The Matchmaker's Match (15 page)

“Shall I brace myself?” he asked.

Lady Amelia’s hands waved in a confident arc. “My lord, when accompanying me, you must always prepare yourself for surprises.”

He rather did not like the sound of that.

Chapter Twelve

L
ord Ashwhite obviously did not care for spontaneity. Amelia observed his grimace when they dropped Lydia at her home. She’d chosen to rent a hackney for tonight’s enterprise. No need to set tongues wagging more than they already were.

There was also the fact that she’d decided not to bring her lady’s maid tonight. The girl was no Sally. Hired by her brother, no doubt she’d go straight to him and inform him of what Amelia had done.

And Amelia was in more than enough trouble. She didn’t want to remember Ev’s accusations when he’d arrived home to find his wife abed, but they bounced through her memory anyway.
Her fault, all her fault...

Sharp daggers of pain lanced through her, so physical she had to contain her gasp. Instead, she focused on taking deep breaths, willing the pain, the guilt, to ease, if only enough for tonight’s mission.

“So where are we off to?” Lord Ashwhite leaned against the squab, arms crossed in a relaxed manner. He didn’t seem ill at ease to be alone in a carriage with a lady. Whereas her nerves felt at the point of shattering. Whether with remorse or anxiety, she could not tell.

Amelia shifted, measuring her words. Weighing the amount of trust she could put in this man.

“I am bringing you with me tonight for a purpose.” She paused. “You must understand that normally—”

“Normally?” Within the shadows of the hackney, his jaw hardened.

She was struck by the play of monochromatic tones across his face, those varying shades of black, and how they charcoaled his bone structure. She would remember this evening. She would sketch the mood of this moment, the deep contrasts, forever on vellum.

“My lady, you seem to have lost your train of thought.”

The throaty depth of his voice sent a pleasant feeling to curl in her belly. “I did no such thing.”

“Why do you do that?”

“What?” The warm feeling in her belly dissipated.

“Deny the truth.” He straightened, and even in the darkness she could feel his gaze pinning her to her spot. “Pretend to be someone other than you are.”

“Are you suggesting I live in pretense?” She tried to keep the hurt from her voice, but it managed to slip out. Perhaps he would not notice.

“I am not maligning you. I am simply curious. You’re a caring person with great emotional ranges. It’s in your paintings and in the way you treat children. Yet you wear a facade of practical indifference. You pretend that daydreams are not for you.”

Somehow Amelia swallowed past the boulder that crowded her windpipe. She peered out the small window. Weren’t they close to their destination now? She did not want to answer his accusations, did not know how.

Her silence tainted the air.

Lord Ashwhite cleared his throat. “Forgive me, my lady. I’ve spoken out of turn.”

“You certainly have,” she said pertly. And could not think of another thing to say. Did not know which words to formulate and could not bring herself to acquit him of his intrusion. A gentleman would not be so common, so...personal. Hadn’t he acted this way from the start, though?

She’d found his blunt and unpracticed ways refreshing.

Not when they came so close to the truth, though. Not when his words pierced the armor that kept her safe from pain.

The carriage drew to a halt.
Finally
.

“You may want to move to the side, as we’ll be having company.”

“Your brother?” Lord Ashwhite peered out his window, and the lamplight caught his frown. “No, we are on the other side of town. What is going on here?”

“Exactly what I want. Mr. Ladd shall be accompanying us.”

“Please tell me this is lawful.”

“And what did you think I’d be doing in the middle of the night, pray tell? Combing my hair? Dancing at some crush? No, indeed.” Excitement stirred within her. She leaned forward, commanding his attention. “I have much bigger goals to pursue. In fact, my worries about Lord Dudley may be well founded. There is something strange going on, and I shall tell you about it as soon as Mr. Ladd arrives.”

“If it is a problem for the constable, then you should allow him care of the matter.”

“Perhaps, if the situation comes to that, but at this point I am simply searching...”

“Searching?”

“For something.” She pushed her spectacles firmly against her nose. “I know not what. But I will.”

The carriage door opened, and Mr. Ladd stepped inside. “We are heading to White’s?”

“Yes, our usual,” she said while briskly waving him in.

