Page 37 of To Defend a Damaged Duke
“In my experience,” said Rossingley coolly, “Molly houses and the clergy are not mutually exclusive.”
“Of course I’m not suggesting you join the clergy, Benedict!”Francis exclaimed.“My plan is even simpler than that!”He spread his arms expansively.“We must turn you into theton’s most notorious rake!”
A disbelieving silence followed.The sort of silence so profound that Tommy fancied he could hear buds in the garden beyond, unfurling into blossom.
The duke was the first to break it.
“A rake,” he repeated.And blinked twice.“That is what you said, is it not?”
“Yes,” Francis clarified.“Your ears do not deceive you.A rake.”
“A rake?”Tommy queried.“As in r-a-k-e?”
“Rake?”mouthed Mr Angel to Rossingley, a dark eyebrow arched.
Francis cursed.“Is there an echo in here?Yes, a bloody rake!”
Rossingley raised his own searching eyebrow.“You must mean of the gardening tool variety, surely.If you could pull that little magic trick off, it would most certainly divert attention, but I’m not convinced it is necessarily in Ashington’s long-term interests.”
“Of course not!I mean of the don’t-let-him-within-sniffing-distance-of-my-daughter variety.Don’t you see?Thanks to Mr L’Esquire’s henchman, we have a fortnight’s grace until Lyndon’s face returns to its usual state of affairs.The Horton ball is a week later.In between now and then, we must ensure Benedict is seen to be seducing every eligible miss thetonhas to offer.Perhaps a few ineligible ones too.”
“Good heavens, that sounds…exhausting.”The duke gulped back his brandy.“Not to mention horrifically frightening and also that this is probably a good moment to point out you may be confusing me with someone else.Someone rakish, for instance?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” responded Francis, waving him off.“I know it’s going to take some effort on your part.Starting with a whole new wardrobe and a new personality.But just imagine Lyndon’s flabbergasted expression when he declares to a packed ballroom that you’ve been making the beast with two backs with some fella down Soho way, and everyone turns around to see you spread over the cheese trolley, knee-deep in the Marchioness of Cholmondley!”
Another three buds unfurled.With a cry of sorrow, a leaf floated down from a tree.
“I think this plan may need some finessing,” murmured Rossingley, his face ashen.
“Alotof finessing,” interjected the duke.“Especially the knees part.Francis, I have no idea where you get these coarse modern terms from, but really, I’m not sure I approve.”
“Well, you should.And if you’re going to be a rake by the end of the month, you’ll need to get used to them.”Francis smacked his head.“Good lord, I’ve come up with an even better idea.”
“Surely not.My heart won’t stand another.”
“Even more misdirection,” Francis said triumphantly.“A two-pronged attack of misdirection to match Lyndon’s two-pronged attack on us.More gossip.More scandal.Honestly, Lyndon’s big reveal will be such a side note, it won’t even make the pages ofThe Morning Herald.”
“Out with it.”Ashington sighed.“And less prong chat.”
“Well.”Francis drew a deep breath.“As everybody here is all too aware, I am desperate to marry Lady Isabella Knightley, but Lord Ludham is insisting she waits until someone better comes along.”
“Not possible,” muttered the duke.
“And bravo for making this all about you,” Rossingley purred.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.Anyhow, if by some teeny-weeny stroke of bad luck our turning-Benedict-into-the-biggest-rake-ever-to-squash-a-lump-of-cheddar plan fails, and everyone discovers he’s a raving catamite, Lord Ludham will never allow me to marry Isabella.So, I need him to accept my offer of marriagebeforeLyndon attempts his big reveal.And I know exactly how.”
“A switchblade to his throat?”supplied Rossingley, with, in Tommy’s estimation, rather too much glee.
“No.”Francis grinned.“I actually quite like the man, even if my current state of carnal inactivity is starting to feel like a terminal illness.We must createanotherdiversionary scandal.We must find a couple of rogues to attempt to seduce Isabella.She will encourage them, and a furious Lord Ludham will realise his only sensible option is to accept my suit.We’ll have it all happen on the same night.What with Benedict here excavating some poor woman or other’s tonsils and Lady Isabella fighting off undesirables, thetonwon’t know which way to turn.”
The dumbfounded silence following this outlandish plan was even more protracted than the rake silence.
Eventually, Rossingley found his voice.He cocked his head on one side.“Francis, my darling, you’re an untapped well of surprises.”His pale gaze skirted the assembled gentlemen, lingering suspiciously longer on Tommy and Mr Angel.“Now, if only we knew a pair of undesirables.”
Tommy rolled his eyes.Spotted by the duke, they exchanged a brief, conspiratorial smile.When he wasn’t in such a brown study, the man was unfairly beautiful.
“Obviously,” claimed Rossingley, “I’d be the first to volunteer myself, if I wasn’t so above reproach.”
