Joanna Maitland – His Reluctant Mistress (страница 2)
‘I won nearly six thousand pounds, Leo.’ Jack looked up then. His eyes were shining. Then, as if a veil had descended, the light of triumph died. ‘But I…I lost it again. All of it. And more.’
Leo waited. Jack seemed to have shrunk in his skin. This was going to be very bad.
At length the silence was too much. Leo’s patience snapped. ‘How much?’ he snarled.
‘Thirty-two thousand.’ Jack’s voice was barely audible.
‘Damn you, brat! D’you intend to ruin us all? Even Dominic couldn’t lay hands on that much. And I certainly can’t. It’s more than three times my income.’
‘I’m sorry, Leo.’
Leo flung himself out of his chair, forcing himself to unclench his fists and to master the urge to plant his brother a facer. Jack deserved it, of course, but it would not do. Leo sucked in a deep breath and went to pour himself a brandy. He needed it now almost as much as Jack did.
‘Who holds your vowels? And how long has he given you to pay?’
‘Er…that’s the problem. It’s—’
Leo exploded. ‘Dammit, Jack, it is
‘I am sorry, Leo,’ Jack said again. He had not moved even an inch in his seat.
‘So who is this problem friend of yours?’
‘No one you know. One of the secretaries at the Prussian Embassy. He’s been summoned back to Berlin. To prepare for the Congress of Vienna, I understand. He’s leaving in two days’ time. That’s why I had to get here in such an almighty rush. I didn’t even have time to—’
‘And this secretary fellow expects to be paid before he leaves, I collect?’ Leo interrupted in icy tones.
Jack tried to reply, but failed. He nodded wretchedly into his brandy.
‘In other words, I have two days to come up with a fortune, or risk having the Aikenhead name dishonoured across Europe.’ It was not a question.
‘I’m s—’
‘Confound it, Jack, if you say you’re sorry just one more time, I’ll wring your miserable neck. Sorry? You don’t begin to know the half of it.’
Jack straightened in his chair. ‘I was going to say that I’m s-sensible of the wrong I’ve done the family, Leo. I will give you my word that I’ll never gamble again, if it will help.’
Astonished, Leo stared at his brother. Jack returned his gaze unflinchingly.
‘By Jove, he means it,’ Leo whispered.
‘I do,’ Jack said, with dignity. ‘And I will keep my word. Though it’s precious little consolation in the circumstances, I know.’
Leo fetched the decanter and added a generous measure to Jack’s glass. ‘You give me your solemn word never again to gamble more than you can afford to lose?’
‘I won’t gamble at all in future, Leo. Not even for chicken stakes.’
‘Don’t say that. I’m not asking for a promise that would be well-nigh impossible to keep. Especially given the fellows you run with.’
Jack dropped his gaze.
‘If you give me your word that you will not play beyond your own means, I will find a way of dealing with this little…er…inconvenience.’
Jack drew in an audibly shaky breath and looked up at Leo with glowing eyes. ‘I give you my word, Leo. You may rely on it. And I will find a way to repay you, I promise.’
Leo laughed mirthlessly. ‘I shall pretend I did not hear that last promise, brat. You know, and I know, that you could no more find thirty-two thousand pounds than you could swim to America. Now—’ he laid a friendly hand on Jack’s shoulder ‘—I suggest you go and get some sleep. I don’t want you appearing in front of my guests, male or female, until you are presentable again. At the moment…’ Leo looked his brother up and down and shuddered. He reached out to pull the bell.
Gibson appeared so quickly that he must have been hovering outside the door.
‘Conduct Lord Jack to a bedchamber, Gibson. And direct my man to provide whatever he may need by way of clothing. Lord Jack is extremely fatigued after his journey and will not be joining us again this evening. He will take a light supper in his room.’
Jack rose and straightened his back. He yawned theatrically.
Leo felt his lips twitch. It was very difficult to remain furious with Jack for long, even when he thoroughly deserved it.
‘If your lordship would follow me?’ Gibson said, opening the door for Jack.
‘Leo, I—’
‘Goodnight, Jack,’ Leo said harshly. Then, more gently, ‘Sleep well, brat.’
