A Gallant Gamble (7 page)

“Gentlemen, didn’t you hear the Duchess. Mr. Talbot here is surely a serious contender for the prize. Joke if you may, but I don’t think I will be staking anything against him. He looks more than capable of seeing off any of you youngsters, besides, you shouldn’t gamble on such things. If any of you ever find the perfect mare, you wouldn’t want anyone wagering against you and you certainly don’t want to do anything to upset the creature either. A filly can be a very temperamental thing, but when you have broken her in and trained her up, she’ll serve you for life...I should know and so should Latham here. We have more experience than all of the rest of you put together.” He looked significantly at the three men lower down the table.

Although Lord Armitage was clearly attempting to diffuse the tension that had crept into the atmosphere around the table, Geoffrey almost hated the man even more. He felt the steam of fury burning his nostrils.
Fillies, mares, mounting, riding, breaking them in, and training them up!
Nausea swept over him at their crass innuendoes and he pitied these men’s wives and lovers. The thought of Charlotte being in the same room with any of this filth was more than enough, but knowing that they might try to dance with her, or attempt to bed her, or even marry her just to ‘break her in and train her up’ had his blood burning in his veins. He breathed in and out slowly, silently counting to one hundred in his efforts to stop his dinner reappearing on the table in front of him or his fists flying into the faces of the men around the table. He only hoped that no one would say another word on the subject or he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.

The silence hovered thickly over the table again before Bottomley suddenly appeared at Geoffrey’s elbow. He leaned down and spoke quietly in his ear.

“Another bottle, Sir, or will you be rejoining the ladies?”

Geoffrey looked up at the man blankly, rage so close to the surface he couldn’t concentrate on the man’s words. Bottomley met his furious gaze with a significant one of his own and inclined his head a fraction as his eyes flicked towards the doorway to the salon. More than relieved by the butler’s suggestion, Geoffrey gave a slight nod, placed his hands flat on the table and rose immediately.

“Gentlemen, shall we?” He pushed his chair back and stalked to the door giving the other men little opportunity to argue as Bottomley gave him an encouraging grin and swept the door open before him.

Charlotte waved her fan in front of her face for what felt like the fiftieth time as the heat of the fire threatened to overwhelm her. Although the salon was large, the thick drapes and smouldering logs burning in the huge hearth made the temperature of the room uncomfortably close.

Lady Armitage leaned forwards in her chair and, for a lady of her advancing years, let out a surprisingly girlish laugh as she tapped her friend on the knee with her own fan.

“Well, what a sight for sore eyes, Olivia. He’s completely delicious. Where on earth have you been hiding such a dish? And how did you manage to convince such a handsome gentleman to escort you and this darling girl? He looks far too fierce, too stimulating to be doing anything quite so mundane as following you and this young girl about.”

Ignoring the insult to herself, Olivia gave Charlotte a quick, quelling glance before she responded. She couldn’t have Charlotte flying into a temper so soon in their trip even though Lady Armitage had made the woman sound as though she were no more than ten years of age. The other ladies stopped chattering to each other and listened rapturously as Olivia responded.

“He is one of Alexander’s closest friends. They have known each other since childhood and though not of the highest birth, Mr. Talbot is a man of the greatest calibre. Loyal to a fault and a truly brilliant equestrian. I doubt that there is anyone in the land able to match him.” She gave a superior smile as her friends all swished their fans enthusiastically.

Lady Bowers let out a squeal of delighted laughter.

“How wonderful. I should love to see him in action. I do so love a man who rides well. It’s all in the thighs, you know.” She fanned her wine flushed face vigorously as she winked knowingly at Charlotte.

Lady Armitage threw back her head and let out another high-pitched laugh.

“Oh yes, my dear. I agree completely, and all that riding makes for an excellent physique, especially in the buttocks. I maintain that you can always tell a great rider by the firmness in the globes of his ar...er, backside!” She stammered as she is she had only just remembered that there was an innocent in the room and turned towards Lady Latham who hid a blush behind her fan and nodded eagerly as she joined in the conversation.

