Page 51 of The Scoundrel and the Lady

Jasper shrugged and spat blood on the ground. “A few.”

“From now on, you come to me when you need assistance. Leave your sister out of it. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“And clean yourself up. You are a disgrace to her and your family’s name.” Merritt turned to go, then he stopped. “Know this, Nickerson, I will pay your debts precisely two times. If you continue to behave so foolishly with funds, I shall turn you over to the debtor’s prison myself.”

Jasper nodded. “Thank you.”

Merritt wanted to hit him again, just for good measure, but instead simply walked away.

…

Iris had intentionally missed a meeting with the Ladies of Virtue earlier today because after Merritt left, she hadn’t wanted to face anyone. Not after everything that had happened. She was good and ruined now, and she knew that Agnes would chide her for being reckless, and Harriet would offer tears of sympathy. She wanted neither.

Harriet and Agnes knew precisely what she had been doing in her charade with Merritt. They would ask questions, inquire about her progress, and she had nothing to tell them. She certainly couldn’t tell them the truth.

Missing the meeting mattered not. She’d be missing many meetings in the future. In truth, she’d been surprised she hadn’t been summoned by Lady Somersby herself and dismissed from the group. It would take some time for the scandal about her to work its way through London. But eventually, everyone would know she was a ruined woman. Which was precisely why she was currently writing an advertisement.

Paid travel companion wanted.

There was a commotion behind her, and she stood from her writing desk as her two closest friends stumbled into her study.

“Are you ill?” Harriet asked.

“No, I am busy, ’tis all.”

Agnes eyed her warily. “Something is amiss.”

“Nothing is amiss. I am healthy, perfectly well,” she said. “You’ve seen me with your own eyes. Now, if you don’t mind, I have much to do.” She returned to her desk and hoped they would retreat. She knew that was unlikely, still she hoped that, this once, they’d leave her alone.

A warm hand gripped her shoulder. “Dear Iris, what is the matter?” Harriet asked, her normally cheerful voice full of warmth and concern.

“Nothing. I am preparing for a trip. It is time I travel abroad, perhaps visit Italy. I hear it is lovely this time a year. I am advertising for a paid travel companion.” She held up the piece of paper and waved it around.

“You know we will not be dismissed so easily,” Agnes said. “Come sit and answer some of our questions, and then we shall leave you in peace.”

“Do you promise?” Iris asked. Certainly she could manage a handful of questions to appease them, and then they would leave her alone.

“Yes,” they said in unison.

“Very well.” Iris stood and walked over to the seating area. “Shall I ring for tea?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Harriet said.

They sat together as they had hundreds of times before. These were her friends, her dearest friends to whom she’d gone with all of her problems. At least, all of them before she’d met Merritt. Now he seemed to hear more of her concerns.

“You’ve never missed a meeting before,” Harriet said.

“I’m certain that’s not true,” Iris said, knowing full well that it was. The Ladies of Virtue had been her passion for the last four years. It had been a saving grace when she’d been consumed with worry about Jasper. When he’d gotten in trouble at school. When he’d finally come to London to live with her full time and had gotten into fights, and debt, and essentially become the type of man she never wanted him to be.

“We all know that it is,” Agnes said. “Now, what is troubling you? And what is this nonsense about you wanting to travel?”

“You know I’ve been wanting to write that book teaching women how to protect themselves when they are out shopping or traveling. I can’t very well offer such advice if I’ve never myself traveled,” Iris said.

“True, but are you going to leave Jasper here? With all the trouble he’s gotten into as of late?” Harriet asked. “That does not sound like you.”

“Jasper is an adult. He pays no mind to my guidance, regardless of what I say, so why should I bother staying? I deserve to travel. To see the world,” Iris said.

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