“My, my. Language.” Anthony grinned. “How much do you want to punch him right now?”
“A lot.”
“Here, Lark and I will distract Young Master Epperson while you talk to Rotherfeld. I implore you to try to avoid dragging him to pistols at dawn.”
“I’m a better shot than he is,” said Fletcher, not knowing if it was true.
“Oh, I have no doubt. But I have no intention of getting up early enough to be your second.”
Fletcher blew out a breath. He let Lark and Anthony drag Epperson off, and Fletcher slipped into the empty chair. He perched on the edge of it, wanting to touch the fabric of the chair as little as possible.
Rotherfeld looked startled. “Greystone.”
“I suppose you know why I am here,” said Fletcher.
“Lady Louisa. Did you seek me out here?”
“Much to my chagrin. I can’t wait to leave.” Fletcher struggled to remember what he intended to say. This whole situation made him uncomfortable, but for Louisa, he would push past every qualm he had about it. “But Louisa has enlisted my help. So I’ll appeal to you at this level. She feels you’vetrapped her in a marriage she doesn’t want. And if you go through with the wedding, that resentment will only grow with time. Is that truly what you want? Surely there’s someone else you can trick into marrying you.”
“She feels trapped?”
Fletcher didn’t believe Rotherfeld’s disbelief for one minute. Rotherfeld had, after all, engineered the trap. He made a show of rolling his eyes. “Louisa is a lot smarter than you gave her credit for. She knows why you announced the engagement at a ball. She knows why you made the deal with her father. And she’s furious because she doesn’t feel like you listened to her.”
“So she sent you?” Rotherfeld’s voice dripped with disdain. “You are not but the little dog at her feet hoping she’ll drop some scrap of food on the floor. You are trying to steal my fiancée from me, so you’re putting ideas in her head and—”
“I believe your presence here only emphasizes the pile of lies you were about to push toward me. I’m not planting ideas in her head. I told her the truth. Isawyou caress that young man.”
Fletcher regretted coming here tonight. He wished they could have this conversation in the light of day and not in a seedy club. But he’d tried Rotherfeld’s home during regular calling hours and was told by the butler that he was not home. Given the way the sand was draining out of the hourglass, Fletcher had instead launched this ridiculous crusade to find wherever Rotherfeld was in the city tonight. Everything about this situation now felt uncomfortable, unclean, and unsafe. But Fletcher persisted for Louisa’s sake.
He considered his approach. He leaned forward. “I know who and what you are. I know why you want to marry Louisa, but she deserves more than being trapped into a marriage. She’s a passionate woman with her own wants and desires, and she’ssmarter than you’ll ever be. As a woman, she may be powerless, but I’m not.”
“She sent you to do her dirty work.”
Rotherfeld was really angering Fletcher now. “No. She confronted you herself first and you didn’t listen. So let me make this clear.I’mmarrying Louisa. You will not be. And there’s a lot I’m prepared to do to make sure that happens.”
“Such as?”
“Lord Petty is like a second father to me, and I will not allow his financial ruin.”
That seemed to take Rotherfeld by surprise. “Are you offering me some kind of remuneration?”
Fletcher hesitated. Buying the farm was his last card. But he said, “Not yet. I was hoping we could reach some kind of settlement. But if buying you out is what it takes, it’s not off the table.”
“Let me think on it.”
“You don’t have much time. The wedding is due to occur in a number of days.”
“You don’t think I realize that?” Rotherfeld huffed.
A headache was starting to bloom at Fletcher’s temples. He looked around. This place really was quite sordid, only a gentlemen’s club insofar as Fletcher recognized several men who could be considered gentlemen. Probably he was not doing his own reputation much good by sitting here and talking to Rotherfeld.
Lark and Anthony looked like they were about to eat young Epperson for lunch, though.
“Think fast,” Fletcher said, standing. “My offer is limited. As we speak, I have my men looking into ways around the predicament you’ve put the Petty family in.” Fletcher felt good about that. He hadn’t made a promise, and Rotherfeld likely didn’t know that Fletcher had managed to discover the true value of the farm. He might settle for less than its full value. And if not, well, Fletcher could afford to bail out Lord Petty if he made some easy sacrifices. He didn’t care about a dowry or any of that. He just wanted Louisa.
“You’re leaving? You come in here and make accusations and dangle money and leave?”
“I’ve said my piece, and the cigar smoke here is heavy enough to choke on, so if you don’t mind, I intend to inhale some less thick air outside. If you’re interested in my offer, I will be at home with my man of business during regular calling hours tomorrow.” He handed Rotherfeld a card.
