Pride and Pleasure

  He stared at her, blinking, as if taken aback, which brought to her attention how readily she smiled of late.

  Clearing his throat, he took a seat in front of her desk. She was pleased to see he’d procured a new satchel. Unlike his previous one, this one was made of butter-soft burgundy leather ornamented with gold hardware. He was a wonderful employee, one who worked hard and performed well, and she paid him accordingly. It was good to see him indulging himself.

  “I understand congratulations are in order,” he said.

  “Yes. Thank you.” Eliza linked her fingers on the desktop. “How is Mrs. Reynolds?”

  “Very well.”

  He told a story about his wife’s social pursuits that Eliza made every effort to appear interested in. She was grateful when he moved on and said, “I’ve also received word from my brother.”

  “Oh?” A quiver moved through her tummy. Jasper’s agreement to be more forthcoming about his situation put her in an awkward position. She’d grown more and more apprehensive about sending Tobias Reynolds to Ireland. Although she had engaged Tobias before beginning an intimate relationship with Jasper, she was nevertheless circumventing the man she intended to marry by researching his past without his knowledge or consent.

  Reynolds settled more comfortably into the chair. “He arrived safely and has begun the initial inquiries.”

  She reminded herself to trust her instincts. “I would like to recall him. I have the information I need.”

  “If you’re certain…”

  “I am. He’ll still be paid the agreed-upon fee for his time, of course.”

  “I never doubted it.” His fingers curled and uncurled around the wooden arms of his chair. “May I speak freely, Miss Martin?”

  “Always,” she assured. “I value honesty above all else. I’d expect you would know that by now.”

  “I do. However…” He inhaled deeply, then exhaled in a rush of words. “Have I been remiss in my duties or disappointing in some way? Have I given you cause to distrust me?”

  “No.” Her spine straightened with alarm. “Why would you have such concerns?”

  “You’ve always asked me to investigate your suitors. Therefore, I was startled to learn of your engagement to a gentleman whose circumstances I was not asked to explore. I know he is a friend of Lord Melville, but he’s also a possible investor and even in that capacity, you did not ask me to verify his solvency.”

  Eliza was impressed. “Your thoroughness is laudable, sir.”

  “I’m relieved to hear you say so.” He leaned forward. “I had only yesterday and this morning to inquire, but I must confess, what little I’ve gleaned has made me uneasy.”

  “Uneasy?” Certainly Terrance Reynolds wasn’t the only enterprising and curious individual in town. What could be learned about Jasper through cursory inquiry?

  “His residence is in a less-than-fashionable area of town. He has all manner of disreputable-looking individuals coming and going as they please. I’m not yet certain, but I believe he engages in trade. I suspect he makes a comfortable living, but it’s doubtful he has your means.”

  “Few do. Regardless, Mr. Bond counts the Earl of West-field as a close acquaintance.”

  “There is that,” Reynolds conceded. “Frankly, your betrothed is a bit of an enigma.”

  Much obliged by his loyalty, Eliza felt it best to offer a truthful explanation for Jasper, so Reynolds would no longer be troubled. “Mr. Bond is a thief-taker.”

  “A thief-taker!” There was a pause, during which he blinked rapidly. Finally, he said, “Not one of the better-known ones.”

  “No, of course not. It would have been impossible for Mr. Bond to assume the guise of a viable suitor if he was a familiar personage. I found him through a referral.”

  “Found…? You sought a thief-taker? I don’t understand.”

  “Do you recall when Mrs. Peachtree experienced monetary troubles earlier this year?” she asked, referring to a tenant who’d suspected one of her employees of pilfering from the till. “You reported that she hired a Runner. When my situation arose, I approached her for his name and engaged the same man. However, Mr. Bell was unable to assist me. He referred me to Thomas Lynd, who suggested Mr. Bond would be more suitable.”

  “Dear God.” Reynolds flushed. “You’ve done so much without my assistance…I cannot help feeling superfluous.”

