An Inadvisable Wager (The Curse of the Weatherby Ball Book 2) by Eliza Lloyd (the best novels to read txt) 📕

There was no guarantee Exeter would be at such a house party. It certainly wasn’t clear what his plan might be even if he were there. A duke would have no motivation to marry his granddaughter to an earl with nothing. Even more difficult, convincing the mother of such a girl that it was a good match. Count on a mother to throw up every obstacle if there was even the possibility of a match with better prospects. No, Timothy was safe for now.

Gabriel set his fork to the side of his plate. It surely had nothing to do with the rumor of Blasington’s treasure, did it? Exeter was as wealthy as they came. And Gabriel’s father had done all he could to find it, without success.

Mr. Brady came in, hat in hand.

“Mr. Brady. Good morning,” Lord Fortenay said.

Gabriel set aside his linen and shook Brady’ hand. “Are you ready for a busy day?”

“Certainly, sir.”

The horses and the open carriage were waiting near the front door. The day was overcast, but rain did not appear imminent. They had just walked outside when Nora hurriedly followed them out. “Carlow, Gigi says Timothy has left.”

“I know.”

“You have to do something!”

He took her hand. “My dear, I cannot solve every family problem, especially at this very moment. The young Earl of Wargrove must prove himself in a hostile setting, as we all do at some point. Let him learn.”

“But he is just a boy.”

“No, dear. He became a man when you weren’t looking. Now, let him be one.”

Chapter Ten

The conveyance carrying them to London, rattled and bounced along, making them bump shoulders at irritating intervals. Nora was a little angrier with each bounce. For every mile they traveled, Timothy was moving closer to his potential future involving Exeter’s progeny. Nora wasn’t prepared to accept such an outcome.

“Do you think we will be able to talk now?” Gabriel asked. “We are alone at last.”

“That’s not true. I have spoken to you,” she said.

“You have spoken at me. There is a difference. The world did not end when Timothy left for Reading. Nor did our marriage.”

Nora glanced out the window. She gritted her teeth, afraid to say anything. She couldn’t admit that Gabriel was right, because they didn’t know for sure. “I am not angry with you about Timothy going to this party. I am angry that we were not united in our decision to see that he stay safely at Whitmarsh until we know more about this woman,” she finally said.

“He will be fine. I expect that Timothy will return from Reading bursting with information about Cecily’s family. Maybe with information that will shine a light on the dark past.”

“Carlow, don’t you see how unprepared he is to enter the world of the beau monde? Our family’s name is only starting to recover, and that by marriage with you. He is not artful in the ways of conniving women; he is not experienced enough to discuss sly matters in which ton gentlemen tend to converse and he doesn’t have the outer trappings by which society judges.”

“You make him sound like an underdressed nitwit. Give Lady Fortenay some credit.”

“That is cruel.”

“Nora, I ask you, what could we have done to better prepare? If he has any sort of feeling for this girl, she is the only person he will attempt to know. His single-mindedness will make him oblivious to anything else and he will work tirelessly to impress her.”

“What about Exeter? You and I both know there is something suspicious in all this.”

“Knowing and proving are two different things.”

“I don’t want you to be right, Carlow.”

He laughed. “Why not? I have been right about a few things this month. My instincts the night of the Weatherby Ball were pretty good.”

He slid closer to Nora and put his arm across her shoulder. Kissing her in the middle of the argument was very unfair! He laid his hand on her thigh and it crept higher with each sway of the carriage.

When he pulled away, she sighed. “How long will we stay in London? I am anxious to return to Henbury Hall after all these years and all my plotting. It will be the culmination of my dreams.”

“Do you think Timothy will return to Whitmarsh or come to London to apprise us of his success? Maybe we should wait until we hear from him,” Carlow said.

“It would serve him right to travel the additional distance to see us.” She turned a smile upon her husband. “But he will come home. He’ll want to see it as much as I do.”

“Does he even remember Henbury? He would have been very young. Six, was it?”

“Yes, he was. But we’ve talked about it. There are things he remembers.”

“What he remembers, or what you’ve placed in his mind describing the past? I can barely remember a thing before I was twelve.”

“Would it matter?”

“Well, yes. You’ve given him a version of the past you experienced. Suddenly, the past is looking a lot different now that you have your mother’s last diary. All I’m saying is the urgency to go home isn’t the same for Timothy as it is for you, hence his desire to pursue an attractive female. That is more important to him at this point in his life.”

“Why do you keep steering us away from Henbury? Behind every one of your questions there seems to be a hope that I won’t want to go home. I don’t understand that. Henbury was the only reason for our marriage. It’s all I want. It’s all Timothy wants.”

“No, dear, it isn’t. And I think that’s why you are more upset with Timothy about his shifting loyalty than you should be. You see Henbury Hall as the end-all be-all. Timothy’s emotions are not so deeply tied to