Page 42 of Society's Most Disreputable Gentleman

‘Trust me, my dear,’ Lady Parnell said firmly. ‘In all the times I’ve dined with Jane, I’ve never seen Trowbridge single out a young lady like he did you tonight. And since losing his beloved wife several years ago, Melcombe has never remained for the ball after the dinner. No, my dear, you are well on your way to being a triumph. Oh, how I wish your dear mama were here to see this! Now the dancing is about to begin, and I can’t wait to see who you captivate next.’

Chapter Twenty

Two weeks after the Ravensfell ball that had launched Amanda to immediate success—a fact evident from the details Althea artlessly read to him from Lady Parnell’s letters to Lord Bronning—Greville arrived in London to meet with his cousin, the Marquess of Englemere.

Over those two weeks, Bronning had improved to the point that, though still forbidden to ride out, he was well enough to manage the books and consult with Farmer Smith, whom Greville had prepared to take over as assistant and supervisor during his absence.

Eager to begin planning for his own future, Greville had set off as soon as he’d ensured all was in place. Though he’d still not made up his mind whether or not he would visit Amanda Neville, simmering under the surface, adding urgency to his desire to be away, was the titillating knowledge that, after more than a month of keenly feeling her absence, he would once again be within calling distance.

After checking his baggage at the inn, Greville headed to his cousin’s home on Grosvenor Square, mentally girding himself for the interview to come.

Thinking that after his misuse of the previous opportunity the marquess had granted him, Nicky would probably leave him kicking his heels in an anteroom for some time, he was pleasantly surprised to be summoned to his cousin’s library within minutes after the butler left to announce his arrival. He was further heartened by the smile with which Nicky greeted him and the warm handshake he offered.

‘You’re looking very well,’ Englemere said, waving him to a chair. ‘I understood from my Navy contacts that you had been rather badly wounded in that action off Algiers.’

‘Yes, I’m much recovered. First, let me thank you for obtaining my transfer from the Illustrious so I might recover ashore and in comfort.’ A vision of Amanda’s lovely face flashed before his eyes; ah, lying in her arms would be comfort indeed! ‘Life aboard a man-of-war isn’t much conducive to healing.’

‘You may thank your sister Joanna for that. Not even your valet seemed to know where you’d gone when you left Blenhem, and to my discredit, until she brought me evidence of foul play, I didn’t take the time to investigate.’

‘My mishandling of Blenhem Hill could hardly have inspired you to take much interest in what happened after you’d rid yourself of a bad bargain.’

‘Haven’t we all made mistakes we’d undo, if we could but go back and live through those days again? But the way you conducted yourself aboard ship wasn’t one of those times, from what Captain Harrington told me. It seems a stint as a common seaman is a rather drastic medicine for curing irresponsibility.’

Greville blinked in surprise. ‘You’ve spoken to Captain Harrington? I understood the Illustrious was still at sea.’

‘She and the vessel she captured arrived back in British waters last week. When I expressed my desire to Admiralty to speak personally to the man who knew the details of my cousin’s service at sea, their lordships summoned the captain to London.’ Nicky smiled. ‘Sometimes being a marquess—and a member of the Navy Board in Parliament—has its uses. Although, and I don’t think you ever believed this, I truly do realise it is the quality of the man, not his title that matters.’

Greville met his gaze squarely. ‘I’m pleased to hear it.’

‘I believe you’ll also be pleased to hear what the Navy Board has decided. After investigating the circumstances of your impressment, they informed me that you will shortly be freed of all obligations to the Navy. An official letter to that effect will be dispatched to the Coastal Brigade station, with the lieutenant in charge instructed to notify you when it arrives.’

Picturing Belcher’s disapproving face, Greville thought the lieutenant would probably command Porter to deliver the letter to Ashton Grove on foot—and hide his peg leg.

Nicky chuckled, recalling Greville’s wandering thoughts. ‘The whole situation was a bit of an embarrassment for the Navy. Although impressments are technically legal, with the war and the necessity to maintain the blockade over, there’s no real need for them. And as you know, the impressment of gentlemen was never permitted.’

