“I was younger then, with a greater flair for the dramatic. Additionally, you had disappeared from the ballroom with the young lady, which could only mean one thing. I thought you’d like to know before you found yourself cornered into a marriage with the enemy.”
“Very wise,” he retorted, even though he knew Trem had indeed acted in his best interests.
“Besides, mate,” Trem continued blithely, “that was before I knew you didn’t mind her being Catherine Forster and all that. If you’re not fussed about it, I certainly don’t know why anyone else should be.”
“Iamfussed about it. I could nevermarryher, Trem, for Christ’s sake.”
“Well, if not to make her a proposal—indecent or otherwise—then what in the bloody hell were you doing in Halston Place?”
John looked at his friend, weighing whether he should, for the second time that day, tell the truth about his father’s will. Seeing the concern on his friend’s face, John decided he could trust him, although he didn’t fancy the circle getting much wider on this particular piece of intelligence.
When John indicated that there was trouble with his father’s will, Tremberley turned a faint shade of purple. When John described the jeopardized sixty thousand pounds, Tremberley swallowed the contents of his glass. When John told him that the sixty thousand pounds that had been intended for Henrietta’s dowry would go to this damned cousin unless he found Mary Forster and made her accept the annuity, Tremberley whistled.
When John finished the tale, however, Tremberley kept quiet.
“You have nothing to say?” he ground out, annoyed that he had unburdened himself only to be met with silence.
“Just taking it all in, mate. That is quite the predicament. And he left it to Baron Falk? Your cousin? If you don’t find the lady in question, that is.”
“Secondcousin.”
“Don’t you despise that fellow?”
“My father did, too.”
Tremberley whistled again.
“He must have really wanted you to find Mary Forster.”
“Evidently.”
“Just to be clear. This situation will require you to have many intimate tête-à-têtes with Catherine Forster? Travel with her alone? Perhaps under the cover of night?”
Really, if John couldn’t find the butler, he might just thrash Tremberley.
“Purely necessary, of course.” Trem laughed, as he poured himself more scotch. “To sequester yourself with the one woman you have always inordinately and irrationally favored—but who you have promised yourself never to bed or marry. I am sure there was no other way.”
“If you don’t shut your mouth, I will throw you out of my library.”
Trem raised his hands to show he meant no harm. He was wheezing from laughter.
“Only making sure I have all the details.”
Trem was looking at John like he was absolutely mad.
And, if he was honest with himself, John thought he just might be.
Chapter Six
Moments after theDuke of Edington had strode out of their little drawing room, Lady Wethersby burst through the other door, closely followed by Ariel.
“Tell me you have been saved!” Her hands were clasped and her eyes were shining.
“What?”
Lady Wethersby could make little sense under usual circumstances and, right now, as Catherine struggled to process what had just happened to her, she could barely absorb Elena’s words.
She was now apparently returning to Edington, where her whole world had fallen apart, where she hadn’t been since she was eleven. She didn’t know if she was equal to the task.
