Page 29 of Beauty and the Rake (Endless Love #1)

She nodded. “I’d like to see the photography equipment you purchased for me. It’s still in Arthur’s attic where you had it delivered.”

“It’s still waiting for you.”

He unfolded his lean body from his chair and leaned over to kiss Roxanne. “He has ten minutes.”

“Yes, well…”

“I don’t like people wanting to speak about business by coming to my home without an appointment or invitation.” He turned and hurriedly walked to the door and disappeared.

Roxanne thoughtfully bit into a piece of cheddar.

Why did the name of this man Graham had gone off to see sound familiar?

She knew she had heard it before but couldn’t put a face with the name.

Perhaps he was also a friend of Arthur’s and that’s why the name was familiar to her.

It would make sense since her brother and Graham ran in the same circles.

Whatever the reason, it frustrated her. Normally she had perfect recall, but not with this.

Perhaps she hadn’t been paying attention to one of their conversations.

It wouldn’t be the first time she hadn’t had total recall about something she’d overheard her brother speak about.

Though fascinating, men could be quite boring in the way they spoke.

It frustrated her, making her more determined to find out who this man was.

*

Graham walked as quickly as he could towards his office. He couldn’t believe the audacity of Crenshaw. To show up unannounced simply wasn’t done except in the case of an emergency, and there was nothing in his and Arthur’s dealings with Crenshaw to warrant such a bold move.

As he entered his study, Graham was met by a footman the butler had placed to keep watch of the stranger. Graham nodded at the man to let him know he could leave his post.

To his disbelief, he found Crenshaw seated in front of his desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. A move Graham found to be bold.

“Crenshaw, you’ve got some nerve. In the future, make an appointment. You’ve got five minutes to explain yourself.”

The man shifted uncomfortably in his well-worn leather chair. “A second ship of mine has arrived in port this morning. She wasn’t due back for another week.”

“This is the one we discussed?”

“Yes. She would pair very nicely with the other.”

Graham ran a hand through his thick locks as he contemplated the man’s words. “And you thought this something that couldn’t wait?”

“There is another gentleman who expressed an interest some time ago. As he’s out of the country and I have not heard from him as to how to proceed or if he’s interested, I thought I’d approach you and the duke.”

“Have you spoken with the duke?”

“No. I was nearby and decided I’d take a chance to let you know about this other ship.”

Graham tapped his finger on the desk. “The duke lives close by. You could have gone and given him the news. Not that it matters.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. I was unsure how to proceed so I just took a chance. If you hadn’t received me, I would have gone to the duke’s residence.”

“Get a proposal to me on the sale of both ships. In the meantime, I will inform the duke,” Graham said.

“Very well.”

“I’ve given you ten minutes so if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my guests. My man will see you out.”

Looking Crenshaw straight in the eyes, Graham left the room.

Rather than immediately return to Roxanne, he stood in front of one of the front-facing windows just out of view to make sure Crenshaw really left and which direction he would go.

The man turned as he went out the gate and stood, staring at the house as though knowing he was being watched.

Graham studied the man. He hadn’t been completely comfortable with the man, considering the history Crenshaw had with Arthur and Roxanne’s family.

Now he was beginning to doubt everything about the man.

Even the sale of these ships. He needed to think this over carefully before he brought up his doubts to Arthur.

When he stepped foot back onto the terrace, he found Roxanne close by admiring one of the flower beds near the steps leading to the gardens. It took her a moment to acknowledge him. She smiled warmly and met him at the bottom step. She lit up his life just to be near her, making his heart full.

“You seem disgruntled. Didn’t your meeting go well?”

“It wasn’t enough to warrant an unscheduled visit. What he had to tell me could have waited.”

“He sounds ambitious, a risk taker.” Roxanne linked her arm with his and began to talk. “A turn in the gardens might help alleviate some of your stress.”

Graham closed his eyes for a moment to take in her essence. Vanilla and oranges was burnt into his being. He felt himself calm as she led him along the crushed shell path. “How do you do it? I feel better already.”

