Page 49 of Masquerading with the Duke
With no other choice available to her, Martina allowed herself to be drawn backwards. She was furious not to have heard her abductor approach, but if she made a fuss then Redrow and Jared’s brother would most definitely hear her. As things stood, she would prefer to take her chances with her captor. If he took her back to the main street which was full of people, she’d be able to escape him.
As soon as they rounded the opposite side of the building, the man let her go.
‘Who are you?’ she demanded angrily, moving away from him and sending him a suspicious scowl, wishing she’d through to bring some sort of weapon with her.
‘Miss Martina Gomez-Sanchez, I assume.’
Her scowl intensified but she was curious now rather than frightened. ‘How do you know who I am?’
‘I am Ramsay, Mr Braden’s man,’ he said. ‘And from what he’s told me about you, it wasn’t difficult to make the connection.’
‘Hmm.’ Martina wasn’t sure what to make of that and so she said nothing at all.
‘You were eavesdropping?’
‘Of course not,’ she replied indignantly.
Mr Ramsay sent her an amused look. ‘Ah, I see. You were out of breath and stopped to rest.’
‘Yes, all right, I was listening,’ she admitted, aware that they were on the same side. ‘You were following Mr Braden’s brother?’
‘I was, but I lost him. Did you by chance hear what they said?’
‘I did.’
As Mr Ramsay conducted her back to the mews, she briefly outlined the conversation that had taken place.
‘Ha! I thought as much. Thank you very much, miss. Mr Braden will be much obliged for the information but probably annoyed that you put yourself at risk. If you had been caught…’
‘Tell Mr Braden that he is entirely welcome,’ she said with an impatient toss of his head. ‘And tell him also that I am not his responsibility.’
‘I can see why he likes you so much,’ Mr Ramsay said, amusement in his tone. ‘You have courage rarely seen in a man, much less a lady. Good day to you, miss,’ he said, leaving her beside her conveyance and doffing his hat.
‘Who was that gentleman I saw with talking with just now?’ Ariana asked, arriving back at that moment.
I was not talking to him, dearest,’ Martina replied, climbing into the carriage in her sister’s wake. ‘He merely raised his hat to me, that’s all.’
Ariana seemed satisfied with that explanation. For her part, Martina remained infuriated by Mr Ramsay’s unwillingness to explain the significance of what she had overheard, especially when she had taken such a considerable risk to hear it. Not that it really required any explanation, but still, she couldn’t help wondering what Jared would do to stop Redrow. And how she could help him. She had a pressing need to avenge herself against the horrible man too, but she didn’t imagine her problems would register with Jared and he would forget all about her.
Botheration, there was no way she could call upon him and insist upon offering her help.
Was there?
Chapter Fourteen
Jared watched his brother’s carriage leave, feeling deeply disturbed by the business that had brought Arthur to his door, to say nothing of seeing the abject state of his aloof sibling, all thanks to his own reckless stupidity. It was ever thus for those addicted to gambling; Jared had seen it frequently. One more throw of the dice, the turn of a card, the result of a horse race and the gambler was convinced that his fortunes would take an upward turn.
They almost never did.
Despite their differences, it saddened Jared to think that his brother’s dissolute lifestyle had brought him so low that he would throw Jared to the wolves, destroy their family’s reputation and make himself persona non gratain the eyes of a scandal-hungry society simply to get himself out of debt. To behave in such a cavalier manner, Jared assumed that the debts in question must be greater than the total sum of Arthur’s assets. It made Jared’s eyes water when he considered that possibility, since the family home was situated in a fashionable part of London, and was worth a considerable sum.
‘Damned, irresponsible fool!’ Jared shouted at the walls of his library, startling Thor who was dozing on the rug.
He wondered how Redrow had latched onto Arthur’s desperation and manipulated him so adeptly. It wouldn’t have been that hard, he reasoned, not once the heat had increased, suspicions abounded and everyone in government circles was actively attempting to uncover the identity of the mole. Jared’s family history made him the perfect scapegoat. Arthur was a familiar figure in some of the less salubrious gaming hells. It would have been easy enough for Redrow to purchase Arthur’s vowels and then agree to tear them up in return for services rendered.
Jared frowned at a possibility that he wanted to dismiss out of hand, but could not. He wondered how their mother would react when she learned what Arthur had done, and shuddered with distaste. He and his mother did not get along well; Jared disliked society and refused to let his mother manipulate him into becoming embroiled in a glorified marriage mart. That was partly why he had accepted Romsey’s invitation to join the diplomatic service. It had given him a valid excuse to distance himself from his interfering relatives.
But despite his feelings or lack thereof, shewashis mother and he owed her his grudging respect; as did Arthur. What his brother planned to do would destroy the old lady’s standing within theton.It had taken her years to recover from the scandal that had attached to Jared’s father’s name. Opinion would not be so forgiving a second time, and all the best doors would be closed in her face, and in that of Arthur’s socially-aware wife. The idiot selfishly thought of nothing other than his immediate circumstances and failed to see the bigger picture.
