Page 18 of Only a Duke (Ladies Who Dare #6)

Louisa snorted. “My brother is better dealing with dogs than I am, it’s true.”

Mortimer chuckled.

And that low laughter seemed to reach within Louisa and latch onto her bones. Why did it feel as though she had reached the edge of a cliff, and she had no other recourse but to jump?

*

Early the next morning

“A penny for your thoughts,” Oliver asked Lady Louisa. Worthing was about ten miles west of Brighton, and they had been on the road for about an hour and had one more to go before they reached their destination. And the angel hadn’t said one word in all that time.

She parted the curtain to peek out of the carriage window to where the Fury called Reaper was following on horseback. “It’s like they don’t trust us at all.”

“They don’t.”

“Well, I am thinking if they want that ledger so badly, perhaps we should keep it.” Her gaze met his. “You owe me a penny.”

A penny suddenly felt fascinatingly scandalous. Her idea was also intriguing. “Double cross the brothers? And here I thought you were worried about your own brother.”

“You had them send a Fury to Mr. Helgate. There must be a reason for this. And as you saw, he enjoys fishing. I don’t imagine he’s even missing me.

I’m more concerned about my father. Since the betting book is evidence, it must mean the husbands of the women in the club are involved, correct?

Only men would be able to make entries in White’s betting book, after all. ”

Oliver nodded. The women didn’t have access to the betting book.

But whether the Duke of Talbot specifically was involved, he couldn’t be sure.

He would only be able to tell once he had the book in his possession.

Quite frankly, he should have gotten the book from the heiresses much sooner, but he had been content to know that he could retrieve it at any time.

That was his biggest mistake.

And it wasn’t like him.

However, he couldn’t deny that he had been rather amused at the heiresses’ behavior and, if he had to be further honest, had been indulging the antics.

Since the investigation had been slow, and he had found the secret club’s tavern, he had thought he had a bit more time before the contents of the book would become necessary.

She lowered her voice suddenly. “Back to those blasted beasts. Think about it. What can they really do? And who knows, this ledger might help you better in your investigation, no?”

Oliver nodded. It pleased him that she trusted him to the degree that she did. There were multiple times she could have lost her calm, but she had never lost it once. “Depending on the contents.”

“Do you believe the ledger has something to do with the women’s club?”

“Most definitely.” Of that, he had no doubt.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t trade their only leverage for it.

Only, while the betting book was evidence of the club’s illicit dealings with the ton , the ledger likely contained true accounts of some sort.

Perhaps it logged details revealing contacts or shipping routes.

If that were the case, it would be invaluable for his investigation—and would also implicate the Havendish family.

Her brow scrunched. “I suppose we shall have to see.”

“You want to teach them a lesson that badly?”

“They irk me.” Her gaze met his. “Do they not irk you?”

“I’ve faced worse.”

“I can imagine,” she said with a nod. “Speaking of which, what shall happen to my stepmother if she truly is the ringleader and she is caught? Is it your objective to march her down the streets of London and into a trial?”

Oliver’s lips briefly tugged upward at the vivid picture that filled his head. “Is that what you want?”

“I mean,” she began with a devilish glint in her eyes, “I’m not opposed to the idea.”

He wasn’t either. “Unfortunately, what happens depends on Bow Street as well as your father. He has many connections, and this is the kind of scandal that could ruin your family’s name.

” The fact of the matter was that the duke could probably crush any trial against his wife and deal with her on his terms if he wished to do so.

He had enough clout for this. But punishment wasn’t Oliver’s purview.

“My objective is to bring the conduct to heel.”

“The Talbot family name will survive the scandal. We are a sturdy bunch.” She peeked out of the window again. “What about those Furys’ conduct? They are criminals, too. Will you go after them next?”

Oliver shook his head. “They are none of my concern.”

“That’s rather biased, is it not?”

Well, he was rather biased, honestly. His gaze met her curious one. “I am assisting in this matter because my mother asked me to help dismantle the club.”

“Your mother ? How surprising.” A short pause. “Wait! Do not tell me she was a member?”

“No,” Oliver denied. “One of her friends, on the other hand, was very much involved but wanted to withdraw. When she tried, her son was beaten within an inch of his life and her life was threatened.”

