Page 10 of Never Doubt I Love (Calloway #3)

Alexander was a fool, and he had half a mind to tell Lord Calloway exactly what had transpired between him and Olivia in that parlor. He wanted the baron to trust him, not only with his sister but possibly with one of his businesses as well. He had been giving it a good deal of thought, and if he could not obtain a loan substantial enough to purchase a lucrative business, he would try to find a way to gain employment from someone who could. Someone like Lord Calloway, who—if Society gossip was to be believed—was in need of someone to assist in his business endeavors.

With such a position, working with one of the wealthiest men in London, Alexander could care for himself as well as Mother, without needing Hugh’s approval or his fortune.

“Well, Lord Alexander, I must admit that I was surprised by your request.” Lord Calloway gestured for Alexander to enter the study first and then pointed to a chair opposite the stately desk set near the large window. Rain still pounded on the glass, leaving the room dim, but a fire burned cheerfully in the hearth.

“I am grateful you accepted.” Alexander waited until Calloway was settled before he sat. Though his request had originally been more of an excuse to gain a proper introduction to Olivia, the thought of learning from Calloway or even working for him had not left his mind since Almack’s. He fiddled with his cuff, unsure how to truly begin the conversation.

Calloway tilted his head to one side. “Does His Grace know you are here?”

Alexander shifted in his seat, growing more uncomfortable by the second. “No. Well, yes. But he thinks I have come for a different reason.”

“For Olivia?”

Clenching his jaw, Alexander forced his expression to remain relatively neutral. Telling Lord Calloway that he intended to interact with Miss Calloway—Olivia—without pursuing her seemed like a dangerous idea. Alexander should not have agreed to a first-name friendship with Olivia, but seeing her without warning had addled his brain. It made no sense whatsoever to be so affected by a woman he should avoid at all costs, particularly when he could not, under any circumstances, take a fancy to her. The more his interest in Olivia grew, the more likely Hugh would sniff it out, and that would lead to disaster.

Hugh never desired anything more than something he should not have.

Because of that, Alexander had decided in the last few moments that it would be a good idea to give Lord Calloway a sense of Hugh’s intentions. Hugh would never allow Alexander to divulge much, but if Alexander could skirt around the topic... “I have no interest in pursuing your sister for myself, but as I am sure you are aware, Miss Calloway has attracted a good deal of attention.”

Calloway narrowed his eyes. “Because of her dowry.”

“Because she is beautiful and personable. I do not think there are many single men who could be resistant to her charms.”

Grunting, Calloway settled against the back of his chair, looking far too comfortable, considering his scowl. “I am finding that to be the case, yes. I have a sitting room full of bouquets from all of London’s hothouses, and Olivia does not even care for flowers.”

She likes love-in-a-mist , Alexander thought to himself.

“Regardless,” Calloway continued, “I hate to speak ill of anyone, but His Grace is not the sort of man I had in mind for my sister. If he sent you on his behalf, I can only tell you that your time will have been wasted.”

No time with Olivia had been wasted thus far, little though that time had been.

Alexander cleared his throat. “You have no reason to believe me, but I agree with you, and I have not come to present my brother’s suit for Miss Calloway. In fact, I would like to prevent him as much as possible, though I am afraid there is only so much I can do. His hold over me is stronger than I would like.”

“And you have come to warn me?”

“Yes. But more so, I have come to talk business, Lord Calloway, exactly as I told you last week.”

“Oh.” Calloway looked dumbstruck as that thought settled. “I would not have expected a Bailey to be looking for income. Even a second son.”

Alexander acknowledged that with a nod. This was the dangerous part, and he had to hope Calloway was not like his friend Forester when it came to spreading gossip. “It may come as a surprise, my lord, but despite what Society thinks, I am not wealthy. I am beholden to my brother for everything I have, and he gives me only enough to appear as wealthy as he is.”

As he tapped his knuckles on the desk, Calloway seemed to be studying Alexander closer than he had before. He was an intelligent man, with a strong enough business sense that he could have been just as wealthy as he was now even without lands and tenants. Alexander had to hope Calloway was intelligent enough to see the truth about why he was there.

“And you wish to be wealthy?” Calloway guessed.

Alexander swallowed. “I wish to be free.”

