Page 81 of Beauty and the Rake
“Keep on with what we’ve been doing. He may think that’s the end of it, but he will trip up.”
“You’re right. He may start breathing more easily because he believes he’s ended any arrangement we might have had, but he’ll fall flat.”
“I should be getting back. We’ll still have dinner as planned. Roxanne would be most unhappy since I’m sure the meal is being prepared as we speak.”
“We can’t have my sister unhappy. I look forward to it,” Arthur said.
Graham took his leave, heading home on the same rutted roads as he earlier used. Crenshaw would not get away with whatever he was involved in. Especially after today. He might try to minimize his involvement in his father’s business, but Graham, on his own, had discovered the reason behind that.
He’d noticed Crenshaw’s uneasiness while in their presence. The man had one thousand and one reasons to be uneasy, but Graham believed he’d found a major one. On Crenshaw’s right hand was a ring. Not any ring, but one that Arthur’s father always wore, boasting it had been worn by every duke. Graham had recognized it because of the ruby at the center and he’d seen it on the late duke’s hand since his childhood. He would tell Arthur his finding this evening.
Was Crenshaw aware of where the ring came from? Had his own father gifted it to him with some wild story about its origins? So far, this was the most solid lead they had.
His thoughts turned to his bride as his carriage slowed down and it turned right down the drive to his home. She wasn’t going to be happy about their guest backing out, but she’d play the gracious hostess through the evening. If there was one thing he’d discovered about his bride, it was her ability to put on a mask and pretend everything was fine. He knew her better than that. But with Arthur as their only guest, she might let out all her anger and frustration on the two of them. She wanted closure on her parents’ deaths, as did Graham and Arthur. She’d told him that much. God, he loved her, every single thing about her.
Finding her on the terrace soaking up the sun which had come out brought a smile to his lips. She was one of those women who didn’t necessarily conform to the ideas men had about what women should or should not do. He couldn’t think of another woman who would come out and simply enjoy the sunshine.
He approached her from the side, kissing her on those pouty lips, and nuzzled down her neck. “I hate to disturb you. You look so peaceful.”
“I am. The sun feels wonderful after those days of torrential rain.”
He took a seat to her left and covered her hand with his. “I have to agree.”
“How did your meeting go?”
“It was rather unusual. He probably wasn’t there for fifteen minutes before he took his leave.”
“What do you mean, ‘took his leave,’” she asked.
“He explained to us why the ships had been moved and why he was now uninterested in selling them.”
“But I thought he was going to stay and have supper,” she said with a hint of frustration.
“He had some excuse about wanting to get back while it was daylight because of the roads being so bad right now. Don’t worry, Arthur’s coming.”
“Of course he is,” she snapped.
“We aren’t going to give up so easily.”
She shifted in her chair. “If the man doesn’t want to do business, what else can you do?”
“It seems he’s going to begin offering guided trips to India and the region. That I thought was quite interesting.”
“I wonder if he’s going to be involved in the actual trips?”
Graham shrugged his shoulders. “I may have mentioned that you and I might be interested for our wedding trip. That caught him off guard.”
“You didn’t. I have no desire to travel there, at least not for my wedding trip.”
“It was a ploy to see how he’d react.”
She said nothing except to nod her head thoughtfully.
“You want to hear the best thing?”
“Yes, of course.”
“The man wears your father’s ring.”
