“Why have you indulgedme?”
He drew in a breath and rubbed a handover his jaw. “I admire your determination. You know your own mind,Erina, unfortunately, so many women I meet don’t seem able toexpress theirs.” He wiped the condensation off his tankard of alewith a finger. “You were offering me an adventure, so I tookit.”
“You said you were averseto adventures.”
“Not if I can travel inrelative comfort.”
This wasn’t the whole of it she wassure. “You wanted to protect me.”
He smiled. “That too.”
“You are a gallantgentleman.”
He shook his head. “Don’t put labelson me. I may disappoint you. I’m only human, and I’m a man afterall.”
She was about to ask him to explain,but the maid appeared at their table with two steaming plates, andtheir attention was given to the welcome hot food.
Chapter Ten
Thunderous clouds piled up on thehorizon and seemed to chase Jack as he rode toward London. Therainstorm caught up with him before he arrived at the impoverished,overcrowded outer reaches of the metropolis. While he shrugged onhis oilskin, two black and white cows watched him from theirshelter beneath the boughs of a spreading oak.
In Mayfair, at Colonel Lord Bascombe’s house,the butler informed him the colonel would return from the countryon the following day. In need of a bath and a change of clothes,Jack left his card, and rode to the stables. After Arion wasbrushed and his feed attended to, he walked to his rooms in Albanyand called for hot water.
Devon, a valet who served several gentlemen onJack’s floor, laid out his clothes, and with a resigned shake ofhis head, carried away Jack’s boots while Jack bathed. He washedthe dust out of his hair and then stood toweling himself whileplanning how best to handle Caindale. Although he remainedsuspicious, he decided on a sympathetic and respectful approach.Gentlemen such as Caindale were born and bred to expectit.
The valet had laid out the dark blue tailcoat, freshly starched white shirt, gray and white patternedwaistcoat, and gray trousers for him to wear. Once dressed, Jackstood before the mirror and tied the crisply starched stock intothe mathematical; the precision of the style appealed to him. Witha brush of his hair he was transformed from Jack of the highways tosomeone he considered respectable enough for housecalls.
“This coat is an excellent fit, Captain,”Devon said as he took the clothes brush to Jack’sshoulders.
Jack thanked the valet with a generous tip. Ashe left his rooms, he smiled to himself. Ashley had said he lookedhis best naked. “Except for riding clothes, men with a build suchas yours do not wear clothes as well as a slightly built man,”she’d observed, running a hand over his chest. “But I’m sure aslight man would much prefer to look like you naked.” He had kisseda pert pink nipple and remarked that while she looked beautiful inher gowns, she was breathtaking without them.
Jack had enjoyed dalliances withwidows in the past. It was an unspoken, but accepted fact thatbachelors and widows or married ladies, enjoyed liaisons. Hecouldn’t equate Ashley with any of that. Her sad past, her limitedexperience of life, her passionate nature, her intelligence, wouldmake it very difficult for him to forget her. She’d eclipsed anywoman who had previously entered his life. While he consideredhimself a realist, he had to steel himself against falling in love.Knowing how impossible it was, he still looked forward, far tooeagerly, to seeing her again. He pushed away those thoughts andfocused on the matter in hand. To solve her father’smurder.
His tall hat settled on his head, Jacktucked his cane under his arm and pulled on his gloves. His bootsbuffed to perfection by Devon, he walked along the Mayfair streetsto Rosemount House in Curzon Street. Thankfully, the rainstorm hadpassed, the pavements already drying in the sun.
The butler led him to a chair in theentry hall. “Please wait, sir, while I see if his lordship isreceiving.”
Jack declined to sit. He watched thedignified servant climb the sweeping stairway, disappearing intothe upper echelons of the elegant townhouse. Several minutes later,a gentleman descended.
Dressed in a black cravat and coat,Caindale came forward to greet him. Tall, with thinning fair hairbrushed back from a high forehead, his eyes, more pewter than blue,looked strained and apprehensive. “Captain Ryder. I heard of yourfather’s passing. May I offer my sincere condolences? I wasprivileged to enjoy his company while in the House.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Jackbowed. “I’ve come from Ivywood Hall. Your footman bearing yourmessage arrived before I left. Lady Ashley asked me to call toadvise you of her relief that you are safe and well. She and LadyButterstone were most concerned.”
“Good of you. Then you havehad a long ride. May I offer you a whiskey or a glass ofwine?”
“A whiskey would beappreciated, thank you.” A footman opened a gilt and white door andJack followed Caindale into the luxuriously appointed drawing room.He took the gray-striped brocade chair offered to him whileCaindale poured whiskey from a decanter on thesideboard.
He handed Jack the crystal tumbler andtook the chair opposite. “You will know something about what hasoccurred. I should very much like to learn what happened to mybrother-in-law. I received only a brief, rather garbled accountfrom a frantic servant.”
While he studied his lordship’s palecountenance, Jack explained how he had been staying at the inn whenthey brought Lord Butterstone in; how his lordship had been shot incold blood, and how he’d said little before he died, except to askfor Jack’s help.
“No clue as to who thesedevils were?”
When Jack shook his head, Caindale’sface crumpled. He rubbed his eyes. “I was not so far from IvywoodHall when kidnapped at gunpoint.”
“Dastardly business,” Jackagreed. “How did you manage to escape?”
“I didn’t. The scoundrelforced me to return to London. Shoved me in a cellar. Questioned meat length about my last trip to Paris. And then in the depths ofthe night, I was released blindfolded in an alley somewhere inWestminster. Took me a while to get my bearings. I admit to beingcompletely terrified.” He gulped the last of his whiskey. “I’ve noidea what lies behind this, but I hope they’ll leave me alone. Ihave every intention of attending Butterstone’s funeral. I mustlend my sister and niece my support.” He stood and held up hisglass. “Another?”
