His Perfect Lady (9 page)

“I—I . . . Um, I need to t—think,” she stuttered.

Lord Dudgery’s face fell while Uncle Toban’s darkened in fury. The level of anger mystified and terrified her at the same time. She silently watched him regain his composure as his face returned to normal.

“Catherine,” Uncle Toban said through clenched teeth, “we previously discussed this. You made your interest in Lord Dudgery clear.”

“Berwick, you don’t need to coerce the girl.” The earl turned to her with a gentle smile. “I must inquire, does your reticence have anything to do with Lord Linwood?”

Asked so directly, Catherine didn’t know what to say. Although she wanted to deny it, she knew they’d see through the lie. She felt so confused, she didn’t know what to do anymore.

Part of her wanted to remain unattached and in London with her own house and the freedom to do as she pleased, but that was not possible. Her funds wouldn’t be turned over to her until her uncle saw it fit. Judging by her uncle’s reaction, he would never agree to give her the inheritance from her father.

She also held no proof the curse had been lifted. Studying Lord Dudgery’s understanding face, she didn’t know that she could sentence him to death. Would the curse take him, too? Would she be able to handle having three dead husbands?

“You don’t need to answer,” the earl provided. “I can see the answer in your eyes. Just know, I offer you a comfortable life either in the country near your family or in London. You will be elevated to the position of a countess, a highly sought after position, I must add. You will be content in that life.”

Uncle Toban seemed to snap out of his anger as he approached her. “More importantly, Linwood doesn’t want to marry you. If anything, he would seek to punish or embarrass you due to your rejection of him years ago. Surely you see you have no future with him.”

“I understand,” she managed to force out. “I don’t seek a future with Lord Linwood. I only request a few days to ferret out my feelings on the subject of marriage.”

“Catherine, I—” Uncle Toban was cut off by Lord Dudgery’s upraised hand.

“Considering her past, I believe it’s only fair to allow her time to think. I only ask that you come to me with any questions or concerns before you make your decision.”

“Thank you.” She offered him a genuine smile filled with gratitude.

“I will leave you now, but you know how to find me.” With a bow, he exited the room.

Uncle Toban instantly shot to his feet and began pacing the room. His angry footsteps made her feel uneasy. She wondered why her hesitation had brought out such a response in him. Over the years she made herself as valuable as possible. His desperation to rid himself of her proved she had failed.

“What are you thinking, denying him like that?” Uncle Toban spat out.

“His proposal came so suddenly. I simply want some time to resign myself to being married again.”

“That’s ridiculous. We came here to see you married. We’ve both known for weeks Dudgery would offer for you. And not once did you voice any objections.”

“Planning for it doesn’t prepare—”

Uncle Toban whipped around, his face red. “You can give the earl your excuses, but not me. We both know Linwood is the only thing holding back your decision. Do I need to remind you why you rejected him years ago?”

Catherine’s head reeled back as if she’d been slapped. This man wasn’t the same person who’d taken her in when her father died. The one who’d helped her through the worst parts of her life. Tears sprang to her eyes. She didn’t know him at all.

“But . . . Father is dead.”

Uncle Tobin sighed as his face softened. When he sat next to her, he took her hands in his. The warmth of his still—present anger seeped into her cold fingers. She wanted to shrink back from him, but she held on to her nerves and remained motionless.

“I know. Please forgive me. I shouldn’t have said that. Please understand I only want what’s best for you. Lord Dudgery can offer you a life beyond that of all the previous men you have met.”

“Yes, Uncle,” she forced out, unable to make eye contact with him.

“Considering how quickly your past husbands died, you still have no experience with men. Allow me to help you. Lord Linwood is a man who enjoys preying on innocent young ladies. He doesn’t care for you. Lord Dudgery, on the other hand, wants to elevate you in Society and take care of you.”

“I know,” she whispered, wishing she could stop him. Tears burned the back of her eyes. Her decision should have been easy, but reluctance tugged at her. And her defiant side began to rebel the more he spoke.

“I will leave you now to think. However, I want you to know that Lord Dudgery’s offer will not last forever, and I’m not sure how much longer I can offer you support.”

