Immediately, Ridge’s heart sank as he caught the past tense. “Was?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, he passed away three years ago.” She closed her eyes. “I know I should have told you all this when there was still time, but I never imagined he would die so young—”Her throat worked past her pain, asshe opened her eyes and said, “ButI fear there is more you should know.”
Ridge steeled himself for the worst, but even then, he wasn’t fully prepared for what was revealed.
“After your father’s death,his younger brothersucceeded to the title, butthere has been a recent…complication, and the reason I decided to explain things to you now without delay.” Her dark eyes filled with moisture yet again. “Your uncle’sname is Richard Hindercray, the Earl of Gresham.”
***
Isabella sat next to Ridge as they traveled to the Gresham estate in Harlowearly that afternoon. He’d barely said a word since he’d told her the shocking news of his tie to the Hindercray line. While she might be quaking on the inside, she refused to let her reservations show as they drew closer to the earl’s estateandheld on to his hand and offered the support sheknewthat he needed, but didn’t ask for.
As they pulled up in front of theimpressive, gray stone manor, Ridge alighted and then turned to help Isabella down. The door opened,and the butler greeted them with a polite courtesy. While they hadn’t written ahead to alert the earl of their arrival, Isabella was confident that Lord Gresham wouldn’t turn her away.
After she gave her name to the butler, the man escorted them to the front parlor to wait while he delivered the message to his master.
It wasn’t long before a tall man entered the room, his countenance still rather impressive, even though his hair was more salt than pepper and there was a decided weariness about his eyes. No doubt his son’s recent activities weighed heavilyupon his mind. She just prayed that the news they were about to deliver didn’t add to his upset.
But then, Ridge said he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to tell the earl about their blood tie. He said he would decide once he’d had a chance to converse with him, to find out what sort of man he was.
“Lord Gresham.” Isabella greeted him kindly. “It’s so good of you to receive us on such short notice.”
“Of course, my dear.” He walked forward to bend down and kiss her lightly on the cheek. “Although I daresay I was rather surprised to learn that you were here. After what Simon did—”His throat worked as he obviously fought to contain his inner turmoil. “I hope that someday I can make amends for his reprehensible behavior. I canmerelythank God that his mother isn’t alive to see how low he’s sunk, and that his sisters are happily married with families of their own to help see them through the scandal.I blame myself for his misdeeds. If Ihadbeen a better father—”
Isabella reached out and squeezed his hand. “You are a good man, Lord Gresham. Some people are just born with a different sort of mindset, no matter how they are brought up.”
Heoffered a slight smile. “You’re kind to say so.”
His gaze shifted to Ridge and for a moment, he stilled, as if trying to figure out where he might have seen him before, so Isabella made the introductions. “Lord Gresham, allow me to present Mr. Ridge Claymoore.”
With no hesitation, the earl’s face relaxed. “You’re the one whowas pursuingSimon, are you not?”
“I am,” Ridge returned evenly. “I hope that you won’t hold that against me.”
“On the contrary,” the earl said. “I appreciate your loyalty and dedicated service to the Crown. I certainly wish my son had held that same honor within him. Unfortunately, his mistakes have caught up with him,and he will pay with his life.” He sighed heavily. “But enough of this dreary talk. Can I offer you both some tea?”
“That’s not necessary,” Isabella said. “We should probably be returning to London.” She looked to Ridge to see if he had anything to add, but he was staring at the floor in silent contemplation.
But as she started to move toward the door, Ridgepaused and thenspoke up. “Do you play cards, Lord Gresham?”
The earl looked a bit perplexed by the abrupt query, although he nodded. “I have been known to visit the tables on occasion. Did you care to engage in a game, Mr. Claymoore?”
“Actually,” Ridge withdrew the deck of cards from his coat pocket and handed them to the earl. “I wondered if you might be able to tell me something about these.”
Isabellacaughther breath, wondering if the earl would recognize the rare deck.
His face abruptly paled,and withhis handsshaking,he inspected the cards, turning them over and over.
Isabella’sheart began to pound with anticipation.
“Where did you come by this set?”Greshamwhispered.
Instead of answering, Ridge asked,“So they are familiar to you?”
“My elder brother had…”His voice trailed off and he cleared his throat. “I pray you will discard an old man’s ramblings. David died a few years ago, but even before thenhe hadn’t…been with us for quite some time.” He exhaled heavily. “He’d done his duty and married as our father wished, and I believed that he’d had a good life with Cecily over the years. They had five daughters,allof whommarried well, but I could tell that something was always…missing.” He smiled, but it was rife with sadness. “There was a woman when we were youngerwhomhe could never quite get over. A union between them was forbidden,so heset her up as his mistress, but one day, for no apparent reason, shebroke things off. He was devastated,and I don’t think that he fully recovered from it.”He looked down at the cards in his hands with a frown. “I don’t know why I even told you that story, expect that he used to carry around a deck of cards just like this.”
Silence prevailed for a time, and then Ridge said, “What if I told you there was a reason that this woman ended the affair so abruptly?”
The earl considered this for a time, and then he said,“It might give me a measure of peace to know that she might have held my brotherin true affection, and didn’t just usehim for what he could give her, but I don’t even know what happened to her.”
