Page 78 of How to Ruin a Duke
She left James transacting business with all the aplomb of London’s premier flower nabob, and was soon in her new back yard, tucking iris roots into rich, warm soil.She watered the plants sparingly—irises could rot if overcome with damp—and considered the rest of her day.
She knew now how Emory had felt about discovering the author ofHow to Ruin a Duke.He’d been beyond curious, he’dhadto know exactly who and what had brought him low.Finding that answer had become a quest for him.
Edith had spent more than a week focusing on memories of her time with the ducal family.She’d gone through the nasty book page by page—thank heavens a friend had been able to borrow the bound version for her from the lending library—she’d considered each incident in detail.She had a very good idea exactly who had penned those lies, and before she left London, she would share her suspicions with Emory.
And then—after conveying to His Perishing Grace a few other sentiments—she would get an explanation from him as to why he’d come back to call on her, and why he’d been least-in-sight for more than a week before he’d done so.
Jeremiah,with suspiciously convenient timing, had chosen to drop out of sight for a few days just when Thaddeus urgently needed to pummel him.His lordship occasionally did this, sometimes to indulge in a marathon card game, sometimes to make a madcap dash to Brighton with friends.
Thaddeus suspected Jeremiah also disappeared periodically to provoke Mama to worrying and to avoid creditors.
Thaddeus’s temper had not cooled in theslightestduring Jeremiah’s absence, but he had put the time to good use nonetheless.
“You will excuse us,” Thaddeus said to Jeremiah’s valet, as his lordship snored away the morning, naked to the knees amid snowy sheets and satin pillows.
“Of course, Your Grace.Found Himself on the stairs at cockcrow.He’s likely to wake with a devil of a head.”
And that will be the least of his worries.“Splendid.As of next week, his lordship will no longer need your services.Your wages will continue until we can find you a new post.You will have a glowing character and some severance as well.”
The man wrinkled his nose.“You needn’t pay me severance, Your Grace.I was preparing to give notice.I know the young gents are full of high spirits, but that one…” The valet shook his head.“I’ll not speak ill of my betters.You need not worry on that score.”He picked up the muddy boots at the foot of Jeremiah’s bed and departed.
Thaddeus’s gaze landed on a razor strop hanging on a paneled privacy screen in the corner of the room.He opened the bedroom curtains wide, took up the strop and delivered a glancing blow to his lordship’s backside.
“A valet has more honor than my heir.”
Jeremiah stirred.“Go away, darling.I’m not in the mood to play anymore.”
Thaddeus brought the razor strop down again, not as gently.“Get out of that bed.Now.”
Jeremiah rolled over and propped himself on his elbows.“What the devil?Emory, what on earth are you about?”
“Why did you do it, Jeremiah?”
Jeremiah eyed the strop.He sat up and scratched his chest, his hair a greasy mess, his eyes rimmed with shadows.“Had a bit of an orgy as best I recall.If you’ll send my valet—”
Thaddeus flung a dressing gown at him.“I asked you a question, and unless you want a private reading ofHow to Beat the Hell Out of a Courtesy Lord, you will answer honestly.”
Jeremiah shrugged into the dressing gown and rose to belt it around his middle.“Why’d I dash off that bit of tattle everybody finds so amusing?”His air was defiant, though he was keeping an eye on the length of leather in Thaddeus’s hands.
“Why did you try to disgrace a brother who’s never been anything but decent to you?”
He yawned and stretched, not a care in the world.“One of the fellows said it couldn’t be done.Said nobody could tarnish the reputation of His Grace of Emory, and I took the bet.”
“Why?”
“Because I am bloody bored waiting for you to find a duchess?Because I could?Because I didn’t want to beg you for more coin or scarper on my debts of honor?”
Thaddeus hung the strop back on its hook, lest he lay into his brother for the sin of sheer stupidity.“Instead you pester Mama for coin, just as you pestered her companions for favors.Not the done thing, Jeremiah.”
Jeremiah poured himself a glass of brandy from a decanter on his clothes press.“A little harmless flirtation never hurt anybody.You might know that if you’d ever given it a try.”
Thaddeus threw a heeled dancing slipper at him, which caused the brandy to slosh over Jeremiah’s chest.
“I well know,” Thaddeus said, “the difference between private dealings undertaken by consenting adults, and the unwelcome advances you visited upon those women.”
Jeremiah tossed back half of his drink—on an empty stomach at mid-day.“If it’s any consolation, the average companion apparently knows how to use her knee to excellent advantage.Lady Edith damned near gave me a shiner to go with my bruised jewels.With respect to the book, you needn’t cut up so.I hadn’t planned on writing more than the one volume, but needs must when a fellow likes the occasional wager.The second book—”
“Was tossed on the fire in the library two days ago because your arrogant lordship left the manuscript sitting in plain sight on your desk.You face a choice.Slink out the back door of this house with the clothes on your back after you’ve apologized to Mama, or report to Horse Guards three days from now, which three days you will spend selling your worldly goods to pay any debts you still owe.