* * *

An hour later, Alexander was feeling more hopeful than he had in a long time. Though Calloway still did not fully trust him, which was understandable, he had agreed to meet with Alexander twice a week to discuss some of his smaller business ventures and give him a place to start. Alexander had insisted Calloway keep names, locations, and specific money amounts as much a secret as possible, hoping to use that as proof that Alexander had no malice in coming to him. He simply wanted to learn.

“Will His Grace be suspicious of the amount of time you spend here?” Calloway asked. He had removed his jacket and cravat over the last hour as they talked, and Alexander almost felt relaxed in his presence now that some of his secrets were out. It helped to see Calloway in a state of ease and familiarity, as if that put them as equals.

“Perhaps,” Alexander replied. “But my hope is that he believes I am ingratiating myself into your family, as he asked me to do. As long as he is under the impression I am doing as he has ordered, he will not bother looking further. He is not that attentive.”

Calloway hummed, looking thoughtful as he all but lounged in his chair. “Only a fool or a desperate man would speak of a duke the way you have, Lord Alexander, and I have never thought you to be a fool. Misguided, perhaps, but I am beginning to see the hold your brother has over you.”

Sitting forward, Alexander made certain his expression contained every ounce of humility he possessed. “I thank you, Lord Calloway. You have no reason to help me, but you may be the only person who can.”

Calloway chuckled. “We shall see if your gratitude is warranted, though I cannot guarantee you will learn anything from me. I have had to learn it all myself over the last few years, and I still struggle.”

“I believe your finances would suggest otherwise.”

“Yes, well, I have been fortunate. I also happen to have a wife with a keen mind and a knowledge of the working class, two things I lack.”

Alexander lifted his eyebrows. “Lady Calloway is involved with your businesses?” He couldn’t keep the shock out of his words, though as soon as Calloway glared at him, he wished he had.

“Her sex has nothing to do with her talents, Lord Alexander, and if you think she is not capable of—”

“No.” Alexander cleared his throat, his face heating under the baron’s intense gaze. “I am only surprised. Not many women are given the chance, and the fact that you involve her at all makes you a rare man indeed.”

Calloway frowned. “Oh. You keep surprising me, Lord Alexander.”

“Call me Alexander, please. With all you have agreed to do for me, formality feels out of place.”

Nodding, Calloway looked over the papers he had been scribbling on over the last hour as he figured out what he could teach Alexander. “Something tells me your brother would not approve of that. Or any of this, really.”

“He would not.”

Calloway smiled, mischief in the expression. “Defying a duke has a certain intrigue to it, doesn’t it?”

Though it felt dangerous, given the precarious nature of this arrangement, Alexander allowed himself a small smile in return. “I have been defying my brother in small ways my entire life.”

“You do not fear him?”

“He terrifies me. But I am not the sort of man who cowers beneath fear. More than anything, it pushes me to do more. You may see that as foolish, but I have little else.”

“Not foolish,” Calloway argued. “Brave. Any other man in your circumstances would have fallen into line long before now.”

The compliment hit Alexander hard, working its way into his chest and leaving him feeling warm. And strong. He suddenly wished he had confided in someone long before now, but keeping in the background had always seemed the safer option. And perhaps he had never had a good enough reason to ask someone for help. Working with and learning from Lord Calloway would keep him close to Olivia, which in turn would make it easier for him to protect her. He had not had reason to fight for himself, but he would fight for her.

“I should return to my brothers,” Alexander said, though he wished he never had to say those words. Soon, he hoped he wouldn’t. “Again, thank you, my lord. You have no idea how much hope you have given me by agreeing to this.”

Calloway took his proffered hand, still smiling at him as if he had found something worth a good deal. “Honestly, you have done me a favor.”

“How?”

“My wife, the blessed woman, thinks I spend too much time working on my own and has been pressuring me into hiring a steward or partner. If you catch on quickly, perhaps that could be you.”

A partner? Alexander could only pray he would be so lucky. He couldn’t hold back his grin as he stood. “I will strive to be a diligent student. The sooner I can escape my brother’s chains, the better.”

They were nearly to the front door when Olivia appeared from a sitting room, and Alexander’s heart picked up its pace at the sight of her wide smile. Olivia. He would never get tired of thinking her name, though he suddenly feared he would accidentally speak it around her brother if he wasn’t careful.

“Lord Alexander!” she said brightly. “I did not realize you were still here.”

