Miller, Raine - The Undoing of a Libertine (Siren Publishing Classic) (37 page)

* * * *

Jeremy shivered, and it wasn’t from the cold of the season. The solarium of Sir Rodney’s London townhouse was quite pleasant actually, and the sun’s valiant efforts were a bonus for December. No, his shivers were involuntary and happened whenever he allowed himself to think of Gina being groped and terrorized in the paws of that madman, Strawnly. He tried not to fall prey to those horrible images, but the visions popped into his mind at the oddest times—

Jeremy looked up to the sound of the door opening.

“Sir, your scheduled callers are here,” the old butler announced.

“Thank you, Wiggins, show them in please.”

Wiggins shuffled off and returned eventually with two people in tow, one of which to whom Jeremy was deeply indebted.

“Mr. Ned Smith, Coachman, and—” Wiggins paused in his address, giving the unkempt boy a look of fright, as if the boy might bite at him or do something worse, like soil the carpet.

“Danny.” The boy finished the butler’s address for him and bobbed his own head.

Jeremy stood and grinned like a devil. Wiggins backed out of the room and shut them all in together, shaking his head in disbelief the whole way.

“Master Danny, at last! I’ve wanted to thank you, young man! You did us a good turn, helped to rescue my wife, and for that you deserve a reward. What have you to say?” Jeremy asked the boy, thinking he’d send him directly to the kitchens after this interview for a hot meal and a good scrubbing.

“Thank you, Mr. Greymont, sir. It’s a right thing to help a lady when she’s needin’ it. I’m pleased I could help your lady—er…Mrs. Greymont.”

“Again, I am indebted to you for your assistance, Danny.” Jeremy bowed.

Danny bowed back, a look of awe on his thin, dirt-smudged face. He tried to look Jeremy in the eye, but couldn’t help from wandering his gaze around the room, taking in the elegant furnishings, evidence of wealth he couldn’t really imagine when all he’d ever known was the poverty and hunger of life on the harsh London streets.

“Do you have any family that you know of?”

“No, sir. They told me at the work house I’ve no Mum or Dad.”

“You don’t stay at the work house anymore?”

Danny frowned. “I run away from there, sir. They was very mean. I get more food fending for myself…” He trailed off and peeked up at Jeremy, afraid he’d said too much.

“I see.” Jeremy put a finger to his lips. “Mr. Smith tells me you fancy the horses. You come every day and help with jobs in the stables. He thinks you have potential, Danny.”

“Oh.” Danny seemed unimpressed at first then looked as if he thought better of his response. “Is that a good thing, sir?”

“Do you know what the word ‘potential’ means, Danny?”

“No, sir.” Danny shook his head.

“It means you have the capacity, the ability, and the hope to succeed, if you’ve the will and the mind to learn. So here is my offer. You may have a place in my household, as a paid man, and under the tutelage of Mr. Smith here, in the goal of becoming a driver for me. Honest work, mind you, horsemen labor well, Danny, but you’ll have a safe and comfortable home for as long as you want, away from the hard streets, and you’ll never need worry about your meals again.” Jeremy gave Danny a polite nod.

Danny stayed silent, but Jeremy could see a tremor run through the boy, and fear. By Jeremy’s best guess, he looked to be around twelve or thirteen and didn’t quite know how to take in all the adulation, surely never had any, and was rightly wary of such foreign attentions.

“I can see you need time to consider, Danny, and that is fine. A man must make his decisions wisely and think carefully before rushing to a judgment. Why don’t you come back and see me when you have decided what you wish to do.”

“I—I—I accept, sir. I don’t need no time to think. I want to come work for you,” Danny blurted, his voice starting to waver. He twisted his scrap of cloth cap mercilessly in his hands. A tear appeared. And then another. “Th–thank y–y–you, sir. Thank you—”

Danny crumbled under the weight of emotion and buried his face in Ned’s jacket. Ned snaked out an arm and patted him on the shoulder. “There now, Danny. I told you it will work itself out,” Ned told him. “Buck up, boy, you’re a driver’s apprentice now!”

Danny swiped the tears away and stood tall before his new master. Ned left his hand where it was, and nodded to Jeremy in thanks.

Jeremy held out his hand to Danny. The solid shake the boy returned seemed a good omen for their future relationship.

Fate brought people together in the strangest ways, Jeremy thought. He owed this discarded boy so very much and felt enormously glad inside his heart to be allowed to make a difference in his, thus far, wretched and lonely life. The funny thing was, it made a difference in Jeremy’s life, too.

When the two took their leave, Jeremy kept Ned back. He waited until the stunned but hopeful Danny was sent off for the kitchens, in wonderment of his new station.

“I have a job for you, Ned. Have you any talent for acting?”

“I beg pardon, Mr. Greymont?”

“We have to help right a wrong that’s been done, Ned, and I am asking for your help and most likely the help of your new protégé. You may never speak of it once the job is done and if asked, must deny any knowledge of the facts. Do I have your pledge?”

“Never doubt it, sir, I am your man.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

…Remember that thou hast to be thankful and grateful

even for the mere privilege to breathe
…

—Eleazar of Worms,
Sefer Rokeah
(13
^th
c.)