“It’s something I taught myself. I found whenever Casper was in residence, which wasn’t often, that the tranquility of the garden alleviated whatever stress I felt.”

“I found a good ride on horseback or a walk to the lake on the Kent estate helped me immensely.”

Neither said another word as they continued to walk. It was as though nothing needed to be said between them. They were that relaxed each with the other.

“I forgot to mention I had the photographic equipment I bought for you moved here. Why don’t we head back to see it?”

“I hope this isn’t too hard to learn.”

“You are an intelligent woman. Never doubt yourself.”

“I try not to.”

Their walk took them back to the house. He led her up the steps where he took her hand and led her back into the house.

The staircase came into focus, and he led her up to the top where they ended.

A separate set of stairs led up to the third floor.

This was where the nursery was located. To the right, they went down a hallway painted white.

Doors leading to other rooms were all closed.

Graham stopped at one door and pulled a key out of his pocket.

He unlocked the door and walked in. Roxanne hesitated a moment but quickly joined him.

There were crates and crates, all sitting unopened.

She walked closer and spotted toward the back of the crates a single open box.

As she peered closer, she noted a camera sitting on the straw of the crate.

“Look, there’s a camera,” she said, pointing in the direction of the item.

“Yes, there is. I must have opened the crate when it arrived.”

“Perhaps we can have it all unpacked so we can look at all of it.”

He grinned. “I can do you one better. The proprietors of the shop where I purchased this offered to come and set everything up and give some lessons on how to use the camera and how to develop the plates.”

“That would be wonderful, but will they work with a woman?”

He arched a brow as he heard the frustration in her voice. “Yes, they will. I informed them this was all for my intended and it didn’t appear to bother them at all.”

“If they’re as good at their trade as you say they are, they aren’t going to be able to bear anyone possibly doing harm to their lifelong passion.”

“Good point.”

“Why don’t you arrange it with them. See if they’d come to Kent after our wedding. We’ll have it all moved there since that’s where we’ll be.”

He nodded. “I think that’s an excellent idea. There will be no end to what you can take pictures of.”

She gazed up fondly at him. “I’m sure it’s getting late so I probably should return home.”

“Don’t worry about etiquette. You’re a widow and a dowager. The same rules don’t apply.”

“I know, but I just want to make sure I’m not monopolizing your time.”

“You could never do that.”

She giggled, holding her hand over her mouth.

“What’s so funny?”

“The idea that you’re so worried about tainting my reputation. We’ll be married in a few days and none of this will matter. I remember there was a time in the not so recent past where you wouldn’t have thought twice about any of this. You had a devil may care attitude.”

He barked out a laugh. “You know me far better than you let on or I give you credit for.”

“I take it that’s a compliment?”

Graham nodded. “Yes.”

She could tell with the way the shadows were lowering that it was late afternoon, an afternoon she would never forget. “We still need to plan out Wednesday. There are some things we’ve not touched on.”

“Would you like to discuss this over tea?”

“That would be nice. There isn’t much to talk about, but it would help me especially.”

Graham swung his head around. There was a strange knock on the door. The butler. Graham ordered tea for the two of them. He guided her to a gold settee and chair arrangement as they waited on tea.

“I hope this meets with your expectations,” he said lowly.

She flashed him a grin and looked down at her folded hands. “You know it does.”

For the next hour they discussed their wedding day.

Roxanne needed for her belongings to be moved from Jameson House, no later than the day before their nuptials.

She would keep what she needed to prepare herself the following morning.

Following the wedding breakfast, the couple would make the short drive to their home.

Graham revealed he had the afternoon through the following day planned out for them and he wasn’t about to reveal to Roxanne what the plans were. He knew that would bother her, and she did her utmost best not to let any emotion show.

“I guess that’s everything and that I ought to return home.”

He stood to his full height and helped her from her chair. “I’ll have the carriage brought around.”

“You don’t have to accompany me. There are probably things that need your attention here.”

“Trying to get rid of me so soon?” he quipped.

“Of course not.”

