A Gallant Gamble (Unrivalled Regency Book 3)

by Williams, Jackie

  “Good man. I know that they were meant as such.” He glanced over Geoffrey’s shoulder and stepped to the side just as Bottomley began to close the front door. “I was so pleased to see Charlotte that I never noticed your conveyance. Is that the royal crest or are my eyes deceiving me?” He looked quizzically between the two of them as they stood together in the hall.

  Charlotte nodded as Geoffrey gazed back at her. He slipped his coat from his shoulders as his eyes dropped to her mouth, her rose red lips, the lips that she had just wagered a kiss from. He managed to free his mind as Charlotte nudged his arm.

  “Yes, it was the Prince’s carriage...Come, we had best take tea while Geoff tells you what has happened.”

  Geoffrey nodded and sighed.

  “Yes, you may not be so pleased to see me once you hear what I have done. Upsetting royalty is probably not the best way to endear oneself to the members of the ton.”

  The men stood back as Charlotte preceded them into the salon. Olivia half sat, half lay on the settle with a damp cloth over her eyes, but she roused herself at the sound of someone entering the room.

  “If it’s more visitors, Bottomley, tell them that I am indisposed. I cannot think of entertaining today.”

  Charlotte moved to her side.

  “Are you still unwell, Olivia? Should we call the doctor for you?”

  Olivia removed the cloth and struggled to sit straight. She clasped Charlotte’s hand.

  “Thank you for worrying, but I know it is just the symptoms of over indulgence. Too much rich food and too many late nights. I am not as young as I used to be and had forgotten how wearing a season can be. I am afraid that it has all caught up with me.” She patted the space beside her. “Now come and tell me all that happened at the palace. You are home far earlier than expected. I am sure that the Prince had mentioned tea.”

  Charlotte looked up at Geoffrey. He stared back at her as if he hadn’t heard Olivia’s words, which indeed he hadn’t. He was looking at Charlotte’s lips, longing to taste them, to delve his tongue between them. He cleared his throat and shook himself.

  Giles stared at him.

  “Well, are you going to keep us in suspense all afternoon?”

  Geoffrey looked confused.

  “Pardon? Sorry, I fear that I lost my train of thought.” He dabbed his handkerchief over his forehead. Her first kiss! Her very first! And he might be the one to be given it. He’d make damn sure that he was. She wasn’t kissing anyone else ever if he had anything to say about it. He’d win the bet somehow and kiss her until the feel of his lips was imprinted so deeply on hers that she never wanted another. His hand trembled where it lay on the arm of the chair and he balled it into a fist, crushing the square of white linen in his palm.

  “Geoff, are you alright? Perhaps you and Olivia are both sickening for something.” Giles’ concerned face suddenly appeared in front of him.

  Geoffrey coughed and shook his head.

  “It’s nothing, just a delayed reaction to what I have gone and done, I think,” he paused and closed his eyes briefly before clearing his throat again. “I refused the Prince’s offer to ride his prize stallion in Lord Davenport’s steeplechase. I fear that I have offended him greatly, but his horse is nowhere near ready. Charlotte and I witnessed the animal break a man’s leg not half an hour since.”

  Olivia gasped and sat up immediately.

  “Was the man alright?”

  Charlotte shook her head.

  “The Prince said he would ask the doctor to see to him but only offered the poor man five pounds before he sent him on his way on a board carried by two men. Fortunately, I took the time to discover the address of his family and will enquire after his health as soon as we are able. It was our fault that he was injured. If we hadn’t gone to visit the stables the poor man wouldn’t have found it necessary to bow to the Prince. Vanquish took umbrage, knocked the man to the ground and proceeded to trample him. If Geoffrey hadn’t stepped in and calmed the beast I think it a good probability that the Prince’s man would be dead. None of the other stablemen were about to rescue him for fear of their own lives. Geoffrey was quite right to refuse to ride the horse. Until Vanquish is trained, he is a danger to any who go near him.”

  A tight line appeared across Giles’ brow.

