“Lord Anderton warned me that he is always aware of my actions, and I have no doubt that he will have other gentlemen watching me. No doubt they will be blackmailed into doing so in the same way as I am, but all the same, they will report to Lord Anderton should they see me in discussion with Lord Marchmont before the evening takes place. Any warning I give him will be noted, and I fear then that Lord Anderton will reveal all to the Marquess of Harrogate.”
Hearing the concern in his voice, Deborah’s only urge was to relieve his worry a little. Lifting her chin, she offered him a brief smile, keeping her voice steady and wishing that she might do more than simply speak words of comfort.
“Do not fear, Lord Brookmire. Surely we will simply tell Lord Marchmont of what is to take place.”
“If only you could.” Lord Brookmire looked away. “But Lord Marchmont may not then play at all, and Lord Anderton will know that I have warned him… but yet something must be done. I do not know what we can do, but the last thing I wish for is to betray or injure my friend.”
Deborah’s sympathy for him grew rapidly, like a flower blooming after a rain shower.
“It is good to hear you speak so, Lord Brookmire,” she said gently “You have an allegiance to your friend. You have great concern for him, and I am sure that, were he aware of it, he would be grateful indeed.”
Lord Brookmire dropped his head.
“You do not know how much he has endured from me. I am all the more ashamed of how little I listened to him.”
Swallowing hard, and knowing that her mother would wish her very soon to end her conversation with Lord Brookmire, Deborah took a small step forward. Finding his hand, she pressed it gently, then dropped his fingers before her entire body could heat to the point where she felt enveloped into flame.
“I will speak to Lady Yardley this evening,” she promised. “I am certain that, between us, we can find a way for you to escape again from Lord Anderton.”
His gaze lifted to hers, a small wry smile touching the edge of his mouth.
“I do trust you, Miss Madeley,” he murmured, “for I have no one else to turn to.”
Chapter Ten
“What can be done?” Deborah began to pace up and down Lady Yardley’s drawing room, driven to the movement by frustration and concern. Some of her friends were present also - Lady Elizabeth, Miss Millington, and Lady Sherbourne – and all watched her with such wide eyes and surprised expressions that Deborah paused in her walk, realizing that she had barely explained herself.
“Forgive me. I know that you think of Lord Brookmire as a scoundrel, for that has been his reputation. But he approached Lady Yardley with a request and, given her consideration of the matter, I find I am in complete agreement with her. Lord Brookmire is now a gentleman seeking to reform himself.” Her words were tumbling over each other in an effort to be heard. “There is to be a gambling evening for the gentlemen of London soon, held at Lord Dalton’s townhouse. Lord Brookmire is to attend, but Lord Anderton has blackmailed him into doing something quite dreadful. He is to ply one of his close friends, Lord Marchmont, with liquor – and, being a gentleman who does not very often take liquor, it will have a hasty effect! Thereafter, Lord Brookmire is to make certain that he cheats his way into taking a great deal of wealth from Lord Marchmont.”
She paused for a moment, tilting her head in the hope that some wonderful idea would strike her, then flung up her hands. “I do not know what we are to do. If Lord Marchmont is warned in any way, then Lord Brookmire fears Lord Anderton will know the truth of it.”
“Lord Anderton.” Miss Millington was frowning, hard. “What has Lord Anderton to do with this?”
“Lord Anderton is blackmailing Lord Brookmire.” Lady Yardley’s calm voice interrupted Deborah’s frantic explanations. “We do not need to go into the reason why, but needless to say, Lord Anderton is proving himself to be very much a rogue in this matter. He is the villain here, and we must find a way to protect Lord Marchmont whilst at the same time, making certain that he is entirely unaware of the situation.”
“But how are we to do so?” Again, Deborah began to walk up and down the drawing room, her mind twirling as it had been, ever since Lord Brookmire had spoken to her. “We are ladies - therefore we are not invited to this evening of gambling and cards.” Her eyes closed, and she stopped suddenly, rubbing one hand across her forehead. “I confess that I cannot see a way to aid the gentleman. I do not doubt that Lord Anderton will make certain that Lord Marchmont becomes aware that Lord Brookmire cheated him and, upon learning of it, I have no doubt that his anger will be directed solely towards Lord Brookmire. Lord Brookmire will be unable to tell him the truth, and thus their friendship will be at an end. Lord Marchmont, in the meantime, will lose a great deal of coin and yes, Lord Brookmire might seek to return it but, even if he were to do so, the damage will have been done. Lord Brookmire’s reputation as a scoundrel will become fixed, even to those he considered his friends.”
Lady Yardley rose from her chair, walked across the room, and took Deborah’s hand.
“Come and sit down, else you will quite fatigue yourself!” Leading her to a chair, she smiled gently as she took her own seat again. “Yes, you are correct that we have not been invited to the gambling evening, but that is where the Ledger is to be used.” Lady Yardley paused for a moment, then lifted both shoulders. “I believe that my own husband, as well as Lady Sherbourne’s husband, have been invited to the evening. We can taketheminto our confidence, are we not?”
Deborah pressed her lips hard together, trying not to ask questions, just to let Lady Yardley speak, but she could not hold it back.
“Might I ask what good it will do to have them there? Lord Brookmire will be forced to do as he has been instructed, regardless.”
“Yes, that is true.” Lady Yardley tipped her head, still thinking. “But if we use the Ledger to make certain that the invitation is open to more gentlemen than just those who have already been invited, then there may be a chance that some other rascals take their place at the tables. It may not then be only Lord Brookmire who is considered to be cheating.”
Deborah’s shoulders loosened, her tension beginning to be chased away by Lady Yardley’s suggestion.
“Perhaps Lord Yardley or Lord Sherbourne could point out other gentlemen who were cheating, rather than only Lord Brookmire?”
Lady Yardley nodded slowly.
“Yes. I could make certain that Lord Yardley takes with him to the table one who has the reputation of being something of a cheat. It might take a little planning, but I am sure that my husband could do such a thing. He will have to be told of it all, of course. I do not keep any secrets from him.”
Deborah nodded fervently, her fingers clenching and unclenching into tight fists.
“Do you think that it will succeed? Another gentleman will cheat before Lord Brookmire is required to?”
