Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sir Peregrine Hawkesbury looked at Finn and Max curiously. “Really? Do you really believe this will work?”
“I do, Perry,” answered Max.
“As do I, sir,” added Finn. “We’d not trouble you for your help, but you have the contacts to set up the sort of event we need. A gathering of those in the Ton with similar interests in horses. And the more of them from the military, the better.”
“Well, lad, now you come to mention it…”
Perry fell silent for a few moments, then nodded. “I have it,” he announced. “I’m due to host a dinner soon—we have a rotating club of us older chaps who meet and swap lies just for the hell of it.” He chuckled. “Having passed the age where it’s necessary for us to prove our virility, we can now spin falsehoods about our past adventures with complete confidence that no one knows if it’s true or not.”
“Oh,” blinked Max. “That sounds like fun. Can I come?”
“No.” Perry replied. “You’re too young. And besides you have a child to raise.”
“Not even one evening?” wheedled Max.
Perry simply raised an eyebrow.
Max sighed. “Oh very well. Spoilsport.”
“Back to this plan of yours,” Perry turned to Finn. “If I can gather a dozen men of high rank, would that be enough, do you think?”
“More than enough, sir. That would be absolutely splendid.”
Perry nodded. “Good. So where should we hold this unmasking of a villain?”
“James has offered to let us use his study here in town. It’s accessible, huge—I almost got lost in it—and nobody will think anything of it if they see Hecate and I arrive, since we’re family.”
“Excellent,” agreed Perry. “Congratulations on that, by the way. Miss Hecate sounds like an amazing young lady and I’m so pleased she’s fully recovered from her…accident.”
“As am I, Sir Peregrine. And I thank you for your tact,” answered Finn.
“Nasty business, that was.”
Max nodded. “Nasty indeed, but thankfully over and done with.”
“So on to another nasty bit of business,” sighed Perry. “I’ll set it up for you. Two days from now? Will that suit James, do you think?”
“I believe it will, so let’s work on that assumption unless I send you a message to the contrary.”
“I suppose I should invite you, shouldn’t I?” Perry grinned at Max.
“Yes, you bloody wellshould.”
Finn chuckled. “All right. It looks like the guest list is confirmed.”
“We’ll leave you to it, then.” Max slapped the older man on the back. “Thanks for offering to help with this. I thought you might be up for a bit of intrigue…”
“Always, dear boy,” said Perry paternally. “By the way, how’s Grace? I’ve been trying to lure her into joining me for an evening at the theatre, but damned if she’ll come. Like trying to get a winkle out of its shell.”
“You know my sister. She’s her own woman. Stubborn as a mule.”
Perry sighed. “I’ll get her out of that shell yet.”
Satisfied with their morning’s work, Finn and Max left Sir Peregrine to write his invitations, and returned to Mowbray House.
Upon learning that all was now underway and that the meeting was in the process of being set up, the ladies—Letitia, Kitty and Hecate—declared that they would be least in sight for the next day or so. Taking advantage of having all three Ridlington women in the same place at the same time, they were going to pay calls to a few friends, visit with Aunt Venetia, and then do what ladies loved to do in London—shop.
