Katherine: A Regency Romance (Bachelor Brides Book 3) by Jenny Hambly

Author:Jenny Hambly [Hambly, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Bachelor Brides Book 3
Published: 2019-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

“Was your business in Padstow successful?” Harry smiled across at Lord Hayward.

“Oh, I may have discovered a couple of interesting leads. Mr Boodle was most helpful.”

“Boodle, eh?” interjected Mr Caldwell. “Bit of an old fusspot, if you ask me. Give me a London solicitor any day. More up to snuff on some of the more, er, intricate aspects of the law, shall we say?”

“I found him to be adequate,” Lord Hayward smiled sleepily. “Seems to have a good local knowledge.”

“Isn’t he an investor in your mine?” Harry asked.

“Was an investor.” Mr Caldwell gave a wolfish smile. “I bought him out. He was always nitpicking over things he did not fully understand. Besides, I prefer to choose my own partners. Speaking of which, have you considered my proposal that you should become one of them?”

“I may be interested,” Harry said slowly, aware that all eyes were now firmly fixed upon him with expressions varying from disinterest, surprise, and in the vicar’s case, horror.

Mr Caldwell beamed. “Capital!”

“Not so fast, sir,” he added. “Various conditions would have to be met.”

Mr Caldwell raised a surprised brow and then laughed. “There’s more to you than meets the eye, my boy. I like the cut of your jib. Come tomorrow and we will discuss it further, but I warn you, I am an old hand at negotiation!”

Lord Hayward yawned. “I find all this talk of business quite tedious. Shall we join the ladies?”

Mr Caldwell gave him an indulgent look. “Well, we cannot all have a head for business after all. Just as well for me, eh?”

Lord Hayward gave no indication that he had heard him.

Colouring slightly, he stood up and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

“Well lead on, lead on. You have a damn fine sister, Lord Treleven, diamond of the first water. I cannot think of a pleasanter way to spend the evening than in her company! Miss Lockhart’s not too shabby either, but so starched up, you’d think she was the sister of a duke rather than a mere baronet. No wonder she’s been left on the shelf – who in their right mind would want to be leg-shackled to an icicle?”

It was perhaps fortunate that he turned away just at that moment or he would have witnessed the quite murderous expression that flashed in his host’s eyes.

As the gentlemen entered the drawing room, Lady Treleven rang for the tea tray. Mr Caldwell drew his chair close to where Henrietta was seated, quietly conversing with Mrs Abbott. Before he could draw breath to speak, Belle turned towards him with a blinding smile.

“Mr Caldwell,” she said, her eyes dropping for a moment from his florid face to his equally florid waistcoat. “You are clearly a man who knows his own taste. I feel sure you must enjoy the finer things in life.”

“That I do,” he concurred. “And nothing could be finer than the company in which I find myself this evening.” His eyes rested hungrily on Henrietta.

“You are all kindness, sir,” Belle said with a tinkle of laughter.

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