Page 67 of A Duchess to Fight For
Chapter 17
Percy pounded on the door again. He might not be here tomorrow, but Percy thought he might not have left town yet.
He pounded again, this time yelling Stafford’s name at the second-floor windows. He gave his hand and his vocal cords a rest then started again.
The door flew open. Stafford, in a robe, stood in the doorway. Percy observed that he didn’t look particularly happy.
“What do you want, Percy,” he asked, as if to a man hard of hearing.
Percy modulated his voice. “I want to speak with you. May I come in?”
“No,” Stafford said and slammed the door.
Percy stepped closer and started banging on the door and yelling Stafford’s name. It took Stafford longer than Percy anticipated for him to open the door. Percy, after all, was using his voice and his fist to cut into the silence of the neighbourhood.
“I’m not going away,” Percy said.
Stafford waved him in with his hand, slammed the door, and walked ahead of him to his parlour.
He walked to the sideboard, took out two glasses and filled them both with whisky. He handed one to Percy and flopped in a chair. He raised an eyebrow.
“Are you being blackmailed?”
“Pardon?” Stafford said, casually.
“Is Barton blackmailing you? It’s a simple question.”
“Percy, you know there is nothing simple in this world.”
Percy smiled. “Let’s approach this a different way, shall we? How you are being blackmailed is a complicated question with layers that cause it to be difficult to unravel.
“Are you being blackmailed is an easy question. See, it’s a simple question?”
“What makes you think I’m being blackmailed?” Stafford tilted his head and asked.
Percy sighed. “Shortly before you let Barton cut in on your dance, something you agreed you wouldn’t do, I saw you leave. You walked down a hallway then came back red-faced and angry.
“I saw Barton go down that same hallway a short time before you. He emerged a short time after you with quite a smug grin.
“So, let’s try this again. Are you being blackmailed?”
Stafford sighed and closed his eyes. “It’s none of your business.”
“It is when it affects Louisa. I have put the question to you several times, and you haven’t answered. I’ve seen you talk with others and deflect questions with them too. No one seems to know much about you, Stafford.
“What I can’t figure out is why you are courting Louisa. You don’t want to open up with her. Are you expecting to marry her, or are you courting her with no plans of marriage?”
“Look, Percy, what you can’t figure out about me would fit in this room. I don’t have the ability to tip my hand. That’s all I’ll say. You’ll not get the answers you want from me. Finish your drink. It’s time for you to go.”
*****
Donny saw Victor coming and moved his gelding to the circle. He was a beautiful horse, and his chestnut brown colour was glossy in the sunlight.
The men took a brief respite with ale and bread and cheese. Then Victor was ready to see what Donny had.
Victor found the description of the three horses Donny talked about while in London accurate. He nodded. Victor disliked wasting a trip looking at horses that didn’t even resemble the owner's description.
Donny was right about the gelding. He was a showpiece that enhanced Tattersall’s name. Victor would take the three for that reason alone.
