Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Matthew
It was several hours into Zachary’s visit when Matthew’s grandmama and bride-to-be finally returned home.
He and Zachary had moved from the billiards room, where they’d done the harder conversations about their brides—and, in Zachary’s case, about his former mistress Delilah—to the library for more comforting surrounds and lighter conversation.
Though Matthew supposed most people would not consider Drake’s activities and the mystery of their father’s murders to be lighter conversation.
It was more that they were not so emotionally engaged.
Truthfully, Matthew was not particularly emotionally engaged in any of the topics, but Zachary certainly was, especially when it came to Delilah.
Not that they got anywhere on any of the topics.
Zachary had no more idea what Drake was up to than Christian and Matthew did. He’d been shocked to hear about the state of the bawdy house they’d followed Drake to, and completely unsurprised that Drake had refused to speak about it when Matthew approached him earlier.
Neither were there any new clues as to the murder of their fathers.
They knew the Duke of Clarence’s steward had something to do with it—in revenge for the rape of his niece, a maid in the Clarence household, that left her with child.
But the man had fled. Drake had sent investigators after him, but so far, they had not returned with any more information.
The next clue they’d found was in the debts of the Duke of Hereford’s father, a profligate gambler who left his family nearly as poorly off as Johanna’s with his reckless spending.
He’d died in massive debt to multiple establishments and noblemen.
One of them had invited him to the hunting lodge where he’d died.
Why a man, who was owed such a massive sum of money, would issue such an invitation…
Well, the Earl of Cornwall had lived to tell the tale, but the Duke of Hereford had not. It could have been coincidence, but it needed looking into.
Which was why Christian, Drake, and Matthew had been in the Warrens the night Matthew rescued Johanna.
They’d all said they were headed home after not finding Cornwall, but Drake had not gone in the correct direction, and Christian and Matthew had followed him.
Which meant that they still needed to track down the earl, but without further information from him, they had very little to go on.
So, by the time Grandmama and Lady Johanna arrived, they were a welcome respite from talking in circles about the mystery.
“Well, now,” Zachary murmured, reaching up to pet Monkey Sinclair as he and Matthew strolled into the foyer. “They have been busy.”
Very.
Lady Johanna looked even paler than she had this morning and like she was holding herself up through pure willpower, but she was also smiling at his grandmama, so he took that as a good sign.
She looked… better. Even though she appeared exhausted.
There was something about her that was different, although he could not quite place his finger on it.
Perhaps just that she’d had the benefit of a shopping excursion.
Women did like shopping, so he understood.
Which he appreciated; without his mother’s and then his grandmother’s prodding, he would likely have ended up naked with an empty house and no idea why.
Matthew was good at making impulse purchases, not so good at ensuring the things he needed on a day-to-day basis were at hand.
That was left up to the ladies of the household, and men were not allowed to stick their noses into the ladies’ arena.
He shuddered to imagine how his grandmother would react if he even made the attempt.
It looked as though his grandmother was jumping right into teaching Lady Johanna everything she needed to know.
“Did you get everything you needed?” he asked, approaching his grandmother and dropping a kiss on her cheek.
“For now.” She beamed up at him. “It was a lovely day. Johanna did very well.”
“I am glad to hear that.” He turned to where Zachary was making his bow to Lady Johanna, which she returned with a very deep curtsy.
Once she was married to him, she would not need to curtsy so deeply, and he was rather looking forward to that.
There was something very pleasurable about sharing his power and position with a woman who had been through so much.
“Lady Johanna, a pleasure to meet you,” Zachary said, bowing over her hand. “And might I add, you look positively stunning. That shade of purple ribbon is inspired next to your eyes, like a field of violets on a warm summer afternoon.”
“You see?” Grandmama said, giving Lady Johanna a significant nod. “Poetry.”
“I… ah… thank you.” Lady Johanna’s violet eyes were very wide. They really were unusual. The way she smiled at Zachary made something twinge in Matthew’s chest. “That is very kind of you to say, Your Grace.”
“It is very easy to speak the truth, my lady. And please, call me Zachary as you are to be Matthew’s wife, and we will be friends.”
“Then you must call me Johanna. I must admit, I am not used to such formalities.”
Her guileless response made Zachary laugh.
“The formalities are something you will certainly have to get used to once you are a duchess,” he told her. “Everyone will insist on it. Though we can be less formal among close friends, of course.”
Some of the rakishness Zachary was known for—well, had been known for before Delilah—seemed to be coming through in his smile, and Matthew scowled.
His chest did that same clenching thing it had when she’d smiled at Christian.
Zachary was already engaged to one woman and in love with another, so he did not need to make up to Lady Johanna.
No, not lady, just Johanna.
Because if Zachary could call her Johanna, then Matthew certainly could. He was the one who was going to marry her after all.
Which was why he quickly claimed her hand from Zachary and put it on his arm. Zachary smirked at him for some reason.
“The ribbon does bring out your eyes very nicely,” Matthew said.
