His words came to a stop as the very man he had been waiting for walked into the room. Much to Josiah's dismay, Lord Prentis appeared to be in his cups, given the way he staggered towards them, a broad but somewhat vague smile plastered to his face.
However am I meant to have a conversation with him now?
"Cousin!" Lord Prentis beamed at Josiah as he rose to his feet in welcome, making to slap Josiah on the shoulder but missing it entirely. "You are here! How wonderful!"
Josiah took his cousin's elbow and helped him to sit down in a chair between himself and Lord Worthington, throwing his friend a grimace. This was not going to go well, he was sure of it. His cousin, no doubt, would barely be able to remember which young ladies he had danced with that evening, never mind anything about his mother's companion! "You have been very merry this evening, I think."
"I have, I have!" Lord Prentis laughed, throwing his head back and slapping one hand against his knee. "I have had the most wonderful time although I do think I gambled a little too much."
"Gambled?" Josiah frowned. "I thought you were at Lord Wickton's ball."
"Oh, I was but then I..." Lord Prentis frowned. "I do not remember but somehow, I ended up in a card game. Thankfully, I did not have to write any vowels, however, but my pockets are not filled with coin either!" He laughed again and Josiah's face heated, catching the glances of one or two of the other patrons sitting in the same room.
"I would offer you a drink but I think you are tipsy enough already," he said, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to gather himself. "Now, Prentis, there was something I wanted to ask you this evening. I thought that ---"
"A whisky!" Lord Prentis interrupted, flinging up one hand and waving it about wildly. "You there, a whisky, if you please. At once!"
Josiah groaned and dropped his head into his hands. Lord Prentis was clearly in no mood for conversation and if he imbibed any further liquor, then Josiah was quite sure therewould be nothing comprehensible coming out of his mouth at all!
"Prentis." Lord Worthington spoke up, grabbing Lord Prentis's arm and yanking it down. "Your cousin wanted to ask you something."
Lord Prentis's gaze took a good deal longer than usual to reach Josiah's face. "You wanted to ask me something?"
"Yes," Josiah replied, grateful for Lord Worthington's interruption. "Might I ask you if your mother's companion is still present with you all?"
This made Lord Prentis frown. "You are asking about my mother's companion? The one she took on when my father passed away?"
"Yes, that is she."
A dark expression settled over Lord Prentis's face, so unexpected in its anger and upset that surprise stole away Josiah's heart.
"Why are you asking about her?" Lord Prentis set his jaw and then looked away. "That is not a name that I am willing to discuss, cousin."
Josiah blinked in surprise, then looked to Lord Worthington who gave him a barely perceptible shrug. This was not at all the reaction he had expected.
Perhaps, he considered, rubbing one hand over his chin, this inebriation might play to my favor. If he is more inclined to speak openly because of it, then can I not press him for answers?
"I do not mean to upset you," he said, slowly, picking each and every word with great care. "It is only because I remembered that she had come to stay with you all at Christmas time, when you visited my estate... but she did not stay for Christmas, if I recall." Putting on a rueful smile, he spread out his hands as Lord Worthington took the whisky the footman had brought over, keeping it well away from Lord Prentis. "It is to my shamethat I did not ask what had happened to her at that time. I presumed it was because she went to visit her own family but, then again, I might well have been wrong in that."
Lord Prentis's lips flattened. "I do not know why you would care. She was only my mother's companion."
There came a brief silence and Josiah, his spirits beginning to sink, looked down at his hands. What else could he say? What else could he do that would bring Lord Prentis enough comfort to speak honestly?
Then, an idea came to him.
"The truth is, Prentis, Miss Jennings is known to Lord Worthington." He gestured to his friend who looked utterly astonished but only for a few seconds, managing to cover up his first reaction just in time for Lord Prentis to catch his eye. "Her father, I think, was it not?"
Lord Prentis leaned back and looked straight at Lord Worthington. "You were acquainted with Lord Newtongrange?"
"Yes, yes, I was." Lord Worthington threw a look back towards Josiah who only nodded his encouragement. "I am ashamed to say that I lost touch with Miss Jennings and I should very much like to make certain all is well with her, especially since she now has no father or mother of her own." With a nod in Josiah's direction, he continued on. "The only reason I asked Rutland to speak with you was because you are family and with that, known to each other."
Lord Prentis glowered and then looked around White's as if to make certain they could not be overheard. "It is just as well her parents have already passed from this world to the next," he muttered, as Lord Worthington threw back the rest of the whisky in one gulp. "They would be so very ashamed."
Josiah exchanged a glance with Lord Worthington. "I am sorry to hear that there was something amiss," he said, as LordPrentis rolled his eyes. "I can assure you, she would not have received any judgement from me."
"Nor from me," Lord Worthington put in. "I did very much want to speak with her again. You say that she quit your house, Prentis, before Christmas Day?"
With a nod, Josiah looked again to Lord Prentis. "That is right. Where did she go, Prentis? I do not mean to ask so boldly but if my friend is so very eager to speak with her again, then I think it only fair."