As the door closed behind them, Leo’s mask of control shattered. He knew that, if there had been a mirror in this room, it would have shown him the face of a stricken man.
Leo began to pace, but the room was too small. He needed space, and air. He made his way along the corridor and out on to the terrace. Low laughter from the shadows announced that the terrace had become a place of dalliance. He tried his library. It, too, was occupied. For the first time in the ten years since Dominic had given The Larches to him, Leo regretted having invited his boon companions and their ladybirds to make free of his hospitality. It seemed that nowhere in the whole house could provide the seclusion he craved.
He returned to the hallway just as Gibson emerged from the back stairs. Leo raised an eyebrow.
‘Lord Jack is in the Chinese bedchamber, my lord.’
Leo snorted with laughter. The Chinese bedchamber had been a flight of fancy of a previous tenant and Gibson, it seemed, had been indulging in a spot of retribution on his own account.
‘I am going riding.’
Gibson’s eyebrows shot up towards his hairline.
‘Have Jezebel saddled and brought round in ten minutes. And tell the kitchen that dinner is to be delayed by one hour.’
‘Very good, my lord. If any of your lordship’s guests should ask…?’
‘Tell them I have gone out. I am sure they will be able to find some means of diverting themselves until I return.’
Dinner was almost over when Leo made his announcement. ‘Afraid that some unexpected business requires me to return to London. I’ll be leaving at first light.’
His guests reacted with dismay. ‘But we’ve been here less than a week,’ one said, slurring his words a little.
Leo smiled round the table. ‘And you are all most welcome to continue to enjoy my hospitality until I return.’
The ladybird on Leo’s immediate right laid a caressing hand on his sleeve. ‘But it wouldn’t be the same without
Leo lifted her hand and set it gently on the polished wood table. ‘Have no fear. M’brother, Jack, shall act as host in my absence. He is fixed here until I return.’
‘Jack?’ The protest came from one of the older men at the far end of the table. ‘No offence, Leo, but I can give Jack the best part of fifteen years. As can others.’ Some of the other gentlemen nodded. ‘We didn’t come to The Larches to gamble with your madcap little brother. If you’re off tomorrow, then so am I.’ There were murmurs of agreement around the table.
Leo was not sorry. He would not show his friends the door, but he was heartily glad they had decided to leave.
‘Quite understand, of course, if you feel you wish to leave. And I cannot, at this moment, say how soon I might return. Apologies for that.’
‘Not your fault, old fellow. Business is business. Besides, the night is still young.’ The man got to his feet rather unsteadily. ‘Since this is to be the last night of one of Leo Aikenhead’s famous orgies, I give you a toast, gentlemen. To our next meeting at The Larches. To beautiful women and flowing wine.’
Chairs scraped across the polished wooden floor. The men raised their glasses to the ladies. ‘The Larches. To beautiful women! And flowing wine!’
By the time Leo returned, ten days later, it was impossible to tell that the house had ever been full of scandalous goings-on. Apart from Jack and the servants, the house was empty. Every bawdy ballad and erotic picture had been banished. The Larches could have been the home of the most upright of clerical gentlemen.
Jack was sitting soberly in the library, reading a magazine, when Leo walked in. ‘You’re back. Thank God!’ Jack sprang to his feet. Then he stood still. He did not ask the question that was clearly on the tip of his tongue.
‘I have brought your man, and some clothes,’ Leo said, looking Jack up and down. ‘My coat may be well cut, but on you it looks decidedly disreputable.’ Since Jack was of a much slighter build than Leo, it was hardly surprising that Leo’s clothes did not fit him. ‘I suggest you go and change. We can have a quiet dinner, and an early night.’
‘But aren’t you going to tell me what—?’
‘We have work to do tomorrow, Jack. The Foreign Secretary has ordered the Aikenhead Honours to Vienna. While Ace is in Russia, I am to take charge. I have already written to Ten. He is to make his own way to Vienna and join us as soon as he can.’ The Ace in the Aikenhead Honours was Dominic, the eldest Aikenhead brother. Leo’s codename was King and Jack’s was Knave. Ben Dexter, the fourth member of their spying band, codenamed Ten, was Jack’s closest friend. Unlike Jack, Ben did not gamble. His father had been killed in a duel following a quarrel over cards.