Chapter 76

"The formalities, Your Grace?" She offered her best smile largely for Mrs. Hanney's benefit. Certainly it wasn't for her own. "And what are they?"
His eyes glinted like a wolf's in the shadowed hall. "You know perfectly well what they are. Despite your tomfooled idiocy, you are anything but stupid, so why don't you take that idiotic simper off your face?"
If only. But it was as frozen as her hand, a short inch from his sensuous, stubble-dusted lips.
"Your Grace, may I say how honored I am that you think so highly of my intelligence. Now, if you would just like to come in this room here and sit down, we can discuss this-"
"Sittin' room's not tidy, unless you want to do it yourself?" Mrs. Hanney muttered. "Although, I suppose I could do that for ten shillin's extra, me lady? I could make the tea too, for another three? You'd need to bring some chairs though, 'less you and your fancy man don't mind sittin' on the floor. Ain't none in there. Burned them as firewood I did. Last winter, it were. We're all very poor 'ere, see? And your rent's due."
"But didn't I already give you that last week?"
"Well, more's accumulated for this week. That's the thing with rent when you're wantin' that little bit extra."
Splendor swallowed. Despite the way she'd glided down the stairs, despite the way she was dressed, no lady would live in a dump like this. Be blackmailed into payng extra for it either. Unless she could somehow make the earl see that was why she wanted the ten thousand pounds, so she didn't have to stay here?
"Let's dispense with the disccussion too, shall we?" Stillmore lowered his disconcerting eyelashes. Despite his damned arrogance and the scowling set of his face, their length raised prickles on more than her palms. "I came to see your cousin. But you've greeted me instead."
"Cousin?" Mrs. Hanney's ears pricked up.
"Oh, don't either of you pretend you don't know who he is unless you also have more than one who plays chess. I mean your cousin, Nathan," Stillmore snarled.
"Oh ..." She smiled-a difficult task with Mrs. Hanney staring like that. "That one?"
"He's here, isn't he?"
Was she mistaken in thinking he didn't know how right he was? That he'd blasted that tree trunk out of the goodness of his heart? Stood quivering beneath the albatrossic weight of the pistol for several moments afterward, too, before striding from the field? That he really didn't know she was her cousin? The one she'd said to Mrs. Hanney was her brother?
If Nathan was who he wanted to see, and Stillmore didn't think they were one and the same, then she should fetch him. It was really very simple.
"Well. I ... "
She hesitated. If Stillmore exuded something less than a honeyed corn snake, perhaps she could fetch Nathan. If the whole of London didn't damn him for an untrustworthy, ruthless, black-hearted bastard. If Mrs. Hanney wasn't standing there, staring at nothing yet everything in the gloom of the hall, readying herself to witness the whole charade of Splendor going up the stairs and Nathan coming down, then up the rent further, she could fetch him. But how could she given what they were both going to pounce? It was better to turn the tables. To smile too.
"And how would you know he is here, Your Grace? Unless you've been watching the house? Hmm? Well? Do you hear that, Mrs. Hanney? It is something that must surely concern even your good-"
"You can take it as read that I was watching," he muttered.
"Then why ask to see me?"
"Not because you are interesting. So you can wipe that nauseating smirk off your face. I asked your landlady there to fetch him."
"Indeed you did, sir." Mrs. Hanney bobbed the faintest curtsy. "And I knocked on the door and said, 'Gentleman's 'ere to see you.' Comin's and goin's here, you got no idea what one of them is goin' to come down them stairs. Go up them, either. Cousin, brother-"
"Why? Why would you wish to see him?"
Splendor spoke calmly, but her ears clanged as if she'd been struck with a frying pan. This was finished if Mrs. Hanney didn't shut up. Why hadn't she just gone up the stairs? The woman didn't understand Stillmore stalking her. She just understood what she could get out of the fact he was.
"Why do you think?"
"That is assuming you believe we ladies do think, Your Grace, that-"
"Because I was at Boodle's this morning. And I wasn't the only one."
