Page 37 of The Heiress in Disguise
“I have met Lady Gwyneth,” he said.
“Isn’t she something? My English rose.”
“She is that.” He was compelled to be polite.
“I hope to have her married very soon, of course. We have our eye on the gentleman next door—Lord Cambridge. Do you know him?”
“Not well.” Antoine’s gut lurched. He had suspected that they wanted a match between him and Lady Gwyneth, of course—there had been nothing subtle thus far about the family’s attempts to force them together. But he still didn’t like having his fears confirmed. At least they would be returning home in a few days—but of course, that also meant Angelique’s departure, so it was a difficult thing to feel very happy about.
He couldn’t reveal any of those thoughts to Lord Leicester, though. “I’m sure any gentleman would be very lucky to have Lady Gwyneth,” he said diplomatically. “She’s lovely.” That much, at least, was true—Lady Gwyneth was a beauty. It wasn’t enough to make him want her for his own—far from it—but he could speak of her beauty without feeling as if he was lying.
She paled in comparison to Angelique, of course. But so did everyone. That comparison was hardly a fair one to make.
Not wishing to discuss Lady Gwyneth any further, he changed the subject. “The house is lovely as well,” he said. “I wonder whether I might have a tour.” If he could get the earl away from his friends, if they could walk alone together, Antoine might be able to pose questions that would lead to the answers he was trying to get.
He didn’t want to act too suspicious in front of this whole group, most of whom were much nearer to sobriety than the earl. But if they were on their own, he would feel emboldened.
This time, the earl took the bait. “I would be happy to offer you a tour,” he said. “This house is my pride and joy, and I so rarely have the opportunity to show it off.”
Antoine was pleased—the appeal to the earl’s arrogance had been a successful one. “Perhaps we might enjoy a drink together as well,” he suggested.
“I’ll take you up to my study and the two of us can have a whiskey,” the earl offered.
“What about the game?” another gentleman complained.
“There will be plenty of opportunity to play later,” the earl said. “My new friend would like a tour, and of course I’m more than happy to oblige—anything for a guest.”
“I thank you,” Antoine said.
“Perhaps I’ll even convince my new friend to remove his mask and share his identity,” the earl said. “After all, you do know who I am.”
“I shall consider it,” Antoine said, wanting to bait the earl into spending even more time with him. He had no intention of revealing who he was, of course, but there was no need to confess that to the earl just now.
The two of them got up from the table. “You may continue the game without us,” the earl said. “Perhaps we will rejoin you when we return.”
Then he turned to Antoine. “Come,” he said. “I’ll show you what there is to see here in my house, and I trust you will enjoy the experience.”
Chapter 16
In the earl’s study, Antoine took the glass of whiskey that was offered to him and took a sip from it. The liquor was strong, and of good quality. “This is good whiskey,” he said, intent on continuing to flatter the earl.
“It is,” the earl agreed. “I see you’re a gentleman who recognizes the finer things in life when they are presented to you.”
“I do my best,” Antoine agreed. “I certainly do notice that this home is very fine. I think you for taking the time to give me a tour.”
“It’s nothing,” the earl said. “I’m happy to share it with you. After all, what is the point in having a fine home if you’re unable to show it off?”
“Indeed,” Antoine murmured. “How did you come by the place? Has it always belonged to your family?”
“Oh, no,” the earl said with a wink. “In fact, I came into possession of this place not by luck but by cleverness.”
“What do you mean?”
“An opportunity presented itself to me,” the earl said. “I knew that if I made the right moves and acted without hesitation, the place would be mine, and I was confident enough to do so. Not every gentleman would have been wise or daring enough to do the things I did, and this house has been one of my rewards.”
Antoine nodded, his anger simmering. The earl must be referring to the fact that his family had forced Angelique out of her true identity and into the role of a servant, robbing her of her inheritance and claiming it for his own. Now he understood a bit more about what had happened. It wasn’t simply that they hated Angelique.
It was also that they wanted everything that should have been hers. It made him feel even angrier, for of course they’d had a duty to care for her, and that duty had been neglected in favor of their opportunism. How awful to think that Angelique’s life had been destroyed the way it had just so this man could have a nice house!
