Page 4 of Season of the Scoundrel (The Bridewell Sisters #3)

In truth, none of that had ever come easily to him.

Presented with a room full of eligible ladies, his usual desire was to escape, not because he was churlish or disliked company, but because crowds unsettled him.

As a duke, all the eyes in a room turned his way.

Each person expected him to behave in a certain manner, to say all the correct things.

All his life, expectation had been his companion.

He’d been watched and assessed by his parents, nannies, governesses, and umpteen tutors.

There’d rarely been a day of his childhood when he hadn’t been expected to study, to ride, to hunt, to prove his mettle, to show anyone and everyone that he would one day be an excellent Duke of Blackbourne.

Though, of course, none who’d prepared him to become a duke had ever imagined the title would come to him at fourteen.

So, with few opportunities to be carefree, there’d been no grand tour, and he’d never had an interest in frequenting brothels or gambling dens as many of his university friends had.

After two brief liaisons in his twenties, he’d also realized he did not enjoy such shallow entanglements.

He struggled to commit his body to someone without his feelings becoming engaged.

Marriage seemed the obvious solution, and yet he hadn’t found the time to court anyone properly.

Perhaps his mother was right. The moment had come. If he was so overcome by the feel of a young woman’s body brushing against his own, he’d definitely gone too long without feminine company.

When Lady Tressick’s invitation came, he’d accept. Perhaps one of her daughters would prove as enticing as a sable-haired, green-eyed hellion.

Rather than return to his townhouse at the end of the day, Ross headed to his favorite club. A friend had invited him to come for a drink and a game of cards. But Chesford had not yet arrived.

Gesturing to a staff member to bring his favored beverage, Ross settled into a chair and then picked up a newspaper—one of his competitor’s issues—that lay on the table in front of him.

“Blackbourne,” a deep, familiar voice said a moment later. “I’d hoped to see you here this evening.”

Ross smiled at the gentleman’s approach and stood to greet his friend, fellow duke, and ally in the House of Lords, the Duke of Edgerton.

They were the same age, of the same mind about supporting bills to protect workers and the poor, and both invested widely in various business interests.

“I don’t often see you here, Edgerton.”

“I rarely am.” He grinned, and no further explanation was required. The man had only been married a few years and was ridiculously besotted with his duchess.

“If I’m honest, I came with the sole purpose of finding you,” Edgerton admitted.

“Oh?”

“I have been watching with great interest as you’ve improved the fortunes of The Sentinel .”

Ross gestured to the chair across from him, and Edgerton sat, though he leaned forward. Ross sensed a sort of anxious energy about the man that was at odds with his usual demeanor.

“As it happens, my sister-in-law is quite passionately determined to become a journalist, and she’s currently seeking an opportunity.”

“Has she published previously?” Ross asked. He was not at all opposed to hiring a lady to join his staff. Indeed, he already had, but there was always room for fresh talent. Especially as The Sentinel worked to grow its readership.

“She has not.” Edgerton’s mouth curved. “She’d bid me to say not yet . Though she has several pieces she’s worked on for some time. She’s a keen researcher and has an almost terrifying ability to collect and retain facts.”

Ross chuckled. “Terrifying, is she?”

“Ivy is…” Edgerton hesitated.

Ross arched a brow, intrigued.

“Driven,” Edgerton finally said. “More so than any lady I’ve ever known, except perhaps my grandmother. She wants to make a difference with her writing, particularly in regard to society’s ills.”

“Well, I applaud such an urge. If you’re requesting that I consider her portfolio, you are welcome to send her my way. I can be found in The Sentinel offices most mornings by nine.”

“Thank you.” Edgerton looked as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and finally settled back against the chair’s cushions. “Would your staff be willing to show her the various aspects of running such an enterprise?”

“Does she have managerial aspirations?”

Edgerton frowned and ran a hand through his hair. “My wife came to me this evening and explained that Ivy would like to start her own newspaper one day. She has asked me to considering handing over her dowry so she may do so.”

“Driven indeed.” Ross grinned. He admired tenacity.

The club’s staff came around with drinks for both of them. Ross sipped his whiskey as he pondered the boldness of Edgerton’s sister-in-law. He had one married sister, and his fourteen-year-old sister, Eloise, was willful, but he couldn’t imagine her demanding her dowry at the age of twenty.

“Has she renounced marriage entirely then?” Ross wondered if the Duchess of Edgerton was as bold as her sister. If so, the man had his hands full.

Edgerton shrugged. “She finds the prospect of employment in the city much more appealing, but as she’s but twenty years of age, I would like her to learn a bit about the responsibilities and risks of running a newspaper before she attempts to undertake such a venture.

My wife and I agree that curbing her impulsive nature is unlikely, but we must try. ”

Ross lifted his glass out toward his friend. “I promise to explain the risks and burdens of owning a newspaper in the most solemn terms.”

Edgerton leaned forward and clinked his glass with Ross’s. “Thank you, Blackbourne.”

“You do realize you’re asking me to educate a future competitor.”

Edgerton laughed. “Up until a few years ago, she aspired to become a private inquiry agent. So perhaps she will find a passion for some new pursuit before she comes of age. But even if she does establish a rival newspaper, you’re a man who welcomes a challenge, are you not?”

“I am indeed.” Ross wasn’t averse to competition, and he quite liked the idea of proving useful to anyone hoping to succeed in a new business endeavor.

The only question was whether Miss Bridewell wished to learn. She sounded less than biddable.

But, as Edgerton said, he did relish a challenge.