Page 16 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke
‘There is something I hoped to ask you…’ Phillip’s pitch had dropped and the tone implied begging.
John felt his body stiffen. ‘Go on, ask me now.’Devil take it, he would have preferred to be proven wrong about Phillip’s intentions.
Phillip’s gaze ran over John’s expression, showing uncertainty. ‘This is a bit distasteful to discuss at a funeral…’
John felt himself scowl. ‘Nevertheless…’ His voice was cold.Just have out with it and be done.
‘Boscombe did some business for the old duke a while ago, and well, it was unsuccessful, but the thing is Boscombe was never paid.’
‘So you have come here to chase me for it?’ John’s voice turned gruff.
‘No,no. I decided to come, and when I told Boscombe I would need the time off. He asked if I would mention it.’
John swallowed, fighting impatience. What he wished to do was toss Phillip out into the street for this audacity. ‘Why not simply contact Mr Harvey?’ He was the Duke of Pembroke’s man of business, everything was done through him.
‘The business did not come from Mr Harvey. It came from Mr Wareham, from Pembroke Place.’
‘Mr Wareham…’ John’s surprise sounded in his voice. ‘Why would Wareham commission a solicitor directly?’ Wareham was the estate manager at Pembroke Place. ‘He refers every expenditure through Mr Harvey…’
Mr Harvey had managed John’s grandfather’s affairs for decades.
‘I thought it strange too. That is the only reason I agreed to ask you. I do not have a clue why Mr Wareham contacted the firm directly. Even more odd is that the job was to reclaim a loan. Why would Mr Wareham be involved in that? Mr Boscombe did not succeed in getting the money back. He was very regretful, but he did do all he could. Anyway, I am sure you would rather not talk of this today. I will send the details to Mr Harvey. He can look at the information and advise you.’
‘Yes.’ John searched Phillip’s gaze for ill-intent but could see nothing false.
‘I have put you out of sorts by asking.’ He had. ‘I really did not come to ask you that, John, I only came to say hello to an old friend.’
John shrugged. His judgement was still undecided, but the fact Phillip had read that expression only annoyed him further.
Too many people here knew John too well. He really ought to learn from his grandfather and cease showing any emotion at all. ‘Let Harvey have the details and your address.’
‘I shall.’ Phillip held John’s gaze as though he were considering saying something further, but he did not. ‘I ought to take Kate home. Good day.’
‘Thank you for coming.’
Phillip bowed his head briefly then walked away.
John’s gaze followed him to Katherine.
She must have felt his gaze as she had earlier, because she looked at him.
He smiled.
She coloured up, smiling uncertainly, then looked away.
* * *
Katherine clung to the edge of Phillip’s curricle with one hand as her other held the warm rug over her lap, while he flicked the ribbons, driving the horses on like a mad man to get her home before dark.
The first thing he had said to her after leaving John’s was, ‘I told you we would be welcome.’ The second was, ‘and he was pleased to see you’. She had conceded the first, but made no comment on the second point.
Her heart still hammered.
John had kissed her hand, twice, and she could still feel those kisses burning through her glove. But he had changed. She was certain he had felt the chasm between them as much as she had, there was no easy camaraderie now. There had been an edge of steel instead, one that warned, do not come too close.
Seven years had not changed her. She was still foolish enough to crave a man who could never be hers. She was frail, as her adoptive mother said. It was in Katherine’s blood, inherited from her natural mother. Katherine had been born flawed. Wicked. Full of sin. It was true. She had an unnatural need for John – a need she assumed her mother must have felt for whoever her father was.
When they arrived home, Phillip walked about the carriage to help Katherine down with a broad smile.
