Chapter 18
Rowe set his cousin’s letter on the desk and felt like smiling for the first time since Miss Eubank had interrupted his conversation with Camilla. Miss Eubank was a worthy woman, but her timing had been poor.
He was pleased to receive the news that Miles and his little family were already in London, settled in Lord Poole’s house.
Evo was to return to school the week after the Hampstead excursion, and Rowe had thought to invite him once more to Jackson’s.
He had also hoped to see Camilla when he called, although going to meet Evo in Grosvenor Square did not guarantee he would be given a glimpse of her, or that she would talk to him.
Now that her niece was in London, however, he was at least likely to find her at home.
He sent for the footman to call for his horse and his valet to help him to dress.
His first priority must be to go and find Gerry, who he suspected would be in Hyde Park at this hour.
He had promised as much to Miss Eubank after she told him that a creditor had actually come to their house, and she was finding it difficult to keep the news from her father.
After he had carried out that duty, he would call upon Miles.
He looked forward to dropping hints in Camilla’s ear about his growing attachment, then watch her eyes sparkle and that high color grace her cheeks.
The large crowds walking in the park gave evidence to how fair the weather was.
As he rode in search of Gerry, he kept an eye out in the event that Camilla might be walking here as well.
He didn’t think it likely, but perhaps they had opted for a walk so Dorothea might show off her daughter to London Society.
He spotted his friend’s tall beaver top hat from a distance, where he was sitting astride one of his hunters. Rowe brought his own gelding over at a walk to meet him. They exchanged greetings and turned to ride in the same direction.
“You did well to purchase him from my uncle,” Gerry observed with satisfaction. “Someone would have snatched him up within a week.”
“I certainly have no regrets,” he said in reply. The conversation turned again to his carriage horses, then to other indifferent subjects until they had exhausted those and he came to the one he had in mind.
“Miss Eubank and I had a private interview the other day.” Rowe paused to think how best to word his request, but Gerry took the pause to mean something different.
“So you are taking the plunge then,” he stated with an arch look. “I never thought your mother would carry the day.”
“If my mother had succeeded, I would have taken exception to your manner of expressing your congratulations. But you are quite out. Miss Eubank and I spoke on subjects other than matrimony.”
“Are there other subjects than matrimony where women are concerned?” Gerry retorted.
Rowe hadn’t thought his friend so against marriage, and hearing his own cynical thoughts tossed back at him gave him pause.
Perhaps it was time to rethink his views.
Besides, there was a woman who didn’t pressure him on marriage, except to urge him to marry someone else.
He wished he could remove Camilla’s serious expression and remembered his objective to see her smile.
His spirits plunged as he returned to reality.
That would be difficult since she likely suspected he was flirting to no purpose.
Perhaps once he had been, but now…now it was something more.
“Miss Eubank approached me—” He stopped, honesty forcing him to clarify the statement. “Well, more accurately, I approached her at Mrs. Answorth’s, for I could see she was unhappy. We arranged to meet in the park so she could tell me what was troubling her in a more private setting.”
“Careful. Before long you will find yourself hitched.”
“Perhaps. Although I am not likely to be so easily caught.” He did not say aloud what he was thinking.
Except that I have been caught by another woman—and most willingly.
“What troubles Miss Eubank is her brother’s propensity at the gaming tables.
She is concerned he might be a target, helped along to his own ruin. ”
“Christopher Eubank?” Gerry mused. “There has been some speculation at The Cocoa Tree over whether he is not dipping too deep, for he is increasingly seen at play. But since Sir Arthur’s fortune is reputed to be large, I assumed it was not a problem.”
“It wouldn’t be, except…well, Miss Eubank suffers qualms about how steep his debt is.
She said her brother has always been a bit reckless, but he has never been secretive.
Now, creditors are starting to dun him on his own doorstep.
” Rowe thought he caught sight of Camilla turning to walk down a path, and he paused, straining to see, only to find it was someone else.
“What is it?” Gerry asked.
Rowe shook his head. “It appears Eubank has frequently been in the company of Laverock, and she is afraid that he is urging her brother to play for high stakes. Once, in passing by the study where her brother was closeted with Laverock, she overheard something about promissory notes and him urging Christopher to find the ready. In short, Miss Eubank is concerned that her family’s fortune will not survive her brother’s gaming habits. ”
Gerry considered this. “If Laverock is leading him to ruin, then someone ought to do something about it. The man is invited everywhere in Society.”
“Indeed.” Rowe kept his eyes trained ahead. “Miss Eubank has given me leave to speak to you on the matter, since you frequent The Cocoa Tree, where this is happening. You might keep an eye out for Eubank and see if you can catch Laverock in the act.”
Gerry scoffed. “You must have maggots for brains if you think I wish to get involved. Come to think of it,” he exclaimed, “whyever did you get involved if you don’t want to marry the girl?”
Rowe expected such a reaction and was prepared.
“As you said, it is one thing for a young fool to rush headlong into wasting his fortune. It is another if a supposed gentleman is leading him to do it. Such a thing must be stopped. Besides, Miss Eubank is a worthy young lady, even if I have no aim to marry her myself. Her family is well-acquainted with mine, and I do not want to see them come to harm.”
“I am sure she is, but you can hardly think I will stir myself over a matter that does not concern me. Why don’t you investigate it?”
“Because it would be too obvious. I’m not even a member of The Cocoa Tree.” Rowe paused. “If you agree to it, I will sell you my matched bays that you have been pestering me for.”
