Chapter Five
“Home, Fuller,” James said to his driver, his thoughts in a jumble as a damp and slightly malodorous breeze off the Thames swirled around him.
He would not blame Gwendolyn if she decided to cut off all ties to him, for he’d given her nothing but matchmaking frustration for months now, and today he’d given her unrelenting pain.
“Aye, m’lord.”
The sun was particularly bright, and the clang and clatter of carriages and wagons created quite the din. He shut his eyes a moment to close out the world around him.
Was this matchmaking business all a futile waste of time? And was it not ironic that, after all these failures, it turned out he wanted the matchmaker herself?
But Gwendolyn would not have him while she was stuck in a bog of her own making and refusing to let go of an undeserving beau.
James had no chance of winning her heart while that cur remained present in her heart.
Perhaps all of this effort was no use. Why not put an end to his search for a bride? Did it make any sense to continue the pretense when he’d found what he wanted in Gwendolyn, the one lady he could not have?
After all, his boys seemed to be doing better now. Far better than those first few years after their mother had died.
Her loss had been so hard on them. On him, too. The three of them had been in desperate need of a woman’s light touch, someone soft and sweet to make a good home for them.
Things were better now. It was possible they could do without, just the three of them making a go of it as best as possible.
Yet James still believed a woman’s influence was important. Jordan was already exhibiting rakish tendencies and would be difficult to control without a motherly influence to keep him in line.
Well, James had a few years yet to work on that problem.
Upon returning home, he checked on his boys, who had remained subdued and were still quietly reading in Jordan’s room.
Well, at least he had done something right today.
Robert was seated in one of the two cushioned chairs in his brother’s large bedchamber, engrossed in a book about pirates, while Jordan was reading one about ancient Roman military tactics.
James stood at the threshold and watched them for a moment before he stepped in.
“Papa!” Robert leaped up, the first to notice him.
“How is Lady Gwendolyn?” Jordan asked.
James nodded. “She’s fine.” Although this wasn’t true at all.
Robert glanced over at Jordan. “Can I get you something? Do you want more cake? Hot cocoa? Another pillow?”
Jordan smiled at his younger brother. “I’m good, Rob. Thank you for asking.”
Thank you? When had his boys ever been so polite to each other?
“Well, I’ll leave you both to your books. There’s work for me to finish before supper. How about we dine here in Jordan’s room tonight?”
“Yes!” they cried, smiles lighting up their faces.
“But must you attend to your work now?” Jordan asked, casting him a needy look that James found impossible to ignore.
“No, I don’t suppose I do.” He sat at the foot of Jordan’s bed and spent the next hour talking to his boys.
He was proving to be a disaster with women, but perhaps he was not so bad as a father. This was a small consolation.
They dined on mutton and roasted potatoes in Jordan’s room, then ended with lemon ices for all.
Afterward, when they were well satisfied and all talked out, James left them to their reading and headed to his study to attend to the work he had earlier put off. When the hour grew late, he set aside his papers and retired to the loneliness of his bedchamber.
He had been a widower for several years now, too caught up in his grief and worries about his sons to think much about bedroom activities. Even while Jessica was alive, they hadn’t been intimate for several years because she was too ill.
But he was suddenly feeling those manly urges again.
Spending an entire day in Gwendolyn’s company, even though it had been a rather difficult day, had revived something in him. He could not stop noticing the softness of her lips. Or the beauty of her eyes. The shapeliness of her bosom.
Her allure was not merely physical, although he would not deny it was an important part. She was also intelligent and compassionate toward him and his boys.
He undressed, set aside his clothes for his valet to attend in the morning, and fell into bed. His mind was still awhirl about Gwendolyn’s situation, and this concern kept him awake into the wee hours.
But he was now resolved on his course of action.
James rose early the following morning. To his surprise, his boys were still asleep. Yesterday’s mishap must have taken more out of them than he’d realized.
He left them undisturbed, knowing they would be kept busy throughout the day with their tutors.
But he wrote a quick note for those tutors to go easy on his sons today.
He then returned to his bedchamber to wash and dress for the day.
Crawford, his valet, entered to assist him. “Good morning, my lord.”
“Morning,” James mumbled. “I’ll be out for much of the day, Crawford.”