With the click of the drawing room door, Catherine dropped her head into her hands and allowed her unshed tears to fall. The hot moisture scalded her face, bringing only more torment with each droplet. How had her life become so complicated?

Jonathan offered her no future, but he allowed her the opportunity to be herself. If she married Lord Dudgery and her attempt to remove the curse had been successful, she would move to his estate and never see Jonathan again. The knowledge brought an acute aching in her chest. But she couldn’t give up the opportunity to marry. Clearly Uncle Toban wouldn’t allow her to remain living on his charity any longer.

Her choice, although not easy, was clear. She would marry Lord Dudgery. However, that didn’t mean she couldn’t see Jonathan one last time.

Chapter 8

Entering the seedy tavern, Jonathan’s nose twitched. The stench of the unwashed bodies and stale ale saturated the room, making the air thick and heavy. The patrons surveyed him with either distrust or anger. It was clear he didn’t belong, nor would he be welcome there.

“Not a very cheery place, if you ask me,” Stanwick uttered, too loudly for Jonathan’s comfort.

Once again, he wished his brother had not insisted upon joining him. In the future, Jonathan needed to speak with Mr. Spinner about using Stanwick to relay information to him. Although the outcome of this conversation would affect Stanwick as well, the man was unaccustomed to dealings where his position in Society didn’t provide him an upper hand. In this case, their wealth and Jonathan’s title would only offer a disadvantage.

“Your lordship.” The barkeep nodded as they approached him. “Come, he’s waiting for you.”

Jonathan inclined his head and then followed the man toward a quiet table in the back of the room. A lone person sat with his back to them. As they drew closer, he made no move to confirm if a friend or foe approached. Either this man had no enemies or he enjoyed a fearsome reputation that ensured he would not be molested.

From what Mr. Spinner had indicated, this must be Paul Sideon. Jonathan hadn’t been sure he would show up himself. If he had any relation to Jackson Sideon, he’d have lackeys to carry out his more inane business.

When they stood before the table, the man rose and faced them. His cheery smile seemed out of place with his dangerous reputation. Although his clothes wouldn’t be acceptable in high society, he dressed well and appeared clean. His open face was enough to instill faith and encourage confidence.

“Lord Linwood, I’m Paul Sideon.” His eyes moved to Stanwick. “Who’s this?”

“Stanwick Alastair,” Jonathan answered, eyeing the man warily.

Jonathan felt he could read people well and refused to allow a first impression to color his opinion. He needed to ensure he wouldn’t miss anything.

“Sit down. I’ll happily tell you what you want to know.”

“Why don’t we start at the beginning? I understand you previously worked for a shipping company.” Jonathan watched Sideon closely, not wanting to miss any indication of manipulation.

“Yes.” Sideon smiled. “I worked for Aaron Lights for five years before he up and left me.”

“But you retained your connections with your good reputation,” Stanwick provided.

Jonathan wanted to backhand Stanwick for his stupidity. They were there to obtain and confirm the information received from Dudgery, not to offer their knowledge.

“I see you’ve been told.” Sideon inclined his head in Stanwick’s direction. “I’m worthy, a hard worker, and my reputation reflects that.”

“As an investor, what return can I expect to see?”

“Dudgery said—” Stanwick broke off as Jonathan elbowed him in the ribs.

“I don’t want to hear about the middlemen. I came here to get reality from the source.” Jonathan turned back to Sideon. “The profits?”

Sideon’s smile held a hint of mischievousness. “My kind of man. We don’t have to share our plans with the others.”

“What are you thinking?” Jonathan leaned forward, feigning interest.

As he’d expected, Sideon wouldn’t run an honest company. Cheating the other investors now would only lead to Jonathan being cheated in the future. Although he had no intention of pursuing such an investment, he was wise enough to not indicate such at this time.

“I’ve promised five percent each to the other two, but maybe ten for you if your initial investment is enough.”

“And the payback?” Jonathan pressed.

“Fine. I’ll throw that in, too, for good measure.” Sideon relaxed in his chair and placed his arm around the back of the seat next to him. Clearly he believed Jonathan would readily agree.

