The Wolf's Pursuit (12 page)

Red—

You truly looked beautiful today. I didn't
mean to upset you. I was trying to goad the men into defending you.
Lecherous idiots that they are. Do tell me what you learn after you
spend your afternoons with both of them, and do not, I repeat, do
not allow them to get you alone. Take a chaperone, or you will
force the Wolf to become the Hunter, and we both know what happens
when the Hunter is after you…

—
Wolf

Hunter shifted uncomfortably in his seat as
all three gentlemen sent dirty looks in his direction. Words flew
freely from his mouth without his brain once discussing with his
lips what should or should not come out. It was as if he had taken
complete leave of his senses. What the devil had he been thinking?
Perhaps Dominique had drugged him for kissing Gwen. If the Beast
only knew that it had been several kisses and he had in fact
captured and tortured her.

The image of his body floating face-down in
the river wasn't even enough to keep him from wanting to slap
himself for his foolish words.

For him, a man of excellent seduction skills,
to tell a woman in front of other men, no less, that she looked
awful! He'd nearly groaned when he saw her face fall. Her dress
was
awful. It had nothing to do with what was beneath it,
but it was entirely too proper for his liking.

He liked her in red.

Curse the woman.

Now every time he saw her, she seemed to be
wearing some ugly color that made him want to rip the dress from
her frame.

Which his body quite agreed with.

Though he imagined her sisters wouldn't have
been pleased with him. In some ways, he was angry with Gwen. She
was a temptation he could not afford, not with the lives of people
he cared about in the balance. Yet there she was, a conundrum if
there ever was one.

It made him uneasy to see Trehmont and
Redding in the drawing room and even more nervous that Gwen would
be spending time with them. Yet the plan was working perfectly.
Both men seemed entranced by her. Who would not be? Considering
they were being pressured to settle down this Season, it was hardly
difficult to get the men to fawn over her. Now at least it would be
easier to follow them and keep a watchful eye on their actions. His
nose suddenly pained him. He reached up and touched it. At least he
knew she could defend herself.

The tea became cold in his cup. He put it
down on the table and rose to excuse himself, when the butler
entered again.

"The Earl of Eastbrook."

Trapped, with no way to escape, Hunter sat
back down.

Redding and Trehmont seemed less than pleased
that they had more competition, for Eastbrook had taken great care
in making his appearance perfect. Stupid man. All Hunter needed was
his cousin sniffing around Gwen's skirts. He had enough problems as
it was.

"Ah Haverstone, thought I might find you
here!" Eastbrook slapped his gloves against his leg and smiled
coolly. Then his eyes fell on Gwen. "And what a lovely creature,
more lovely than even my best dreams."

Gwen blushed.

Why the devil did she blush?

Could she not see how evil he was?

Well, perhaps he wasn't particularly evil.
After all, he hadn't necessarily done anything but set himself up
quite nicely within society. Treat his friends with respect and
keep from vices like gambling and heavy drink.

Which, if you asked Hunter, meant he was a
terrible human being. What man didn't engage in at least one vice
or two? It was the quiet fellows a gentleman had to worry about. He
narrowed his eyes in his cousin's direction.

"Thank you," Gwen answered, folding her hands
in her lap.

If it was at all possible, Hunter's eyes
narrowed even more as he watched his cousin smile seductively at
Gwen. Hunter imagined his hands around his cousin's neck and
suddenly felt calm enough to breathe again.

"…Did you hear nothing I just said?"
Eastbrook addressed Hunter.

No, apologies, I was busy strategically
planning your murder. Perhaps at the end of a pistol rather than my
bare hands? Too messy.
He cleared his throat and smiled. "What
was it that you asked?"

"Have you seen Lainhart yet?"

The entire room seemed to take a sudden
inhalation, making it impossible for Hunter to focus on anything
except steadying the ramming of his heart against his chest. Why
did the blasted man have to mention his grandfather again,
especially in front of his former employees?

"He's dying," Eastbrook continued.

"Oh, that poor man!" Gwen patted Eastbrook's
hand. Hunter clenched his fist. "Whatever is the matter with
him?"

