Mother stood. “I am going to speak with Miss Faraday about that.” Without another word, she slipped from the room.
Father turned back to Lucas. “What did you tell Lord Colbert?”
“To leave my family and friends alone or I would make sure his canal enterprise failed and his appeal to Society was ruined. More or less.”
Father watched him.
Lucas clenched his jaw. “I know it was perhaps a large threat.”
“No more than I would have made. I am just wondering if it was enough.”
“I do not know.”
Father looked thoughtful. “The Heatherdown Company, you say?”
Lucas nodded.
“The name sounds familiar.” His brow creased in thought, then lightened. “That is it. Lord Cressward was talking to me about it between Parliament sessions. The Heatherdown Company is under some financial and legal stress to complete their canal more quickly. The... What was it? Oh yes. The Bridgeport Company made a deal with them some months back to join two parts of their canals. Bridgeport has completed theirs, but Heatherdown put their focus on the southern part of their canal first, believing it to be more financially beneficial, I believe, but now they stand to lose a great deal of money if they do not complete the contract in time. The issue is not commonlyknown, but Cressward is a shareholder in the Bridgeport Company, so he was privy to the information.”
Lucas was nodding. “So any delay could be immensely detrimental to Colbert and the Heatherdown shareholders.”
“Exactly.”
“I suppose that explains their zeal in persecuting my and Colin’s venture, if our taking of employees undercuts the speed of their operation.”
Father agreed. “And it tells us how we can end it.”
“Does it?”
“I know many of the shareholders of the Bridgeport Company. I will pay some visits tomorrow and fill them in on everything. By the end of the day, I imagine ties will be cut with the Heatherdown Company.” He surveyed Lucas with a knowing look. “But everything will likely come to light regarding your club.”
Lucas nodded. “I assumed this day would come.” Something occurred to him though. “Can you keep Miss Faraday out of it?”
“Yes, though I am not sure Lord Colbert will. Where does his son come into this exactly?”
Lucas swallowed back a surge of anger at the recollection. “I’ve no clue if he has a part in the canal operation. I only know he took her from Charlie and Henry tonight, and if I am not mistaken, he was hoping to force her into marriage.”
“Being found alone with a man at night would do that.” Father raised a brow at Lucas, and Lucas knew he was indicating the fact that Lucas had been in just such a situation with Miss Faraday himself.
Needing to relieve some of his anger, Lucas ignored Father’s suggestive look and grumbled, “He forced himself on her, Father. Kissed her against her will.”
Any amount of amusement fled his father’s expression. “Truly?”
Lucas nodded, his muscles taut as if they could pummel the man at that very moment. “In front of his father and several staff members.”
“Did his father do anything?”
Lucas scoffed. “Nothing helpful.”
Father shook his head. “Miss Faraday has had a trying night. We brought her into our home to help her make an advantageous match, not to be forced into one against her will.” Again, Father’s expression turned thoughtful. “Her reputation may suffer, Lucas. After the events of tonight—allthe events—perhaps you should consider doing the honorable thing and marrying her yourself.”
Lucas balked. “No,” he said before he could stop the word, before he could admit how much he wished it to be the opposite.
Father’s brows rose, but Lucas had no time to elaborate, as the door reopened. Mother entered, closing the door behind her. “Mr. Frank Colbert proposed just last night, after Lucas left but before we’d returned. Lydia turned him down.”
Lucas thought he had already felt as terrible as he possibly could, but his stomach sank even lower. Colbert would not have been allowed in the house at that hour if Lucas had not left Miss Faraday alone. Blast, why could he not make a single intelligent decision?
“Why propose at all if he knew Lord Tarrington would forbid the match?” Lucas’s father mused aloud.