He bowed his head, though he kept his eyes on her as if afraid he wouldn’t get another chance. If Calloway stayed true to his word and allowed him entrance to the house twice a week, Alexander hoped he would see her at least as often, if not more as they attended social events. “Your brother has given me more than I will ever be able to repay,” he said, unsure if Calloway wanted his sister to know the details of what they were doing.

The way Calloway studied him, it seemed he was unsure if Alexander wanted her to know. “You will likely be seeing more of Lord Alexander in the coming weeks,” he said slowly. “Think you can manage it?”

Olivia’s grin only grew. “I suppose I will endure his company whenever we cross paths.” Then she turned to Alexander. “You are learning business, then, are you? I would not have expected the son of a duke to be interested in something like that.”

“Only as interested as a baron might be,” Alexander responded with a wink. When Olivia blushed a lovely pink, he thought perhaps he should not do such a thing again, as he might not survive the sight of her blush if he had to endure it over and over. She was beautiful to begin with, and each minute he spent in her company only made her more so.

Why had he been on his way out? He couldn’t remember.

“I did not think it possible,” Olivia said, “but it is raining harder than it was before. I hope you were not about to leave.”

Alexander frowned. “I was, in fact. My brother will be wondering where I am.”

“He keeps such a close eye on you?”

You have no idea. “I do not mind a bit of rain.”

Tilting her head to one side, Olivia’s expression turned conspiratorial. “Do you mind getting washed away in the street? Perhaps you ought to stay here for tea and hope the storm lessens while you wait.”

Calloway cleared his throat but said nothing. His opinion of Alexander had apparently changed over the last hour, and rather than discouraging his sister, he seemed to simply be reminding them that he was there.

Alexander had never been one to overstay his welcome, but if Olivia was inviting him to remain, surely it would be rude to refuse.

Before he could say a word, the front door burst open, letting in a wave of water along with the sopping man who opened it from the outside. Alexander flinched, thinking something was amiss, but Calloway simply groaned.

“Forester, what the devil are you doing?”

Forester laughed as he slid out of his drenched coat and handed it off to the harried butler, who hurried to close the door against the elements. “What, can I not come to visit my closest friend?”

“It is raining cats and dogs out there.”

Forester lifted an eyebrow before looking down at the puddle he had created in the entryway. “Oddly enough, I am aware of that.” Then his eyes caught on Alexander, and his whole demeanor shifted, the carefree, relaxed stance making way for a carefully calm man. “I assumed Miss Calloway would need some company before she perished from boredom, though it seems I was wrong.” He nodded to Alexander, who nodded in return. “Always an interesting sight, a Bailey away from the pack.”

“You had better get used to it,” Olivia said. “Lord Alexander is going to be Simon’s apprentice.”

Alexander choked. Apprentice? While she was correct in a sense, it wasn’t a word he wanted bandied about. He reached out and took hold of Olivia’s arm before she said anything else. “That is to say, I hope to learn something of business from Lord Calloway,” he clarified. Oh, touching Olivia had been a bad idea. Not only did Forester and Calloway both mark the gesture with their keen gazes, but Alexander also had no desire to let go. Friends could touch, couldn’t they? But only Olivia was aware that they were friends, and even then, saying it was so didn’t give him the right to act so familiarly.

He released her arm and tucked his hands behind him. “I was about to return home,” he told Forester, “but...”

Forester smirked. “But you are likely to drown out there. I’m fortunate to have made it here at all, though I doubt my wife will appreciate my absence for long.”

“I believe she will enjoy the peace and quiet with you out of the house,” Calloway muttered.

Forester cocked his head. “And how much peace and quiet has your wife had today, Calloway? Too much, I’d wager.”

Alexander wasn’t sure if he should laugh or be concerned about the friendship between the two men. He supposed it did not matter either way, as he was hardly connected to either. Alexander felt like an outsider standing in that entry hall, unsure what he should do.

That was a strange feeling on its own. He was always either following Hugh’s orders or actively working against them, and at least until the storm lessened, he was required to do neither. What did a man do when his time was entirely his own?

Whether she sensed his discomfort or was simply eager to spend more time with him, Olivia took a step closer and gave him her best smile. “Perhaps you and I could play a game in the sitting room, Lord Alexander. Leave Nick and Simon to their bickering.”