“Then you will have noticed my Bertie, Corina. Even at his age his buttocks remain exceedingly firm. He maintains an excellent seat while in the saddle, or out of it!” She tittered as she turned towards Olivia who smiled nervously back at her friend.

“Ladies, please. Charlotte is not yet twenty. This sort of conversation is best left to another evening.”

Charlotte hid the sudden desperation that curled around her heart at the turn of the conversation. She smiled a little stiffly as she pretended that there was nothing wrong with the woman’s insinuations, but their scandalous gossip and innuendoes on the subject of Geoffrey’s various attributes and how he might use them while ‘
in the saddle or out of it’
turned her stomach.

Lady Latham’s wrinkling neckline belied the dark colour of her hair and Lady Armitage’s golden locks and strikingly beautiful eyes suddenly lost some of their lustre. Lady Bowers appeared to be the nearest in age to her, but even she was old enough to be Geoffrey’s own mother. Their dialogue disgusted her and she found herself unable to keep quiet on the subject.

“My dear Olivia, if you think that I am under any illusions as to what the ladies are referring then I am afraid that you didn’t know my father and brother, though even I confess that neither of them had such a magnificent ‘seat’ as Mr. Talbot. I swear his is veritably swoon-worthy! I will have to use him as my gauge when selecting a husband this season. I will make all my suitors line up on their mounts and turn about while I examine their riding...er, riding abilities.” She raised a delicate eyebrow while she privately ground her teeth behind her smile and the ladies all giggled behind their fans.

Lady Bowers laughed loudest.

“La! Olivia you have discovered a veritable diamond. She will have the men falling at her feet.” She turned back to Charlotte and whispered from behind her ostrich feather fan. “If you are selecting a husband, you should also make sure that they like to take daily exercise, my dear. It increases the stamina considerably. Believe me, I should know. My poor departed Alfred never rode.” She sniffed dramatically into a lace square in her hand. “I can attest to the fact that his stamina was greatly affected. It is what killed him, you know.” She nodded as if agreeing with herself and a curl of her hair slipped down around her ear revealing iron-grey roots at her scalp.

Charlotte concealed her surprise. Perhaps Lady bowers wasn’t as young as she had first supposed, but Mr. Michaels appeared to only be in his early thirties. She pondered the age difference and wondered what might attract a young man to a woman of such increased years as she listened to the rest of the matron’s story.

“One night of passion in ten years and he turned up his toes in our bed. The doctor confirmed that had he taken his exercise daily rather than once a decade, he would never have keeled over under the sudden strain!” She sniffed again but soon recovered and carried on as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “Of course, being only thirty five, Mr. Michaels can ride for hours on end without breaking a sweat and I can vouch for the delights of having such a talented rider as an escort, however if Mr. Talbot is as good as you and Olivia suggest then I doubt that he’ll be free man for much longer. Men such as he are snapped up before you can blink.” The other ladies all jumped and then laughed as she clipped her fingers to emphasise her point. “There are too many fillies and mares to go round. He’ll have the pick of the season, but I think that he, as most men, would prefer a mount with a little more spirit and experience rather than one straight from the stables, and I do so like a strong rider. I’ll have to see if he’d like to jump some fences with me.” The woman gave a superior smile towards Charlotte, her meaning quite clear as she fluttered her dark eyelashes.

Charlotte pinned a grin on her face as her heart broke inside her chest. The thought that Geoffrey might fall for this woman’s faded hair and shallow charms was almost too much for her to bear. She twirled the glass of pale wine in her fingers but couldn’t take a sip, such was the nausea that crept from her stomach to her throat.

Uncomfortable with the lewd conversation, Olivia glanced around the room and, attempting to change the subject, mentioned Lady Latham’s forthcoming ball.

“Will your son be in town soon, Celina? Alexander mentioned to me that Charles might be coming to town this season.”

Charlotte shot Lady Latham a glare. She did not want to meet the woman’s son again under any circumstances. He and his disreputable friends had almost ruined her and nearly killed her cousin Giles only the year before.

To her dismay, Lady Latham responded with an eager nod.

