Page 94 of The Pleasures of Passion
Yet his eyes darted nervously about the room. “Where’s Lady Pensworth this morning?”
“No doubt she went out for her morning walk. She likes to get that out of the way while Silas is having his breakfast and such, so she can enjoy watching him play later.” She smiled. “Despite her gruff manner, she does love her great-nephew.”
“Ah, of course.” He stared at her. “I forgot that your boy’s name is Silas. May I see him?”
The request shouldn’t have struck her as odd, coming from her son’s great-uncle, but it did. Every instinct told her to keep her son away from the man just now. And though it made no sense to her, she always heeded her instincts. “Not at present, I’m afraid. He’s . . . er . . . having his morning bath.”
“Right.” Uncle Toby drummed his fingers on his knees. “I tend to forget how the English have made a religion of cleanliness. The French aren’t as industrious about such matters.”
“True.” Why the devil was he here? What was going on? “So,” she said primly, smoothing her skirts, “you said you wanted to speak to me about Lord Margrave?”
Her uncle nodded. “He’s not lurking about here anywhere, is he?”
“At this hour? Of course not.” Though she began to wish hewas.
“Good, good.” He steadied his gaze on her. “I’ll be frank with you, niece. I don’t approve of his courting you. I fear he cannot be trusted.”
She began to fear that herunclecould not be trusted, though that remained to be seen. “Oh? And why not?”
“For one thing, he has a reputation as a roué. People say he fought a duel over a woman, probably some light-skirt. That’s not the sort of man you wish to marry, is it?”
Now that she knew why the duel had really been fought, it pained her to hear such gossip. It took all her will to force a smile for her uncle’s benefit. “Honestly, Uncle, I don’t carewhathe did back then as long as he’s attentive tomenow. Which he is.”
What shewantedto say was that it was none of his concern whom she married, but she wouldn’t keep her temper if she got into that.
With a scowl, Uncle Toby sat back against the chair. “And what about Margrave’s gambling? Surely you don’t want to marry another fellow like your father.”
That gave her pause. Niall had told her of unearthing a counterfeit note only yesterday, and now her uncle was suddenly trying to talk her out of marriage due to Niall’s “gambling.” That couldn’t be a coincidence.
“I doubt his lordship would ever be so foolish as to behave like Papa,” she said blithely.
“It wouldn’t surpriseme.” He leaned close with a confidential air. “He lost a great deal at the tables only last night. And you’re not even married yet.”
She lifted her eyes heavenward. “It’s only a bit of card-playing. I’m sure once we’re wed and settled in the country, he’ll be more careful.”
A fierce light shone in her uncle’s eyes. “You don’t want to involve yourself with this man, I tell you. You already had one arranged marriage with a gambler that didn’t end well. How can you even be thinking of going into another?”
His words arrested her. “Youknewthat my first marriage was arranged?”
The guilty flush spreading over his cheeks showed he was aware of far more than she’d initially thought. “I . . . um . . . heard of it from your father, yes.Recently. After your visit the other day.”
He was lying. So she should be cautious with him and not let on that she’d spotted his falsehood. “Oh, of course.” She pasted a smile to her lips. “Though I’m surprised he told you. It paints him in a very poor light.”
Uncle Toby tapped his fingers on his knee. “Yes, well, he was desperate. Your father is . . . often indiscreet when he’s desperate.” His voice hardened. “But that’s precisely what I’m talking about. It’s his gambling that drives him to despair, and I can see the earl following in his footsteps if you’re foolish enough to marry the man.”
What in heaven’s name? Uncle Toby’s persistence in this vein was bordering on the absurd. Did this have anything to do with the counterfeiting or not? She tried another tack. “But I told you before, IlikeLord Margrave. He’s handsome and charming and—”
“You’re not listening, damn it!” he cried.
She blinked. This became odder by the moment. “Calm yourself, Uncle. I can’t imagine why you are so concerned about my engagement.” The faintest bitterness crept into her tone. “You never cared so much about my affairs before.”
As if realizing he was giving away his agitation, he said nothing for a long moment while he apparently fought to rein in his emotions.
Then he steadied his shoulders. “Very well, you force me to tell you the truth. It pains me to say this, niece, but I have a more pressing reason for meddling in your affairs.” He stared her down. “What if I was to tell you that I think your fiancé is trying to frame my brother for a crime he didn’t commit?”
Her breath dried up in her throat. Oh no. If Uncle Toby had some inkling of what Niall was trying to discover . . . “I would say you’re quite mad. What reason could Lord Margrave possibly have for doing so?”
“To weasel his way back into the good graces of the government. They pardoned him for killing that fellow, you know. Perhaps they did it in exchange for his help framing your father.”
