Page 57 of A Duchess to Fight For
Chapter 14
Percy didn’t mind researching Stafford’s finances for Louisa because he was planning to do it anyway. He had a nagging feeling about Stafford that he couldn’t put his finger on.
Stafford was a gentleman who treated Louisa well. He had a good reputation according to those in the know at White’s.
So, why wasn’t he happy about Stafford with Louisa? It wasn’t jealousy. Percy would readily admit he was jealous of him. But being jealous of him didn’t make him suspicious of Stafford. They were two very different things.
“Hello, Hobart.” Percy bowed, standing in the doorway of Hobart’s warehouse office.
“Percy. Come on in. Sit. A pleasant surprise. Drink?” Hobart went to his cabinet, withdrew two glasses and his decanter.
“Now,” Hobart said, having served them both and sat. “What can I do for you?”
“I need you to tell me how to get information on someone,” Percy said.
“Hmm. What kind of information?” Hobart asked.
“Financial. Money in the bank. Companies he’s running. That sort of thing.”
“May I ask why you need someone’s financial information?”
Percy squirmed in his seat. “A person who I can’t name has asked me to find out if a gentleman might be more interested in her dowry than her. This gentleman is a mystery.”
“How so?” Hobart asked, beginning to enjoy himself.
“Well, everyone who knows him says he’s a good man, but no one knows what he does. His manners are impeccable, and he’s courteous to the ladies, but there are no friends or family anyone has met,” Percy said.
“And Louisa is afraid he wants her for her money?”
Percy shook his head. “I didn’t say it was Louisa. I promised to keep the young lady’s name out of any enquiries I made. But, yes, why is he so interested in her?”
Hobart got up from his seat and went to his cabinet, carrying his decanter to refill Percy’s and his own glass. He sat heavily.
Hobart asked, “Percy, do you want this information or does Louisa?
Percy said, “She asked for it. I was going to do it anyway. There’s something about him that makes alarm bells go off in my head every time I see him. I don’t think I met him before the beginning of the season, but I feel like I’ve met him before.”
Hobart took a large gulp of his whisky. Percy wondered how it was humanly possible to drink that much and be able to talk without coughing for ten minutes first.
“Finding out his financials is easy to do. For my beautiful niece, I’ll handle it myself.
“The bigger issue is the man himself. That’s a little more difficult. How interested in him is she?”
“She is interested, but after Jack, she’s moving much slower. She’s not going to allow him to push her. And she doesn’t want to be in the dark about who he really is.”
Hobart shook his head and looked Percy in the eyes.
“What?” Percy said.
“When are the two of you going to figure out you’re perfect for one another and stop all this ridiculousness?”
Percy swatted his hand in the air. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hobart sat back in his chair. “Cecil’s horse man came. I met with him two days ago. His name is Donnie Williams. I’ve never met anyone who loves horses as much as him. If they are selling lame horses, he’ll find out.”
“He’s planning to spend a few days at Tattersall’s. He wants to get the lay of the land.”
“He’ll put a scheme together and approach Victor when he thinks the time is right. We need to sit tight. Tell Cecil I like his man.”
