“You’realways up for a challenge,”Slicesaid. “You’llno doubt master it with your usual prowess.”
Rowanrolled his eyes at his friend. “Youmake it sound likeI’mabout to seduce a young maiden.”
“Whoknows, that might just happen.”Slicelaughed. “Seriouslythough, you’re certain to be a great success as the newEarlofScarborough.”
“Itis a new challenge.Andyou know how muchIrelish a challenge.”Hisgreat-uncle,LordJamesMillen, the lateEarlofScarborough, had passed away four months ago and had died without a son and heir.Rowan, being the closest male relative, was named inScarborough’swill as the new earl.Rowanhadn’t realized he was next in line.He’dthought there were one or two distant cousins ahead of him, at least.Evidentlynot.
Hewould miss his previous life.He’dachieved the rank ofCaptainin theBritishArmyand had been stationed inFranceas one of theCrown’stop agents for almost ten years.He’denjoyed everything about his work.Hewas recruited as an agent even before the end of the war.Eventhough the war withNapoleonhad been over for nearly a decade, his duties involved watching for those wishing to undermine theBritishmonarchy.SincetheFrenchRevolution, the fear of a similar uprising had been a constant thorn in theBritishgovernment’s side.Napoleonhad only intensified tensions between theUnitedKingdomandFrance.Althoughthe two countries were now technically at peace,Britainrelied on its agents to make sure it stayed that way.Rowanhad loved his work, but now it was time to learn to embrace his new role.
“Iheard the oldLordScarboroughwas richer thanCroesus,”Slicesaid, smirking. “Profitableinvestments and accounts brimming with blunt.Ofcourse, if you weren’t such a close friend, manners would dictate not speaking of such things as they now pertain to you.”
Rowanlaughed. “You’reonly voicing what everyone else is probably whispering about.AndIam still gathering information.Exceptfor a few childhood memoriesIhave of the man and whatI’veheard from his solicitors,Iknow very little.”Rowanhad always appreciatedSlice’sforthright manner in asking questions everyone else only pondered or discussed privately.That’spart of why the two always got along so well.Hetook another sip of his brandy. “Ivisited theSussexproperty this week—whichIhad been told was his favorite—and it appears no one has lived there in an age.”
“Abandoned, eh?Maybethere was a reason it was forsaken…the death of his wife, perhaps?”Slicesaid. “Iheard he’d become a bit of a recluse after her death.Asad story, to be sure.”
“Yes, my mother wrote me about that.Aterrible tragedy.”Scarborough’slate wife,Judith, had tried to give the oldLordchildren time and again and miscarried numerous times.Then, when she finally had been able to carry a child to term, she and the child tragically died after she’d given birth. “Idid rememberMothertelling me how devoted they were to each other.ButIonly ever met my great-uncle but never had the opportunity to meetAuntJudith.”
“Isuppose that could explain the general lack of upkeep of his properties,”Sliceadded.
Itmade sense toRowanthat the old man, in trying to cope with his grief over losing his wife and child, had thrown himself into his work.Hebuilt an empire of wealth and property but with no family to share it with.Rowancould understand that in that time, the old lord would have been so focused on acquiring investments that he no doubt neglected everything else, including upkeep on his properties. “Thespiders were most unhappy to see me and knew they would finally have their cobwebs disturbed,”Rowansaid. “Iplan to hire household staff for all the properties.Itwill take time to get everything up to snuff.Butfor now,I’llstart with theEdinburghandKentproperties.Mostof the necessary repairs will go to the interior rooms and exterior gardens.Andthe small buildings that surround the manor house.Thatsort of thing.I’vemade a list and begun a search for a steward.”
“You’realready one step ahead,”Slicesaid. “It’llsoon come together. “Bythe way, you should consider yourself lucky to have leftFrancewhen you did.Iheard theAustrianambassador’s wife who dallied with you was also dallying with another, and her husband called him out.Theambassador is a crack shot.Eventhough the rules were for first blood, the man nearly died,”Slicesaid, arching a brow.
“So, everyone knows…”Rowanmurmured, blowing out a breath.
“No.Noteveryone.ButIheard it through a connection.Yoursurprise inheritance came at an opportune time because the ambassador’s wife had mentioned she was having a liaison with her husband in a fit of anger—but it wasn’t your name she mentioned.Shegave the other poor soul’s name,”Slicecontinued.
“Poorsod,”Rowansaid. “Ialmost hate to ask, but who was the unlucky man?”
“MajorDuBarryis the nameIheard,”Slicesaid. “I’msurprised you didn’t know this.”
“Idon’t engage in gossip,”Rowanreplied.Wordmust have spread while he’d been traveling back toEngland, and then he’d been visiting his family and then busy inspecting his property inSussex, he hadn’t been inLondonfor very long to hear of any rumors or innuendo. “Besides,Ihad already ended things withAugustaweeks beforeIfound out about the earldom.”Rowanhad made it a rule never to dally with a woman longer than a week or two.
“Whatgossip are you referring to?”ViscountThomasLathamsaid, walking up to them withSirJonathanNelson.
“Latham,Nelson, it’s good to see you both,”Rowansaid, rising to shake hands.Theyexchanged greetings, and thenLathamandNelsonsat in the empty chairs oppositeRowanandSlice.
“We’retalking aboutRomeohere,”Slicesaid.
“Bollocks, are we back to that nickname again?”Rowanscowled at his friends, who were laughing.
“Well, you are themosthandsome charmerI’veever met,”Lathamsaid, batting his lashes like a young debutante.
“Withthat golden-brown wavy hair and those sky-blue eyes, you’re irresistible, like a veritableAdonis,”Nelsonsaid.
“Don’tforget that dimple,”Sliceadded with a wink.
Rowangrowled at their antics. “Enough.Youmake me sound likeIgo around spouting poetry all day.Myaffair withAugustawas brief.Overbefore it even began.”
“Didyou knowDuBarry?”Sliceasked in a more serious tone.
“Iknew him in passing, he was a good chap,”Rowansaid, taking a puff of his cigar. “Haveyou heard any news about his condition?”
“LastIheard, the man was teetering back and forth between life and death.Youwere fortunate, in my opinion,”Lathamsaid.
“Yes, soSlicehas told me,”Rowanmuttered. “ButneedIremind you thatI’ma better shot than you three?So,Idoubt the dual would have ended the same.”
“True, you are the best damn shotI’veever seen,”Nelsonsaid.
