Page 13 of A Lord's Chance
“As a young clerk employed by Sotheby’s. I will likely achieve more if I was introduced in society as a colleague of yours, my lord.”
Lloyd hated that he needed this pointed out to him. He always missed these social cues, and even though he’d spent years memorising all the rules of society—rules he was grateful existed—he still needed the reminders. “Yes. Yes, of course. You should come as my guest.”
“Excellent. Should I come to your rooms when I have finished work and we can travel together?”
“Yes.” Lloyd ignored the ache in his chest telling him he’d missed something important. He often felt like that, but at least it wasn’t going to be a lack of invitation. He had a stack of invitations to every event held among the ton, and his Secretary, Mr Jadeja, was always inquiring if he would be attending any of them. Lloyd gave Mr Milson his direction, then said his farewells before heading home. Apparently he was going to socialise tonight, and he needed to take a nap and a bath to prepare himself for the effort. If he wanted to figure out who Hobart was, he’d need to get through a lot of boring pointless social chit chat first. Why couldn’t people just get to the point of things?
Chapter 10
Nobbie stood beside Adam at the corner of the Duke of Harrington’s ballroom after telling his friend the whole sorry saga. “Enough about me and this damned watch. What’s happening in your world?”
“Hedwick is trying to marry his daughter off to anyone who’ll take her, poor girl. She’ll end up with someone unsuitable. Hedwick lost money on a Caribbean plantation and needs to get his daughter married before anyone knows.”
“How? Plantations are built on enslaved labour, the costs are minimal, it’s basically impossible to lose money.”
Adam sighed. “The rumour is that his agent cooked the books and stole everything.”
Nobbie coughed, rather than laugh. “Serves him right for owning a plantation.”
“Yes. I have no sympathy for him. I am concerned about his daughter who is young, pretty, and naïve.”
“Like all the ton’s daughters.”
“Most, yeah. But most of them have decent fathers who care about their safety after they are married. Hedwick is increasing desperate.”
Nobbie turned to his friend. “It’s not your job to save every woman in the world. And if Hedwick has no money, there’s no money in it for us to save her.”
“I couldn’t save Rose, Nobbie. I have to try and stop that happening to everyone else.”
“None of us saved Rose.” Nobbie hated that their childhood friend had married the Earl of Miles-Wilkes, who had pushed her down the staircase, killing her.
“Maybe your friend Lord Lawndry will marry her. I hear you stole a dance with her from under his nose, and he was annoyed at you for it."
Nobbie swallowed. “My friend Lord Lawndry?” He was surprised at the phrasing, especially after telling Adam the whole reason they’d been spending time together was because of the watch. He didn’t think he’d given away too much.
“Friend, or? Was that a wistful tone I heard when you spoke about?” Adam paused, and Nobbie wished his friend didn’t know him quite so well.
“Adam.” He tried to convey that Adam should mind his bloody business.
“I’ve seen him at the King’s Book Club.”
“Have you? I would’ve thought the Soho Club was more his style.” Nobbie didn’t need the hint from Adam he’d guessed that Nobbie already knew that Lawndry was interested in men, just like Nobbie and his friends. The Soho Club had a broader audience than the King’s Book Club, and mentioning it might help muddy the waters, but no, Adam’s eyes twinkled as he grinned. Nobbie knew that look.
“You should come out with me more often, then you’d know who everyone is.”
“I have you and Earnest for all that gossip. If I’m to be the financial brains, I need to have a clean reputation. Charmers like you and Earnest can be more ... careless.”
“Careless, or fun?”
“Oh come on, Adam. You know what I mean.”
“It wouldn’t hurt you to be less serious sometimes.”
Nobbie elbowed his friend. “Says the guy who wants to save every woman in London from terrible husbands.”
“Oh, look there is your Lord Lawndry.” Adam’s teasing tone shouldn’t have sent a spike of heat through Nobbie’s chest. Heknew he should say that Lloyd wasn’t his, but he was too busy searching the room for him.
“Nobbie.” Adam’s whisper softened. “I think I need to meet him.”