If there was one thing he was good at, it was colors.
He might not like to shop, but he did enjoy quality clothing and fashion, even if he found the process of purchasing it to be tedious.
“I’m sure it is not just the ribbon that you got. ”
“I think we got everything,” she replied with a quiet smile that did something quite odd to Matthew’s chest when she directed it at him. “In every shade of violet, except the royal purple.”
“No one will complain when they see her eyes,” Grandmama said, sounding almost maliciously triumphant. “Not many ladies could do so, but she will be a duchess and her sons in line for the crown, even if they are very far down the line.”
Because he was standing right beside her, looking into said eyes as his grandmother spoke, Matthew saw the startled shock that filled them at her words.
He was so used to knowing his place in line to the throne that he did not think of it, but obviously, Johanna had not considered that her sons would be as well.
Which made him feel even better about his coin choosing her for his bride.
Though she’d been at Blackstone Manor for the house party, to which Lady Astrid had exclusively invited dukes of the unwed variety, Johanna had not been duke hunting for dynasty reasons.
He fully believed it was the financial straits that had her searching for a husband, and the rank of a duke had not been a necessity.
That part he put up to Lady Astrid’s machinations. Because if she could enhance a friend’s future, she would. So, why not a duke?
It had not worked out precisely the way Lady Astrid had intended, but he was sure that she would be pleased with the end result.
“If anyone complains, send them to me,” he said gallantly. After all, it was his duty to protect his wife. And the idea of someone being anything but kind to Johanna, after all she’d been through… well. He would take much pleasure in playing the knight errant for her again.
“Thank you…” Her voice trailed off as if she was uncertain what to call him now. Especially after Zachary told her to call him by his given name, but Matthew was the one she was engaged to.
He leaned in, lowering his voice so that only she could hear him.
“You should call me Matthew.” He whispered his name like it was a secret, just for them, and for just a moment, it felt like his grandmama and Zachary faded away from the room, and it really was him and Johanna alone.
Matthew. She mouthed his name, rather than saying it aloud, her perfect pink lips forming the syllables in a manner that made his heart beat faster.
He might have completely lost his head and done something shocking like kiss her right in front of the others, if not for the supper gong.
It jolted him out of his reverie, and both of them pulled back.
Grandmama looked eminently pleased, though she quickly turned to Zachary.
“You’ll join us for supper, of course,” she said. “Unless you have another engagement.”
“Of course,” Zachary replied, smiling. “Nothing that I must rush to, though I am expected at Lady Chesterham’s ball later this evening.”
Which gave Zachary the opportunity to get to know Johanna better, which benefited Matthew as well.
Both of them were able to speak with her and Zachary; including Grandmama in the conversation as well meant there were as many stories about Matthew being told as Johanna told of her own childhood.
Matthew noted that his fiancée was more than happy to talk of the past during the time her father had been alive and much more loath to speak of anything in more recent times.
Which allowed him to deduce that things had only gone downhill once her brother’s guardian took over managing the estate and the estate’s funds.
Tomorrow, he would check to ensure that Drake had sent someone to dig into Mr. Blash.
Well, he would flip his coin to see if it was the right day to check in with Drake, in case giving him more time would be more appropriate.
Supper ended, and Zachary excused himself to get ready for his evening. Grandmama had announced over the meal that she’d cried off events for the next few days while they got Johanna sorted. After all, she could not attend a ball without the proper attire.
“The ballgowns will not be ready for several more days,” Grandmama said with obvious regret.
“That is fine with me,” Matthew said jovially.
He did not need to go to any more balls anyway, now that he had his bride.
Unless he was likely to find Cornwall there, although any of his friends who were still on the hunt could take on that duty.
It was unlikely Cornwall would be found in a ballroom, though, and far more likely he’d turn up at a gambling hall.
Which was where Matthew excelled, as long as he had not been banned for his uncommonly good luck.
His grandmother cast a gimlet eye at him but did not remark on his response.
“Hyde Park tomorrow,” she announced. “The ladies will want to meet Johanna before your wedding.”
Matthew winced but saw his grandmother’s point.
Johanna should be introduced to the other grande dames, the terrifying array of the older ladies of the ton.
Socially savvy and occasionally savage, they would be far less harsh if Johanna had been introduced to them before Matthew married her.
An elopement out of nowhere would have them out for blood.
The ton ran on talk, and the grande dames ran the gossip.
“Sounds as though your day will be busy—”
“You are coming too, Matthew.”
“Ah. Right. Of course.”
Damn.
So close.
But Grandmama had spoken, and there was nothing to do but grin and bear it.
At least with Johanna at his side, he would not be mobbed by young ladies, the way it often happened when he or one of the other eligible dukes stepped foot in a ballroom.
Matthew was very much looking forward to no longer being surrounded by debutantes eager to make his acquaintance.
Being crowded in made it very difficult to flip his coin when he wanted to decide which to talk to.