“Charles will be arriving soon. He was meant to travel with his friend, Colin Rookwood, but something has clearly gone awry with their plans and Colin has been delayed.” She let huffed out a deep sigh. “I suspect young Rookwood couldn’t resist entangling himself with another paramour. You know how awfully charming he can be.” She looked over to where Charlotte sat on the chaise. “You have probably been introduced to my son and Lord Rookwood already, Lady Charlotte. I believe they attended the Duke’s ball at Ormond some eighteen months ago. I recall meeting Alexander at our country home several times afterwards, and I was pleased that he and Charles seemed to have struck up a friendship. Tis a pity that it seems to have fallen off somewhat, though that might be more to do with the murder that occurred.”

Lady Bowers and Lady Armitage both gasped as one and immediately began chattering between themselves.

“Murder! At a ball? Never! Imagine the scandal! No wonder the Duke doesn’t often appear in public anymore.” Lady Bowers’ fan wafted back and forth so fast that it became a blur.

Lady Armitage nodded back at her friend.

“How singular! Who was the victim? And more to the point, was the murderer ever caught?”

Charlotte rolled her eyes, beyond annoyed with their silly twittering. It was enough that Lady Latham believed all of Alexander’s visits had been in the pursuit of friendship and not in the course of his enquiries into finding the missing Lord Ellesworth. She couldn’t let the absurd rumours continue and immediately interrupted.

“Ladies! I was there on the evening of the ball and saw the events unfold, but I have to disappoint you. The rumours of an assassination are ill founded. There was no murder, no victim and no perpetrator. The whole affair was exaggerated greatly and blown up out of all proportion.” She spoke firmly but Lady Latham shook her head.

“No, there was definitely a murder. My son reported that there was a hanging not long after.”

Charlotte seethed inwardly but couldn’t let it go.

“Yes, there was a hanging, but fortunately my cousin and guardian, Lord Caithwell, was saved by none other than the Mr. Talbot escorting us today. The supposed victim, a friend of your son’s, Lord Edward Ellesworth had become lost in Ormond’s secret passageways and arrived at his home alive and well some three or four weeks later. My cousin was completely absolved of any wrongdoing, but it was only the quick actions of Mr. Talbot that kept him alive when he was hung for the alleged crime. Edward Ellesworth was discovered to be hale and hearty only a day or two later. I believe that your son and Colin Rookwood thought Lord Ellesworth had been devoured by pigs after they discovered his partially eaten coat in the local farmers pig pen.”

There were shocked gasps round the room.

Eaten by pigs!

My goodness, an assassin’s relative in our midst!

Who would ever have thought of such a thing!

We shall all be murdered in our beds!

The ladies fanned themselves even more furiously and Charlotte wondered if they didn’t actually make themselves hotter with the exercise.

Olivia beckoned a footman to pour more wine. She brought the excited chatter to order as the glasses were filled.

“Ladies, really! You heard Charlotte’s explanation and it is one that I can confirm as true. Lord Edward Ellesworth is alive and well. I believe he is on the continent but keeps in regular contact with his sister who happens to be Lord Caithwell’s own wife. I beg of you to see that your tongues do not run away with you. The rumour mill will not start turning in my house. I forbid you to ruin this wonderful girl’s chances for the price of a piece of false gossip.” Her imperious tone brooked no argument.

Lady Armitage nodded quickly.

“Of course, Olivia. Our lips are sealed. We certainly won’t mention her less than favourable connections.”

“Less than favourable?” Olivia drew in a sharp breath. “Have you not listened to a word we have said. Lord Caithwell was wrongly accused. He is the very best of men. Apart from being my own son’s most loyal friend, he is as handsome as sin and twice as charming. He is completely devoted to his wife, Lady Anne. Such a lovely woman, whom I still consider to be my daughter. You will remember that she was married to my darling son Phillip who died so tragically three years ago. Anne captured Lord Caithwell’s heart soon after she was out of mourning. They are to arrive in town two to three weeks hence with their baby son, Marcus Geoffrey who was named after the very Mr. Talbot who saved Lord Caithwell’s life.”