Page 33 of A Gentleman's Reckoning
Harry walked back to the table and took his shot, contributing nothing to the conversation. Lord Hollingsworth appeared to be able to follow both conversation and game, for he marked a point for Harry.
“What happened to lead her to choose Goodwin, do you suppose?” John inquired. “If it is not too forward of me to ask such a personal question.”
“Tell me first what you have against Lord Goodwin, and I will tell you—possibly.” The earl turned to Harry. “That was a foul.”
“Yes, my lord,” Harry said in a mocking tone. “I was about to call it.” He did not appear to hold peers or his elders in any particular reverence.
John was in a surreal world where people spoke of their personal affairs in front of others. Well, why not answer? All of society knew of his anyway—or at least, those in the clubs did. He waited until Hollingsworth returned his attention.
“Goodwin had me blackballed from the clubs—ousted from society, in fact—for having exposed his scheme to offload some worthless shares of a private equity deal. The other investors were peers that he had persuaded to join in.” John hesitated before adding, “Unfortunately, Lord Perkins did not believe me. Then, later, the shares ended up being lucrative for its investors, so I was made to look ill on all counts.”
Lord Hollingsworth examined the tip of his cue. “I wonder if this is damaged, and that is why I am playing so ill.”
John recognized stalling when he saw it and waited until the earl saw fit to return to the topic at hand. At last, he did.
“Your misfortune does not surprise me, nor do Lord Goodwin’s actions from what I know of him. In my case, Lady Goodwin—Miss Beatrice Watson as she was then—believed in his appearance of goodness, whilst I remained a rogue in her eyes. She was persuaded to throw in her lot with Lord Goodwin.I do not know if she ever saw his true colors before her death, but I suspect she did.”
As John had no idea, he could only surmise. “Do you know of any other ill dealings besides the one I learned of?”
“Only rumors.” Lord Hollingsworth resumed the game, taking his shot and having more luck this time. Harry nodded and added a point to his score. “Although, I do run once again in the same circles as Lord Goodwin, for I was reinstated in the clubs.”
“Were you?” This surprised John, for he would not have expected anyone to remain a member in this eccentric club if he were able to frequent the more standard ones. He hadn’t seen him at either White’s or Boodle’s. Perhaps Hollingsworth was eccentric enough to find more of a home in Blackstone’s than White’s.
“I scarcely go, however—except to the Cocoa Tree. I like it here,” Lord Hollingsworth said, adding inconsequentially, “and I mourned Lady Goodwin’s death, even though she never did accept my proposal.”
John murmured some appropriate reply, then a dreamy look came over Hollingsworth’s face. “However, I have seen the young Lady Eugenia in society, and she resembles her mother. Nearly the same look, the two of them, and I hear she possesses a similar character to her mother. I have been considering trying my luck with her instead. I suspect Goodwin would welcome my offer despite our past history.”
The idea was so shocking, so alarming, that John cried out his protest. “But my lord! You are more than twice her age.”
A pregnant silence fell as the gentlemen in the room exchanged glances. So theyhadbeen listening. John felt exposed.
“Felicity in marriage is not always based on similarity of age,” Lord Hollingsworth countered, perfectly at ease. “But I am to gather from your objection that you have made LadyEugenia’s acquaintance and have built some hopes in that direction.”
John had walked into a trap of his own making. Now, he attempted to rein in his words.
“I have come to know Lady Eugenia from working at the foundling asylum alongside her. I wish only the best for her.” It was an anemic statement considering the strength of what he actually felt for her, but it was all he would say.
Lord Hollingsworth raised an eyebrow. “So you have infiltrated the asylum. Very clever of you.”
John had always possessed an easy way in society. It had been a simple matter to make friends even from youth, and he had never stumbled in his words or suffered uncertainty about his actions. But now… Ever since he had fallen out of society, he had not only lost his good standing, it seemed as though he had lost his self-possession—his dash. He was beginning to fear he would never regain his full confidence from before. Since he was finding himself out of his depth, he thought it prudent to end the conversation.
“I believe I have taken enough of your time. I must allow you to resume your game, Lord Hollingsworth. Perhaps I will see what conversation there might be had in the drawing room.” He forced himself to speak naturally and not show himself to be in any rush.
Harry called the gentleman leaning against the wall over to the table. “Drake, you may have the next game. I am weary of playing.” The newest member wandered over, a look of ready humor on his face, and took the cue from Harry.
John entered the hallway with Harry not far behind him. He slowed to allow for Harry’s infirmity, although he was unsure if he wished for the company.
“I encourage you not to be uneasy on Lord Hollingsworth’s account.” Harry glanced at John adding, “He may be a rogue still and more eccentric than he lets on, but he is known to be a loyalfellow. He will not pursue a courtship if another club member has already made headway in that direction. Hollingsworth is a man of honor.”
“I thank you for your disclosure. That does put my mind at ease.” John offered him a polite smile.
Ronald Sacks stood at the entrance to the drawing room. His role in the club was not very clear, for he was certainly no gentleman, but he appeared to move freely amongst the guests. It was an eccentric club to belong to, but John had made up his mind to become a member. If for no other reason than to keep Lord Hollingsworth away from Lady Geny, he would join. Harry walked into the drawing room and greeted members there, but John paused at the entrance.
“Sacks, would you be so good as to inform Lord Blackstone that I wish to have a word with him as soon as he is at liberty? I do not plan to leave the club anytime soon, so I am quite at his disposal.”
“Will do, Mr. Aubin.”
John went to sit down and wait, taking a newspaper with him and calling a servant over to bring him a coffee if it could be had. At least the decision about whether to join Blackstone’s had not been a difficult one.
