Page 2 of The Paid Companion

“It follows, then, that your typical companion would not be inclined toward behavior that would cost her to lose her post. A man could expect, for example, that such a lady would not run off with another man shortly before the wedding.”

“Perhaps it is the port, but I believe you are making excellent sense.” Bennett frowned. “But just how would one go about finding a wife with all the qualities of a paid companion?”

“Fleming, you disappoint me. The answer to that question is glaringly obvious. If one wished to choose such a paragon of a wife, one would naturally go to an agency that supplies companions. One would interview an assortment of applicants and then make one’s selection.”

Bennett blinked. “An agency?”

“How could a man go wrong?” Arthur nodded to himself. “I should have thought of the idea a few months ago. Just think of all the trouble I would have avoided.”

“Uh, well—”

“If you will excuse me, I believe there is an opening for a player at that table in the corner.”

“The play will be deep,” Bennett warned. “Are you quite certain—”

But Arthur was no longer paying attention. He crossed the room and sat down at the card table.

When he got to his feet a few hours later, he was several thousand pounds richer. The fact that the earl had broken his own ironclad rule against placing wagers and proceeded to win a sizeable sum that night added yet another facet to the St. Merryn legend.

The first light of a gray, drizzly dawn was just beginning to show above the rooftops when Arthur left his club. He got into the waiting carriage and allowed himself to be driven back to the big, gloom-filled house in Rain Street. He went straight to bed.

At nine-thirty the next morning he was awakened by his elderly butler, who informed him that his fiancée’s father had found his daughter at an inn where she was sharing a room with her handsome young rescuer.

There was, of course, only one thing to be done in order to preserve the lady’s reputation. The outraged papa had decreed that the couple would be wed immediately by special license.

Arthur thanked the servant politely for the news, turned over and went immediately back to sleep.

PROLOGUE

ELENORA

The news of her stepfather’s death was delivered to Elenora Lodge by the two men to whom he had lost everything in a poor business investment. They arrived on her doorstep at three o’clock in the afternoon.

“Samuel Jones dropped dead of a fit of apoplexy when he found out that the mining scheme had failed,” one of the men from London informed her with no sign of sympathy.

“This house, its contents and the land that adjoins it from here to the stream all belong to us now,” the second creditor announced, waving a sheaf of papers that carried Samuel Jones’s signature on every page.

The first man squinted at the small gold ring Elenora wore on her little finger. “The deceased included your jewelry and all personal possessions, with the exception of your clothing, on the list of goods he put up as collateral for the loan.”

The second creditor jerked a thumb to indicate the very large individual who stood slightly behind and to the side. “This is Mr. Hitchins. We hired him from Bow Street. He’s here to make sure you don’t take anything of value out of the house.”

The hulking, gray-haired man who had accompanied Samuel Jones’s creditors had hard, watchful eyes. He carried the Bow Street Runner’s badge of office: a baton.

Elenora faced the three aggressive-looking men, aware of her housekeeper and maid hovering anxiously in the front hall behind her. Her thoughts flew to the stable lads and the men who tended the gardens and the home farm. She knew full well that there was very little she could do to protect them. Her only hope was to make it sound as though it would be foolish to dismiss the staff.

“I assume you realize that this property produces a very comfortable income,” she said.

“Aye, Miss Lodge.” The first creditor rocked on his heels, well pleased. “Samuel Jones made that clear, right enough.”

The second man surveyed the neatly kept grounds with an air of anticipation. “A very handsome farm it is.”

“Then you will also be aware that the only reason the property is valuable is because the people who work the land and maintain the household are highly skilled individuals. It would be impossible to replace them. If you let any of them go, I can promise you that the crops will fail and the house will decline in value within months.”

The two creditors frowned at each other. Obviously neither of them had considered the problem of the servants and laborers.

The Runner’s grizzled brows climbed at that announcement and an odd expression lit his eyes. But he said nothing. Why would he? she thought. The business end of this matter had nothing to do with him.

The two creditors reached a silent accord. The first one cleared his throat.

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