  “This is bad news on all fronts. You are right when you say that the Prince will be unhappy. I have heard that he is a stubborn man and not used to being thwarted. I daresay that he’ll race Vanquish whatever you have advised.”

  Geoffrey gulped the tea Bottomley had brought in.

  “That’s what I fear. It’s Lord Davenport’s ball tonight. I have been told that all entries must be recorded by midnight. If Charlotte will give her permission, I had thought to enter with Lightning. He is a fabulous stallion with the best pedigree. If we get a good placement it will raise our credibility for the stables and any stud fees.”

  Charlotte looked worried.

  “But you said yourself that if the Prince enters Vanquish, other horses and riders will be in danger. He is too unpredictable. I don’t want you to do it if there is the chance of any danger,” her voice cracked as she spoke.

  Giles took a few moments to think before he looked seriously at Geoffrey.

  “What are your thoughts on the Prince’s horse? Is it capable of winning if it keeps its temper in check?”

  Geoffrey shrugged and glanced at Charlotte. She blinked quickly as tears threatened to fall and he had to look away. He wasn’t sure if her distress was for him or her horse but he couldn’t give in to her fears.

  “He’s a huge beast with plenty to power, but it’s hard to say whether it could win. Often a heavier animal cannot stay the distance. Five miles is a long way, especially when you add in the jumps. Rumour has it that they are uncommonly harsh. Vanquish may tire quickly, or he may be strong enough to go the distance, but a lot will depend on his rider. I have no idea who the Prince is going to ask now that I have declined the honour, but I suspect that there will be many who would accept the offer without turning a hair.”

  Giles breathed in thoughtfully.

  “Lightning is no heavyweight and we know that he can gallop five miles with ease, but Geoffrey is far heavier than you, Charlotte. That may make a substantial difference in a race. Only consider entering him if you are prepared to lose.”

  Charlotte heaved a sigh.

  “I’m not worried about losing. That would be the last thing to concern me. It is the danger I fear, however Geoffrey has been riding Lightning for the last few weeks while I have borrowed a horse from Olivia. I suspect that Lightning is used to the extra weight by now, but I don’t want to put either my horse or Geoff in peril.”

  Giles stirred sugar into his tea and sipped the hot liquid before he answered.

  “Neither should you, but you have to agree that he has a point about the stables. It would be the ideal opportunity to show the whole of London what we can do. Winning wouldn’t be the point. We can leave that to those who are reckless. Others who are serious about their own stock will be more interested in stamina and temperament.” Giles smiled encouragingly at her. “Geoff could keep Lightning at the back of the field, well away from any problems and still gain us unprecedented publicity. It’s worth thinking upon.”

  She glanced over at Geoffrey who was staring back at her. She dropped her gaze and threaded her fingers as she thought. She hesitated a few more seconds before answering.

  “Fine, we’ll enter him, but you must promise me that you will take no chances with him or yourself, Geoff. I can’t bear to think of anything happening to either of you.”

  Geoffrey smiled as he breathed a sigh of relief. Not only was she worried for him but his first steps to independence were accomplished. He leaned forwards in his chair and spoke earnestly.

  “I’ll take no chances, you can be sure of that. You won’t regret the decision, Charlotte.”

  Olivia took hold of Charlotte’s hand and squeezed it encouragingly.


  “Well done, child. Geoffrey will do you proud and I know that Alexander will be thrilled by these developments. Ormond had the most fabulous stables at one time. It will be wonderful to see them thriving again.”

  Charlotte nodded and blinked back tears. Her own father’s stables had once been admired too but had declined rapidly with her brother’s lack of regard for money. She had only kept hold of Lightning by keeping him hidden from John in the old woodcutters cottage, deep in the forest at Caithwell. Fortunately John wasn’t much interested in the estate or what his younger sister was up to. So long as he had funds, he spent most of his time in London at their townhouse.

