Page 60 of The Hired Hero
An opportunistic rake.And an ill-mannered, bearish one at that. At least his reprobate brother had possessed a modicum of charm to sweeten the bitter aftertaste of his actions.
Was that how Caroline thought of him? Was she frightened? Ashamed? Or merely willing herself to forget about their interlude of intimacy?
There was no doubt that she was strong enough to put the memories aside and go on with her life as if they had never met.
But was he?
Another question arose. Davenport wondered whether she fully realized that her reputation was in his hands. She might be willing to put what had happened out of her mind, but one word from him, dropped discreetly among theton, would ruin her forever, regardless of who her father was.
Or would she consider the thousand pounds a payment for his silence as well? The growl that rumbled in his throat caused the two men seated on either side of him to edge away in apprehension.
Hell’s teeth.And here he had thought that his only problems were merciless creditors, a bankrupt estate and a disgraced name.
* * *
The gentleman crumpledthe note and tossed it into the fire, allowing himself a small smile of satisfaction. His coachman had finally redeemed himself from the botch he had made of his earlier endeavors.
So, she was nearly here.It was time to put his plan into action—one that would not fail.
A short while later, a hackney pulled up in front of an elegant town house on Grosvenor Square. The occupant was dressed for the occasion in modest attire, as befitted his station. He carefully smoothed his hair and straightened his simply tied cravat before assuming an expression of grave concern and stepping forth from the vehicle. He rapped with a touch of urgency upon the heavy oak door. The butler answered almost immediately. His craggy features softened somewhat at the sight of a familiar face.
“Please come in, sir. Shall I inform His Lordship that you wish to speak to him?”
“If you please, Jenkins,” he answered politely. “That matter is rather important, I fear, else I wouldn’t have disturbed him during the hours of his work.”
The butler nodded sagely. “If you will wait in the…”
“Of course. I shall find my own way.”
Jenkins understood the implied urgency and hurried off.
A short while later, a tall gentleman, his height minimized by shoulders stooped from years of hunching over books, entered the room. His spectacles were pushed up to nest in a thatch of unruly gray locks, and his face wore a vague air of consternation at being pulled from his inner sanctum.
“You wish to see me, Mr. Farrington?” he said uncertainly. “Jenkins has said as much, of course, but I don’t understand…”
No, of course you don’t, you dottering sapskull, thought Farrington, all the while keeping the solicitous smile pasted on his face. But when he spoke, his words echoed the same false emotions as his expression.
“Indeed, I do,” he interrupted smoothly. “It is a matter of great importance, sir.” He withdrew a folded paper from his coat and waved it under the older man’s nose. “I have just now received a special dispatch from His Grace.”
If the old fool thought to question it, he had no qualms that the handwriting would pass muster, even under the scrutiny of the duke’s own brother. After all, hadn’t he been handling the man’s correspondence for the past four years and more?
But Lord Henry made no move to inspect the document. At the mention of the duke, his face became troubled. “Has…has something happened to Thomas or Lucien?” he stammered.
“No,” assured Farrington. “It concerns Lady Caroline.”
“But my niece is safe at Roxbury?—”
“Yes, yes. And the duke wishes her to remain there. However, it has come to his attention that she may be in grave danger?—”
He paused for effect, letting the other man absorb the full import of what he had just said. The charade appeared to be working to perfection—Sir Henry’s expression had changed from one of concern to one of outrage. Just as he made as if to speak, Farrington cut him off and continued his prepared speech.
“He wrote that he depends on you, sir, to protect her from harm.”
“Of course!” cried Sir Henry. “I may not be as adventurous as Thomas, but the Devil take me if I would allow anyone to threaten Caroline!”
Farrington smiled primly. “His Grace has every confidence in you.”
“What does he wish me to do?”
