“Indeed. As I heard it from Claybourne, you waltzed with some mysterious wallflower who may or may not have been Canbury’s daughter, but everyone knows you would nevermarrysuch a chit, so the fact that you also waltzed with the Sackville girl is practically a marriage proposal.”
“Oh good lord,” said Hugh.
“Do not blame the messenger,” said Beresford. “I find Miss Sackville horrid.”
“You are practically the same person,” said Lark. “Like you, she also survives mostly on judgment and gossip.”
Beresford grinned. “Aye, but I drink more whisky,” he sipped his drink. “Also, I have a sense of humor, which I assure you, Miss Sackville does not.”
“I barely know her,” said Hugh. Asking after her parentage felt a bit like asking after a horse he was interested in buying, but he plowed forward. “What is her pedigree again?”
Beresford fielded this question, too. “Her grandfather was a banker who made a great deal of money fleecing London’s most gullible out of their money, and her father is absurdly wealthy and also, I think, cheats at cards, although I have not been able to prove it. Yet.”
“You disgust me,” said Lark, shaking his head.
“You love a scandal as much as I do,” said Beresford. “If you’d saved all the coins you spent on scandal sheets, you could buy a house.”
“Anyway,” said Lark. “The Sackvilles donated some of their money to a few of His Majesty’s urban improvements, so Lord Sackville is much in Prinny’s favor at the moment, and I can imagine your mother smiling upon your courtship, but I do agree with Anthony. She is wretched.”
“I don’t disagree,” said Hugh. “She has spent nearly all of our acquaintance either complaining or saying cutting things about her social peers. I have no desire to court her.”
“Because you love Canbury’s daughter,” said Beresford as if it were fact.
“Did you tell him?” Hugh asked Lark.
“I inferred it,” said Beresford. He crossed the space and took the fourth chair usually occupied by Fletcher. “You and I arenot friends, not really. But Lark is my friend, and he has been concerned for your welfare since the night you disappeared. So he told me about the head injury, and you may not believe me, but I swear I have told no one that you convalesced at the Sweeney house. I saw you dance with Lady Adele at the Wakefield ball and concluded that you may have developed some fondness for her during your recovery. Am I far off the mark?”
“No, that is accurate.” Hugh supposed it couldn’t hurt to tell Beresford the rest. “And I was considering formally courting her but had made no decision because everyone keeps trying to talk me out of it. But now that option is taken away, because the Countess of Sweeney has died and I do not know where Lady Adele is. I went to the Sweeney house today, but the butler knew only that Sweeney intends to close down the house.”
“I imagine he’ll sell it,” said Lark.
“So,” said Beresford, “you want to make some discreet inquiries as to her location or where she intends to go next.”
“Precisely.”
Beresford nodded. “Leave it to me. I am very good at finding people.”
“How’s that?” asked Lark.
“I find you all the time, do I not?” Beresford shot Lark a pointed look before turning back to Hugh. “I will find her without raising suspicion.”
“How will you do that?” asked Hugh.
Beresford shrugged. “I am used to operating in the shadows.”
Hugh wanted to ask what he meant by that but thought better of it. “All right. And please find out if she is all right. She must be devastated by the countess’s death.”
“I have some time tomorrow. I shall endeavor to learn what I can and report back with all possible haste.” Beresford grinnedand stood up. “I must be off, but try not to have too much fun without me.”
When Beresford was out of earshot, Owen said, “Why do you like him?”
Lark shrugged. “That is a difficult question to answer.”
*
Adele was nearlypacked, although she had no particular destination. She knew not what John Sweeney intended to do with the house, but she figured he’d sell it. He’d been keeping it mostly for his mother and did not spend enough time in London to justify the expense of its upkeep.
John was kindly letting her stay, but she understood he wanted her to move out just as soon as she could find another position. Or sooner.