She noted the glance he gave Lord Ashwhite before settling beside him. She rapped the top of the carriage, and off they went. As before, her pulse began to quicken and her palms sweat. Nerves, or perhaps the pants she wore beneath her skirt.

She could feel Lord Ashwhite’s disapproval, and it did not settle well. “Do not stare at me so. This is a common practice of ours, and if all goes to plan, I will be averting a great disaster.”

The priggish quality to her tone caused her to flinch. Did she normally sound so stuffy? So much like Eversham? A snuffled snort told her that someone was laughing at her. She scowled into the darkened hackney.

“Forgive me, my lady. I just did not take you for melodrama.” The amusement dripping from Lord Ashwhite’s tone carved the frown deeper into her face. She could feel her lips pressing tight. No doubt an unattractive quality, but then again, she’d never been known for beauty.

“What you have taken me for is of no consequence to me. The reason I invited you is because you are good friends with Ev, and I’d like a witness, as this will personally affect all of us.”

“I am confused.”

She sighed. “You need not know the details, only that you shall silently witness a confession from a man who I am quite sure is not only disreputable but also a criminal. I shall not allow him to take advantage of my brother.”

“What are you talking about? I ask again, my lady, why isn’t the law involved?”

“I am the law.” Mr. Ladd’s answer didn’t dent the palpable tension in the carriage.

“You’re a runner. Nothing more.”

“That is only one of my many occupations,” he said, voice cold.

Amelia watched the two men as best she could in the darkened carriage and hoped things went to plan. She couldn’t stop now. Somehow she must repair the damage she’d caused to her relationship with Eversham.

“Very well.” Lord Ashwhite let out a heartfelt sigh. “Do you care to disclose what exactly we will be doing and where we are going?”

Amelia swallowed away her regrets and forced the no-nonsense tone that more often than not got her the results she desired. “First we shall go into White’s and make conversation. During the course of mingling, we will spread out and find Lord Dudley. Whoever finds him first must mention that he has heard of his new venture and would like to invest in it.”

“Wait.” Lord Ashwhite held up his palm. “And how do you plan to get into White’s?”

“A disguise, of course.”

“You realize this is disreputable and dangerous.”

The corner of her lips tickled. “Never fear, my lord. Ladd and I have everything under control.”

* * *

Lady Amelia and Mr. Ladd had thrown Spencer’s world into chaos. Disbelievingly he watched the two round the room, stopping to talk to various gentleman. Not a one seemed to realize that Lady Amelia was a woman. How could they fail to notice?

Granted, the room was not well lit, and most of the gentlemen had been in their cups a tad too long. But who could miss the fine structure of her jaw or the fullness of her lips? And the way she walked... If she was going to wear trousers and pass herself off as a man, she must do better than this.

Before his very eyes, he watched a man greet her with a broad grin. It looked as though he called her by a false name... Spencer frowned. How long had she been doing this? Ladd needed a thorough talking-to. Surely he knew such a game was not safe.

Jaw tight, Spencer gripped his drink and harnessed every ounce of self-control he had to keep from dashing over, scooping her up and getting out of there.

“Cards not going your way this eve?” Lord Dudley came up beside him, a supercilious smile on his face.

“Not quite,” Spencer answered. He was supposed to say something but for the life of him could not remember what. Lady Amelia and her plans! He ground his teeth and tore his gaze from where she stood with a foolish group of young men too stupid to realize they told ribald jokes to a lady.

“Lord Ashwhite, correct?” The man beside him shifted on his feet. “Though we are distant cousins, we’ve not been introduced. You are newly a marquis.”

Spencer nodded. Dudley recognized him after all. A sudden ache crept into his chest at the remembrance of how he’d become a marquis. He rubbed at the spot. “And you are Lord Dudley.”

“Yes, I saw you briefly at Almack’s. You’re a family friend of Lady Amelia?”

“That’s right.” Spencer studied the man beside him, feeling a dark foreboding sweep over him. “I have a matter of a sensitive nature to discuss with you. It is fortuitous that we’ve met tonight.” He gestured to a quieter corner. “Perhaps we can discuss it somewhere...private?”

“Quite fine, my lord.”