"I imagine it is severe disappointment,"
Redding piped up.

"Disappointment?" Gwen tilted her head.

"Why, yes." Redding leaned forward, but not
before his gaze quickly went to Hunter in what could only be
described as a smug look. "His grandson by marriage is, after all,
a disgrace."

"A disgrace, you say?" Gwen looked
uncomfortably between Hunter and Redding. Eastbrook reached for her
hand. If he did that one more time, Hunter was going to remove it
with a rusty fork.

Trehmont had the audacity to laugh, as if he
wasn't a stain upon his own family name, the lecher. "But of
course, haven't you heard?"

"I'm sure if she hasn't, it is only a matter
of time," Hunter said smoothly.

The drawing room was entirely too small for
that much testosterone, Hunter knew that much. If one more man
puffed out his chest, they would look like those ridiculous emperor
penguins waddling around their mates.

Goode walked in again, this time with a grim
expression on his face. Had all the gentlemen decided to call at
the same time?

"Sir Hollins to call."

Hollins swept into the room with a flourish,
making a ridiculous spectacle of handing his hat and gloves to
Goode before sitting on the already-too-miniscule sofa near
Trehmont. "Ah, Lady Gwendolyn, you are a thing of beauty."

"So I've been told," she murmured to herself,
but Hunter caught it. Fighting a smile, he looked straight through
Hollins as if he were the most meaningless rat on the planet and
then looked away, hoping his point had been made.

"I say." Hollins chuckled uncomfortably.
"Seems tense in here. Do tell what has everyone in such
silence."

Hunter grabbed another biscuit and chomped on
it quite loudly, then threw his arm over the side of the sofa and
grinned. "Why, my many sins. Care to join in, Hollins? After all,
I'm sure your embellishments will be quite helpful in steering the
dear lady away from my advances."

Hollins tugged at his cravat. "I believe you
make enough of a spectacle of yourself without my embellishments
helping, your grace." The way he said
grace
almost sounded
like a hiss from his lips.

"Let us not speak of it anymore," Rosalind
piped up. Hunter had almost forgotten the two sisters were even
present. What they must think of him now. Even Isabelle did not
know of his disgrace.

"No, let's," Hunter said, voice hoarse. "Say
what you came to say." This he directed at Eastbrook, whose eyes
revealed years of hatred.

"No, my ladies, this tale is too sordid for
drawing room conversation. Wouldn't you rather talk about the
weather, or the lovely Season?"

"Or the rumor that we have a traitor within
our midst! Apparently, and you did not hear this from me, but
someone has been selling information to the French," Gwen piped
up.

All heads turned to her.

She nodded just slightly to Hunter.

He swallowed the knot of emotion in his
throat. It seemed Red had saved the Wolf, from himself and from
further disgrace. He found he could not even meet her gaze as he
looked down at his hands, which were now trembling in his lap from
years of pent-up anger and guilt.

Trehmont sputtered as Eastbrook leaned in to
grab a biscuit. "My lady, that is not at all proper information,
nor is it true."

"Oh." Gwen tilted her head and shrugged. "I
overheard some of the servants, or was it Redding discussing
something of the sort? I'm sure it was nothing." She smiled and
waved into the air.

Redding's face turned pale as he looked at
all the gentleman. "Well, on that note, I believe it is time for me
to go. Apparently I've gone mad, to make up such silly lies." He
bowed to the ladies, and went to kiss Gwen's hand. "I look forward
to our walk through the park Monday afternoon."

Hunter noticed Redding's hand was clenching
Gwen's quite forcefully. He was ready to jump to her rescue when
Eastbrook suddenly jerked to his feet, nearly knocking Redding
away, considering how close in proximity they were.

"Oh, apologies." Eastbrook looked anything
but apologetic. Interesting indeed that he would be so perceptive
of Gwen's discomfort. Hunter wasn't sure if he should be grateful
or irritated. He decided on both.

"Let us have that wonderful discussion over a
glass of whiskey," Eastbrook addressed Hunter. Reluctantly, he rose
from his seat and followed his cousin out of the house.

