Adrian finds out, Marcus will be in danger.” Penny nodded wearily. “Very well. I’ll do it. Come in while I write a note.”

  She unlocked the door and led Lily inside. After removing a small portable writing desk from her valise, she sat on the bed with the desk on her lap. Every part of her rebelled at what she was about to do. Dipping the pen in the ink, she wrote:

  Dear Marcus:

  I’ve made up my mind that I can’t marry you. I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you. Despite your agreement with my cousin, I hope you’ll respect my wishes. Please don’t try to contact me.

  Sincerely,

  Penelope Montgomery

  When she finished, she waved the note in the air to dry the ink, then handed it to Lily.

  Lily read it, frowning. “I’m not sure it’s harsh enough. You say you can’t marry him, rather than you don’t want to. I think if you intend to make it clear there’s no hope for the two of you, you should be emphatic that this is truly what you wish.”

  “It will have to do,” Penny said stubbornly. “Now, how will I get it to him?”

  “I’ll leave it with Bowes.”

  Penny nodded. Although she must do this, it still felt like her heart had been torn out.

  After Lily left, she struggled to eat the meat pie, but found she had no appetite. She decided to return to the gambling hell, hoping Adrian hadn’t already left to meet the unknown viscount. The hansom cab driver was waiting for her when she went out. “Please take me back to Pall Mall,” she said.

  ****

  “Sir, Miss Wilson just brought this over.”

  Marcus looked up as Bowes held out a note. The little minx! He’d known Lily knew more than she was letting on. He tore open the note. It was short, taking only seconds to read. Then he read it again…and again.

  The anguished doubt he’d carried around with him for weeks had suddenly come true. Or had it? She said she couldn’t marry him, not that she didn’t want to. It was a subtle distinction, but it gave him hope. If only if he could see her…talk to her…hold her in his arms. He felt certain that if he made love to her, he could change her mind.

  Unless this wasn’t a matter of her choosing, but that she was being coerced by someone. Like her wretched cousin.

  He had to talk to Penny. He had to. Lily clearly knew where Penny was. Somehow he must make her tell him the truth. James would try to protect Lily and keep him from pressing her, so he’d have to speak to her when James wasn’t around.

  ****

  Penny waited outside the gambling hell. This time of day, there were numerous men leaving and entering. Penny observed them carefully. That one looked too old, while the next man appeared in a hurry. At last two well-dressed, young gentlemen climbed out of a coach and approach the establishment. Penny took a deep breath, climbed out of the hansom and hurried to the men. After begging their pardon for intruding, she asked if they knew Adrian Withersby.

  “Indeed, we do,” one of the men answered. He gave his companion a pained look, then returned his gaze to Penny. “What do you want with him?”

  Penny sought to smile ingratiatingly. “He’s my cousin. I wonder if one of you would be willing to look around inside and tell me if he’s there. I don’t want to speak to him, just find out his whereabouts.”

  “Family looking for him, are they?” The man gazed at Penny searchingly. “Don’t you have a male relative who could look into this?”

  “There’s only Adrian, I’m afraid.”

  The man nodded. “Of course, we’ll help you, won’t we, Fletcher?”

  “Why not?” his companion answered lazily. “We’ve nothing better to do than aid a damsel in distress.”

  “Oh, thank you. I’d be so grateful.”

  The man called Fletcher leaned near, and his gaze moved over Penny assessingly. “Exactly how grateful will you be, miss?”

  Before Penny could think of an appropriate response, the man’s companion intervened. “Here, now, Fletcher, the young lady needs our help. It would be churlish of us to put conditions on it.”

  His friend grinned. “You’re right.” He gave a faint bow. “We’ll do this for you simply because we’re such fine gentlemen, such noble knights.”

  “Oh, thank you, sir!” Penny exclaimed. She looked at his companion. “Both of you.”

  “We’ll be back shortly,” the first man responded. The two men doffed their hats to her, then went inside.

  Penny returned to the hansom to wait. It wasn’t long before the gentlemen returned. “He’s there,” Fletcher responded. “Not particularly foxed, which is unusual for him.”

  “Foxed?” Penny asked.

  “Drunk. Lurched. In his cups. Your cousin has a reputation for it.”

  Penny pretended to be horrified. “Oh, dear! And I thought his troubles were all ill-advised wagering.”

  “Oh, he has a reputation for that, too. Heard he lost badly to Marcus Revington a while back. Must have been a substantial amount because Revington hasn’t been back at the cards since.”