“Ten is not enough.” Jonathan leaned back as well in an effort to appear equally at ease. Then he crossed his arms to emphasize his point. “I want forty.”

Anger seeped into Sideon’s face as he narrowed his eyes. “You would have me give out half my profits when it’s my toil that earns them?”

“How the money comes about is not my concern. I only care that it comes.”

“You’re reputed for enjoying a good investment. But clearly negotiations are not your strong point,” Sideon ground out. “Send your man to me, and we can discuss your cut.”

Jonathan nodded, pleased to have an excuse to leave. “A helpful suggestion. I will seek counsel before making any further decisions.”

“Wait,” Stanwick pleaded. “You hold your own counsel. Surely we can come to some agreement.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Stanwick, but I don’t make any decisions without the advice of my solicitor. He’s been handling everything for me for years. Let’s go pay him a visit.” Jonathan hoped his brother wouldn’t see through the lie, or at least, he would realize it best to keep quiet.

Stanwick’s face fell, but he stood and followed Jonathan out of the establishment. Incensed, Jonathan didn’t speak until he and his brother were in the carriage and halfway back to the townhouse.

“What in particular, about this investment appeals to you?” Jonathan kept his tone light, not wishing to alert his brother to his anger.

“I suppose I just want to invest. You make your money, without the help of Mr. Spinner I must add, and I want to do the same.”

“Then allow me to suggest some less risky opportunities for you to choose from.”

“I don’t need you to hold my hand. Besides, what other options will give you ten percent of the profits? From what I’ve heard, that rate is hard to come by.”

“Which is what makes this ‘opportunity’ more suspicious. Also, you must remember ten percent of zero is nothing. Your percentage is pointless unless profits are earned.”

“I know, but I believe the shipping company has promise.”

Stanwick’s pleading eyes made Jonathan shake his head. His brother seemed too passionate about this cause for his claims to hold any weight. The light sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead betrayed him. Stanwick was terrified Jonathan would pass up on the investment. But why?

“I want to help you, but I can’t if you don’t tell me the truth.”

Apparently reluctant to answer, Stanwick sighed and looked out the window. “I made a mistake, a huge mistake, and Kenneth Rawson caught me. He promised to keep quiet if you and I agreed to invest in Dudgery’s proposal.”

Jonathan rubbed his hand across his face. All these years he believed he’d been cheated out of the life he should have had by his father, but the truth was Stanwick had been the one cheated. Their father had sheltered and molded Stanwick into what he wanted without giving him a chance to live on his own or learn how to survive without him. Jonathan began to feel sorry for him.

“What did you do?”

“The other night I met Lady Isham. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, and she made her interest in me clear.”

Unable to help himself, Jonathan smiled. “Lady Isham is known for her charm, among other things. I’m not surprised she caught your eye.”

“She caught more than that.” Stanwick wagged his eyebrows, then immediately cleared his face. “As she practically dragged me into a private room, I never thought about the fact that she was married.”

“When you don’t think with the proper part of your body, that tends to happen.” Jonathan didn’t blame Stanwick for falling under Lady Isham’s spell. Although he’d never succumbed to a married woman, that lady made herself hard to ignore.

“Once we . . . Well, as we were dressing, Rawson walked in. In our haste, I must have forgotten to lock the door.”

“Other than creating an embarrassing situation, I can’t see how Rawson’s presence is significant.”

“At first it wasn’t, but he caught up with me later and threatened to tell Lord Isham if I didn’t get you to invest. He also indicated I should follow suit.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” Jonathan sighed, wondering if he’d ever see the end of Stanwick’s bad choices.

“I didn’t want anyone to know. And so far Rawson hasn’t said a word, or at least, I haven’t had an angry husband banging on my door.”

“Rest assured, Lord Isham will not be seeking you out to defend his wife’s honor.”

“But Rawson said the viscount is an incredibly jealous man and won’t hesitate to meet me on the other side of a pistol.”

“And his ploy worked. You’ve done your best to persuade me to invest and you made promises to do so yourself. His scheme was quite brilliant.”

“What about Lord Isham? Does he not care what his wife does?”