****

Hunter wasn't sure why he felt such a glutton
for punishment, nor why he had even agreed to this ridiculous
meeting. He ordered a whiskey and took a seat next to the famous
bay window of White's.

The same window that had witnessed men lose
entire fortunes. For who was stupid enough to bet how many people
would walk by and what type of hats they would be wearing?

Hunter drank greedily from the glass and
sighed. Eastbrook took a seat opposite him and glared.

"At least allow me the pleasure of being
foxed, so when you attempt to murder me, it won't aggravate my
nose."

Eastbrook smirked. "Got yourself into a
little scratch, did you?"

A vision of Gwen flashed through Hunter's
mind. A scratch? Did that make her a kitten? Blast, what he
wouldn't give to be the man to help her retract those claws. He
shifted uncomfortably and smirked into his glass before answering,
"You could say that."

An awkward silence followed, if one could
ever call White's silent.

"You must make amends before he dies."

"For what?" Hunter all but yelled, as the
pain of that day came back full force and hit him squarely in the
chest. "Don't you think I know it was my fault?"

Eastbrook said nothing, so Hunter continued.
"Have I not suffered enough? I am a shell of a man." He hadn't
meant to say that part aloud.

Eastbrook reared back as if he had just been
slapped. Hunter cursed and went to order another whiskey. When he
returned, Eastbrook was looking out the window.

"Do you remember when we first met?"

Hunter cringed. "Do not tell me you are
becoming sentimental."

"Do you remember?" Eastbrook looked at him
and grinned. "I told you I was going to grow up and marry a
beautiful woman, and that when she said yes I would howl like a
wolf does unto the moon. I would howl with excitement, with
pleasure."

"We were but lads." Hunter felt the need to
clear his throat of the emotion that now clogged it.

"You said if I was a wolf, then you and Ash
would be the wolf's companions. We would grow up, marry beautiful
women, and howl together at the moon in our excitement."

Hunter hadn't heard his brother's name on
anyone's lips for ten years. It hurt more than he'd realized it
would.

"The three of us, we were best friends."

"And then I ruined it. Was that what you were
going to say?" Voice hoarse, Hunter had to look away to keep
himself from lashing out.

"No," Eastbrook said calmly. "I was going to
say, you abandoned the dream."

Unable to believe his ears, Hunter jerked
back toward Eastbrook. "I had no choice! In one blasted day I lost
the love of my life and my only remaining blood relation. Tell me,
if you are so wise, cousin, what would you have done?"

Eastbrook sighed. "I wouldn't have shamed my
family by abandoning them when they needed me most. I wouldn't
refuse to respond to letters. I wouldn't disappear without a trace.
I wouldn't leave a dying old man without saying goodbye, and I sure
as fire would not have disgraced my dead wife's memory by screwing
the first whore that smiled at me."

Hunter focused on a tiny speck on the window.
It was the only way to keep himself from killing his cousin with
his bare hands. He had no idea of Hunter's pain. How dare he judge
him! He hadn't been there. He hadn't seen the blood. Oh, the
blood.

He swallowed another gulp of whiskey and put
his mask firmly back into place before looking back at his cousin.
"You're boring me. Are we done?"

"Yes." Eastbrook's eyes narrowed. "But you
need to visit him. Promise me, if our past friendship meant
anything to you, promise me you'll visit him. And soon."

"Fine," Hunter said hastily. "I'll visit him
first thing Monday morning, if that pleases you. But you will do me
a favor in return."

"Do you truly think you are in a position to
be asking me a favor?"

"Yes." With a smug grin, Hunter raised his
glass to his lips. "I believe I am."

Eastbrook nodded, just once. "Let's have
it."

"Stay away from her."

"I'm sorry, you are going to need to be more
specific as to who you are referring to."

"Lady Gwendolyn. Stay away from her."

Eastbrook swallowed the rest of his whiskey
and set the glass on the table in front of them. Without answering,
he turned and walked toward the door, then seemed to think better
about it and stole a glance back at Hunter. "Do not ask me to make
promises I cannot keep."

"She is…" Hunter couldn't very well say
mine
. That sounded possessive. Yet all he wanted to do was
slug his cousin across the jaw for the condescending smile pasted
on his face.