‘After Barksdale got through with me, I didn’t much resemble a gentleman.’

Nicky’s face darkened. ‘For that crime and others, Sergeant Barksdale figures soon to hang. Although, it turns out, he may in the end have done you a good turn.’

‘By inadvertently helping turn a lazy, arrogant bastard into something more useful?’

Nicky grinned. ‘There is that. But as you know, it was Captain Harrington’s anxiety to get Illustrious underway without delay that drove him to send the press gang ashore. He’d heard from reliable sources about the imminent sailing of several Barbary vessels said to be laden with gold and valuables, and wanted to be the first ship in the area with a chance to capture them. So, Harrington told me, some superior couldn’t sail over at the last minute to claim the glory—and the lion’s share of the profits—after the Illustrious had done all the work.’

Greville nodded. ‘So the men informed me. The expectation of being able to keep all the prize money if we succeeded in capturing a ship reduced the grumbling about how hard Harrington was pushing everyone.’

‘An audacious devil, Harrington.’ Nicky laughed. ‘Rather like a certain cousin of mine. Imagine the Fleet Admiral’s chagrin when the Illustrious sailed into port, accompanied by the conquered vessel! I understand when the final tally is set, the value of the cargo, along with proceeds from the sale of the ship itself, is expected to make it one of the richest prizes ever captured. The captain—and his crew—should all profit handsomely.’

‘I’m glad,’ Greville said, thinking of Old Tom and the purser and the doctor and the others who had helped him survive his time at sea. ‘I hope all the sailors will receive a comfortable retirement ashore. Perhaps with my meagre share, I will be able to refurbish my wardrobe,’ he added with a grin.

‘Oh, rather more than that, I expect. Harrington told me that, though initially sceptical of your claim, he came gradually to believe you were in fact a gentleman. Which made him admire all the more your endurance and strength of character, suffering the lash until your demands to speak with him were met, then working at the tasks assigned you without further complaint, once you realised nothing could be done until the ship returned to England. He admired even more your tenacity and courage in fighting off the Barbary raiders, even though you yourself were already badly wounded.’

Greville nodded, proud to have earned his captain’s rare words of praise. ‘I don’t recall much about the action, other than trying not to get killed whilst battling alongside crewmates trying to do the same.’

‘Both Harrington and First Officer Mitchell believe they would have been slain, had you not stood guard when they went down, fighting like a wild Cossack to protect them. They both agreed that, since they would not have survived to receive their share of the prize money but for your intervention, it would only be just for each of them to contribute some of their allotment into your share. Harrington estimates you stand to receive a very handsome sum, enough to allow you to live as a gentleman of leisure the rest of your life.’

As the implications of that statement penetrated, Greville was struck speechless. Then his mind began racing like a runaway colt.

‘Might the sum be enough to purchase a small property?’ he asked eagerly. ‘A life of leisure no longer appeals to me. Though I’d tentatively planned to seek a position at Admiralty, I discovered whilst assisting Lord Bronning that I truly enjoy the challenge of managing an estate. To manage one of my very own would be marvellous.’

His spirits leapt when, after a moment, Englemere nodded thoughtfully. ‘Land values have fallen since the war ended, especially with a resurgence of unrest in the countryside after the return of so many landless, unemployed former soldiers and sailors. I expect there are some good bargains to be had.’

How might he approach Amanda, if he were a gentleman of property rather than just a gentleman of leisure?

He called his rampaging imagination to a halt. Even if he was able to purchase a small estate, he would never possess a title nor occupy a high position within the political society in which she sought to belong.

But what if he stood for Parliament? If he purchased land, and there was a nearby borough needing a representative… As he knew well from listening to sailors speaking of the lot of their families back in England, the village common lands were disappearing as more fields were enclosed, throwing farm workers off their small plots and into the grinding labour of mills and factories. There was an urgent need to redress laws that increasingly placed too heavy a burden on the landless. In that cause, at least, he could share Amanda’s desire to be part of forwarding the business of government.

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