Free Forbidden to Love the Duke by Jillian Hunter Page B

treasure inside. As a thank-you for the family’s hospitality.”
    Oliver mulled this over. “Wouldn’t the visitor have gifted the owner in gratitude before leaving?”
    â€œI have told you enough. History has it that the royal visitor escaped the house an hour before his enemies descended upon it.”
    â€œThen there wasn’t time to explain.”
    â€œOne assumes.”
    â€œDoes the young lady know of this?”
    The pawnbroker evaded an answer. “I underpaid her.”
    â€œHow ruthless of you. She seemed to be an innocent lady in dire straits.”
    â€œAnd that is why she is grateful to accept whatever I offer her.” He gave a droll laugh. “I show you the same courtesy.”
    Oliver glanced up at the weapons mounted on the wall above the counter. “Except that I’m not a gullible young lady in dire straits.”
    â€œYou’re always in trouble, sir. That’s why I enjoy your visits. By the way, Lady Moffatt’s husband was in the other day. He noticed the cuff links you had pawned and remarked that his wife had bought him a similar pair.”
    Raising his brow, Oliver turned briefly to watch a potential customer peer into the window. For an instant he thought the owner of the necklace might have changed her mind. “So,” he said, returning his attention to the pawnbroker. “Did he buy the cuff links back?”
    â€œNo. He was looking for a bracelet as a surprise for his mistress. He was also looking for the man whom he suspects cuckolded him.”
    Oliver shook his head. “London is such a sinful city, isn’t it? Where did you say the lady who pawned the necklace lives?”
    â€œI didn’t. Leave her be. At least when she comes to me, she returns home with something to show for her trouble.”
    â€œDo you believe that the tale of the hidden treasure is true?”
    â€œI’d stake my life on it.”
    At that moment the doorbell gave a discordant ring. The pawnbroker made a face, indicating Oliver had overstayed his welcome. Then he turned to greet his new customer. Oliver tipped his hat and inched to the end of the counter where an account book lay open. A smudge of fresh ink drew his eye to the last entry.
    Receiv’d a double strand of pearls from Lady Ivy. Fenwick Manor. Kent.
    Oliver murmured his farewell and hurried out into the street. He should be sitting in his garret working on the ode he had promised to write for Lord Moffatt on the occasion of his fortieth birthday. But Oliver had spent the advance a month ago, and his lordship was neither pretty nor in need of rescue.
    Oliver, however, was in need of funds to buy those pearls and return them to their owner. This was the second time today he’d been warned that his affair with Lady Moffatt had been discovered by her husband. It wouldn’t hurt to have a place to escape to in the country. Oliver had fought and won two duels in the past year. There was no point in pushing his luck.
    He ought to wait until January before fighting the next.
    A treasure hunt appealed to his imagination. It was a gamble, of course. But it was preferable to being arrested for killing a nobleman in a duel.

Chapter 10
    J ames was playing cards with his neighbor, Captain Alan Wendover, when Carstairs brought a letter into the library on a silver salver. “This arrived early today for you, Your Grace. I believe you might have overlooked it.”
    James had forgotten the letter, in fact, in favor of spending the afternoon researching the history of Fenwick and Tudor days in general. He knew right away from the handwriting on the letter that Elora had written him. And so, with his intuition for females, did Wendover.
    â€œLet me guess,” Wendover said, putting down his hand of cards on the table. “She’s changed her mind and has a sudden hankering for me. Shall I go to London for our rendezvous?”
    James broke the seal, snorting in