Reckless Rules by Pearl Darling

Author:Pearl Darling
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2016-08-09T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Bill sat back in the chair as Willson laid his hands on his nose, and with one quick swipe, pushed the bone back into place.

“Owww. And you say, oof, that she heard everything we said after she walked out the door?”

“Yes Sir.” Willson wiped his hands on his uniform.

“And how did she take it?”

“She seemed more put out by your dog.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, in fact on that subject, Mr. Standish, I regret to inform you that Brutus left with her.”

“She kidnapped my dog?”

“I rather think it was the other way round sir. Brutus did not want to leave her, or rather her dog.”

“Oh.”

Freddie, who had been silent, laughed. “One less thing to worry about, Bill.”

“She said you could come back and collect him when you called on her in a week’s time.” Willson nodded at Freddie. “Permission to clean up, sir?”

“Of course, Willson. Thank you.”

The butler backed out of the room. Bill wiped the last of the blood from his nose. “You heard her, didn’t you?” he said plaintively. “I have to give her thirteen reasons as to why she should marry me.”

“At least it wasn’t thirteen reasons about why you want to marry her,” Freddie pointed out. “As far as I can see she has been entirely pragmatic about the whole affair. Why on earth did you propose?”

“She offered me a carte blanche,” Bill mumbled. Freddie clapped a hand to his ear.

“I’m sorry, I’m having terrible problems with my understanding today.”

“I said she offered me a carte blanche. No strings attached. She called it a proposition.” Bill could feel the heat rising from his head. He wasn’t blushing, was he?

Freddie raised his eyebrows. “Devil take it, man. Why didn’t you say yes? What possessed you to ask her to marry you instead? If a woman had asked me for a carte blanche I would have vaulted over fields and hedges to make it possible.”

“I know.” Bill hung his head. Something must have possessed him. He had pursued Lady Colchester faithfully for a year. Flowers, notes. Nothing, and then suddenly she had turned round and offered a man’s dream. He clenched his fist. This was all about his identity—showing that he was good enough for the rest of them. A wedding to Lady Colchester, one of the highest in the ton, would make sure of that.

“I had better let you get to work on that list, then,” Freddie said, standing. “How are you getting on with Pedro Moreno?”

Bill groaned. There again he seemed to be running into blocks. He recounted the appearance of Pablo Moreno at the Unusual Oddities encampment, and the following disappearance of the pair, along with a young girl called Dana.

“I’m not sure how you are going to get even closer to Pedro,” Freddie said doubtfully. “If you turned up in the audience in your finery he will immediately recognize you because the last time he saw you, you were here in this house dressed the same way.”

“You’re right. I need to take him whilst he is on his own ground.

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