“I do see her appeal.”
Rory narrowed his eyes. “Do you?”
“I see why she appeals to you,” Notley added. “She’s no great beauty, but that’s not what you want.”
Rory took a breath to argue that Genevieve was quite beautiful, but then he blew it out again. “It’s not?”
“No. Your first wife, from all accounts, was incredibly beautiful. We’ve all had our heads scrambled by a pretty face, but this time you are entering marriage clear-eyed. You’re no longer two and twenty and apt to believe anything a handsome chit tells you. This time you know you’re not marrying for love. Obviously, Miss Brooking is marrying you for your money and your title. You are marrying her to care for the demon child—”
“Notley,” Rory said.
“Excuse me, that sweet little girl. The governess gets what she wants and you what you need, plus the advantage of a woman in your bed whenever you want. It’s a perfect arrangement.”
A perfect arrangement. Yes, that was all it was. Rory would not be fooled this time, wouldn’t be betrayed. He was wide-eyedand clearheaded. This marriage was the sort of arrangement couples made every day. There needn’t be any feelings involved. In fact, it was better if neither of them was plagued by emotions. He’d felt practically every emotion imaginable when married to Harriet. Falling in love with the woman had been his biggest mistake. He didn’t want to repeat that experience.
“You have a point, Notley. All this time I thought I never wanted to marry again. The truth is, I don’t want to fall in love.”
“Of course you don’t. No chance of that with the governess.”
“No chance,” Rory agreed.
Notley lifted the wine bottle and refilled both of their glasses. “You have been preoccupied with family matters and may not recall the favor you asked of me.”
King.Damn it.“I admit listening to the archbishop drone on for hours has left me feeling a bit dull, but King and the Duke of Carlisle have been on my mind. Were you able to find King and deliver my letter?”
“No. From all accounts, the man has disappeared. He was last seen on the morning after his father was found guilty by the Lords. His creditors all but broke down his door. He made off with a woman no one recognized, and he hasn’t been seen since. Trust me. There are some irate merchants looking for him, but he’s keeping his head down.”
“Perhaps he’s left London.”
“I can look into it, but my guess is he’s hiding in one of the rookeries. Give it a couple of weeks, and I imagine he’ll turn up.”
“I’ll contact my solicitor and ask him to look into King’s whereabouts.”
“Have him look for the Duke of Carlisle as well.”
“Henry? He wrote me from the dower house at Carlisle Hall.”
“I believe he was there, but yesterday all London was talking about how the Marquess of Shrewsbury left Town abruptly inthe middle of the night. The rumor is that he’s trying to stop his daughter from reaching Gretna Green.”
“You think Henry has abducted the marquess’s daughter and run off to Scotland to marry her?” Rory had known Henry to engage in risky and outlandish behavior in the past—all three of the men had—but had never known his friend to feel strongly enough about a woman to bring her flowers, much less run away with her.
“I don’t know what to think,” Notley said. “I don’t know either the duke or the marquess, but I have it on very good authority that Lady Katherine was in residence at Carlisle Hall. Her father sent her there after he took possession.”
“Which means she and Henry were in close proximity. Still…” Rory scratched his head. “I find it hard to believe.” He took another sip of his wine and contemplated the facts as he knew them.
One: the three men had a curse hanging over their heads.
Two: King had lost his fortune and his title and was now in hiding.
Three: Henry had gambled away his fortune and was also unaccounted for.
Four: Rory had come back to aid them and didn’t know where either might be. Even if he hadn’t needed to return to Lilacfall Abbey to keep an eye on his daughter and marry his governess, there was little he could do in London. He was no Bow Street Runner. Better if he asked his solicitor to search for the men or hope they wrote him again soon so he might respond and offer assistance.
“I don’t imagine you will be in London much longer,” he said to Notley.
“I’m leaving as soon as I can find a ship. Old Boney is making sea travel difficult, as usual.”
“You plan to return to the Continent?”
