“Explain to me why youwould allow, encourage, or otherwise be compromised by Miss MoiraKirkwood?” Gideon Waite, Viscount Ainsely, asked his former schoolmate who he happened to run into when he enteredWhite’s.
“I haven’t the foggiest.I’ve never even met the chit.” Peter Radburn, Marquess Lydellleaned back in his chair. “And can a lady even compromise agentleman? Isn’t it usually the other way around?”
“Of course they can,”Gideon chuckled. “It happens all the time. Except, we callit trapped. Sheencourages a stolen kiss in the moonlight, her father appears, andbachelorhood comes to an end.”
“I suppose so.” Lydellshrugged.
Mr. Jordan Trent pulled out a chairand joined the men at their table. He signaled for the footman andordered a brandy before he focused on Lydell. “About thisbet…”
“I know nothing about it.”Lydell threw his hands up in defense.
Gideon laughed. Lydell was ratherprivate and the more he tried to go unnoticed, the more societygossiped about him. Of course, it didn’t help that less than asennight ago all of London learned Lydell needed to find an heiressbefore the Season was done.
Jordan grinned. “I do.”
Both Gideon and Lydell leanedforward.
“Fiske and Alstonoverheard Lady Moira speaking to Lady Hearne before the dowagerLady Hearne took her from Heathfields’ ball last night.”
“Go on,” Lydell promptedwhen Jordan paused to take a drink from the glass just set beforehim.
Jordan glanced at Gideon. “I shouldhave known those two would make an issue of the young woman’swords.”
“Jordan,” Lydell warned,running out of patience. Gideon had seen these two in similarconversations over the last ten years. The more Lydell wanted toknow something, the longer Jordan took in the telling.
“You were there too?”Gideon asked.
Jordan turned to him. “I was rightbehind Lady Moira. Her mother had just glared at me. I don’tunderstand why mothers don’t like me. Have I ever ruined aninnocent, spoke cruelly to a young lady? It is very disconcertingto be treated as a pariah when I have done nothingwrong.”
Nothingwrong. The man was the very definitionof rake, but whathe said was true. Mothers hated him, and young debutants adoredhim.
“What did she say?” Lydellground out.
Jordan returned his attention to themuch frustrated Lydell. “Before this Season is out, I will find agentleman to take me to Scotland, even if I have to compromise himto do so."
“Good God,” Gideonstammered. “Why the devil would she make such astatement?”
“I don’t know.” Jordanshrugged.
“Is it her appearance?Does she think no gentleman will offer for her, so she’d best hieoff to Gretna before he changes his mind?” Lydellprompted.
“No, I don’t think so. Infact, she was rather pretty.”
Lydell sighed withannoyance. “Why was my name put in the betting book then?”
“Her dowry.” Jordan leanedforward and lowered his voice. “Five thousand pounds.
Gideon sat back and whistled. Theamount of the chit’s dowry would have every destitute andnon-destitute gentleman on her doorstep as soon as the news spread.“Where did you come by this information?”
“Her brother, Hearne. Andhe was none too happy after reading the book a short timeago.”
Moira paused at the bottom step toeavesdrop on her mother’s conversation. “I don’t know why LadyHeathfield allowed reprobates like Jordan Trent or that horrid St.Austell in her home. Perhaps having lived in the wilds of Yorkshireall of her life, she doesn’t know any better.”
Both names were familiar. Her motherhad pointed out the gentlemen with a strong warning to avoid themcompletely before Moira found her reputation in shreds. While hermother’s opinion did make the gentlemen all the more interesting,they would never do. Neither was Scottish.
“I believe the fellows arefriends of Lord Heathfield,” her brother offered.
“Well, the man is marriednow and should cease associating with such persons.”
“Trent also happens to bea good friend of mine,” her brother continued.
“The same goes for you.You should have broken ties with that man long ago.”
Moira rolled her eyes, took a deepbreath, and calmly walked into the room. “Good afternoon, Alvinaand Nyle.”
Her sister-in-law wore a forced grinMoira recognized all too well. It was the same look all of hersisters-in-law adopted when spending above five minutes with hermother.
“How was your evening,Moira?” Alvina asked. “Did you enjoy your first ball?”
“The few moments I wasallowed to remain were quite pleasant.”
“You were there an hour,”her mother chastised. “It was long enough for a firstappearance.”
Moira poured herself a cup of tea,adding only one sugar since her mother was watching, beforesettling into a chair beside the one where her brother lounged. Shepreferred at least three sugars, but her mother scolded if she tookmore than one.
“Enough about society,”her mother announced and turned to Nyle. “I don’t understand whyyou and Alvina do not live here with us. It is the family home. Youare the earl. Why rent a small townhouse for theSeason?”
Moira could answer that question butbit her tongue.
“We don’t wish to crowd,”Alvina answered.
“Crowd? We have six emptybedchambers.”
Windsor Castle wasn’tlarge enough, if mother was in residence.
“Besides, I worry thatNyle isn’t taking proper care of you.”
Her brother sat forward.“Mother!”
She leveled her eyes on her son.“Well, she still isn’t increasing, is she?”
Moira choked on her tea and glanced atAlvina, who turned a lovely shade of rose.
“That is one area of mylife I do not need your assistance.” Nyle sat back and crossed his armsover his chest.
“Ellen is expecting hersecond child and Ruth her first.”
Poor Alvina looked as if she wishedthe furniture would swallow her whole after the comparison toMoira’s other sisters-in-law. Their circumstances were what keptthem from London this Season as well.
“Enough, Mother,” Nyleground out.
Her mother turned to Alvina, and Moiraheld her cup aloft, too afraid to drink for fear of what her mothermight say next. “That is a lovely shade of yellow, dear, but itdoesn’t suit you at all. We shall go shopping thisafternoon.”
“I doubt that will assistin begetting an heir,” Moira mumbled into her teacup before takinga sip. Nyle narrowed his eyes in warning.
“That is very kind of you,but I have already made plans for the day.”
Wilton, their butler, stepped throughthe door carrying a silver tray stacked with envelopes.
“Very well then, but wemustn’t put this off.” With that, Moira’s mother stood and acceptedthe tray from Wilton. “Look at all of these invitations. I knew youwould be sought after, Moira.”
Moira resisted
