Page 29 of A Duchess to Fight For
“He is also trying to blackmail me and my brother Hobart, accusing Hobart of being a murderer. A murderer of all things.
“I told him I would ruin him if he tried. Percy, this information I have just told you must be kept between us. Louisa, nor anyone else, knows anything about it.
“Why am I telling you? She may lose Jack as a courter. She will need you. You can also act as a buffer. When in public, I don’t want that man near my daughter. Do you understand?”
Percy uncrossed one leg then crossed the other. “I do. If I may ask, Your Grace, is there anything pre-emptive being done?”
“There is. He is being followed, and I have peers watching and listening to him at White’s under the guise of evaluating Barton as a participant in future investments.
I would be grateful if you could keep your eyes and ears open while at White’s. Now that you know what we are dealing with, conversations that meant nothing before could mean much more.”
“I’ll help in any way I can. Have you considered sending her to Haddington Hall until this is over?”
Frederick shook his head. “I would have to tell her why I was making her go home in the middle of the season. There is no reason I could think of that will make any sense.”
“You’re right.” He nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll do anything you ask. Louisa means the world to me. Do you think Jack might drop out soon?”
“Yes. Any time now.”
Percy stood and bowed, “Your Grace.”
*****
Cecil and Kent waved Percy over.
“Sorry I’m late. I had a few things I needed to do. We need a private room for dinner tonight. I’ll arrange it.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Percy saw Cecil and Kent looking at each other. He closed his eyes for a moment. If they were puzzled now, just wait a few minutes.
Seated in a private dining room, drinks and dinner ordered, Cecil and Kent stared at Percy. Neither spoke.
Percy sighed. “So, there’s a problem, and I am asking for your help to solve it. But first, did either of you know Jack Duggan had a bastard living in Salisbury?”
Both shook their heads and mumbled no.
“The problem is that buffoon Barton St John wants Louisa, and he’s getting aggressive about getting her.”
Kent laughed. “You mean that drunk who eats enough for three people? Louisa will never be interested in him. He’s a blowhard and a know it all.”
Percy leaned forward, “Well, here’s the problem. He’s trying to blackmail the Duke about something totally made up, but that can’t be disproved, and the Duke thinks the jerk’s going to get rid of Jack as a courter by spreading around the existence of a bastard child.”
Cecil asked, “So, why don’t they go to Gretna Green? St John can’t do any of this if they are already married?”
Percy nodded. “The Duke doesn’t want Louisa to know this is going on. Why would she go to Gretna Green, otherwise? What if they get back from Gretna Green to the scandal that Jack was hiding his bastard? It’s too tricky.”
Cecil leaned in and talked in a low voice, “We can definitely take him. Three against one, and he’s out of shape. He’s probably a pathetic fighter.”
Percy laughed. “Cecil, you don’t need to whisper. Why do you think I wanted a private room? He’d have us thrown in jail unless we killed him, and I don’t want to kill him. He’s not worth throwing away my life.”
Kent asked, “Want us to make friends with him here? Maybe he’ll tell us something?”
“Unless he’s really stupid, he would know we’re friends with Percy and Percy is friends with Louisa,” Cecil said.
Percy pushed his plate away. The others followed. A busboy and a waiter immediately materialized.
“Dessert and cognac,” Percy said. He turned to Cecil and Kent. “This is how you can help. Listen to conversations. He doesn’t need to be here for you to hear information that is useful about him. But when he is here, listen to as much as possible. If he’s on one side of the room, take up chairs nearby.
“Be as casual as possible. You can’t let him figure out what you’re doing. Remember everything. It may not make sense to you. He may be talking in code.
