Page 9 of The Marquess of Temptation
"My congratulations on your engagement," Alex offered, as a discreet footman placed a fresh decanter of brandy before the two men. "Miss Deveraux is quite the woman, rather different from the wife I had imagined you would choose."
"I know," Payne looked very pleased with himself, "She's terribly clever. Lud knows what she sees in a man like me."
Alex, if he hadn't known that Payne was a most loyal and kind man, would have been inclined to agree. The younger man had always been known as a rakehall, who was forever involved in some sort of trouble, brought on by his impulsive nature. That he had chosen the sensible Miss Deveraux as his bride had shocked the ton, though judging by the smitten look on Payne's face, it was a most suitable match.
"To your future health and happiness," Alex said, raising the tumbler of brandy that had been poured for him. He drank deeply on the amber liquid, savouring the warmth of it trickling into his belly. A man could get fond of brandy, he mused, if he put his mind to it.
"How goes all in the world of..." Lord Payne trailed off and threw Alex an apologetic glance.
"Hieroglyphics," he helpfully supplied, suppressing a grin. "It does not go well, I'm afraid. Dubois and I are trying to translate a piece of writing on a stone steele, but a chunk of it is missing, which is making the whole exercise rather pointless."
"Well, couldn't you just try find the missing chunk?" Payne asked, wearing a patient expression on his handsome face.
"Gosh, I don't know why we didn't think of that."
Alex's father had once told him that sarcasm was the lowest form of humour and when Payne gave him a pitying smile, Alex began to see why. His scoffing tone had gone un-noted by Lord Payne, who grinned brilliantly at having solved Alex's dilemma.
"Sometimes we overlook the most obvious solution," Payne said, lifting his glass in a toast to simplicity. Alex did not know whether to laugh or cry and in the end he simply opted to raise his own glass in a return toast.
"Yes, well, I'm afraid I won't get around to searching for the stone anytime soon," Alex said with a sigh, "I'm headed to Cornwall in the morning."
"Bit chilly for the seaside, old chap."
"Would that I was going to the seaside," Alex laughed, "I have...a legal matter to attend to."
He didn't want to mention the business with Miss Hestia Stockbow in front of Payne, lest the chap said something to his intended, who might then mention it to her companion. Goodness, he started as his train of thought reached its end, why on earth was he concerned about what Miss Belinda Bowstock thought of his having inherited a ward? As the Marquess of Falconbridge he was one of the wealthiest men in England and, with that, came power and influence. He shouldn't care about the thoughts of a lowly lady's companion --and yet he did.
"Sounds exciting," Payne deadpanned, setting his empty tumbler on the table and standing up. "If you can bear any more excitement when you get back, come down to Hawkfield Manor. Caroline is talking about holding a small get together of friends and family before the wedding."
"Sounds a treat," Alex answered truthfully, for his mind had instantly deduced that the chances of Miss Bowstock being present were quite high. He lifted his hand in a lazy wave as Lord Payne made his exit. The club was quiet, as it was midweek, and only a few souls still loitered in the drawing room. From inside the breast pocket of his coat Alex withdrew the book that Miss Bowstock had left behind in Green Park. It was a small, leather-bound work on military tactics and battles, focusing especially on the period that the French occupied Egypt, some twenty years previously. Alex was rather bewildered by Miss Bowstock's choice of reading material; he had expected it to be a Gothic Romance, which were popular with the young ladies of the ton. That she read obscure writings on what had been, for the most part, unimportant military skirmishes just added to her intrigue. He could not place what it was about Miss Bowstock that had so captured his interest; yes, she was beautiful, but so were many other women - women with better social standing than she. Perhaps it was that she seemed thoroughly unimpressed by his title, where most people saw nothing but his rank when they saw him. It was that, he decided, and her fragility, because, while Miss Bowstock did her best to give the impression of being thoroughly independent and self reliant, Alex saw past her stubborn exterior. She seemed to be completely and utterly alone in the world and it inspired feelings of tender protectiveness that he had never felt toward anyone before...even if she was loathe to take the protection he offered. He heaved a sigh and finished his drink; his protective feelings toward Miss Bowstock would have to be put on hold, for he had a missing ward to find.
