Page 47 of The Devil Himself
“Good God. Why on earth would we do that?” Luc did not miss the social grind one bit, being the widower with a solitary but healthy heir, he had no reason to be out among the Ton, and he heartily approved of that fact.
“Because I was just at White’s, and there was a great deal of speculation about how I kidnapped Hannah and how Arthur was going to save her. Some of the remarks in the betting book were quite savage and rather disgusting.”
“Really. Arthur and not Daffyd?” Damnation, he didn’t want to sully Hannah’s reputation if that were possible, but at the same time, he needed her to be safe, and he knew that Rys wanted the same thing.
“Indeed. However, I also have the news that Arthur will be attending Lord Beechwood’s ball tonight. Something about a game of cards he intends to cheat through to try to gain some ready coin.”
“And how does that affect us?” Luc asked.
Julian’s eyes twinkled, and his grin widened. “Why, I intend to challenge him to a duel, of course, over Hannah’s honor.”
Luc sat back on his heels at that, head tilting as he pondered the implications. He had just refused a duel from Daffyd, but Julian would have every right to challenge Arthur over Hannah’shonor. If Arthur was the kind of coward he thought the man was, the challenge would be an easy way to get the fellow to flee to the continent to avoid it, thus leaving them with only one brother to deal with.
“Very well. Let us off to the club and then on to get my evening wear so I can see if I even have an invitation to the ball waiting for me.” His man of affairs never bothered to bring social invitations with his correspondence.
“Oh, my friend, there is nowhere that I couldn’t get you in, and you know it.” Julian clapped him on the back as Luc joined him fully in the foyer.
Jarvis rolled his eyes. “I assume this means I need to send another message to Lord Rys?”
“Looks like the footmen are going to be getting their fill of exercise today,” Luc agreed.
“I shall let him know where you are and what you are about.”
“Thank you. Obviously, we won’t be needing dinner tonight.” Luc winked, and he and Jules swept out to Julian’s carriage.
He might hate to go out and about, but this turn of events he wouldn’t miss for the world. Not with what Julian was planning.
Nineteen
Rys did not attend society events, and he resented the fact that he had to this evening. Still, he had managed to procure, at the last-minute, an invite to Lord Beechwood’s ball. Alistair, Lord Beechwood, was a frequent visitor to the Devil’s Playground, being an incredibly eligible bachelor who hosted balls alongside his mother, who was hoping to marry him off imminently, if not sooner to a wealthy heiress.
He arrived at a fashionable hour and immediately moved to find his host, because if Arthur, or Luc and Julian, or all of the aforementioned had arrived already, Beechwood would know.
“Ah, the Devil Himself at my ball,” Beechwood said as he approached the man. He had missed the receiving line, thank God, and was just able to catch the earl as he strode around the edges of the ballroom floor. “Would you like a brandy, Grey?”
“That depends upon whether or not my brother is here yet.”
Both of Beechwood’s white-blond brows shot up. “Which one?”
“Well, certainly not the dead one.” He kept his face expressionless, and it took Beechwood a few moments to decide whether or not he should laugh. Finally, he did, and heartily.“One would assume not, although that would cause me to have the most sensational ball of the season.”
“I suppose that’s true. Just now I’m talking about Arthur.” He wrinkled his nose deliberately, inviting Beechwood to share his distaste.
“Ah yes. He wheedled an invitation out of my mother last week, although he has not yet arrived.”
“And what of Warrington?” he asked, referencing Julian.
“I had no idea he actually planned to come. He had not sent back a reply.”
“But you did invite him.”
“My dear man, positively everyone invites Warrington. He’s charming, well-connected, single, and willing to dance with even the most lonely of wallflowers.” Beechwood waved a hand. “That certainly helps take the pressure off me with my mother.”
Actually, he had to admit that did describe Julian well. The man was rather disgustingly kind.
“Although I hear there’s a rumor that Julian is assumed to be off the marriage mart,” Beechwood murmured. “Your brother’s widow, I understand.”
“That’s the rumor,” Rys agreed. And he would help circulate it wildly.
