William chuckled. "It seems like your duke has a knack for attracting the wrong kind of women."
Cassian nodded in agreement. "But we'll help him out of this mess, won't we, Rose?" he said, winking at her.
Rose's mind raced as she realized that Poppy Jameson and her father were behind the failed vote. She clenched her jaw, determined to put a stop to this once and for all.
"We'll see what we can do, Rose," William said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But you must understand, some of these peers are more concerned with maintaining their own power and wealth than making any real change."
"Still, it's worth a try," Cassian added, crossing his arms over his chest. "I will see what I can dig up about who took the bribes and why. The more information we have, the better chance we have of fixing this."
"Thomas has worked so hard on these reforms, and it breaks my heart to see them fail. I just want to help in any way I can," Rose said, tears welling in her eyes.
William stared at her. "I have never seen you this passionate about anything but your plants."
"People are important. I just lost sight of that for a time," Rose said.
Cassian grinned at her. "We'll do what we can, Rose. And we'll make sure if we see the duke knows that he has your support."
The three of them huddled together on the busy street, coming up with a plan to repair the damage done by the bribes and ensure that Thomas's reforms had a chance to pass. They were determined to make a difference and help those in need.
"Thank you," she said, hugging both of them. "We must do what we can to help Thomas. His reforms are too important to be derailed by Miss Jameson's lies. I need to go talk to him."
William reached out a hand to stop her. "Now, hold on, Rose. You cannot go dashing off to the duke's house. Your reputation is already at stake. If someone sees you—"
Rose rolled her eyes, cutting him off. "William, I have been living here in London for several weeks now. I am not exactly new to the ways of theton. I will be careful, I promise."
William chuckled. "I suppose you are right. Just be careful, Rose. We would not want any more scandal to follow you."
Rose smiled, grateful for her brothers' concern. "Thank you, William. I will be sure to be careful."
She hugged him again before turning to leave, determination in her step. She would fix this disaster that Poppy Jameson had wrought, and she would help Thomas pass his reforms.
Thomas sat at his desk with his head buried in his hands. The weight of the day's events was almost too much to bear. He had lost the vote on his reforms and Poppy's lies had ruined any chances of him winning it back. He was just about to pour himself another drink when Mr. James appeared in the doorway.
"Your Grace, you have a visitor," Mr. James announced.
Thomas sighed, not in the mood for visitors. He assumed it was Rose's brothers, who had come to berate him for his supposed engagement to their sister. He did not have the energy to deal with them. Not after his life was falling apart. "I will be in the sitting room shortly, Mr. James," he said, rubbing his temples.
He took a moment to compose himself. He downed his whiskey with one gulp and stood. As he made his way to the sitting room, his thoughts drifted to Rose. He remembered their night of passion together, and the way her body felt under his hands. The soft moans that had escaped her lips were music to his ears. She was everything a man could want in a wife - beautiful, intelligent, and strong-willed. It was unfortunate that she did not ever wish to marry. She would be his perfect wife.
As he entered the sitting room, he was surprised to see that it was not Rose's brothers waiting for him, but Poppy. He forced a smile to his face and tried to mask the disappointment he felt at not seeing Rose. "Good evening, Miss Jameson," he said, his voice polite but cool. "To what do I owe this visit?"
Poppy sauntered across the sitting room, her gown swishing with each step and a smirk on her face. "Good afternoon, Thomas," Poppy said, batting her lashes at him.
Thomas crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed. "What brings you here today?"
"I have come to offer you a solution to your recent troubles," Poppy said, her voice dripping with honey. "I heard your Lady Rose has made a mess of things…"
Thomas raised an eyebrow. "And what solution is that?"
"As you know, my father has a great deal of power in the House of Lords," Poppy said, her gaze never leaving Thomas's. "He is willing to use that power to help you if you do something for him in return."
"And what is that?" Thomas asked, his voice tight. An icy coldness coiled around his gut as he watched her slowly pull off her gloves with a self-satisfied smile. He could not believe that at one time he had found her attractive. She might be beautiful on the outside, but inside she was pure venom.
"Marry me," Poppy said, a wicked smile on her face. She tossed her gloves on a nearby table. "Marry me, and my father will ensure that all your reforms pass."
Thomas could feel his anger rising. "I will not be blackmailed into marriage, Miss Jameson."
Poppy shrugged. "It is not blackmail, Your Grace. It is simply a mutually beneficial arrangement. An alliance, if you will." She slinked forward and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "You would be a fool to not agree." She plucked at an invisible thread on his coat. "And please do not pretend you do not want me, Thomas. I have warmed your bed enough times to know that I am not mistaken."
