Free Scandal at Vauxhall (Pleasure Garden Follies) by Layna Pimentel Page A

are quite reputable, and if I am not mistaken, you
will probably see an old chap or two from school. All hiding from the doting
mothers at the season’s balls.”
    “No doubt.”
    “So, what is
first on the agenda?” Avonlea asked, his fingers tapping the arm of his chair.
    “Finding out how
much the duke owes, and whatever else we can find out. Bartholomew, I would
like you to dig into the family’s history, and the comings and goings of him
and his wife. There could be more trouble at the home front. Something we could
use against him. Avonlea and I will visit White’s and Barnaby’s this evening. I
would not mind finding out just how much in trouble the cad is in.”
    He grinned. Maybe even torment the bastard a bit….

Chapter Five

 
    Nathaniel walked
into White’s expecting a full house, but found only every other table filled.
None of the men were recognizable, until one called out to him from a side
room.
    “Lord Thompson!
We were just discussing you,” Lord Ashbrooke announced. “Come and have a drink with us, so you may settle a slight
disagreement.”
    Nathaniel winced
yet accepted the man’s invitation, coming to the instantaneous realization that
other members from the House of Lords would be present and would no doubt
question the column in the post.
    Of
all the times for them to call me over. He filled with
trepidation, but the quicker he finished with them, the faster he could inquire
into the books and bets previously made against Brimley and Downsbury. He did
not doubt the bets were vastly amusing, though he remained troubled by what he
might find in there about his dowager duchess.
    He entered the
private area with skepticism and sat next to Ashbrooke .
“So what kind of clash of opinions are you gents having this evening?”
    The Earl of
Sheffield coughed hoarsely, pausing to take a swig of his port. “If you would
be kind enough to declare what the daily has posted is nothing more than an
idle rumor, then you are free to carry about your evening.”
    “Gentlemen,
while I do not feel the need to justify everything I do, what I will say is
what the daily posted is not entirely true. But it is not false either. Yes, I
was with her grace that afternoon. Nevertheless, I fail to understand how it is
anyone’s business.”
    “Do you mean to
say the two of you were caught alone, in a compromising situation? Or was this
a planned outing blown out of proportion by a jealous suitor or female
competition?”
    Nathaniel shook
his head in disbelief. “The outing was planned, and I hardly see what business
that is of Parliament’s.”
    Ashbrooke slammed his fist down. “There you have it, men! The dowager duchess did not
wait a full year. Fifty guineas say, before the year is out, she will be a
mistress.”
    What
in damnation… “Just hold on a moment there, Ashbrooke .” Nathaniel vibrated and strained against the
natural instinct to lunge at the Earl and beat him senseless. He had expected
this behavior and nothing more, yet the mention of Isabel reducing herself to
someone’s mistress boiled his blood.
    He gripped the
table and rose. “I’ll not sit here and be a party to such nonsense. Her grace
will serve as no one’s mistress, and she deserves far more respect than you are
granting her. If there is more talk of anyone expressing an interest in
pursuing her, consider this a warning. I will call out anyone who dares touch
what is mine. Her Grace will be my marchioness. Mine. Am I understood?”
    “Settle down,
Thompson. I speak on behalf of everyone here when I say that no one will pursue
her. Nevertheless, she is marred by her husband’s scandal. He owed a great deal
to the Duke of Downsbury, especially the deed to his country estate.
    “The greater
issue is that Brimley is rumored to have fathered the child that the Duchess of
Downsbury now carries. The books are betting how long before Downsbury sends
his wife into the country and puts the child up in an orphanage. Others say