“Miss Welton.” The Countess of Virsage greeted Sephy with a kiss on either cheek.Although Charlottewas English, she’dspent many years in France and was influenced by many of their habits, including fashion. She was one of the few women thatstill wore a powdered wig and refused to give up her patch box. She was also the only courtesan Sephy knew who had married her protector, who had died and left her quite a wealthy widow.“I received your note this morning and was rather surprised by your urgentrequestto meet. Although,” she added with a wink. “I daresay I wasrather intrigued.Come, sit. We shall have some tea while you regale me with a scintillating tale.”
Sephy couldn’t help but laugh. Her friend was a social butterfly who was a former pariah,and Sephy was quite sure Charlotte’s presence in thetonwas tolerated because she knew too much about everyone’s personal life to be ignored. The secrets that she held were undoubtedly quite numerous. But then, she’d never hesitated to confide in her, for Charlotte was fiercely loyal to fallen women. While Sephy was still innocent, as far as anyoneexcept her dear friendknew,the duke had debauched her.
Sephy slowly stirred the sugar into her tea with her spoon, trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject. “Falcourt returned last night, but I fear he seems rather…reticent to resume ournocturnalactivities. He claims something terrible happened to his sister,Louisa, at the hand ofLordAlabasterGregorywhich keeps him at a distance, and yet, he is reluctant to discuss the torrid details with me.” She glanced up at Charlotte. “I wondered if you might know anything about it?”
The countess tilted her head to the side as she took a sip of her tea. “I imagine anything to do with Lord Gregory would be rather detrimental. He’s a known libertine whose sadistic rituals rival that of the Earl of Rochesterand the Marquis de Sade. No doubt if the duke’s sister had any sort of interaction with him, it wasn’t pleasant, which is why I was grateful when Falcourt rescued you from him.”
Sephy resisted a shudder, although just thinking of how different her life might have been if she’d been sold to the gentleman made her even more grateful for Hunter’s interference. “Indeed. Which is why I’d like to ask you a favor. Find out what happened toLouisathat Falcourt finds so difficult to overcome.”
“Of course.” Charlotte smiled gently. “You know that I would do anything for you. I was very close with your mother, as you know, and promised that I would look after you whether in life or death.” Her expression turned solemn, almost melancholy. “Tell me, how is she doing these days?”
“She still has a particular fancy for the tables, I’m afraid,” Sephy returned evenly, remembering that the countess had been a long time benefactor of her mother’s house for reasons she coulddo no more thanguess at,althoughsomething told her they were ratherparticularfriends. “It’s fortunate that the duke is rather generous with my allowance.”
“Oh, dear.” The lady shook her head. “I shall have to pay her a visit. Perhaps I can get through to her. She does relapse from time to time, and I have to remind her that she wouldn’t be the only one who suffered if the house were to fall to ruin.” She reached out and took Sephy’s hand. “And I will make a few discreet inquiries into Falcourt’s sister and send word once I have something to tell.”
“Thank you.” Sephy gathered her wrap and stood. “I should be going. I have a few more stops to make before I return home.”
The countess reached out and embraced her. “Take care of yourself, Persephone.”
She nodded. “I will.”
***
When Persephone walked in the door later that afternoon, she was greeted by the gruff voice of the dukein the foyer. “Where have you been?”
She blinked, not used to such a firm tonecomingfrom him.She also noticed that once the butler had taken her outerwear, hequicklyremoved himself from sight.“I had some errands to run—”
Hunter’sbrown eyes narrowed slightly. “Now that I am back home, I would appreciate it if you didn’t go gallivanting all over the countryside without my previous approval. It reflects poorly on me as a protector if I don’t even know where my mistress has gone off to.”
Sephy was speechless, but she recovered quickly enough. “I’m sorry, Falcourt.” She addressed him formally, for this man certainly wasn’t acting like the Hunter she had come to adore through his letters. “I will make sure to draw up a schedule of my comings and goings.”
His jaw clenched. “I don’t appreciate your sarcastic tone. Might I remind you that it is mygenerositythat has allowed you to live in comfort these lastfewyears.”
Shejerked as if struck. “Of course I haven’t forgotten!” She blew out a frustrated breath. “But neither do I understand where all of this anger is coming from. Have I done something to offend yousince this morning?”
He shoved a hand through his hair and then set his hands on his hips. “Forgive me, I—” His throat worked as he swallowed. “I’m taking out my aggression on you when you aren’t at fault. I suppose I was just worried—” Hebroke off.“I was recently informed thatLord Gregory has been released from gaol.” He snorted. “I feel as if all the yearsI spent chasing him were wasted since he is once again free to roam the streets and carry out his misdeeds among innocent women.”
“Oh, Hunter.” Sephy’s heart instantly went out to him, his earlier upset fading in her mind when she was struck with the hopeless expression on his face. She walked over to him and laid a gentle hand on his arm, praying that he wouldn’t brush her aside again. “I know how upsetting this is for you. Butyou can’t discount that justice will be served.”
His eyes burned with fervor. “Can’t I? When that monster assaulted my sister, notoneman would come forward to testify against him. Without proper witnesses, he walked away without a single reprimand, free todo the same to other women.”
“But he was arrested when he returned to England, so you must have foundsome way toconvince the authorities of his guilt?”
“Nonethat Ihonestly believewill standat this point.” He shook his head. “I should have known it wouldn’t be so easy.After studying his business dealings for years, I found out that hehas beenpassing counterfeitBritish money, buthisfather’sinfluence could very well find a way to lessen the crime and convincethe Crowntoremoveallcharges.”
Sephy’s mouth slackened, although she knew that money went far to grease manypockets in London. “Surely thekingwouldn’t allow that to happen.”
He shrugged. “It is my word against his, after all.And while I’ve been away, the Marquess of Highgrove has taken the monarch’s ear.AfterLouisa’s…incident, I spent most of my time in the country caring for her at myestate while Lord Gregory continued to be on the prowl. It was only after my sister had a devastating setback that I was compelled to begin this quest and believe that goodness would prevail over evil.” His lips twisted. “I should have put a bullet through his head when I had the chance. More the fool, I.”
She grabbed his hand and brought it to her heart. “Don’t ever say that! You must have faith that it will all work out as it should. To have even lowered yourself to such a despicable level is beneath someone of your kindness.”
He was silent for a moment, and then he surprised her by reaching out and cupping her cheek in his hand. His gaze roamed over her face, as if he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. “You are a rare gem, Miss Welton. For someone who was raised in a brothel, I fear it’s your naivety about the world that will bring about your downfall.”
With obvious reluctance, he allowed his hand to slip away and fall to his side. “However, since I don’t wish for your tutelage to come at the hand of LordAlabasterGregory, we will be spending an exorbitant amount of time together until he is dead, or transported, preferably the latter.”
Sephy couldn’t help but smile. Since his return, thatwas all she wanted, but after he’d made his sentiments rather clear the night before, she thought it was an impossible dream. “I would enjoy that very much, Falcourt.”
He noddedcurtly, letting her know there was still that slight distance between them. “Good. We’ll start by going to Vauxhall tonight.Perhaps we can draw him out. After all, the best way to investigate a subject is in plain sight, and I have a feeling Lord Gregorywill waste no time inenjoyingthelicentiousdelights society has to offerand, as you know, the gardens are rampant with whores and courtesans.”