  “Quite the opposite. You’re an excellent man of affairs, sir, and valuable to me. Therefore, I was unwilling to endanger you. You see, I have recently found myself to be prone to accidents of a disturbing and suspicious nature.”

  “Accidents!” He paled. “What…? Why…? Damnation! Who would have reason to harm you?”

  “That’s what I hired Mr. Bond to discover.”

  “I wish you’d seen fit to include me. Tobias and I could have overseen a thief-taker or Runner on your behalf. You could have avoided the ruse of an engagement to Mr. Bond.”

  “It isn’t a ruse.” She lamented the shadow of confusion that swept over his features. “My relationship with Mr. Bond is twofold.”

  Reynolds began to shift uncomfortably in his seat. He looked pained.

  “If you have something to say, sir,” she prompted. “Please feel free. I respect your opinions and viewpoints as they relate to my business matters.”

  He cleared his throat again. “I find the novelty of the series of events leading to the hiring of Mr. Bond to be…dubious. The circle begins when you’re subjected to incidences causing you to fear for your safety. Then, you hire a thief-taker. The result of which leads to the thief-taker successfully wooing you into accepting his proposal of marriage, despite his lack of suitability. I cannot help wondering if the end ties back to the beginning in a manner more closely related than surface appearances indicate.”

  “You’re wondering whether it’s possible Mr. Bond is the source of my problem, as well as the solution to it? No, do not look chagrined! It is a fascinating hypothesis. I’m embarrassed I didn’t think of it myself.” She leaned back in her chair and allowed her mind to toy with the idea. “Mr. Bond would indeed be quite clever if he arranged to create circumstances necessitating his hiring, then used his employment to gain access to wooing me. However, considering my former aversion to marriage, I cannot see how anyone would imagine such machinations would be successful.”

  “Your financial means and familial circumstances would certainly make the effort worthwhile. What would Mr. Bond have to lose? At the very least, he would be paid to solve a mystery of his own making, ensuring a satisfying conclusion for you and a financial reward for him.”

  Eliza smiled. “I’m congratulating myself for hiring such a creative thinker for my man of affairs.”

  Reynolds looked embarrassed. “You have always been so circumspect, especially about your suitors. Please allow me to continue investigating Mr. Bond. I’ll accept no fee for my services. Putting your mind at ease is the very least I can do.”

  “I am not uneasy, Mr. Reynolds. Trust is of equal value to me as honesty. I’ve extended mine to Mr. Bond without reservation, and I have no wish to erode that foundation with needless doubts.”

  He nodded. “As you wish.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Reynolds. However, I do have something for you to look into. The Earl of Montague is creating an investment pool. I should like to know what speculation has garnered his interest and how you assess its viability.”

  “Are you interested in joining the pool?”

  “Not at this time. Lord Montague approached Mr. Bond about it, and I’m concerned as to whether or not the investment is sound.”

  Reynolds withdrew his weekly report from his satchel and stood. “I’ll begin my inquiries straightaway.”

  Eliza accepted the papers with a brisk nod. “Godspeed, sir.”

  He gave a slight bow. “To you as well, Miss Martin.”

  For the hour following Terrance Reynolds’s departure, Eliza worked diligently on a list of garments and items she would
need for her trousseau. Her desire to replace her entire wardrobe with gowns of brighter hues and more provocative lines was just another sign of how much she’d changed since meeting Jasper. It was not an alteration of character she took lightly.

  After contemplating the matter thoroughly, she understood that Jasper wasn’t the entirety of the reason why she was able to abandon long-held attitudes and beliefs. Her own ability to trust him enabled her transformation. She’d watched her mother falter through one relationship after another, spiraling deeper into melancholia with every failed romance. Whatever it was Georgina had been seeking in a partner, she’d been unable to find it. Eliza now suspected a lack of trust and honesty was to blame. All this time, she’d thought avoidance of romantic entanglements was the solution. In truth, the answer was simply to find a partner whom she could trust. Now she had only to cultivate her bond with Jasper through transparency and forthrightness.