It was a short ride to Jameson House. Once they entered the house, the butler greeted them. “His Grace is in the drawing room with a guest.”

“Who is it?” Roxanne asked. She did not know anyone who would call this late in the afternoon.

“A Mr. Crenshaw.”

Roxanne’s gaze jumped to Graham. “Isn’t that who came to see you earlier?”

“It is.”

She nodded to the butler and turned and walked to the staircase that would lead them to the drawing room. With Graham close by her, they entered the room. Towards the far end of the room she found her brother in deep conversation with Mr. Crenshaw.

Arthur raised his head at the sound of them walking across the hard wood floor. “Sister. Hawksbury. You’ve met our guest, Mr. Crenshaw?”

“Yes,” Graham responded, taking Crenshaw’s hand in his to shake. “He called on me earlier. Is he trying to convince you to buy this second ship?”

Arthur took a sip of whiskey and nodded. “He made no mention of calling on you. And yes, he’s driving a hard bargain for the sale of this second ship.”

Roxanne, who’d made sure she sat down near Crenshaw, leaned forward in her chair. “Mr. Crenshaw, I feel as though I know you from sometime in the past. Your name is just too familiar.”

Arthur spoke up. “Father and Mother were going to India with his father.”

“That’s where I’ve heard it. How could I forget?”

“I have always found it amazing that our parents’ remains were never found. What of your father and the other guests?”

Crenshaw shifted his weight in his chair. “Your parents were the only guests that journeyed on that train. My father did make it and right now he’s living in India.”

Something wasn’t right, and Roxanne could feel it in her bones. He was lying. There was something off in just the small amount of information he’d given her. He was uncomfortable and fidgeted; more importantly, he wouldn’t look her in the face. Instead, he averted his gaze.

“I imagine it’s a fascinating place. Our parents certainly thought so. This was to have been their second journey there.” She watched him through hooded eyes, to see what his response would be.

Nothing was different. He was still hesitant in his answers. She would discuss this with Arthur and Graham in greater detail once Crenshaw left. The man was hiding something, and they needed to be prepared and ready when they began looking into his background.

“India’s like no other country. It’s a world all its own.”

“It sounds like it might be.”

Deciding she had perhaps said too much in front of Mr. Crenshaw, Roxanne stood and smoothed her skirts with her hands. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to check on a few things.”

Hands were shaken, good afternoons said, and she turned and walked out of the room.

There really wasn’t anything she had to do, but interrogating her brother’s guest seemingly was not well received by either Arthur or Graham.

For the time being, she would make herself scarce by going to her bedchamber.

She had a couple of letters she needed to respond to.

That would take some time. Maybe after that, Mr. Crenshaw would be gone and she could rejoin her brother and Graham.

She wanted them to discuss this with her.

It wasn’t something that could be ignored.

Crenshaw knew more than he was letting on, and they needed to get to the root of it.

They also didn’t need to be purchasing any ships from him until they knew everything there was to know.

She began to pace her room as she contemplated what her next move should be. A discussion with her brother and Graham seemed like the best course of action. Maybe they knew things they hadn’t shared with her. It was certainly worth trying. Maybe they were or would look into the man.

There had never been a satisfactory investigation into her parents’ deaths.

Whether it was because the incident happened so far from England, it was nearly impossible to get answers or after all this time it would be impossible to get any satisfactory answers, even if this Mr. Crenshaw knew something.

She didn’t know, but now there was a fire inside her that wanted answers.

Arthur and Graham might have notes or correspondence about the matter.

If she got ahold of that, she might be able to piece parts of the puzzle together and draw her own conclusion.

What happened to their parents should have never happened. The train did not go through any hostile areas and stopped randomly along the way. At least that’s what they’d been told.

Maybe this was all an illusion. A fake scenario for something grander than what any of them knew.

Graham and Arthur would probably be against her spending so much time researching the case when she had a wedding to plan.

Little did they know she had much of the wedding day taken care of.

At least, through the wedding breakfast. None of this was going to deter her from looking into Crenshaw.