“Holy stars, what happened to her then?”

Oliver shrugged. “They fled to Scotland to hide. My mother followed to keep her company. The entire affair is unacceptable.”

“Well, you certainly are a good son.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice in this regard,” Oliver said, recalling the last letter he received from his mother. “She is standing her ground alongside her friend in Scotland until this club is destroyed. I also find their actions unacceptable.”

“Brave woman.”

Oliver stared at Lady Louisa, his gaze tracing the smooth skin of her cheeks. Yesterday, in The Raging Stag, he had been impressed by her mettle. This angel had a backbone that few ladies possessed. She was a brave woman.

“Shall you be joining the house party,” Lady Louisa jolted him out of his thoughts, “as a duke or servant?”

“Servant,” Oliver said without hesitation. Talbot was at the party. Showing up the same day as his daughter might not be the strongest strategy since the man was suspicious by nature. At least, from what Oliver had seen so far.

“That is probably for the best.”

Her knee brushed against him, and a ripple of awareness trickled along his spine. His fingers twitched. He hadn’t been this aware of a woman in a long, long time. In fact, had he ever been this aware of a woman before?

He shrugged off the thought.

Naturally, he would be aware of Louisa Talbot. She was a Talbot . Every nerve, every instinct he possessed leaped to alertness with every movement and every word she spoke.

“You had your reservations about the duchess before I told you of her involvement. May I ask why?”

A moment of silence fell before she answered, “I’m not sure. It’s more of a feeling I get whenever I’m in her presence. She is also a different person in front of my father than she is elsewhere.”

Oliver nodded thoughtfully. “It makes sense. If she is the true head of this organization then I would imagine she would be rather good at manipulating people. She is also blessed with a fair, innocent face, which must help.”

A snort. “There is nothing fair and innocent about that woman. A conniving and scheming person. My father must be blind as a bat or...”

She didn’t need to finish the sentence. He understood. Or her father might very well be part of the organization. “Will your father question your sudden attendance?”

She shrugged. “I shall tell him I was bored and decided to join when I heard Theodosia would attend. She is the reason I’m in this pickle, is she not?”

Oliver arched a brow. Her brother was the real reason, but he decided not to point that out. “Is she attending?”

“No, but I shall then claim I must have gotten it wrong.”

“They might not wish you to leave until the party is over.” Best be prepared for anything.

“Oh, no need to worry about that. My father is rather lenient with my whims. Otherwise, I would have been betrothed the moment the heiress scandal lit up all the gossip pages.”

Ah, right. “Yes, I heard chatter that he might marry you off.”

“All bluster.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I do not believe your father would stoop to outright criminal activities such as smuggling.”

“Unless we became paupers and required blunt.”

“You don’t sound optimistic.”

“I have learned that when it comes to powerful men, one cannot rule out anything.” Her gaze met his. “Men such as you.”

Her words hit like a blow. “You don’t like men such as me?”

“I don’t.”

Ever so blunt. Oliver couldn’t blame her. She’d been abducted when she was young as a means to gain the upper hand in a dispute over property. Rather disheartening, that.

“You know, ever since we met that night you broke into my chamber, I’ve found a sense of familiarity come over me from time to time when we meet gazes. I wonder why.”

Oliver flinched. “Perhaps you have heard so many Cavanagh horror stories over time that you now feel a certain amount of recognition when we meet.”

She sent him a skeptical look. “I’m not sure. I’ve never really lent my ears to Cavanagh horror tales.”

She hadn’t? “Is that why you do not regard me as a family enemy? Even to the point of traveling with me to Brighton? Bringing your brother along?”

“The enmity is between you and my father. I, for one, don’t have the energy to fret about such things.”

“I doubt your father would be happy to hear that,” Oliver pointed out. Talbot might even challenge him to a duel in the future if he discovered Oliver had traveled alone with his daughter through the countryside.

“Then, he shall never hear it. Once my stepmother is dealt with, we shall go our separate ways and none shall be the wiser.”

So, optimistic, this angelic creature. “Your brother is the wiser.”

“Leo lives for secrets. He shall keep this one. If all goes well, this family feud shall die with you and Papa.”

A man could hope.