Page 21 of A Cursed Bride for the Duke
“The Ton is in total disarray. Beaumont is a shadow of his former self, and the others are scrambling to protect their interests.” Kenneth tilted his head to the side and offered a subtle smirk as he raised his glass to his lips.
“As they should be,” Wilhelm remarked as his thoughts drifted beyond the tavern’s walls to a point in the distance.
Kenneth slammed his glass down on the table “You certainly made a grand entrance the other night. The rumors are spreading like wildfire.”
Wilhelm’s smile widened. “Excellent,” he hummed, leaning back in his chair. “Let them spread. The more fear they harbor, the easier they will bend.”
“You are correct as always, my friend.” Kenneth chuckled as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “Though I must confess, I was surprised by your boldness. To confront Beaumont so publicly… it was a risky move on your part.”
Wilhelm let out a low, menacing snicker that cut through the quiet hum of the tavern. “Risk is merely a stepping stone to success,” he replied, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. “And I assure you, this is only the beginning.”
“I have no doubt,” Kenneth replied, an amused glint in his eyes. “But do enlighten me. How did Beaumont react to the news? When you confronted him, that is.”
Wilhelm’s smile widened. “He was predictably outraged,” he recounted, his eyes narrowing as he relished the vivid memory. “He was trembling. Turned all red with fury. Could not string two words together… It was quite a spectacle.”
Kenneth chuckled, the sound rich and smooth. “That is precisely why the Ton is now in a frenzy.” He leaned forward, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. “And the others?” His gaze sharpened. “What did they do?”
“They simply stared with their mouths agape like mindless apes,” Wilhelm sneered, his gaze fixed on the dancing candlelight. “They watched the scene unfold with bated breaths. I sent a clear message to all of them—that I am back.”
Kenneth nodded in satisfaction. “Excellent,” he purred, leaning back in his chair. “The seeds of doubt have finally been sown. At this point, we simply need to nurture them and watch them grow into full-blown disarray and mayhem.”
Wilhelm’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he smiled to himself. “Indeed,” he agreed, turning back to his businesspartner. “Have you secured what we discussed during our last meeting?”
He paused, taking another sip of his brandy. The warmth spread through his veins, easing the stress that had tightly knotted his neck and shoulders.
So much depended on Kenneth. Wilhelm’s mind raced at the urgency of the situation before him.
Kenneth was the key to success. He had to play his cards with precision and calculate each word and every gesture to the point of perfection. One wrong move, one slip-up, and it could all fall apart.
Wilhelm looked at his companion and analyzed how he casually leaned back in his chair and gave him the slightest of smiles.
No mistakes.
This time, everything had to go as planned. There could be no room for doubt or error, and no opportunity for the others to turn the tables on them.
Kenneth could be unpredictable, but he was clever. And cleverness was an asset if it was used properly.
“I have recently acquired some most excellent fertilizer,” Kenneth said, his voice brightening once more, “and our, ahem,subject of interest has already provided us with so much to work with.”
“Pray, do tell.” Wilhelm steepled his fingers as he rested his elbows on the table, fixing him with a steady gaze. “I trust you have been diligent in your inquiries?”
Kenneth’s grin returned, along with the glint in his eyes. “Of course,” he assured, moving closer to Wilhelm. “I have recently employed a rather resourceful individual. He is a master of discretion with a nose for unearthing closely kept secrets.”
Wilhelm leaned forward. “And what has this resourceful individual uncovered?” he asked eagerly as he tapped his fingertips on the table in anticipation.
“Something that I believe will greatly interest you, my dear Ravenshire,” he replied, his voice dropping once again to a conspiratorial whisper as he moved even closer to Wilhelm. “It seems Lord Harrington has a very particular type of weakness.”
“Harrington?” Wilhelm raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side as he waited for his companion to elaborate.
“Mmm. The impeccable Lord Harrington.” Kenneth closed his eyes, savoring the moment. “You know, the same Harrington who…”
He let the words hang in the air, gauging Wilhelm’s reaction.
“Who attacked my supply carts? I know who Harrington is,” Wilhelm said, his fingers now drumming rapidly on the table as he impatiently pulled in his chair with his free hand. “Get to the point. What do you have?”
“It seems that our esteemed Lord Harrington has a penchant for discreet liaisons.”
“Discreet liaisons?” Wilhelm echoed as a slow, calculated smile transformed his face. “This sounds promising.”
