“Assistance?” Hugh gestured for both men to sit down. “I am afraid that I do not know what can be done! I am supposedly greatly in debt to one of the worst gambling dens in all of London and, therefore, thetonnow believes that I have very little coin and cannot be at all financially secure.”
Lord Kelling shrugged.
“Given that you have not been in London for more than a sennight, I find that very difficult to believe.”
“Precisely!” Lord Elmsford sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and shrugged. “I am sure that there will be others in thetonwho will realize that.”
“Though that does not aid me at present,” Hugh remarked, with a small sigh. “I have just now finished writing to my brother, telling him that it would not be wise to come to London. Initially, I told him the same, only to write again and state that I was coming to London after all. Now, however, I continue to advise him to remain in Bath.”
Lord Kelling nodded.
“A considerate thought,” he agreed, quietly. “And how is your brother? Is he as much of an oaf as he always was?”
This brought a smile to Hugh’s face, despite his inner frustrations.
“Yes, I am afraid that Alderton is just as foolish as he has always been. Did I tell you that he married last year?”
Lord Kelling’s eyes widened.
“No, you did not!”
Hugh shrugged his shoulders.
“I only knew of it after it had taken place, thanks to a letter the lady herself sent me rather than my own brother informing me of it. I have not even met Lady Alderton as yet! My father despaired of him and, I confess, I do the same. Quite what he is doing in Bath rather than at his own estate with his wife – though she might well be with him – I do not know.” With their mother having passed away many years ago and their father shortly thereafter, Hugh had always been the one to take on responsibilities and the like, given that he had become the new Earl of Blackmore, whilst Porter – now the Viscount Alderton – was the one eager to spend as much money as he wished. With their father’s will dividing things between them, Hugh had decided many years ago to leave his brother to do as he pleased with not only his own money but his own, smaller, estate. Thus far, it had suited him very well to forget all about what Alderton was doing. He had his own concerns and none of them were about what his brother might be involved with atany given moment. The only reason he knew Alderton was in Bath at present was that his brother had deigned to write to him and inform him of such a thing, though he had not mentioned whether his wife was with him or not.
“It is probably better for you that he does not come to London.” With a wry smile, Lord Kelling glanced to Lord Elmsford, who nodded fervently. “All the same, it is rather troubling that this rumor has risen– seemingly from nowhere!”
“And during the time that I was dancing with Miss Simmons,” Hugh added with a scowl. “That will have affected her too and that is frustrating indeed.” Lord Elmsford and Lord Kelling exchanged a look and Hugh narrowed his eyes, seeing that there was something between them that was not yet spoken. “What is it?”
“It is as I thought,” Lord Elmsford said, with a shake of his head. “Thetonhave begun to suggest that you will betroth yourself to Miss Simmons, given that you were dancing with her last evening. Because they think you without coin, then it is said that no young lady would consent to marry you, knowing that you seek only their dowry, and whatever fortune they might bring. However, someone like Miss Simmons, someone without any opportunity to marry, given what is said ofher,will accept you. And though her father is only a Viscount and you an Earl, Lord Grant is not without fortune!”
Closing his eyes, Hugh’s jaw clenched tightly, fire igniting in his belly. Miss Simmons was someone who had already been injured – severely so – by a rumor relating both to him and to her, though she had never once done anything akin to what had been said of her. Last evening, he had determined to do whatever he could to aid her and assist her back into good standing in society, but now, with this rumor adding to the heavyweight already settling on her, she would be more affected than ever before.
“It is unfortunate.”
“Who would do such a thing?” Throwing up his hands, Hugh then pushed himself out of his chair and walked directly across the room to where his whisky sat. Pouring a measure into three glasses, he handed one to each of his friends before picking up the third for himself. “I do not understand why someone would make up a rumor in that regard. Why would they speak ill of me? Why would they try to make society think all the more poorly of me? As you have said, Lord Kelling, I am only just returned to London and now, it seems, I am to suffer yet further disgrace. There is no way to prove such a thing, not unless I go to the gambling den, find the proprietor, and haul him to a soiree or the like, where he might declare that I am not at all in debt to either himself or any other establishments that he might know of.” With a roll of his eyes, he took a sip of his whisky. “Though I might very well not be invited to any further soirees or balls, not when I have already been so disgraced.”
“Then you must have your own!” Lord Kelling sat forward in his chair, excitement in his eyes now. “Indeed, would that not solve a great many difficulties? You would be able to show thetonthat you are not without coin, as they believe, and you might then be able to assure the guests that such a rumor is nothing but nonsense. Your friends will be able to confirm it, I am sure!”
Lord Elmsford nodded, a smile splitting his features as, for the first time, hope began to build in Hugh’s chest.
“I may be able to do such a thing,” he said, slowly, as Lord Elmsford grinned. “It would have to be a magnificent ball.”
“With no expense spared, “Lord Kelling agreed, as Hugh began to nod, his heart slowly lifting free of the worries and concerns which had held it for the last few hours. “It will prove to society that you have more than enough money, for what gentleman would spend money on a ball when he had none?”
Hugh threw back the rest of his whisky and slammed it down on the desk before grinning back at his friends. “Precisely! I think that a capital idea, Lord Kelling!”
“It is an expensive idea.”
Laughing at Lord Elmsford’s remark, Hugh shrugged his shoulders.
“I have not spent any money this Season as yet. I was always going to have to do something, whether it be a soiree, dinner, or a ball. And as Lord Kelling said, a ball is just the occasion I need to prove that this rumor is false.”
“Very well. Then a ball it is!” Lord Elmsford grinned and lifted his glass. “And I do hope that you will serve some of your very fine French brandy rather than this whisky – although it is also very good.”
Hugh chuckled and, for the first time since his friends had arrived, felt himself in a rather positive frame of mind. Already he was thinking about what would come next, what would happen, and what society’s reaction would be. Surely they would no longer be able to eventhinkthat what was being said of him was true!
“Are you going to do anything to find out who it is that is speaking about you in such a way?”
