Page 96 of The Pleasures of Passion
She blinked. “Oh. Sorry. I’m just . . . trying to figure out how best to refuse Lord Margrave—if you are absolutely certain about what you have told me. Are you sure you want me to jilt him right away? If I continued the engagement, I could find out more information for you.” She flashed him a bland smile. “Although you would have to explain what they’re trying to frame Papa for, so I’d know what questions to ask.”
The alarm in his eyes was unmistakable. “No, indeed, I do not want you involved. You just jilt the man, and let me take care of the rest. I’ll have no trouble convincing your father to stop playing cards with Margrave once the two of you are no longer engaged.”
Ah, so thatwaswhy he was so desperate to end this. Because of the card-playing. Had he somehow figured out that Niall had put his hands on a counterfeit note last night?
Whatever the reason, she needed to get Uncle Toby out of here before either her aunt returned or Niall arrived. She had to warn Niall about this.
She rose. “Well then, Uncle, I suppose I have no choice but to end my engagement with Lord Margrave. I’ll let you know once I’ve had the chance to speak with him—”
“I do need to discuss one more thing with you,” he said, remaining seated.
Stifling her irritation, she sank back onto the settee. “And what is that?”
Uncle Toby rose and came to sit beside her on the settee. “It so happens I have need of your talent as an artist.” With a furtive glance at the door, he drew a sheet of paper from his pocket and laid it on her lap.
She stared at the document. It looked vaguely official, something that might be presented at a government office or bank. Unfortunately, it was in French, and French was not her strong suit. “What is this?”
“Something that will exonerate your father—ifyou can copy it exactly, down to the image stamped on the corner. But you’d have to make minor changes to a name and a few numbers. Do you think you could manage that? I would pay you to do it.”
Her mind raced. He wanted her to fake a document to “exonerate” her father—right. “I could copy it easily, of course. But how exactly will it exonerate Papa?”
He flashed her a thin smile. “Oh, it’s much too complicated to explain at present. But it would help a great deal. If you’re sure you’re willing to do it.”
She should probably agree, if only to see what he was up to. Then she could show it to Niall, who could figure out what was going on. “Anything to help Papa, of course.”
At that moment, her aunt’s footman entered the room. “Lord Margrave is here to see you, ma’am.”
Oh no, she needed more time to get Uncle Toby out of here!
Her uncle leaned close. “You should admit him, niece. No better time than the present to send him packing. That way, if he gives you any trouble, I’m here to support you.”
When she hesitated, her mind sorting through all the choices, he rose and said to the footman, “Send him in, will you? My niece and I wish to speak to him together.”
The footman nodded and walked out.
She jumped to her feet. “Uncle! I don’t know if I’m ready for this. I have to think about how—”
“Nonsense. It’s a simple matter.” He stuffed the document into his pocket. “Tell him you know all about his gambling, and you can’t abide marrying such a man after what happened with your father and late husband.” He took her rather forcefully by the arm. “You can’t let him send my brother to prison, girl.”
“Of course not.” Drat the man. He wouldnotleave until she sent Niall away, and she had to go along or risk his suspecting that she and Niall were working together. “But you must letmetell Lord Margrave or—”
“Tell me what?” Niall asked as he walked in. He dropped his gaze to her uncle’s hand on her arm, and his lips tightened. “Forgive me, sweeting, I was unaware you had company.”
Uncle Toby squeezed her arm.
She none too subtly tugged it free of his grip. “I’m afraid I have a delicate matter to discuss with you, sir.”
“Oh?” Niall searched her face, and she put as much emotion into her gaze as she could manage, hoping he read her mind as well as he usually did.
Crossing her hands over her waist, she drew herself up. “When I agreed to marry you, I had no idea of your . . . deplorable tendency to gamble every night away. But you’ve spent the last two evenings at the tables and I find that intolerable.”
His eyes narrowed. “Intolerable? Two nights at the tables?”
She couldn’t look at him, afraid she would burst out with the wordsI love you. Which would rather defeat the purpose of jilting him. Or worse, she might say,My uncle could be one of the counterfeiters, though she had no firm evidence of that.
“It’s the timing of those nights that’s problematic,” she said. “If you can’t stay away from gambling now, when we’ve just become engaged, how can I believe you’ll stay away from it later?” Deliberately, she turned to meet his gaze. “Once we’re an old married couple, I mean?”
Something warm flickered in his eyes, leading her to hope he understood what she was trying to tell him. That she trusted him, loved him . . . wanted to bemarriedto him.