“Will you?” Gerry turned to him in amazement. “You must be serious indeed. Very well, I will do it.”
Rowe’s lips shot upwards. He had expected the capitulation but not for it to be so easy.
Ah, those horses were worth it, he supposed.
It would be a pang to separate himself from them.
Miss Eubank might not be reason enough to induce him to part with his brand-new carriage horses that were the envy of the ton, but he would do anything to ensure Laverock was exposed before he could further encroach on Camilla.
He decided to say a very little about this.
“There are family complications I won’t go into that make it imperative that Eubank is taken in hand, for at present there is no one to stop him, and it will mean his entire family’s ruin.
What is more, if Laverock is leading him into trouble, I want it known.
The man is pursuing Lady Camilla, who is important to me as Shaw’s sister-in-law. ”
“Only that?” Gerry asked. When Rowe didn’t answer him, he said, “I’ll see where things stand and if there is anything to prove against Laverock, I’ll see that it is done.”
“My thanks. There is just one other thing,” Rowe said before taking his leave. “Miss Eubank asked if you wouldn’t mind speaking to her directly about what you find.”
Gerry looked startled. “I don’t see how that will be necessary.”
“It is not, but she asked for it. And it would be a kind thing to do.” Rowe paused a beat before adding, “Remember how well you will look driving my bays.”
“How true,” he exclaimed. “I will meet with ten Miss Eubanks if I must.”
Rowe was admitted into the drawing room where chaos was in full display.
He sought a glimpse of Camilla, but she was sitting at the writing desk with her back to him.
Augusta, now standing with the help of the sofa, bounced up and down on her legs, and he went over to her first. She pivoted in her position to see Rowe, and sent him a grin that showed all of four teeth.
“Pembroke!” Miles exclaimed, coming to greet him.
They shook hands, and Rowe greeted the family in a general way, looking again over to where Camilla was, but she had turned away. He distracted himself by going over to his goddaughter, enchanted when she lifted one arm to him.
“Not very discerning, is she?” Rowe said to Miles.
“All I can say is she does not do that for everyone,” his cousin replied. He swooped his daughter up into his arms and handed her promptly to Rowe.
He knew a moment’s panic, and the memory of how fragile an infant she had been in his arms rushed back to him, along with Camilla seated beside him in the drawing room.
He looked down at the baby now, who was sturdily tucked in his arms and whose head did not wobble a bit.
She reached up and put both of her hands on his face, curling her fingers around his lips and yanking downward.
“Argh. Grrb,” he said pretending to talk, which made her laugh. “You are not discerning enough,” he told her when he had retrieved the use of his lips. “I believe I ought to repel you since I have no skill at conversing with infants.”
With his goddaughter in his arms, Rowe went around the room and greeted everyone more properly, complimenting Dorothea on her good looks and Lady Poole on her granddaughter. Then he came to Camilla, who turned to look at him, her eyes shuttered of all their usual brilliance.
“Good afternoon, Lady Camilla,” he said, his eyes on her. She dipped into a curtsy, but did not return his smile. Augusta began to pull at his folded cravat, which at last brought Camilla out of her brown study.
“Oh no, you don’t,” she said, giving her first real smile as she took her niece out of Rowe’s arms. “You will cut up his peace, for you must know that Lord Pembroke is excessively attached to his appearance. He thinks it is all he has going for him.”
“Not quite all that is going for me,” he replied, hand on chest pretending to be stung. In truth, he was tempted to be stung in earnest, if only a little. “After all, I have my looks, my title, my estate—”
“Yes, quite a catch,” she said with artificial gaiety at odds with her glittering eyes. “It is too bad for all the ladies of the ton that you are already taken.”
This stopped him in his tracks, and he looked at her in surprise. Did she think he had made an offer to Miss Eubank after he had told her he was not interested? “Taken by whom?”
“Lord Pembroke!” Evo had just walked into the drawing room. “I am to leave London in less than a week. Don’t forget you promised me another boxing lesson before I go.”
“I haven’t forgotten,” Rowe said. Fortunately, Evo had something he wished to say to Miles because Rowe did not want to wait before learning what Camilla had meant by her words.
“Taken by whom?” he asked again, turning back to her.
“By your own consequence.” Her eyes were fixed on her niece’s little head with soft brown curls, the baby’s fists covering her mouth.
She took one of Augusta’s fists in her hand and kissed it, then arched a brow at him.
“Or so you would have us believe, for you are unable to commit yourself to any one woman. Your own company is evidently all you need.”
“Little you know on the matter. I will have you know that I have decided to settle down.”
“Again?” she asked innocently, nuzzling into the baby’s neck and kissing her there, causing her niece to laugh.
He heard the dart she had aimed at him but was speechless from the scene he was witnessing in front of him.
It awakened a longing in his breast for a family of his own—she had awakened it.
Unaware of what she’d wrought, Camilla continued.
“Allow me to congratulate you, my lord. The lucky young lady will be exceedingly happy all those weeks when she might still dream that something will come of it.”
What had she meant by again? He knew his reputation for breaking hearts, but it was not as though he had actually declared his interest so openly to a woman before. “This time is different.”
The look Camilla shot him was one of pure incredulity before it transformed into a smile rich in irony. She dipped into a curtsy and went to deliver Augusta into her mother’s arms. He had been trying to get her to smile, but that was not the smile he had been hoping for.