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“Surely not my father. He normally summons me to his townhouse for lectures.”

Clarence shook his head. “No. But there is a young lady who has impressed upon me that it is a matter of great urgency that she be granted an audience with you.”

Rexford laughed when I swore.

I frowned at Clarence. “You can tell her to go away.”

The club secretary lifted one shoulder. “I tried that, but she threatened to cause a scene. And I know how much you value your privacy.” His gaze moved to the newspaper I’d thrown onto the table. It was open to the article written by Lady X. “It is in short supply of late, after all.”

I scowled, wondering if I was going to need to quit town. “This has gone far enough. Where have you put this woman?”

“I had her escorted up the back stairs. She is currently waiting in Rexford’s sitting room. No telling how long before she storms downstairs and causes that promised scene.”

“I’ll be there momentarily.”

When he left, I glared at Rexford, who was now laughing. “This isn’t amusing.”

His grin was unrepentant. “I beg to differ.”

“It will be your turn soon enough.”

He shrugged. “We’ll see about that.”

I shook my head and exited through the door Clarence had used. There were two doors in Rexford’s study. One led to the stairs at the top of the billiard room at King’s. The other doorway, however, led to his small but comfortable living quarters. I made my way down the hall to the sitting room in question. I needed to disabuse this woman as quickly as possible of whatever she’d been planning.

The door to the room was closed. “Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work,” I said as I opened it.

I remained in the doorway, bringing the full weight of my glare on the woman who’d thought to hunt me down here. Shock filled me when I recognized her.

“Miss Sullivan? What on earth are you doing here?”

Chapter 2

CLAIRE

I was taken aback when the door finally opened. I was expecting the kind Mr. Clarence to return, filled with excuses about why Lord Greyson wasn’t present. Now that I’d had a few minutes to myself, I was beginning to regret my rash decision to force my way into the club. I could relay my message to the man who’d introduced himself as the club secretary and wash my hands of the entire matter, my conscience cleared. I could do no more to prevent the ruin that would result from the ill-advised scheme concocted by my stepmother.

The last person I expected to see stood there. Mr. Grey.

He hadn’t struck me as the type of man to frequent gaming clubs. But now that I considered the matter, I didn’t know what type of club King’s was. Yes, it was the hub for the Legendary Lords of the ton, but for all I knew, it might be similar to White’s.

From the look on his face, he was equally surprised to see me. I rose. “Mr. Grey, I didn’t realize you were employed here.”

His brows drew together. “What are you doing here?”

There was something in his expression that struck me as oddly harsh. “I have a matter of great importance to speak about with Lord Grey—” My voice halted as I put together the similarity between the two names. Mr. Grey and Lord Greyson. Was it possible they were the same person?

He stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest as he waited for me to continue. I bit my bottom lip, feeling unbearably silly asking the question. “Are you —” I shook my head. “Please forgive me, but I must ask. Surely you’re not Lord Greyson?”

His brows rose alarmingly. “You expect me to believe you came here and didn’t already know that?”

I should have been shocked that the aloof yet polite man I’d seen on occasion these past few months was one of the infamous Legends. But instead his glare filled me with annoyance. I was tempted to brush past him and leave the way I’d come. It would serve him right if I allowed him to suffer whatever was coming for him.

But I’d seen a side of this man that had me thinking he wasn’t a bad person. Which was why, instead of excusing myself and storming out, I straightened my spine and proceeded with the reason I’d come.

“I think we’ve begun badly. I can assure you that I did not know a trustee of the Honora Millworth School for Girls was one of the oft-gossiped-about Legends. And I certainly had no knowledge that you were Lord Greyson.”

He remained rooted where he was, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. His gaze stayed on me for several uncomfortable moments before he spoke again. “I was told you were here with an important message.”