Page 26 of West End Earl
“You’re probably more worried about the cargo, ain’t ye, gov?”
“I don’t want to be insensitive to Ned’s losses, but that’s where my financial interest lies, yes.” He offered a slice of bread to the barmaid as well, and she took it, picking out the soft center first and leaving the crust whole.
“Better tell yer money men not to get their hopes up. That’s not the official word, mind ye. But Ned mentioned taking on water in the hold. That can’t be good, right?”
A heavy sighed rolled out of him. “No, that’s not good. I appreciate the news, Peg.”
She dropped the crust, then brushed her hands off and returned to the bar.
Puppy rested her chin on her hands as she studied him. “This is more than theWilhelmina. I’ve been with you when you got bad news on investments before. This reaction isn’t like that.”
Cal bit into his bread, then looked away from her. “What do you mean? I haven’t even said anything.”
“Exactly. You haven’t said a word. Usually you’d have already made at least two jokes and be plotting a way to make up the loss. Numbers are toys to you, and you shuffle them around like game pieces.”
“You know Eastly sunk a considerable investment into that ship. What you don’t know is his current precarious financial position. I’d hoped theWilhelminawould provide the answer.”
Puppy, ever practical, got to the heart of the matter. “How bad is it?”
“He made a ridiculous wager. The forfeit is a princely sum he could have managed if this blasted ship had returned with cargo intact.”
“Will they accept something else in forfeit? Some land? A hunting cottage somewhere? I hear you have a forest in Northumberland you aren’t doing anything with.”
Cal cleared his throat. “Remember Baron Rosehurst and his daughter from Vauxhall?”
“That’s who Eastly bet with? How does his daughter fit into this?” She must have come to the right conclusion as she asked the question. “Damn, he’s wanting his darling daughter to be a countess, isn’t he?”
“Apparently. I don’t know how Miss Cuthbert feels about the situation, but I am definitely against this plan. Which means I need to come up with a solution that doesn’t involve paying for my father’s poor judgment with my bachelorhood.”
“Tell Eastly to marry her. Then she could be a marchioness. Or simply say no to all of it. If Eastly has to retreat to the Continent for a while to escape the debt, it might actually make things calmer for you.”
“I suggested he marry her. Really, though, I wouldn’t wish that fate on anyone. And I’ve considered leaving the debt in his hands, even if it means he decamps to the Continent. But there would be a scandal and talk about his financial instability, which would lead to questions about Emma’s dowry. I can’t do that to her. Not during her debut. She’s made such a splash, but all that attention could turn sour in an instant with a scandal like this.”
Puppy covered her face with her hands and groaned. “Oh God, I forgot. And this is the worst possible time. But while we’re talking about ruining lives, and Emma’s reputation, I need to tell you something.”
“What’s she done now?” he asked, sawing another slice of bread for himself. Since he’d taken care of the Roxbury situation, some of his worry over Emma had subsided. To his knowledge, she hadn’t latched onto anyone new and inappropriate since.
“Roxbury. And more than once if the scene I saw at Vauxhall is any indication.”
Cal froze, then snapped his gaze up to collide with hers. “Explain. Now. And leave nothing out, because that’s a grave accusation to make, Puppy.”
She sat up straight and folded her hands on the table in front of her. “On the night we went to Vauxhall, Emma and I did not encounter one another at the waterfall display as she claimed. I noticed she’d been gone for some time and left to find her. It took longer than expected. She and Roxbury were, ah, engaged. Willingly, and quite enthusiastically by the sound of it.” She hastened to add, “I only mention it to reassure you that there didn’t appear to be any force involved. Not to imply she’s wanton—God, Cal, don’t look at me like that.” She slumped forward again, resting her face in her hands. “I don’t enjoy telling you this. Murderous looks aren’t helping.”
“The murderous look is only partly for you,” Cal said, gritting his teeth. Vauxhall was after his visit to Roxbury, but the timing didn’t matter more than the seriousness of the accusation. “When you sayengaged, exactly what do you mean? Be specific, because if I’m going to kill that bastard, I want to know exactly what he did.”
Puppy grimaced. “No French letter. There’s the possibility of pregnancy.” She cast a worried look at his hand, and he glanced to see he had formed a fist and hadn’t realized it.
“Roxbury is a dead man.”
“If there is a baby, he’ll be no use to you dead.”
The expletive Cal spat out hit the air with a slap. “How could she allow this to happen with a man like that? Wait—they know you caught them. How did she react?”
Puppy stared over Cal’s shoulder at the wall, and he knew then that he wouldn’t like the answer. The bread he’d eaten weighed a ton in his gut as he waited for her to speak.
“She, uh, she kissed me. Then threatened to tell you I’d made unwelcome advances.”
A rueful laugh that had nothing to do with humor escaped. “Of course she did. Because blackmail solves everything. That girl is too much like our father.”
