The Earl's Secret Bargain Read online

  Wasn’t it odd that it stopped when hers did? Adjusting her hat to better block the sunlight from hitting her eyes, she tried to get a better look at the carriage. From where she stood, it was hard to make out the details of it, but she saw it had a darker color. It was either maroon or a rich brown shade.

  But it wasn’t in the best of shape. It was something a common gentleman might own. She bit her lower lip and thought over all the gentlemen her father knew who might own something like it, but she couldn’t think of a single one.

  “Are you ready to go?” Toby called out from behind her.

  She turned and saw he was at the bottom of the incline. She considered asking him to take a look at the carriage but decided against it. It was silly, after all. What were the chances someone would actually be following them?

  She could hear her mother saying, “Regina, you’re so quick to assume the worst. Whoever’s in that carriage is probably just tired and needed to take a break like we did. Let your imagination rest.”

  Regina gave one last good look at it before she turned back to her carriage.

  When she reached Toby, he said, “We could stay for a while longer if you want to keep walking.”

  “No, I’m ready to leave.”

  Even if she couldn’t explain why the carriage unnerved her, she knew better than to go against instinct. It was best that they leave.

  The rest of their day was a quiet one, and despite her apprehension about possibly being in the same room with Toby, she was relieved to reach the inn. She wanted nothing more than to stretch out on the bed and close her eyes. After she put her embroidery back in the valise, she got out of the carriage. From the looks of it, Toby seemed equally relieved that their journey was over for the day.

  Toby cupped her elbow with his hand and led her away from the carriage.

  “Are you taking me for a walk?” she asked.

  “No, but I will if you want me to,” he replied.

  “I’d rather eat.” Now that they were out of the carriage—and would be for the rest of the night—she could think about food again. And her stomach was more than happy to remind her it’d been morning since she had a good meal. “What is it?”

  “Would you like your own room?”

  “I thought I made it clear we won’t be sharing a bed, at least for a while.”

  Though he winced, he nodded. “You did.”

  “Then why did you ask?”

  “Sometimes there’s not enough rooms available. In case they only have one, I’ll give it to you.”

  She hadn’t considered that possibility, but she understood it might be the case. She also knew the stables or carriage would be an uncomfortable place to spend the night. “If that’s the case, we’ll share a room, but nothing will happen between us. Agreed?”

  “That’s fair. And thank you.”

  But as it turned out, his fears were for nothing. There were enough rooms available, and soon she was sitting in front of the vanity, brushing her hair. What she really wanted was a bath, but she could wait until they got to Greenwood.

  A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts of soaking in a tub. With a sigh, she put the brush down and went to the door. “Who is it?” she called out.

  No answer came, and Regina hesitated to open it. There was no telling who was on the other side. But something told her she should.

  She retrieved a hatpin and held it behind her back. If someone on the other side intended to harm her, she’d use it. Granted, it was a feeble method of protecting herself, but it was all she had. With her free hand, she opened the door a crack and saw a lady who thought nothing of showing her cleavage to the world.

  “Yes?” Regina asked.

  The lady cleared her throat and spoke in a soft voice that required Regina to strain in order to hear her. “Lord Davenport asked for me.”

  Regina frowned. This lady worked here, and as much as Regina’s mother tried to shelter her, Regina knew this lady did more than serve meals and clean rooms. She also offered her services to gentlemen. “If that’s true, why are you at my door?” Regina asked, choosing her words carefully.

  “This is Davenport’s room. Isn’t he here?”

  “You were listening when the innkeeper gave us our rooms. You might have been hiding in the shadows, but I remember you.” When the lady tried to bolt down the hall, Regina grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room. She shut the door and blocked the lady’s exit. “What’s going on? Why would you come here asking for my husband?”

  Her lower lip trembled. “Please, my lady. I don’t want any trouble.”

  “If you didn’t want trouble, you shouldn’t have come to my door and lie to me. My husband didn’t send for you. Who did?”

  “I didn’t want to do it. But money’s been tight.”

  “Someone paid you to come here and pretend my husband asked you to join him in bed?” When the lady started crying, Regina forced her tone to soften. She might not like any of this, but it was apparent the lady felt like she had no choice but to deceive her. “Who put you up to this?”

  “I can’t say. I promised not to speak his name.”

  Sighing, Regina went over to her vanity. After setting the hatpin down, she picked up her reticule and pulled out some money. Returning to her, she showed her the money. “I won’t tell anyone you came here, but I do want to know who sent you and why.”

  Sniffing, the lady wiped her tears with the back of her hand and shook her head. “I don’t know why. All I have is this.” She pulled out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and gave it to Regina. “I can’t read, so I don’t know what it says. I was only told to give it to Lord Davenport.”

  Regina opened the paper with a glance at the lady in front of her. The lady didn’t want to do this. That much was obvious. Her need for money must be great. Forcing her gaze to the paper, Regina read the note addressed to her husband, “No one makes a fool of me.” It was signed by Lord Pennella.

  “Where is this gentleman who sent you here?” Regina asked as she handed the lady the money.