“You have Lady Fielding’s soiree this evening,” the capable man remarked. “Shall I set out appropriate attire? Or do you prefer to choose it now?”
“You do it.”
Drat. He’d forgotten about Lady Fielding’s soiree. Gwendolyn said she would attend.
Which led him to another thought. Why had he not seen her at the various balls, dinner parties, musicales, and other ton affairs over the past few years?
Perhaps she had attended, only he hadn’t been looking.
Well, he was looking now.
Blast.
Even his dreams last night had been filled with her, and not in any proper way.
He could not stop thinking of her this morning, despite having much to get through before he stopped in at her home.
He first paid a call on his solicitors to sign some documents regarding a business venture he was undertaking with an investor group. As he perused the list of investors, he noticed Gideon Knight and John Bonham, two of the Duchess Square husbands, on there.
Gwendolyn trusted them enough to confide her concerns about her lost betrothed. That was a point in their favor.
James had met Suzanna, who was Gwen’s cousin and married to John Bonham, several times now.
Suzanna was clever as a whip, and not the sort to ever be fooled by a scheming husband.
This put his mind at ease, for he’d also done his due diligence and felt this was a good investment led by knowledgeable men of honor.
Also on the list was an old family friend, Lord Berwick, one of the most honest and reliable gentlemen in London.
This day was starting out far better than yesterday.
He then met with his bankers to establish a separate account for himself for this new venture.
Afterward, he called upon Homer Barrow and got him started on investigating the disappearance of Andrew Clement.
“No one is to know about this, Mr. Barrow,” he insisted.
The man with a bulbous nose, pronounced jowls, and hawk-sharp eyes nodded.
“Aye, m’lord. But this could be a bad business.
I’ll make no judgments. However, if he is alive and has not bothered to contact Lady Gwendolyn in all this time, then he may be having second thoughts about marrying the lady.
Do not get me wrong, sir. I have met the ladies who reside on Duchess Square, and they are a catch for any man.
That he never attempted to contact her after the war ended gives me grave concern.
Even the most elite Crown agents have occasional contact with their loved ones.
This does not meet the Homer Barrow smell test, is all I’m saying. ”
James nodded. “I know, Mr. Barrow. I heartily agree. But I do not think anyone can convince Lady Gwendolyn to move on until she has more information about him…any information, good or bad.”
It was just past ten o’clock by the time he reached Duchess Square and the now-familiar home belonging to Gwendolyn.
“Good morning, Biggs,” he said with a cautious smile when her elderly butler opened the door to him, for he was not certain what reception he would be given.
“Good day to you, m’lord. Lady Gwendolyn is expecting you.” The man led James into the parlor. “I’ll let her know you have arrived.”
Now left alone, he took a closer look around the room. Yes, her tastes ran similar to his late wife’s.
He was not really surprised.
He shook his head. He wasn’t looking for Jessica’s twin to marry. Gwendolyn was different in many ways.
First, she was more intellectual and academically knowledgeable than his late wife.
Her mind was sharper, too. Not that Jessica lacked in intelligence, but she’d loved things domestic and had little patience for discussions about politics, history, or finances.
He’d never held that against her, for most women were bored by such topics.
Jessica had excelled at making a happy home for him and his boys. Gwendolyn would do the same, he suspected, for she had a streak of kindness that ran deep in her.
He turned upon hearing the rustle of muslin as Gwendolyn approached. “What have you decided, Milbury? Have you given any thought to your guest list for the house party?”
He let out a breath. “Are you coming to Milbury Hill with me?”
“Yes, we agreed upon that yesterday.” Although she did not look too pleased. “I did consider changing my mind, but my friends have left me with little choice. Suzanna told them all about this house party idea, and they unanimously anointed me as your hostess.”
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Anointed? My, they were serious about getting you to join me.”
“Yes, quite.” She cast him a wry smile. “Suzanna threatened to tie me up, gag me, and then toss me onto the fastest mail coach to Brighton if I tried to beg out.”
“I knew I liked your cousin,” he said with a chuckle. “She’s as fierce as a Viking warrior.”
Gwen laughed. “She looks sweet and fools everybody, but yes. She is most determined once she sets her mind on a thing. I suppose she is right. A change of scenery might do me good.”
“It will, Gwen. I know you’ll love it there.”