  A soft rapping on her open study door drew Eliza’s attention from the papers on her desk. Robbins stood on the threshold with the post in hand.

  “Excuse me, miss.”

  The butler entered and set the salver on the edge of her desk. “Will you be taking tea here, or with his lordship?”

  “With Melville, thank you.”

  Eliza stared at the unusually large pile of letters in front of her. She shifted through them, separating Melville’s correspondence from her own. The majority of her post was invitations, far more than she was accustomed to receiving. Confused by the sudden influx, she collected Melville’s missives and stood. She went to her uncle’s study and discovered him absent, then moved on to the conservatory. There she found him watering the plants he experimented with. The afternoon sunlight poured in through the many windows, warming the enclosed space and creating a noticeable humidity.

  “Good afternoon, my lord,” she said upon entering.

  Melville presented his cheek to her, and she pressed a kiss to it. “Eliza,” he said breathlessly. “Remember the splicing I shared with you? Look how it’s thriving!”

  Eliza examined the two disparate plants, now connected at the stem. It made her think of her relationship with Jasper. “Beautiful. I can see why you’re so pleased.”

  “Normally these plants grow best in a tropical climate, so I am doubly pleased by the success.” He beamed with pride, then noted the letters she carried. His smile faded, and he held out his hand with a sigh.

  She handed the post to him. “Are you making any progress with responding to those who write to you?”

  His wince was answer enough.

  She shook her head. “Do you never miss the company of others, my lord?”

  “I have all I need right here.” He set the mail atop potting soil scattered on the table.

  “Perhaps others need you. Clearly they continue to extend their friendship to you, even though you don’t reply.”

  Melville’s well-being was a growing concern to her. What would happen to him when they no longer shared a roof? She was his sole human connection to the world at large. Would he soon become completely estranged from Society, reliant upon the gazettes for news? It broke her heart to think of it.

  He returned his attention to watering his plants. “Were you not determined to live a solitary life until a short time ago? Content with quiet walks, good books, and uninterrupted time with your ledgers?”

  “I have you.”

  “For how long? Eventually, I will move on to my reward.”

  Eliza drew swirls in the soil with her fingertip. “The time you speak of is still far away.”

  Melville glanced at her, but blessedly did not continue to speak of his demise. Instead he said, “Regardless, I am relieved to see you out of your mother’s shadow. It does my old heart good to know you’ve found someone with whom to share your life.”

  “My mother’s shadow,” she repeated softly. “Have I moved out of it? I resemble her, and I’ve chosen a man similar to my father. Perhaps I have assumed her shadow and made it my own?”

  “You have her beauty,” Melville agreed. “But also a steadfastness she lacked. Your footing is solid. Georgina’s was often unsteady.”

  “You mean to say she was irresponsible.”

  “I mean to say she was unstable. She could not maintain an even keel. She listed from one side to the other.” He flicked a small bug off a plant leaf. “Georgina is the reason I acquired an interest in horticulture. My hope was to find some combination of herbal elements to tame the mercurial quality of her moods.”

  Eliza remembered those fluctuations all too well. Georgina would be giddy with happiness one week, then unable to rise from bed the next. “You think her ailment was physical? I have always believed she simply had poor judgment.”

  “I was willing to consider any possibility. I would’ve searched the world for the key to her happiness, just as I would do for you.”

  “Mr. Bond makes me happy. The only worry I have now is for you.”

  He reached over and patted the back of her hand. “I’ll be well, so long as you are.”

  Turning her hand over, she squeezed his. “Shall we retire to your study for tea?”

  “Is it time already?” As if cued, Melville’s stomach grumbled with hunger. He set the watering pot down and dusted off his hands. Then, he proffered his forearm to her.

  “Don’t forget the mail I brought you.”