  “He’s in his carriage.”

  “Can I see the carriage from my window?” Regina asked as she walked over to it.

  “It’s on this side of the inn, so yes, my lady.”

  Regina peered out the window, and her gaze went to the familiar carriage she’d seen a couple times earlier that day. “What does it look like?”

  “A dark brown and reddish color.”

  Yes, that was the same carriage all right. So she hadn’t been overreacting. And now she knew that leaving London hadn’t stopped Lord Pennella from acting like a spoiled brat who was having a temper tantrum because he didn’t get what he wanted. Well, there was only one way to put a stop to this nonsense, and Toby wasn’t the one to do it.

  Regina marched over to her door and opened it. “I want you to get the innkeeper to accompany me out to the carriage.”

  The lady’s eyes grew wide. “You can’t mean to confront him.”

  “Oh, that’s exactly what I’m going to do, but I’m not stupid enough to do it without some help.” Lord Pennella had just proven how underhanded he was, and she wasn’t about to face him alone.

  Though the lady didn’t seem convinced this was the best course of action, she hurried out of the room and led Regina down the stairs to where the innkeeper was going through his ledger. As she explained what Regina wanted, Regina went to the window near the entrance and saw the carriage hadn’t budged. What was Lord Pennella waiting for? Did he want Toby to confront him?

  Granted, she didn’t know Lord Pennella very well, so it was hard to figure out his motive. But if he was willing to run after her and Toby, she had no doubt he sent the missive on her wedding day in hopes that she’d be there to see it.

  Gritting her teeth, she thought over what she was going to say to him. All he needed to know was that she caught him and knew exactly what was going on. Obviously, she was supposed to believe Toby wanted to take someone else to his bed. And she
was supposed to believe that all Toby did was make wagers on how foolish she was.

  The innkeeper came over to her. “I was told someone has been bothering you and you need my assistance.”

  “Yes, that is correct. Will you escort me to that carriage over there?” She pointed to it.

  He nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  Relieved he didn’t ask her why or suggest she have her husband escort her, she led him outside. She didn’t want Toby involved in any more of this nonsense. And if Lord Pennella saw her without him, it might make more of an impression on him. He wasn’t going to manipulate her like he had manipulated her husband.

  She stormed up to the carriage and yanked the handle of the door before the coachman could open it for her. She got a wicked satisfaction in watching Lord Pennella jump in his seat.

  “Is there something you wish to tell me, Lord Pennella?” she asked, her anger prompting her to exhibit a boldness that would have even made her mother run to another room.

  He blanched, and she could tell he was struggling to come up with a sensible reply. Except, there wasn’t one. She knew full well that he had no excuse. He was acting out of spite, trying to make things even more difficult for Toby. And even if she was still hurt from the wager, she couldn’t accept someone treating Toby this way.

  “I believe the silly wager you and my husband came up with is at an end,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “I know everything. I know you bet each other’s estates. I know the wager fell apart the minute it was printed in the Tittletattle. I know you sent him the missive on my wedding day, and I know you lied about the second wager. I know you sent a lady to my room with the intention of making me believe my husband intends to share a bed with her. I know everything you’ve done and are doing. If you hope to make things difficult for me and my husband, it won’t work.”

  She took a deep breath and stared at him, waiting to see if he would respond. But the fool only looked at her as if he was trying to figure out what was going on.

  “I was going to choose Lord Davenport,” she finally said. “You never had a chance, regardless of what my mother wanted. Even if I had to create a scandal or run off to Gretna Green to avoid a future with you, I would have done it. So you’re much better off with things the way they are. This way you got to keep your estate.” After a moment, she added, “You lost, my lord. Go home and deal with it.”

  She slammed the carriage door.

  The innkeeper hurried after her. “My goodness, my lady, but that was mighty impressive.”

  “It was a long time in coming,” she muttered as she entered the inn.

  “My lady,” the innkeeper said, jumping in front of her so she had to stop, “forgive me for being blunt, but I fancy a lady who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.”

  “Actually, I wouldn’t mind a hot bath to calm my nerves.”

  “It will be my pleasure to have one brought up for you.”

  Since he was so obliging, she asked, “May I also have a cup of green tea with a hint of peppermint?”

  “As my lady wishes, it shall be.”

  “Thank you.”

  She marched up the steps and headed down the hall. Her steps slowed outside Toby’s room, but she continued on until she reached her room. She’d had enough excitement for the night. All she wanted to do was take a bath, eat dinner, sip her tea, and go to bed. She could deal with Toby tomorrow.

  As soon as she entered her room, she went to the window and was satisfied when she saw Lord Pennella’s carriage heading down the road, back in the direction of London.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning after they ate, Toby led Regina to their carriage. Before she got in, he noticed she stopped for a moment and glanced around, as if looking for something.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  After a moment, she shook her head. “No, nothing’s wrong.” Then she climbed into the carriage.

  Wondering what she’d been looking for, he scanned the area but didn’t see anything of interest. With a shrug, he settled into the seat beside her.

