Page 63 of A Lady's Wager
“But how were they ever to discover that you’re different from the previous Lords Wesley if they never have a chance to meet you?” Franklin could at times be very philosophical. Over the course of their friendship that tendency had alternated between frustrating and helpful. In that moment, it was decidedly the latter.
“I think Lady Charlotte believes I’m not a terrible sort of fellow. Her father on the other hand…” He let the sentence dangle, knowing he didn’t have to complete the thought for Franklin to understand what it was.
“Lady Charlotte likely never met your grandfather or father. She’ll know of your family’s reputation; everyone does. Her father, on the other hand, knew them both. It’s possible he even knew your great-grandfather. It’s more difficult to overcome an actual memory than a rumor.”
“Maybe that’s what I’m hoping to do tonight: begin substituting those memories of Lords Wesley gone by and replace them with more flattering whispers about the current title holder.”
“You mean to accomplish this while acting as a deterrence to Lady Charlotte’s matrimonial hopes?”
Hearing it spoken so bluntly gave him further pause.
“I’ve been contemplating abandoning that effort,” he said hesitantly. “Her birthday is not so very far off, and I think it’s already somewhat unlikely she will be married before the wager comes due.”
“And if she does manage it? You cannot convince me you do not need the £1000.”
“Oh, heaven knows I need it,” he sighed. “But it feels … wrong. We don’t even know who made the wager. It might be someone bent on embarrassing her, in which case I don’t know that I want my name attached to it at all, and certainly don’t want to be seen as assisting the effort. Even if it isn’t likely to be widely known, it is terribly ungentlemanly to make a wager involving a lady. Though I didn’t make the wager and certainly have nothing to do with the forfeit, I will be seen to benefit from it, which would make it very difficult for me to convincingly claim that I had nothing to do with it.”
Franklin nodded. “Especially considering the family reputation we were only just discussing.”
The weight in Julian’s stomach increased. “If only I knew who made the wager to begin with, I could ask him to kindly call it off.”
“Such a private wager will be far harder to get to the bottom of. And though the keeper of the books at our club knows the identity of those involved, he would not breach their confidence by revealing the details.”
Julian shook his head. “I’ve thought about this over the last few days. Once Lady Charlotte’s birthday arrives and the results are known, it’s entirely possible the wager will be whispered about. Someone who would place such a wager cannot be entirely trusted to use discretion when crowing over or complaining about the outcome.”
Franklin’s brows pulled. “That eliminates one of the people I have suspected of being involved.”
Julian met his friend’s eye. “Who is that?”
“Though I would hope he was not this sort of person, I wondered about the Earl Tarrant. He, after all, as her father, is more aware than anyone if she is likely to make a match and how soon. And the animosity he seems to feel toward you could explain why he attached your name to something so ungentlemanly.”
“The ungentlemanliness of the wager made me wonder about Sir Duncan. He does seem to show up a great deal where Lady Charlotte is, which could indicate he’s keeping an eye on her.”
Franklin nodded. “And either of the two gentlemen who seem to have been accepted as suitors could be behind it, though neither seem to have the disposition for it.”
“If it is not one of those four, but rather someone who had randomly selected her as the focus of this wager, we are unlikely to identify the culprit.”
“You will if you are awarded the forfeit. The one who made the bet would be required to pay you what he wagered.”
It was possible the wagerer would make the payment anonymously, but £1000 was a great deal of money, more than most people would have on hand in coin or currency. It wasmore likely to be paid by a banknote, which would have the payee’s signature. And there would be some requirement of proof to the other man involved that the wagerer had made good on his debt.
“Part of me very much wishes we had never stumbled across this wager in the first place,” Julian said.
“Why only part of you?” Franklin asked.
“I’ve enjoyed coming to know Lady Charlotte. She’s an enjoyable companion, interesting to talk with. She has a lovely smile, which a gentleman cannot help but appreciate. Further, she has a very good and keen sense of humor and seems to enjoy mine as well.” He smiled to himself. “She was very quick to defend us when Sir Duncan gave a very unflattering version of our ‘race.’ Her kindness was not something I would ever have presumed to ask for, and I cannot say I deserved it, but I very much—” Realizing Franklin was studying him a bit too closely for comfort, Julian stopped abruptly. “What has you so ponderous?”
Franklin’s expression turned as somber as those that came so naturally to Mr. Travers. “I believe, my friend, you are walking on thinner ice than you realize.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“There’s a great deal to like about Lady Charlotte Duchamps. But her father dislikes you, and he will no doubt select for her a gentleman of greater fortune than you can currently claim, as well as one without your family’s reputation. And should she learn of this wager you are connected to, not to mention your efforts to thwart her, I cannot imagine it will improve her opinion of you.”
“None of that is exactly a shocking revelation,” Julian said, studying his friend as closely as he was being studied. “Why the sudden concern?”
“I don’t think you realize the way you talk about her, Julian. You are walking on thin ice, my friend. So thin that I can already hear it cracking.”
Julian would have pressed for a greater explanation, insisted his friend was overreacting, but he couldn’t honestly argue. He had been intrigued by Lady Charlotte from the moment he’d begun this charade. That feeling of being intrigued had only grown. He knew he was nursing a partiality for her.