“He cares, a great deal, I must add. It’s a game to them. You probably did lock the door, but Lord Isham enjoys watching his wife with other men. He either had the key to let himself in when you were otherwise engaged, or he waited in the shadows before you arrived. He must have let himself out before he was caught.”

“That’s horrible.” Stanwick sounded mortified. “What type of man wants to see his wife like that? And how do you know about it?”

Jonathan shrugged. “There are no secrets in London.”

“So I have nothing to fear?”

“Only that Lord Isham will request you to repeat the performance.”

The terror on his brother’s face forced a round of laughter from Jonathan. Lord Isham had offered his wife to Jonathan a few years back, but he’d refused. Not only did Jonathan prefer unattached women, but he didn’t feel the need to perform in front of an audience.

“We don’t need to invest then.” The relief in Stanwick’s voice gave Jonathan immense satisfaction. Perhaps there was hope for his brother yet.

“No, but I think it’s about time we met with Rawson and perhaps offered him a little bit of payback.”

Catherine gazed out over the green lawns of Hyde Park. The day was beautiful, but she didn’t see it. Her mind resided in the past. Her last meeting with Jonathan in the park had been unforgettable. She’d sent Jonathan a missive to meet her today, but it had gone unanswered. However, she held on to hope that he would come.

“Mrs. Gates? What are you doing out here alone?”

Lord Dudgery’s voice beamed with excitement and pleasure. It made her feel guilty for the disappointment that settled over her at his presence.

“It’s too beautiful a day to pass it indoors.”

“I agree. Do you mind if I join you?”

She shook her head, and he plopped down beside her. The bench wasn’t large and with his substantial size, his body pressed against her. Uncomfortable, she gritted her teeth in an effort to keep from shifting away. When Jonathan touched her, her flesh came alive with pleasure. Why could she not enjoy a similar reaction to her future husband?

“I know it has only been one day,” he began, “but I wondered if you had a chance to consider my proposal.”

“I apologize, my lord, but I haven’t come to a decision at this time.”

“May I ask what your concerns are?”

Catherine held back a sigh. How could she explain to him she only wanted a few more days of freedom first? Considering her curse may be broken, the earl could be her husband for the rest of her life. Although she’d been married twice, the idea bothered her this time.

A possibility existed that she would feel differently if she took the time to get to know the earl before their marriage, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Perhaps deep inside, she didn’t want to become close to him in case he didn’t survive. With Luke and Solomon, she’d suffered a great deal after their deaths.

“After losing my first and second husband, I can’t help but be hesitant when faced with the possibility of suffering similarly with a third.”

Lord Dudgery gave her a wide smile. “Ah, I see now. Don’t concern yourself over my health. I have been on this earth for forty—three years, and I plan on enjoying many more. I understand from your uncle that the other men were sickly and weak of body and mind.”

Catching herself before her mouth dropped open, Catherine quickly turned away from him. How could Uncle Toban speak so ill of the dead? Both men were young, but they were strong. Their deaths came about by her curse, nothing more.

Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked rapidly to put them off. This was all her father’s fault. When he warned her against marrying a man not approved by him, she didn’t take him seriously. He claimed they would not live long enough to enjoy their marriage, and he’d been right. She didn’t realize at her father’s passing marriage to her would mean a death sentence for her husband.

Considering her previous husbands died before their marriage was consummated, she held on to hope that the solution lay within that first night. Now that Jonathan had become her lover, surely the curse was broken. However, she had no way to test the theory without endangering another life.

“Thank you for your assurances,” she finally managed to get out. “I will take it under consideration when I make my decision.”

“Well, I should be on my way, but first I wanted to inform you that I will be leaving London in two days. I have business at my country estate that I must attend to.” He took a deep breath as he looked at her with imploring eyes. “If at all possible, I’d like to have an answer before I depart.”

Catherine pinched her lips tight, but nodded in agreement. He’d been nothing but kind and accommodating during this time, so she owed him. Watching him amble away, she realized he would soon be her husband. Considering his kindness, she imagined it might not be such a bad thing.

A short while later, Vanessa stumbled upon her. Catherine sighed. She couldn’t handle her cousin’s endorsement of Jonathan right now. Every time they spoke, she managed to make comments that Catherine couldn’t bear to hear.