  “Who else have you seen my cousin gambling with?” Penny asked.

  “Not really anyone,” Fletcher responded. “Thought maybe he was so badly dipped, he had to lay off for a while.”

  “Is he with anyone?” Penny asked.

  “No. All by himself,” said Fletcher.

  The other man spoke: “If you want us to drag him out of there and help you get him home, we’d be happy to do so.”

  “Oh, no thank you. That won’t be necessary. My aunt simply wanted to know where he was and make certain he was safe.”

  “Your aunt must be a saint to be worried for the likes of him.” The gentleman bowed and smiled at her warmly. “Augustus Marsden, Earl of Grandsmere, at your service, miss.”

  His companion also bowed, and then they were gone.

  Penny considered her next move. She’d failed to discover anything about the mystery man. Nor did she have any sort of plan for getting out of marrying him. Perhaps she should return to her rented room and rest. She would need all her wits about her tonight.

  ****

  From his vantage point in a rented coach across the street, Marcus focused his gaze on the door to James’s townhouse, waiting for his friend to leave. He’d sent Jeremy to the townhouse a short while ago, carrying a message to James that “Mr. Revington needed to see him right away at his home.” Soon Lily would be alone, and he would find a way to make her tell him Penny’s location. Then he would go to Penny and convince her to come back and marry him.

  His hope faded as the familiar doubts crept in. What if he was wrong and Penny truly didn’t want to be his wife? What if what they’d shared meant nothing to her? She hadn’t wanted to marry him in the beginning, that was certain. Although he believed she’d come to care for him, he couldn’t know what she truly felt. After all, he didn’t even know why she’d been so against marrying him when they first met.

  He’d assumed it was because she didn’t know him or like him, but maybe there were other reasons. Maybe she was allied with her cousin. The two of them might have been working together to get him to call off the wedding and give up Horngate. They might think that now he’d fallen in love with Penny, he wouldn’t force her to marry him. For that matter, what if Penny somehow knew of the wager he’d made with James?

  The thought struck him like a blow to the belly. What if Penny knew and had deliberately tried to make him fall in love with her so he would lose the bet and have to set her free?

  He’d barely begun to examine the disturbing idea when James left the townhouse. Marcus waited until his friend was well away, then climbed out of the rented coach and hurried to the door.

  Vincent greeted him. “Good day, sir. I’m afraid you’ve just missed Mr. Ludingham.”

  “What about Lily?” Marcus asked. “Is she here?”

  When Vincent looked surprised, Marcus added, “I
want to speak to her about Miss Montgomery.”

  “Of course, sir. I’ll announce you to Miss Wilson.”

  Lily entered drawing room. “Good day, Marcus.” She looked nervous.

  “A pleasure as always. I suspect you know why I’m here.”

  She nodded. “It’s about Penny, isn’t it?”

  Marcus took a deep, steadying breath. “I don’t understand it. I truly felt we were becoming close. I even thought that perhaps…she might be growing fond of me. But now…” He sighed heavily. “She’s gone off without telling me where she is, and left a note implying things are over between us.”

  Lily stared at him, clearly upset.

  He approached her and took her hands in his. “You must tell me. Do I have any chance with Penny? Is there any possibility she’ll come back and agree to be my wife?”

  “I-I…don’t know what to say.” A stricken look came over Lily’s face. She slipped her hands from his grasp and turned away. A short while later, she turned back, seemingly more composed. “She didn’t want to hurt you, but I think this is worse.” A determined look came over her face. “Very well, I’ll tell you. I don’t know for certain, but it seems unlikely Penny will come back and marry you.”

  Marcus felt his heart sink. He swallowed hard. “Why not?”

  Lily frowned. “I can’t tell you. But it-it doesn’t have anything to do with you. It’s more the circumstances.”

  “Circumstances? What do you mean?” If Penny’s reasons for leaving had nothing to do with him, he could still have hope. All he had to do was find out what the barrier to their marriage was and alter those circumstances.

  “It’s hard to explain.”

  Marcus approached her and grabbed her arm. “Try. Try very hard.”

  “You bastard! You never meant to meet me, did you?”

  Marcus let go of Lily and turned to see James in the doorway. His mild-mannered friend looked so furious he was almost unrecognizable. James approached him, blue eyes flashing. “You came here to talk to Lily alone, thinking that if I wasn’t here you could harass her into telling you where Penny went!”

  “I’m afraid that’s the size of it,” agreed Marcus. “What are you going to do about it? Call me out?”