Page 16 of Marry in Secret
Galbraith murmured, “Softhearted girl, your sister. Easier to reject a clean, respectable-looking man than a fellow who looks desperately down on his luck.”
“Maybe.” Ashendon gave Thomas a dirty look. “I’drather not introduce him at all. Send him on his way, pay the bastard off, and if there is a marriage, get it annulled.”
“Rose might have something to say about that,” Galbraith said. “She didn’t exactly reject him.”
She hadn’t exactly embraced him, either, Thomas reflected. But he didn’t say anything. He’d decide what to do once he’d talked to Rose.
“I can handle Rose,” Ashendon said.
Galbraith looked amused. “There’s a first time for everything, I suppose.” He looked pointedly at Ashendon and waited.
“Very well, dammit,” Ashendon said reluctantly. “We’ll take Beresford to his hotel, and he can bathe and change.”
“I don’t have a hotel,” Thomas said. “And until the Navy Board sees fit to release my back pay, I am entirely without funds. All I currently possess are the clothes I stand up in.” The look of disgust on Ashendon’s face was almost enjoyable. He thought Thomas was trying to push up the price of his bribe. “But I’m sure Ollie will lend me what I need.”
“And we’re supposed to await your pleasure while you find your friend and titivate, are we?” Ashendon snapped.
“You don’t have a choice,” Thomas pointed out. “I’m doing it whether you want me to or not.”
“No need to find your friend,” Galbraith said. “My house is just down there.” He gestured.
“I know that, what of it?” Ashendon said impatiently.
“Beresford can clean up at my place. My valet will take care of him. And find him some clothes. We’re much the same height.”
They both stared at him, Thomas with wary surprise, Ashendon with outright disbelief.
“Decent of you, Galbraith,” Thomas said. “My thanks.” Was Galbraith playing some deep game or showing genuine goodwill? Time, he supposed, would tell.
They walked the short distance to Galbraith House and Galbraith sent for his valet, a short, nattily dressed man. “Mr. Beresford requires a bath, Enders.”
The valet glanced at Thomas, hesitated, then an impassive expression—almost wooden—dropped over his face, like a theater curtain closing. “Very good, sir.”
“And a shave and haircut,” Thomas added.
A flicker of expression crossed the valet’s face before returning to wood, almost stone. “Of course, sir.” He bowed, a very correct bow that somehow conveyed that if his employer wished to ask his Very Superior Valet to clean up A Scruffy Beggar, then, against his better judgment, the superior valet would comply. But it had better not become A Habit.
“He’ll need a change of clothes, too. See if you can find something of mine to fit him,” Galbraith added.
The valet bowed again. “Very good, sir.” Meaning quite the opposite. “If you would come this way, sir?”
***
While Beresford was upstairs cleaning up, Ned’s butler, Fenchurch, provided them with a cognac and left them to ponder the situation.
Ned sipped his cognac. “Not exactly how we expected the day to turn out.”
Cal grunted and stared into the fire.
“Think there’s anything to his story?”
“I do, dammit,” Cal said. “You didn’t really know Rose back then. She was completely uncontrollable. Sneaking out and getting herself married to some impossible blackguard was exactly the sort of thing she’d do.”
“So you’ll accept it?”
“No. It’s a devil of a tangle, but I swear I’ll get her out of it.” Cal stared into his glass, brooding. “Somehow.”
There was a long pause, then Ned said, “I find his approach interesting.”
