“There’s one other, and it’s even more important,” she murmured. “Can I live with myself if Idon’ttry?”
He let out a resigned huff. “Well, that was a simple problem to solve.”
“I’m sorry, Wrexford. I know you think me—”
“Passionately principled and unflinchingly loyal. To amaddening degree,” he cut in. “Do I wish I could change your mind? Yes, because I would rather have you take your time and make this momentous decision based on your own heart, not be forced into it by the needs of someone else.”
His mouth quirked. “But I know better than to argue with you on this.”
She leaned forward and placed a hand on his knee. “Thank you.”
His fingers twined with hers. The connection, however small and fleeting, helped make her feel less alone in facing the challenges that lay ahead.
But the earl, as was his wont, was quick to shake off any show of sentiment. Of late, he had been acting even more detached. Charlotte supposed she could hardly blame him. Still, she couldn’t help wishing . . .
“Since you are determined to do this, let us look at the practicalities.” Wrexford picked up the letter. “How are you acquainted with the Dowager Countess of Peake?” The elderly lady had a reputation in the highest circles of Society for being a feisty, fire-breathing dragon. “And, more to the point, why ask her for help in being reintroduced to Society?”
“She’s my great-aunt by marriage,” replied Charlotte. “Of all the adults in my high-in-the-instep family, she was the only one who seemed to understand me.” The sudden memories of long-ago laughter brought a tiny smile to her lips. “She possessed a sharp tongue and a sly sense of humor, which, as you can imagine, appealed to someone as unconventional as I was.”
The smile gave way to a grimace. “But perhaps that’s changed.”
“It hasn’t,” said Wrexford. “Lady Peake is known throughout Society as a Holy Terror.”
Charlotte felt a lump form in her throat. If the dowager—
“Which makes her the perfect choice,” added the earl with an amused chuckle. “Heaven help anyone who stands in her way when she decides on a course. She is a Force of Nature unto herself.”
“Assuming she agrees to help me.”
“Faber est suae quisque fortunae,”murmured Wrexford. Every man is the artisan of his own fortune.
“There are times when you have more faith in me than I have in myself,” she replied.
“That’s what friends are for, Mrs. Sloane.” He set the sheet of paper on her lap. “Go ahead and send the letter.”
Charlotte refolded it with great care.
“Shall we move on to our murder investigation?” said the earl. “I met with Sir Kelvin Hollister last night. Westmorly didn’t make an appearance, but I’ll track him down. His relationship with Chittenden appears to be more complicated than mere gaming debts.”
“So Hollister was helpful?”
“More than he meant to be,” came the cryptic reply. Wrexford went on to explain about the encounter, including the fact that DeVere was Lady Julianna Aldrich’s guardian. “He was able to slip away before I finished with him, but I intend to question him again. I have the sense he’s holding something back.”
Repressing a shudder, she thought over what he had just said. “Why would he and Cedric have subjected themselves to such awful dangers?”
“As DeVere said, young men do stupid things. Danger seems to bring out the worst impulses in them. Be it to win a dare, or to prove themselves as devil-may-care as their friends, or simply to spit in the face of Death for the thrill of it, they find it sends fire bubbling through their blood.”
“Surely, you were never so foolish.”
Wrexford quirked a grimace. “I was likely worse. But I was also lucky.”
Would that some of his luck would rub off on her, reflected Charlotte. She had a feeling she was going to need it during the coming weeks.
Forcing her thoughts back to the matter at hand, she said, “You mentioned a dare. Perhaps they were competing in sometest of mettle to determine who would win the hand of the lady they both fancied?”
“A modern-day equivalent of knights locked in a trial by combat?”
“Put that way, it does sound rather absurd,” conceded Charlotte. “But no more so than any of the other explanations we’ve considered.”