  Their London townhouse? She suddenly looked up at Giles. He hadn’t ever mentioned the place. Was it possible that he didn’t yet know of its existence? He had spent the first several weeks of his Lordship incarcerated in the local gaol and then been so busy at Caithwell and so worried about his sick wife and son that it may well have been forgotten.

  She leaned forwards excitedly, hoping that he wasn’t going to inform her that the place had already been sold.

  “Giles, are you staying here for your sojourn or are you going to St. George Street? I have never been there before and would be interested to see it if you are taking up residence.”

  Giles turned his attention to her again.

  “I’m afraid that you have lost me, Charlotte. I don’t know what you mean. Why would I go to St. George Street?” Her cousin looked at her quizzically.

  Charlotte smiled triumphantly.

  “It’s part of the estate, but I suspect that you overlooked it what with everything else that has happened over the last eighteen months. Twenty seven St. George Street, if my memory serves. As I said, I have never seen the place, but father used to send John’s correspondence there. I don’t remember him mentioning that it had been sold. In fact, as part of the entailed estate, it couldn’t be, but it might have been let to raise an income.”

  Giles rose from his seat.

  “Good heavens! I never knew a thing about the place. Who would have a key?”

  Charlotte grinned excitedly.

  “There was a management company who looked in at the place when it was unoccupied. I don’t see why they would have stopped, unless they hadn’t been paid, but that should be easy to rectify. We could go now. There is still time before we have to make ready for tonight’s ball.”

  Olivia suddenly rose from her seat, her malady temporarily forgotten.

  “How exciting! And in St. George Street too. So convenient for the theatres and the shops! I’ll just ask Mary for my coat.” She rang the bell and gave Bottomley instructions when he appeared at the door.

  Giles stood in yet another empty hallway of twenty seven St. George Street. Dust balls and cobwebs had gathered in all the corners but otherwise he was pleased to see that the place seemed a lot sounder than Caithwell when he had first arrived.

  Three flights of stairs had them discovering several large bedrooms suitable for the principal family and smaller ones in the attic for staff. Most of them were completely empty, one or two having faded curtains or a tattered rug, the others utterly bare. Only four of the rooms were furnished to any degree. The master bedroom and the connecting one next door on the first floor, plus a small salon with attached study on the ground floor. The cellar kitchen had a fireplace, a stove and a long kitchen table but nothing else remained. Charlotte imagined that her brother had always eaten out.

  The man who had brought them the key swallowed nervously before he spoke.

  “The young master was unreliable with the fees at the best of times and we hadn’t heard anything since the last reminders we sent to the old Lord so we stopped any cleaning...not that there’s much to clean, of course, but we cannot spare the time on owners who refuse to pay.” He bowed his head in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, but we hadn’t had word of the old Lord Caithwell’s demise or I would have written again to clarify the situation.”

  Giles shook his head as he looked around the bedroom in wonder. A thick layer of dust swathed the faded coverlet and had gathered in the folds of the curtains surrounding it.

  “Not your fault. I’ve barely scraped the surface of the accounts. Unfortunately, I was a little preoccupied when first taking the title and then my wife became ill after birthing my son. Everything but their future health and welfare paled into insignificance for some time. My solicitors should have had a note of this place somewhere, but I confess that I’ve not had time to go through everything personally.” He apologized to the agent.

  Charlotte gazed about, her initial eagerness to see the place somewhat diminished as she wondered what her brother had found so fascinating in the dark and dingy place.

  “I’m sorry that I hadn’t mentioned it earlier. I just didn’t think about it. When John was younger, he resided here for most of the year. Later, he only came back to Caithwell for money or when he couldn’t avoid his creditors. When it was obvious that he was going to remain at home, I assumed that he must have sold the place. I don’t think anyone has been here since he left over three years ago.”

  Giles groaned.

  “I’m almost sorry that you have told me now. It’s another worry that I am going to leave to my poor Marcus. I pity the lad his inheritance already and he’s not even a year old.”

  Olivia shivered as a huge spider dropped from a thread and looked at them curiously before scurrying back up into its web.