“We do not bicker ,” Calloway said at the same time Forester said, “What else are old friends supposed to do to pass the time?”

Calloway scowled. “You do realize you cannot continue to flit about Town however you please now that you are married, don’t you?”

“What is it they say about dogs and new tricks? Besides, you Calloways are the only other family I have.”

“Lord Harstone is literally your brother-in-law and lives not two blocks from here.”

Forester chuckled, shaking his head. “Yes, well, Harstone had to endure my company for months on end. It is your turn, my friend.”

Calloway sent a glance heavenward. “Give me strength.”

Suddenly Olivia’s arm was tucked through Alexander’s, and he startled, looking down at her as she pulled herself against his side.

“How are you at chess, my lord?” she asked.

He fought to find his voice. Not an easy feat, given their proximity. “Not as skilled as I would like, Miss Calloway.”

“Well, that is perfect, because I am rather a poor player myself.” While her brother continued to argue with his friend—strangest friends Alexander had ever seen—Olivia tugged him toward the sitting room she had just vacated. “Perhaps against you I will finally win a game!”

The room was not empty, as Alexander had expected, and as soon as he saw Lady Calloway dozing on a chaise longue, he paused, forcing Olivia to stop as well. This was hardly the state he should be seeing the baroness in, and he turned to vacate the room before he woke her.

“Oh, she is not asleep,” Olivia said as she held him in place.

Lady Calloway opened her eyes and smiled. “Not yet, anyway. I see you have been trapped here, Lord Alexander.”

“He promised me a game of chess while he waits out the storm,” Olivia said.

He had not promised her anything, but could he really tell her no? He swallowed, still tempted to leave the room so as not to disturb Lady Calloway. He hadn’t realized she was with child when he’d met her the other night, though it was obvious now as she sat with her feet propped up and her hand on her protruding belly.

“Forgive the intrusion,” he said, keeping his voice soft.

Lady Calloway let out a weary sigh as Forester and Calloway continued their argument out in the corridor. “No intrusion at all, Lord Alexander. Though, I would have hoped your presence would keep those two from going after each other all afternoon. One might wonder if they even like each other.”

Yes, Alexander had certainly wondered.

Olivia leaned up on her toes, bringing her face closer to his and sending a shock of heat through his body. “They like each other very much,” she told him. “Simon pretends to be exasperated by Nick, but really he is happy to have a friend. Especially now that Nick has been acting more like he used to since meeting his wife.”

Alexander hadn’t noticed any difference in Forester’s behavior, though he could not say he had paid much attention to the man before this Season. And he still would not have given him notice if he had not been connected to Olivia.

“I hope my husband assisted you as you had hoped,” Lady Calloway said, tucking her shawl tighter around her shoulders. “He knows a good deal, but he does struggle to share the load.”

“Yes, Lord Calloway was more than amenable to my request, and I hope to learn as much as I can from him. Perhaps even assist him in his endeavors, if I am suited to it.”

“What a delightful thought,” Olivia said. “A duke’s brother learning trade and investments.”

Cringing, Alexander thought of the best way to ask her not to spread that idea around without appearing either arrogant or desperate. “It may seem strange,” he said slowly, “but I would appreciate it if no one heard about my alignment with Lord Calloway. At least, not until I have found my footing.”

Ideally, no one would know his designs until he was already a self-made man and no longer dependent upon anyone but himself. Assuming he even reached that point, of course.

He looked at Lady Calloway, who seemed confused about his request. “Your husband is an admirable man and could very well be the only thing standing between me and ruin, and my endeavors are not for my own benefit only. Lord Calloway has defied tradition because he has earned the respect of his peers.” He ducked his head. “I fear I do not possess the same level of esteem.”

“You fear an occupation that is seen as beneath a duke’s brother will reflect negatively upon you and anyone else you hold dear,” Lady Calloway surmised.

Alexander nodded.

“Then, this shall be our secret!” Olivia said. Thankfully, she seemed to understand as well as her sister-in-law. “Are you ready to lose at chess, my lord?”

Letting out his breath, Alexander forced himself to relax again. Could all of this really work? Not just learning from Lord Calloway, but befriending Olivia and convincing Hugh that everything was going according to his plan? Alexander settled across the chess table from Olivia and took a slow, calming breath.

It had to work.