Chapter Four
Heathcliff signed another document on his desk as he waited for his carriage to be ready. It had been a hell of a week, and he was more than thrilled to escape London and once again feel the Scottish country air. In part, the events of the week were his own fault.
After another visit from the investigators, he took it upon himself to leak the information to theTimesabout the marriage of the Earl of Heightfield to the Duke of Chatterworth’s daughter, Lady Liliah Durary. The ton had buzzed with the sensationalism of it all, which only put the bloody duke in the forefront of the fanfare. It was a scandal of biblical proportions, with many voicing their opinions at the recent party at Temptations. Of course, that there had been a large betting pool placed in favor of the duke’s daughter marrying the son of the Earl of Greywick only added fuel to the blazing fire. But with Greywick now admitting to his empty coffers, it was a delightful ending for Heathcliff to witness.
He couldn’t stand either of the men. And this was more than their due.
He mused over the story the duke had created to explain the absence of his youngest daughter, and Heathcliff hoped that wherever she was, it was far from his clutches.
The party had been heavily attended, as was their silver ball. Every member, with the exception of a select few, one of those being the Duke of Chatterworth, had come to the event. The brandy had poured forth like the Thames in spring, and the gambling tables were overflowing with willing gamers. Ramsey left the safety of his office to attend Heathcliff in the ballroom, policing the event. The news of Heightfield and Lady Liliah was the prime subject of the evening. Heathcliff couldn’t walk two steps without having some lord inquire about Lucas’s quick work in marrying the duke’s daughter. Lord Greywick didn’t dare show his face in the gambling hell, not with the debt he owed. Before Lucas had spirited Lady Liliah away to wife, the Duke of Chatterworth and Lord Greywick had had an understanding for their son and daughter to be betrothed. It was a miserable arrangement for both but satisfied the fathers’ needs; the duke needed Greywick’s silence about his scandal and Greywick needed the dowry to fill his empty coffers.
It was a horrible mess, but one that seemed to have some silver lining, at least for Greywick’s son. It would seem that Lord and Lady Grace had finally approved of the match between their daughter and Meyer, heir to the Earl of Greywick. It was a love match that had been whispered about for months. And while Lord Greywick was no longer plump in the pockets, Lord and Lady Grace had more than the necessary to redeem the title. It wasn’t Heathcliff’s usual mode of operation to follow gossip, but in this case, he was certainly glad for the news. Happy endings rarely happened these days.
He would know.
But now that Lucas had settled in Scotland for the time being, or so he assumed, based on his friend’s earlier plans, Heathcliff decided it was time to head back home as well. As much as his title was of the English variety, he never felt as if London were home. No, that name was reserved for Edinburgh. So it was with great anticipation that he awaited the few days’ travel to his beloved estate. The only thorn in the situation was the bloody ward waiting for him at his residence. With any luck, she’d been trained enough that the governess could shine her up a bit and send her off to be married next season.
A man could hope, could he not?
Wilkes bowed as he entered the study. “My lord? Your carriage is ready.”
“Brilliant,” Heathcliff remarked. “Please make sure Ramsey receives this, and if there are any questions, he knows how to reach me.” He handed several documents to his butler.
“Of course, my lord.” Wilkes replied. “Have a good journey.”
“Thank you, I’m sure I will.” Heathcliff tugged on his great coat and strode toward the foyer. Already he could feel the freedom of the countryside calling his name. He took the stairs to the courtyard quickly, and soon he was traveling away from the smoke, the ton, and the expectations.
He only hoped that what awaited him was tamer than all he was leaving behind.
But if history had taught him one thing, women were almost never tame.