  “The place is not fit to live in,” she declared. “You’ll have to pay the outstanding bill and retain some cleaners. Perhaps I can spare the staff at the Albany for a day or two. There’s nothing that cannot be put right easily. Charlotte and I can organize it all. You can be in by the end of the week.”

  Giles rolled his eyes.

  “It’s going to take another small fortune to put right. Perhaps I’ll have to just clean the rooms that are being used for now and do the rest as time and funds allow. I’m sure that Anne will have some furniture that we can bring from Evenleigh, though it’s a nuisance having to transport it halfway across the country.”

  Olivia shushed him.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. We have more than enough furniture in the attic at the Albany to fit out most of the rooms here. I’ll ask Freder...er, Coalport to see what will suit. Bottomley can bring it all over as soon as the cleaning has been completed.”

  Geoffrey rubbed the side of his hand against a pane of glass before looking out of one of the dusty windows.

  “There’s a fine view over Hanover Square and what appears to be a mews at the back too. At least you will have somewhere to stable your horse.”

  Charlotte joined him. She rubbed a small circle in a lower square of glass and peered out. The clock on the church tower at the end of the road struck six.

  “We should perhaps leave this for another day. Exciting as it is, there’s not much we can do this evening. Olivia and I will begin on it tomorrow morning. Hiring cleaners will be the first call of the day.”

  They made their way back down the wide stairs, out of the front door and down the steps. The agent locked the door behind him and handed Giles the key.

  “I can arrange for the cleaning to be done if you would prefer. In view of the misunderstanding I would offer a special rate.”

  Knowing nothing of domestic arrangements, Giles deferred to Olivia who spent the next few minutes discussing exactly what needed to be done and how much it would cost. A deal was soon struck and they all climbed back into the carriage.

  Olivia and Charlotte kept up a lively discourse while they travelled back to the Albany, discussing fabrics and carpets, furniture and cooking pots. They only had time for a light tea before they all made their way upstairs to make ready for the ball.

  Geoffrey sat on the end of his bed after his bath and couldn’t help looking at Coalport in a slightly different light after Charlotte’s recent revelations, but just as there had been nothing strange in the man’s manner that morning, apart from the odd stifled y
awn, there was still nothing new tonight.

  Geoffrey wondered at the man who had waited so long to capture his Mistresses heart. If it were him, he didn’t think that he could remain so quiet and calm. He didn’t think that there was any way anyone could stop him shouting it from the rooftops and declaring it to the world.

  He sighed wistfully as he wondered what would happen between them if he won her first kiss. He knew exactly what would happen to him. His passion would ignite in a fury of heat, his mind would reel at the feel of her and his heart would break if she didn’t feel the same emotions in return. And she wouldn’t feel the same emotions. He knew that already. She had declared many times that she didn’t want to marry, didn’t want any man interfering in her life. It was a foregone conclusion that he was going to be hurt if he engaged his heart in their wager.

  Coalport brought him out of his reverie as he turned from the wardrobe with the highly decorated waistcoat in his hands once again, and once again Geoffrey shook his head vehemently.

  “Apart from the fact that I will look like some kind of idiot while wearing it, there’s no point getting dressed tonight. Now Giles has arrived he’ll take on his responsibilities as guardian. They won’t need me to accompany them any longer. I’ll probably stay here for the evening.”

  Coalport shook his head.

  “Lord Caithwell has already confirmed that you are going. There is no question of you remaining here. You have to put down the name of the horse you are entering into the race. It’s quite the ceremony every year. Lots of money changes hands while guessing names on the lists, possible jockeys, even what colours the rider might be wearing. The actual listing is all done in private, but the gossip abounds afterwards. Being a newcomer and refusing the Prince has brought you a certain notoriety already. They are taking huge bets on who is going to be asked to fill your boots. My money is on Lord Rookwood. He may be a rake, but he has a certain natural talent with horses, I am told.” He shook out the waistcoat again. “This would definitely suit the grandeur of the occasion.”