Page 88

Lark pulled back. “London? Is something wrong? Mother?”

He shook his head, quelling her worries. “No, nothing like that. I only have…business to attend to. Answers I must seek.”

He fell silent, deep in thought.

“Answers to what questions?” she asked.

He blinked, drawing out of his reverie and facing her squarely. “You are aware that Mr. Branok is a member of Blackstone’s Club in London.”

Lark nodded, a pressure falling on her chest. “Yes, you and I have spoken of it, if you recall.”

“I do. However, I must ask if you are aware of the reputations that come with being a member of said club.”

Her uneasiness grew. “Only that those who are members have been blackballed from other clubs due to simply not belonging in Society.”

“That is only part of it, I’m afraid. More than anything, Blackstone’s houses those who have been excluded from other clubs for very specific reasons. You see, a gentleman is only blackballed—at least in my experience—due to despicable or otherwise appalling behavior that cannot be tolerated by the ton.”

Lark’s ears began to ring. Despicable? Appalling? Mr. Branok was neither of those things. But then, he’d merely said they were a group of misfits. He hadn’t told her exactly how he’d been blackballed, had he?

“I have known only a handful of men who are members of Blackstone’s,” Uncle continued. “But the most concerning member…is that of Mr. Sebastian Drake.”

The breath rushed from her lungs. Mr. Drake? The fortune-hunting, propose-after-a-week Mr. Drake?

She swallowed hard. “Does Mr. Branok know him?” she asked, attempting nonchalance.

“Yes,” Uncle stated gravely. “Not only are they acquainted, but Mr. Branok defended the man’s character.”

Lark stiffened at the worlds colliding around her. The men knew one another? Did that mean Mr. Branok was aware that his acquaintance was the very man Lark had mentioned that morning?

“Does he…” she began, “does he know of my history with Mr. Drake?”

“I do not know,” Uncle said with a wince. “I could not ask without betraying what happened to you. Though his knowing what had occurred would not surprise me.”

Her head began to spin. If Mr. Branok did know, he would have already suspected Lark to be an heiress, but he was sincere in his surprise earlier. It was far more likely that he knew of no connection between her and Sebastian Drake.

Still, how could Mr. Branok defend a fortune-hunter’s character? Unless, of course, he was unaware of the man’s actions altogether.

“Lark? Are you well?”

Lark nodded, though her worry threatened to boil over. If only she had mentioned Mr. Drake by name that morning. All of this would have been resolved.

Or…or matters would have gotten worse, preventing their kiss.

Uncle took her hand in his, directing her attention to him. “Lark, I know this is difficult, but we must be vigilant. We must discover why Mr. Branok was blackballed. Sebastian Drake was prohibited from joining due to his being a fortune hunter but⁠—”

Lark paused. “How do you know that?”

Uncle raised his chin. “Because I was the one who did it.”

A sliver of guilt struck Lark’s heart. All Mr. Drake had really done was propose to her. True, his fortune-hunting was contemptible, but was he truly deserving of being blackballed?

Was Mr. Branok?

“As for Mr. Branok,” Uncle continued, as if reading her mind, “we must know what his offenses are if we are to continue any sort of acquaintanceship with him. Otherwise, we risk injuring our own reputations and place in Society.”

Lark looked away, unable to agree. She stood by her words from before—it was none of her business why Mr. Branok had been blackballed. But if Uncle thought he’d done something heinous, Lark would settle his concerns by asking the source directly.

“I will speak with Mr. Branok myself,” she offered.