Jonathan looked as if he might burst. “Daniel knows nothing of true business. He takes no risks and as such, gains no rewards.”
“Look over his ledgers and see if you will not change your mind about that,” Nathaniel replied, feigning a conspiratorial whisper. “And, as everyone is aware, there is only one graphite mine in England that is worth anything, and that, as far as I know, is not owned by you.”
“Another has been found, I assure you!” Jonathan barked.
Nathaniel shrugged. “Maybe it has, maybe it has not, maybe you thought you were sitting on a gold mine when, in truth, you were sitting on a pile of useless rock, but I do not wish to talk of business with you. I am enjoying a quiet afternoon with my beloved, and you are ruining it somewhat.”
“She is embarrassing herself,” Dorothy muttered, eyeing Leah who had attracted two enormous blue butterflies. They sat upon her hair, making her look ethereal.
Nathaniel’s annoyance flared. “You might take a moment to consider your own behavior before remarking upon that of others,” he said, startling the girl. “Indeed, if you say another unkind word to the future Duchess of Bergfield, either of you, you might find yourselves in a very unpleasant situation. Leah, Colin, come. It is too suffocating in here.”
He turned to leave, Colin and Leah already hurrying on ahead, making for the door that led into the cool of the outside world. Indeed, Nathaniel could almost feel the chilly breeze upon his face when a rough hand grabbed him by the elbow, yanking him backward.
“Andyouwould do well not to say such things tome,” Jonathan hissed, nose to nose with Nathaniel. “I know what you are, Your Grace.” He spat the last two words, spittle spraying Nathaniel’s face.
Refusing to back down, Nathaniel smiled. “What am I? Please, I am eager to know.”
“I know you did this to me,” Jonathan replied darkly. “I saw you sneaking out the back of the tent. I know that I caused that bruise on your cheek. If you do not enter into this business with me, I shall reveal your identity to everyone. I am quite serious, Your Grace. Or should I call you, the Highwayman?”
Panic twisted Nathaniel’s chest into a vise, his heart lurching into his throat, but the fear lasted just a moment before he realized that Jonathan did not have the blackmail that he thought he did.
As such, Nathaniel chuckled, his unease fading. “Call me whatever you like.” He paused. “I am not the only one with secrets, Lord Chesterwood. I had a friend of mine do some investigating and discovered a few juicy little morsels about you.”
The bluster receded in Jonathan as he took a step back. “What morsels?”
“That you are near destitution, that you are selling off parcels of the Chesterwood Estate, that you are residing in the apartments of Lord Pargeter—who does not know you are residing there, that you have tried to swindle at least six other lords with businesses that do not exist or have already been closed, and that all the fortune your dear Dorothy brought to you is gone. Oh, and that you have a terrible gambling habit that you are not very good at.” Nathaniel’s chest swelled with satisfaction. “I did not intend to say anything as it was, rather ironically, none of my business, but if you dare to threaten me again, expect the same treatment in return.”
Jonathan turned as white as a sheet. “Who told you all of that?”
“That is for me to know.” Nathaniel tapped the side of his nose, pleased he had decided to take Bill’s advice and speak with Arnold after the Countess’ ball was over. As it turned out, there was nothing that Arnold did not know when it came to Jonathan. Indeed, Jonathan had been banned from both of the gambling halls that Arnold owned,andthe boxing matches he ran, but having had one too many brandies himself, Arnold had not realized who was fighting Nathaniel until the bout had already begun.
Jonathan glanced back at his wife, who was vainly attempting to get one of the large blue butterflies to land on her. “She does not know.”
“I assumed not.” Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. “Nevertheless, you should be kinder to her. It is not her fault you are hopeless with money. And I meant what I said about speaking to Daniel—he could give you some advice that might just turn your fortunes around. Of course, if you threaten me or upset Leah again, I might have to tell him not to.”
Jonathan’s mouth opened and closed like a stranded fish, his throat crackling as he tried to force out the words, “I think… we understand one another. I… apologize for disrupting your afternoon.” It sounded like it physically pained him to have to apologize, making it all the more satisfying. “And, please, do not send word to Lord Pargeter.”
“I shall continue to distance myself from your woes as long as you agree to never taunt Leah again,” Nathaniel assured, remembering his vow to ensure that Jonathan never said a bad word about her or to her again. It was the least he could do to see her happily through the rest of the London season.
Jonathan nodded like a schoolboy being chided by the schoolmaster. “I will hold my tongue. You will not hear anything unkind come from my lips again.”
“Excellent.” Nathaniel paused, putting a finger to his lips. “And if you were hoping to put your next wager on me to make some coin quickly, you need not. I have retired from the boxing business.”
Jonathan frowned. “You have?”
“You, Lord Chesterwood, were my last opponent,” Nathaniel said, knowing it was true the moment the words left his mouth. “Perhaps, that might comfort you though it was not much of a fight. You underestimated me. I hope you will not do so again.” He peered around Jonathan to where Dorothy was still trying to get the attention of a butterfly. “Have a lovely afternoon, the pair of you.”
Dorothy blinked in confusion before a shy smile crept onto her face, like a scolded puppy that had finally received a kind word. “And you, Your Grace.”
With that, Nathaniel left, striding into the golden autumn and feeling the cool rush of the breeze on his face. A short distance away, deep in conversation beside a pond with a spouting fountain, he spotted Leah and Colin and made his way toward them with a smile upon his face, feeling as if he had just boxed the match of his life.
“I will not be a moment,” Colin said as soon as Nathaniel arrived. “I think I see a newt.”
He hurried around the pond, allowing Nathaniel and Leah some privacy. Her chaperone was somewhere nearby, but the older woman seemed to be quite neglectful of her duties. However, instead of smiling back at Nathaniel, a wounded expression dimmed Leah’s glow.
“Why did you say that?” she asked.
Nathaniel arched an eyebrow. “Which part?”
