Chapter Thirteen #2
‘Blimey,’ Ezra said, scratching his head and leaving his dishevelled hair standing on end.
‘What a cad! Glad you didn’t jump to conclusions about her actions, though.
Lady Farrah don’t strike me as the sort who would knowingly enter into any sort of liaison.
The worst crime you can lay at her door is being a little na?ve.
She’s desperate to find her father and probably didn’t stop to consider the ramifications for her personally when she agreed to meet the bounder alone. ’
‘Templeton is certainly amoral,’ Reuben agreed. ‘I had no idea of the depth of his depravity, but I cannot say that I am totally surprised by it. He thinks his position in society makes him immune to the rules. But still, no harm done – at least insofar as Lady Farrah is concerned.’
‘You’re wondering if Templeton and Dalton are in cahoots, I’m assuming, and want me to do a little sleuthing on your behalf.’
‘His lawyer is a friend of yours.’
Ezra nodded. ‘Davis is a good man. He and I were up at Oxford together, as well you know. You’re thinking that any agreement between them will have passed through Davis’s hands.’
‘Depends just how legal it actually is, if indeed it exists.’ Reuben paused. ‘Is Davis dependable?’
‘You’re trying to decide if he would risk his reputation by being a party to the scheme?’
‘The possibility crossed my mind. He has a good reputation in Chichester, but I recall you telling me that he’s the son of a well-to-do gentleman who’s hit upon hard times –hence the need for a career in the law when Davis lived in expectation of inheriting the family fortune.
’ Reuben rubbed his chin. ‘A good enough reason for resentment, I’d have thought.
Rubbing shoulders with you, you idle bounder, might have added to his resentment.
He can’t afford to take his place in society, so he wants his revenge. ’
‘Templeton has made him certain promises in return for his willingness to oblige, I take it you mean?’ Ezra stood and stared out the window, narrowing his eyes as he considered the matter.
‘I really couldn’t say. I put my business his way when Pa died and I came into my inheritance, but I don’t see much of him.
Hey, just a minute, how do you know that Davis acts for Templeton? ’
‘Templeton sang his praises to me a year or so back. I thought it was odd at the time, the way he carried on about his lawyer being young and sharp. He described him as a man with forward-thinking views, not someone who was stuck in the past, unprepared to change with the times.’
Ezra flexed a brow. ‘He wanted you to place some of your business his way, I assume.’
‘He reminded me that I was acquainted with Davis. You brought him down here once. I’d forgotten about that until just now.
’ Reuben leaned back in his chair and considered the situation.
‘This conversation took place just after I’d called Templeton out on his shameful treatment of his parlour maid, and we were being only superficially polite to one another by then when I couldn’t avoid our paths crossing in social situations.
We still are, as it happens ? superficially polite, that is – and I sense a huge resentment on Templeton’s part.
I thought when he mentioned Davis to me that he was attempting to mend bridges, having no desire to be at odds with me, but I wonder now if he was trying to draw me into his underhand dealings by surreptitious means so that he’d have a hold over me.
Templeton has a high opinion of himself and will always resent me for interfering in the matter of the unfortunate maid. ’
‘I appreciate your thinking, big brother, but it ain’t as if I can politely ask Davis if he and Templeton are engaged in underhand business, is it now?’
‘No, dear boy, but he does represent your interests, and I dare say he has gossiping clerks who are keen to impress you.’ Reuben grinned. ‘Isn’t it time you checked up on your investments personally?’
Ezra rolled his eyes. ‘To oblige you, your grace, I will do my humble best.’
Farrah had no difficulty in avoiding her mother and sister when she arrived home still dripping wet.
She heard their voices coming from the drawing room, unsurprised when she realised that they were discussing Sophia’s wardrobe, disagreeing upon which gown she ought to wear when she next met with the duke.
Rolling her eyes, Farrah slipped up the stairs without disturbing them.
She hung her sodden cloak on the outside of her armoire and slipped out of her wet gown, reflecting on her narrow escape from Templeton’s vile clutches, aghast at his audacity.
How dare he! More to the point, what was she to make of the duke’s extreme reaction to a dilemma that had been partly of her own making?
His anger seemed excessive; the conclusions he had reached almost as outrageous as Templeton’s expectations.
Now that her own temper had cooled, though, she conceded that he did perhaps have some right to feel aggrieved.
He was a great man who had agreed to help her, at no inconsiderable inconvenience to himself.
Attempting to be independent was all well and good, but she ought perhaps to have gone to Reuben and explained Templeton’s proposition before complying with his demand for a private meeting.
He would have seen it for what it was in a heartbeat and advised caution.
But then again, if she had told Reuben and if he had insisted upon accompanying her, she would know nothing about Papa’s involvement with embezzlement.
Not that she knew very much now, she conceded with a wry twist of her lips, but at least it was a starting point, and one that the duke appeared determined to pursue.
Dressed in a fresh gown, Farrah threw herself onto the window seat and continued to ponder upon the events of the day as she combed the knots from her wayward hair.
She had sensed veiled hostility between the duke and Templeton at the duchess’s dinner.
Templeton also appeared to think that Reuben had a personal interest in her, which was just ridiculous.
Farrah’s cheeks warmed at the very idea.
Had Templeton used that apparent interest in an effort to exact revenge against Reuben?
Revenge for what precisely? She suspected that there was a lot more the duke had not told her, and she really had no right to pry into his personal affairs.
She reached her arms above her head and stretched, feeling tired yet energised, concluding that being proactive, no matter how confusing it proved to be, was preferable to wallowing in a mist of uncertainty.
Farrah glanced at the books that awaited her attention, feeling guilty about her procrastination.
Now was not the moment to daydream. She did not have the time to indulge in that luxury, especially when there had to be some clues to be found in the dusty depths of the ledgers.
But although she was aware that time was of the essence, she remained where she was, lost in a reverie.
She recalled the manner in which the duke had railed against her, jumping to conclusions even though her behaviour, her brush with personal ruin, was no concern of his.
At leisure to consider the matter in retrospect, she could see that he had a point.
She had been reckless and taken an almighty risk in meeting Templeton alone.
By not confiding in Reuben she had also implied a lack of trust and questioned his integrity at a time when he had already agreed to help her.
‘Foolish, Farrah,’ she cried aloud. ‘Foolish!’
If Templeton had forced himself on her ? and in retrospect she would not have put it past him ? then there would have been little she could have done to protect herself.
There was no guarantee that she could have used her weighted reticule as a weapon, even if she’d had easy access to it.
She shuddered, feeling hot and cold all over as she dwelt upon a near escape that had been brought about by her own impetuosity.
Why Templeton was so determined to violate her was another matter entirely, and one that she really didn’t have time to reflect upon when far more important matters awaited her attention.
She absolutely refused to consider the swirling desire that Reuben had managed to create deep within her core when he bestowed his heavy-lidded, seductive gaze upon her features.
And kept it there.
Farrah reminded herself that she was the sensible, practical, down-to-earth daughter. The sister who did not harbour unrealistic expectations or read anything more into a situation than actually existed.
Once she’d finished reprimanding herself, she moved to the table in the corner of the room and resolutely returned to her examination of the estate’s accounts.