Page 58 of The Undesirable Duke
“Perhaps it was further in the past.”
“I certainly made snide comments when I was a boy and played an occasional prank, but nothing cruel.”
Lord Timothy chuckled.
“I recall those antics quite well.”
“If I recall correctly, you were also part of those antics,” Samuel pointed out with a grin.
“Indeed. But as you mentioned, it was innocent, and we were never cruel,” Lord Timothy pointed out.
“Which is why I am at such a loss. It is causing my temples to throb,” Samuel muttered and touched his temple. “And if that is not enough, I am worried. Your sister will despise me after she reads my letter.”
“That is not possible. She is much too fond of you.”
“It is because she is so fond of me that she will despise me. But I am leaving to protect her. Please do make that clear to her if my words are not enough. And please comfort her if she cries.”
“I will. Although she will most certainly lock herself in her room and stare out of the window.”
“That saddens me very much. Your sister is a lovely young woman, and she will make a lovely wife to someone. Lord Bertram, is it not?”
“Indeed. Ever since he received his title after his father’s untimely death, he parades around London as if he is the Pink of the Ton,” Timothy scoffed and rolled his eyes. “He reminds me of a peacock if I must be honest.”
Samuel’s back straightened, and he stared at Lord Timothy. He had not considered the man in any detail before, beyond the thought that he did not deserve Lady Lillian, but now, Lord Timothy’s words, coming so close upon the discussion of their youth, had jarred what seemed to be a connection lose in his mind.
“His title?”
Lord Timothy nodded.
“Indeed. At Oxford, we referred to him as Lord William Beaumont. He was the second son of-”
“The Marquess of Bertram.”
“Yes, thelateMarquess of Bertram, now succeeded by this man.”
“Good heavens. But if he was the second son, he would not have inherited that title. What happened to his older brother?” Samuel inquired with a worried expression on his face, those connections in his mind sharpening into suspicion.
He thought that he already knew the answer, but required Lord Timothy’s word for confirmation.
“He had an unfortunate accident.”
Samuel raised an apprehensive brow.
“How convenient.”
“Indeed. The now Lord Bertram was a rather strange young man. Prone to gambling at times, and not averse to bending the truth if I remember rightly. You don’t suppose that he became willing to do more than bend the truth, do you?”
“Indeed. I recall him that way too. As far as what he may have become capable of, I can’t say, but I certainly found him distasteful back then.”
“It turns out that he has become much sturdier – or perhaps you could call it ‘imposing’ - over the years. It must be the title that caused that to happen. Or perhaps it is his ego.”
Samuel chuckled in amusement, but his thoughts drifted, and he could not help but see Lord Bertram in a whole new light.
“Why did you avoid speaking of him to your sister?” Samuel asked. “Lady Lillian informed me that you said that you were not well acquainted with him.”
“I did so to protect her from him. He is not the right man for her, and you and I are both aware of why. And I certainly wasn’t going to go into detail about such things to my sister – it really wouldn’t be suitable for a lady’s ears!”
Samuel’s jaw clenched, and he nodded slowly.