  He groaned, but gathered up the post. “You are certainly stubborn like your mother.”

  They exited the conservatory and strolled the distance to his study in companionable silence. When they stepped into his private domain, Eliza took in the space where her uncle spent the majority of his day and knew she would miss these moments with him. For all his idiosyncrasies and foibles, she loved him dearly. She wondered how much time she might have to visit with him once she lived with Jasper. When Melville retreated to the country, would he be alone for months at a time? Now that she thought of it, she suspected Jasper spent all of the year in London due to his trade.

  Melville set the latest post atop the leaning pile of mail in the basket by the door. Unable to bear the additional weight, the mass shifted to the side and dozens of letters tumbled to the floor. “Bloody nuisance,” he muttered, squatting to pick up the wayward missives.

  Eliza joined him, raking letters toward her with widespread fingers.

  “How odd,” he said to himself.

  “What’s odd?” she queried.

  “This seal.”

  She focused on the black wax seal gracing the letter he held out to her. “It looks to be a sword crossing over…something.”

  “An hourglass.”

  “Interesting. To whom does that seal belong?”

  “I’ve no notion. But there is another one…” He dug into the pile at his feet and withdrew a second letter bearing the same image in black wax. “See here.”

  He opened the letter, dropping the others to the floor in the process. As he read, he frowned. Then, he grew very pale.

  “What is it?” she asked, alarmed.

  “It appears to be a threat of violence”—Melville held the letter out to her—“against you.”

  Chapter 14

  Standing, Jasper set both palms flat on Eliza’s desk and surveyed the five open letters spread out before him. They were obviously all penned by the same female hand. The delicate swirls and flowing script were clearly the handiwork of a woman.

  He glanced up at Melville and Eliza, both of whom sat in chairs facing him. “Are there more?”

  “Those were all we could find,” Eliza said, looking remarkably composed.

  “Do you have any notion of when the first of these arrived? Or the last?”

  She shook her head.

  Jasper’s fingertips drummed on the desktop. “This changes everything.”

  “Yes,” she murmured. “It certainly does.”

  Each missive warned Melville to retire with Eliza to the country or she would pay the consequences, completely contradicting
Eliza’s original assumption that she was being pushed toward matrimony.

  He looked at the earl. “Would you, perchance, be able to assist with the procurement of a Special License?”

  Eliza jolted visibly. “Beg your pardon?”

  “Special License?” the earl asked, frowning and scratching his head. “Who’s getting married?”

  “I will take that as a ‘no.’” Jasper was certain Melville’s hair was even more of a fright today than it had been the previous times he’d seen it. “Perhaps Westfield can be useful in that regard.”

  “Jasper.” Eliza no longer looked placid. “What are you about?”

  Straightening, he set his hands on his hips. “It appears there’s a woman out there who perceives you to be a threat. It’s likely she has an interest in one of your suitors.”

  “An unhealthy interest.”

  “One can only hope that it’s Montague who has enamored her to the point of violence.”

  She shot him an arch look.

  His smile was unapologetic. “Regardless, taking you out of competition could likely remove you from danger straightaway.”

  “Perhaps the news of my engagement will suffice, if we give it a chance to spread?”

  “I would rest easier if you and I resided under the same roof.” In truth, he doubted he would rest at all if they shared a bed, but that was a topic for another discussion.

  Melville nodded. “Quite right. I’ve proven to be unsuitable for the task of protecting you.”

  Eliza’s gaze dropped to her lap.

  “Eliza.” Jasper made every effort to keep his voice modulated. “I should like to hear your thoughts on the matter.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’m not prepared to leave Melville at this time.”

  “Is he your only concern?”

  Her head lifted. “Am I overlooking something else?”

  “No.” He relaxed. “I could take up residence here with you until the end of the Season. As your husband.”

  The softness that stole into her eyes when she looked at him was worth far more than the concession deserved, but he wouldn’t complain about that.