"I see. Boodle's?" Once again she glanced at the sitting room door. "Well? Are you sure you wouldn't at least like to discuss this fact of where you were and what you saw in the priv-"
"There is nothing to discuss except for the fact that I know that little skunk-"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Can take Chiltren."
Only with the greatest of difficulties did she overlook, little and skunk for take Chiltren.
"My cousin can what, Your Grace?"
"Take Chiltren. Are you so cloth-eared you didn't hear?"
"Yes. I did hear. I was merely astonished to hear you say it. I didn't think you rated his playing."
"I don't. Not when he plays like that."
Was it possible he had no idea of how offensive he sounded? Unlike her?
"Well, he's not the only one playing like that."
He shrugged. "Of course, I accept he was probably nervous."
Of course Nathan was nervous, and he could take Chiltren. He just hadn't managed earlier. For reasons that could be laid entirely at this man's door. So now the game had gone to extra time, something that had never happened to her before.
"That is so very gracious of you, Your Grace. You don't think the duel he'd just been obliged to fight was in any way responsible for his lack of judgment? Being accused of cheating by a great man such as yourself-"
"If you cheat, you take the consequences. You asked me not to shoot him, and I refrained."
"Not because I begged you.On that, I'd stake my-I mean ..."
"I can also tell you here and now, Chiltren is easily taken. He's an amateur where chess is concerned. Barely knows the difference between a rook and a queen. Today he was lucky. And tomorrow he will be lucky again if that damned whippersnapper doesn't change his game." The low-throated growl wasn't just feral, it reminded her of prowling wolves, padding in circles, biding their time. There was something horribly caressing about it, however, especially where the fine sinews of her skin were concerned.
"I see. Well, that's kind of you-"
"You weren't there so you wouldn't know just how badly he needs to do that."
But she had been there. Didn't he know she was Nathan? Or didn't he care? And was she making a mistake letting him rattle her with his talk of amateurs and how hopeless she plainly was? She was good at smiling, remember?
"Yes. Well, thank you so much for telling me, Your Grace. You may be sure I will pass the message on to Nathan who is-is-"
"Lyin' down, Your Lordship. Mornin' was taxin' for him if you ask me."
Splendor wasn't asking, and she was sure the earl wasn't either. Splendor would have to fork out a fortune for this later. Still if that was all she'd to do and all Stillmore had come to say and it let her out of this nicely, did it matter?
"I'm quite sure His Grace isn't asking, Mrs. Hanney. But we will speak of it later. Yes, Your Grace, Nathan is..." Deliberately she broke off, pretending to consider what Nathan was, as if it were of no interest to her. "A little indisposed, it is true, but I will be sure to pass on your good wishes and tell him what you think of his playing. I'm certain your remarks will speed his recovery."
"I really don't care what the blasted blazes Nathan is doing. Don't you understand? What I care about is him winning tomorrow."
He grasped her arm, and her heart skipped more than a beat. It skipped four bars' worth. A whole line of music. Maybe it skipped the page, the symphony? He knew who she was-exactly who she was-that Nathan did not exist, and she was the damn fool who thought she could continue with the charade.
"I see. Well, I will be sure to pass on your good wishes. Now, if you don't mind-"
"That's providing I have any. Good wishes are not why I'm here."
Why almost didn't bear thinking about if he knew she was lying. Was her mind really that low? When she was betrothed to Gabe and the man was a rake? She passed her tongue over her lips.
"You may be sure I will let him know. Then he will decide his next move."
"Do you seriously think he has one? Somehow I don't. That is why you will tell him something from me."
"Really?" She lowered her gaze. While her heart felt like lead boots in that instant, she set her jaw. "What?"
That if he didn't beat Chiltren as she should have, he'd go straight to the magistrates, and he'd tell. It must be. After all, why would he proposition her? Unless he was offering to help? Then where would she be? Knocked out in round two. That's where. Her next move wouldn't be accepting. He let go of her arm. "That I am at his disposal."