Hawk’s jaw tightened. He’d just walked for the better part of half a day on cold, rough, uneven ground, and was chilled to the bone for most of it. He was in no temperament to hear that her brother wasn’t home. Perhaps Hawk had misjudged the man after all and should go on toone of the other gentlemen he’d considered for Adele’s future.
“I know I’m late by a few hours because of unavoidable circumstances, but I would have assumed that he’d wait for my arrival before taking his leave.”
Curiosity settled on her delicate features. “Your words puzzle me. I’m certain if Paxton had an arrangement with you he would be here. He’s very reliable.”
Apparently not.
The fire he’d stirred had caught hot and was warming the backs of his legs. The beautiful and outspoken Miss Quick was warming his temperament.
Hawk wasn’t used to explaining himself, but felt compelled to say, “I sent him a post last week stating I’d be here today to discuss an important matter with him.”
Her countenance went from inquisitive to affable. “Ah, therein lies the source of your problem.”
“My problem?” She just wouldn’t give up.
“Yes.” She folded her arms across her chest in a comfortable pose and nodded. “Paxton has been gone almost three weeks. We only receive mail once a week, when Mr. Huddleston takes the carriage into the village for purchases. Paxton has had correspondence arrive but, of course, I don’t open his private letters.”
A few words that were not appropriate for Miss Quick’s ears tumbled to the tip of Hawk’s tongue, but he held them silent. What were the odds this would happen? He’d come all this way to the middle of nowhere and Quick was gone. That was damned inconvenient. Still, Hawk was a fair person. If Quick had never received his post, he supposed he couldn’t fault the man for not being here to meet with him.
“Perhaps all is not lost,” she said, lifting her chin and looking more solidly into his eyes. “Maybe I can help with whatever it is you wanted with Paxton.”
“That would be unlikely, Miss Quick.”
She dropped her arms by her side and assumed an air of authority. “I am quite capable of handling many things, Your Grace, and take care of most things here at Mammoth House.”
He wasn’t indifferent to her assertion. He believed her. She was strong and seductive, and he hadn’t seen an ounce of fear in her. But neither her abilities nor her appeal had any bearing on his mission. He’d be damned before he’d let her admirable qualities let him stray from that.
“That I don’t doubt in the least. Yet it is your brother I came to see. Where is he?”
Undaunted by his determination, she responded casually, “Paxton doesn’t make me privy to all his goings and comings. He has several friends that he visits with from time to time. Besides, I’m not certain I would divulge Paxton’s whereabouts even if I knew, when I don’t know the reason you want to see him.”
If she thought to discourage him, she was mistaken. If Hawk could arrange a betrothal for Adele before the Season began, her future would be settled. He wouldn’t have to worry about her falling victim to a prankster or any bachelor hoping to get even with him for his past misdeeds.
It wasn’t often he’d met an innocent who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Perhaps he never had. And Miss Quick was a lively young lady to converse with, but they were not making much progress.
“Must you challenge me on every issue?”
She crossed her arms again. “When you aren’t forthcoming about your reasons, yes. Dukes are very powerful. It’s only natural for me to be concerned.”
Hawk wondered what made her so wary. “It’s not for nefarious purposes that I want to see him, I assure you. Ihave a proposition to make to him, and I’d rather do it sooner than later.”
She tilted her chin upward again. “Oh. Then you won’t mind if I ask what it is?”
Yes, actually, he did mind her asking. However, much to his chagrin, her imperious expression was more engaging than defiant. It took great courage to ask a duke what his business was with another man—even if she was asking about her own brother.
Hawk supposed there was no harm in telling her. If he did, it might speed up her telling him the whereabouts of her brother so he could get on with the matter of getting this business settled as quickly as possible. He wanted to find Adele a suitable husband and then get back to doing some of the things he wanted to do. Hawk was fairly certain Quick hadn’t been in London the past week. He would have seen the blade at White’s.
“Very well,” he offered. “My sister will be making her debut this spring, and I’d very much like to arrange a betrothal between her and your brother before the Season starts.”
Miss Quick went very still. “Surely you must know that arranged engagements don’t end very well in this family.”
There was no malice in her tone, just a statement of fact. Hawk summoned what he remembered about her and wondered how much of it was rumor and how much was true. The Earl of Switchingham had arranged for her to marry Viscount Denningcourt. Apparently, all the guests and the viscount had arrived at the church for the ceremony, but the bride never made an appearance.
Her uncle took a very harsh view of her rejecting his choice of husbands for her. If the rumors were true, she had vowed to never marry. The betrothal was broken andshortly thereafter the viscount married a different young lady. As far as Hawk knew, Miss Quick hadn’t been seen in Society since.
“I heard,” he said, “but I aim to change that. I’ve put a good deal of thought into this, Miss Quick, and your brother is the husband I want for Adele. I’ve never seen him too deep in his cups, and he never gambles more than a handful of dollars at the tables. I’ve never heard a harsh rumor about him at White’s; nor have I heard Mr. Quick complain about anyone else. By all accounts he’s a fine gentleman who prefers books over swords, poetry over carousing, and tea over brandy.”
A soft, sweet smile came easily to her lips and she politely said, “In other words, he’s nothing like the man you are.”