  The carriage moved forward, and he spent the first hour staring out the window, not really seeing anything. He couldn’t help but run through everything that had happened since that day at White’s when Pennella came in bragging he could get any lady he wanted. Why did he keep torturing himself by thinking of all the things he should have done?

  No matter how much he wished it, nothing was going to change the past. There was only one thing he didn’t regret, and that was meeting Regina. He didn’t think he would have gone up to her any other way. He’d been too afraid to go up to any lady because of his financial ruin.

  He glanced at Regina who was staring out the window on her side of the carriage. He frowned. She seemed to be searching for something. “Did you forget something at the inn? Should we go back?”

  She turned her gaze in his direction and shook her head. “No. Everything is all right.”

  Since she wasn’t more forthcoming, he settled for nodding and picked up the very dull book he’d brought along for the trip. Most of the time, he stopped reading it and only stared down at it so she’d assume he was reading instead of thinking about her. If the wager had never been exposed, he thought they might have spent their time in the carriage kissing and holding each other. She might have even felt well enough to talk to him.

  When the carriage came to a stop so they could take a break, he asked her if she wanted to take a brief stroll with him. He hadn’t expected her to agree, but to his surprise, she did.

  “A walk will help ease the stiff muscles,” she explained, probably seeing the surprise on his face.

  “Yes, it will.” If that was why she agreed, he’d take it. At least she wasn’t choosing to walk in another direction from him. “We should arrive at Greenwood right before dinner tonight.”

  She nodded. “I was going to ask you how much longer we have to go.”

  He wished she had asked. It would help him know what she wanted to talk about if she’d ask him something. He’d even be delighted to talk about something as simple as the clouds in the sky or birds flying in the air as long as he knew it would interest her. But she offered no questions, so he opted to tell her—or rather warn her—about Greenwood.

  “I’m afraid Greenwood isn’t exactly what you’re used to,” he began, even now resisting the urge to cringe as he remembered the way he’d left it.

  “Is it a little cottage?” she asked.

  It took him a moment to realize she’d offered a joke. With a smile, he said, “No. It’s large. What I meant was that… Well, it’s been years since it’s been maintained. As soon as we married, I sent servants to fix it up so it would be deserving of you. But I’m afraid the poor staff will need longer than a couple days to restore it to its former glory.”

  “How bad is it?”

  Her inquiry was made directly, and thankfully, there was no indication that she was disappointed. Maybe she had expected it. If that was the case, then he felt better already. “The lawn is overgrown, the stables show wear and tear, and the manor itself is in need of repair. Though,” he added, “the inside needs it more than the outside. That should make the staff’s job easier. And the furniture isn’t so bad. I made sure to keep it covered to help preserve it. I also did it to protect it from dust.”

  She glanced at him, her eyebrows furrowed in that familiar cynical way of hers, which still had a tendency to endear her to him. Other gentlemen might have been put off by it, but he liked it.

  “May I ask how your estate came into such poor condition?” she asked.

  “My father wasn’t a good businessman. And, he had a weakness for the gambling hells, especially when he got drunk.”

  “I hear a good number of titled gentlemen lose their fortunes that way.”

  “You heard right.”

  She stopped and turned to him, so he paused and looked at her.
She had a way of looking at him with those amazing green eyes that made him want to hold her. And even more than that, he had the inclination to get on his knees and beg her to forgive him.

  But before he gave into it, she asked, “When you and Lord Pennella picked me, was it because of my father’s money?”

  “No. I didn’t realize you came from money until I came to your townhouse to take you to Hyde Park.”

  “Then why me?”

  “You weren’t easily given to flattery. Pennella relies on his charm to get his way with the ladies. I figured he wouldn’t get away with it when he tried to charm you.”

  She smiled, and this time there was a hint of pleasure in her eyes. “Thank you, Toby. That’s one of the nicest things anyone ever said to me.”

  He wanted to ask her why she said that, but the coachman called out that the horses were ready. It was enough they’d shared a pleasant moment. He wouldn’t press his luck by saying anything else. He followed her to the carriage and got ready to continue their journey. This time when he opened the book, he didn’t mind the silence so much.

  ***

  The next morning, Regina wrote a missive to her parents in the drawing room. When she was done, she decided to see what Toby was doing. He’d given her a quick tour of the place when they arrived the previous evening, but it’d been late. They’d only had enough energy to eat a quick dinner before retiring to their separate bedchambers.

  Now, as she searched through the rooms, she wondered if Toby had decided to take a nap. While she’d gotten a good night’s sleep, she was still a bit tired from their journey. But she knew she’d never be able to sleep right now.

  She was ready to give up her search when she finally saw him in a room lined with portraits of his ancestors. She entered the room just as he took down one of the portraits off the wall to dust.

  “Are you so bored you’re wiping down the portraits?” she asked in a teasing tone.

  He glanced at her and smiled. “I thought I’d make myself useful.”

  “There are a lot of rooms in this place. The maids will probably have more than enough to do for the entire winter.”