“There you are! I was hoping to find you in here, my darling.” Gina swanned into solarium, carrying an envelope. Frisk hopped up from his place and greeted her first. She stopped to give him an affectionate pat and a good rub behind the ears. “Hello, Sir Frisk. Are you guarding the master again? I think you’ve forgotten whose dog you are,” she teased, lifting a smirking face to Jeremy.

She looked good enough to eat, he thought, all rosy and glowing in a pale pink gown. He wondered if their baby would be a son or a daughter, picturing light hair and hazel eyes upon a cherub face. In an instant, his emotions bubbled up, and he felt his eyes twitch. He blinked and pushed his sappy agitation down and away, thinking his injuries must have weakened his mind as well as his body. He didn’t ever want Gina to see him like this.

Jeremy reached out his hands to her and offered his lips for a kiss. “Miss me?” he teased, making his voice a little naughty.

“Always,” she told him, clasping his hands and pressing her sweet lips to his.

“I thought you were buried deep into party plans with Grandmamma, ordering new gowns and other fripperies for the yuletide. She’s got Grandfather and me in to see the tailor tomorrow. I know how it works.” He pulled her onto his lap and went straight for her neck, his hands wandering up her ribs and forward to the swells of her breasts. “But I’m very glad you came to find me,” he murmured, distracted by the softness and scent of her skin.

“Yes, well, I was, but I’ve managed to escape for the moment. Your grandmother is a very capable hostess and is quite dogged in her pursuit of the perfect festive accruements. She’s probably better at party arranging than I can ever hope to be. Actually, we shall be going out this afternoon to have a dress fitting and meeting ladies for tea. Grandmamma is introducing me to her friends, Lady Dorchester and Lady Lampson, and Lady Lampson’s recently widowed niece, a Mrs. Golding.”

“Well, good luck then. I try to give Lady Dorchester a wide berth and am afraid I cannot help you much with Lady Lampson either. My advice is to paste a content expression upon your face and sit there looking beautiful, which should be no trouble for you. Lady Lampson loves to carry the conversation, so you shouldn’t have to say much. Fortitude, Mrs. Greymont.”

“Sounds like a treat. I cannot wait,” she said wryly.

“Not to worry, my sweetheart, you have many other talents that I adore and appreciate.” He quirked his brows teasingly. “To what do I owe the honor of this welcome visit?”

“Two reasons, my darling.” She brought a hand up and smoothed back his unruly hair. “That boy, Danny, who helped us the night you were hurt.”

“Yes? What about him?”

“Well, according to Jane, Ned has taken quite a shine to Danny and begs to hope you might have something for him—you know, to get him off the streets.”

“Some persons prefer street life to that of a more sedentary inclination.” Jeremy enjoyed playing with her.

Gina gave her head a little shake, her chin lifting just a fraction. “Not Danny, I’d venture. Jane says he comes every day to help Ned with the horses and do errands and such. Jane and Ned are quite taken with Danny.”

“Ah. Are they indeed? And do you think this might in any way be related to Jane taking a shine to Ned Smith? I’ve seen the way your maid looks at my coachman with stars in her eyes.”

Gina cupped his face. “Could be. She looks at him rather the way I look at you.”

Jeremy nodded thoughtfully for dramatic effect. “So you want me to indulge the whims of our courting servants, do you? Next thing I know, Ned will be asking for promotion so he can marry her!” He kept his face stoic.

“Well, in this instance, yes, Jeremy, I do,” she said imperiously. “I cannot imagine that two loyal servants courting would be much of a bother to you, and since I know you to be the very best of men, and that helping Danny is the upstanding thing to do, I am sure a place can be found for the poor boy.”

She waited on his answer, perched so sweetly upon his lap.

“Will you do it?” she asked after a moment, questioning his long silence, the hint of frustration lacing her words.

He kissed her first. “You never asked for anything before. I love that you are asking something of me now. I hope it is just the first of many requests you will make of me. Seeing you happy is my joy. And yes, my darling sweetheart, I will make a place for Danny. In fact, I have beaten you to it. I met with Ned and Danny not one hour ago, and it’s already settled. He will come to live at Hallborough and work under Ned, who will groom him as a driver.”

“And Ned and Jane?” Georgina asked.

Jeremy shrugged. “Who am I to interfere with Cupid’s Arrow among starry-eyed lovers?”

She giggled at him.

“Does my lordly pronouncement meet with your approval, my lady wife?”

“You know it does, Jeremy. Thank you for helping Danny. It’s the right thing for us to do. I owe him more than I can ever repay.”

Jeremy thought her declaration odd and rather a bit dramatic. “Well, yes
, he made
all the difference in helping to resc
ue you from—”

“No, Jeremy. That is not the reason I owe so much to that boy.”

“What could possibly be the reason then?” he asked unbelievingly.

“You. You are my reason, Jeremy.” She kissed him on his forehead. “Without Danny knowing the way, we could have never reached hospital so quickly. Ned said he didn’t know where to go. Danny directed us straight to Dr. Cameron in time to save your life. You owe your life to him.”

“And not just to him. Also to you, my Gina.”

Jeremy held onto her for a long time, wondering if he now lived in a waking dream. So much of the foundation upon which his whole life had been built felt like air underneath him. Things that had held importance before meant little now. Self-gratifying behaviors were just that. They entertained the self, but didn’t offer anything helpful to the common good.