Spencer saw the greed lighting the earl’s squinty eyes. Feeling grim, he led the man toward Mr. Ladd, who had spotted them and waited by a potted palm tree well removed from the bustle of the gaming tables. There was something amiss here, something he had no doubt the indomitable Lady Amelia should not be dabbling in. So why did she?

What was driving her to take these risks with her reputation? Not to mention her safety. A gentleman’s club was no place for a lady. He gave Mr. Ladd a brisk nod, then turned to Lord Dudley.

“This is my business partner.”

“Ladd.” They shook hands.

“Now, about that sensitive subject...”

* * *

It was an hour later when the three of them finally made it back to the hackney. Spencer was so angry he could hardly form a coherent word. Whether at Lord Dudley or Lady Amelia, he could not fathom. They clambered into the carriage, each silent and withdrawn into their own thoughts.

Once on their way, Spencer turned to Mr. Ladd. The man was uncomfortably close. He’d rather sit next to Lady Amelia, who was a sight smaller than Mr. Ladd and more pleasant overall.

“What do you make of it?” he asked the runner, studying him carefully for any signs of dissembling.

“Definitely a scam. Though to stop it will take some work.”

“I agree. Any chance you can get the constable involved?”

“I’ll send him a note, give him a tip, but the plot is fairly thick, and the ones involved aren’t going to be happy about this. They might fight the information in the hopes of retaining their dignity and money.”

Both men glanced at Lady Amelia, whose face remained in the shadows. He’d pay a purse of farthings to know what she was thinking. Surely her practicality could see a way out of this for her brother.

Spencer’s gut twisted at the thought. His friend Ev stood to lose a great deal with this investment. Besides that, there was Lady Eversham and her miscarriages. Spencer’s mouth tightened. Ev was a fine man. Good-hearted. He didn’t deserve to be completely wrecked.

“Any ideas on how to force Lord Dudley to return everyone’s money before it sinks with that false ship?” Several peers believed they were investing in a cargo of tea to be shipped to the Americas.

“I have a few,” said Lady Amelia. Her perky voice set his teeth on edge.

“This is not a game, my lady.”

“I’m well aware of that.” Her chin lifted. “I have a dear friend who is married to a captain. He is the one who informed me that Lord Dudley’s ship does not exist. I shall check with him again, but in the meantime, I believe we should force Lord Dudley’s hand somehow.”

“Blackmail?” Incredulity laced Mr. Ladd’s voice.

“No, sir. I believe we can find a legal way to convince Lord Dudley that it is in his best interests to pay everyone back their investments.”

“It is naive to believe he still has that money,” said Spencer.

“I’m with you.” The hackney shuddered to a stop, and Mr. Ladd rose. “Lord Ashwhite has friends in high places. It could be they’ll accomplish more than the constable and his men.”

“I’ll see what I can find out,” said Spencer. This was a delicate situation.

Mr. Ladd jumped out. “Take care of her.”

The hackney leaped forward, leaving Mr. Ladd at his door.

“Take care of me? Whatever is he thinking?”

Spencer’s anger revived. “My lady, I believe he is worried about your safety.” He gestured to the trousers that did nothing to conceal her womanly form, and to the hat she wore, in which she’d tucked up her hair earlier when she’d changed. He wished he and Ladd had never stepped out of the hackney to allow her the “moment of privacy” she’d requested. Now her dress lay in a frothy heap beside her. “How often have you visited White’s? And do you think it will go unnoticed? You will create a scandal for yourself, and I’m at a loss as to why you’re taking such risks. It’s not practical. You pride yourself on pragmatism and doing the logical thing, but your actions are born of emotion.”

“I do not need to explain myself to you,” she said quietly.

“On the contrary. You have dragged me into this. An explanation is most certainly owed.” He hated the stern tone of his voice and the long, thick silence that ensued.

He would rather have Lady Amelia’s eyes flashing at him with mirth or her mouth forming witty and saucy words that she flung at him like well-aimed bullets.

Not this deep quiet pebbled with the sound of hoof and wheel against cobblestone.

“You are right,” she said at last. Her voice sounded strained. “I have importuned you in the worst way. It seemed the right decision at the time, but I see now the mistake I’ve made. Forgive me, my lord.”

“An answer, Lady Amelia, is what I’d like.”