Free Unconventional Suitors 01 - Her Unconventional Suitor by Ginny Hartman Page B

belonged to Marcus’s little sister, Serena.
    “I’m pretty certain he has taken at least some of the credit, along with Lord Dawkins and Lord Straton.”
    “Lord Straton was involved?” yet another lady asked shrilly. “Can he not keep his nose out of anyone’s affairs? I have half a mind to give him the cut direct the next time he tries to interfere in my own life. The man is a menace.”
    Benedict wanted to laugh. It seemed that whoever the lady was, she was certainly no fan of Griffin’s, which gave him a perverse sort of pleasure. He didn’t allow himself the pleasure of contemplating on that thought long, however, because he didn’t want to miss a single word of the conversation going on in the library. Putting his ear up to the crack, he strained to hear what was being said.
    “Lord Straton is just concerned that you will be taken advantage of in your vulnerable state,” Miss Graham attempted to appease the girl whose voice he didn’t recognize.
    “La! I am not vulnerable, and he would do well to realize that before I am forced to be rude to him.”
    “You wouldn’t do that. The man is positively handsome and well connected,” Lady Gillian pointed out and Benedict seethed. She thought his friend was handsome? To the devil with Griffin, he inwardly cursed, as jealously nearly blinded him.
    A deep sigh could be heard, followed by, “That is undoubtedly true, and the only reason I haven’t turned the man out by now. His handsomeness makes him hard to ignore.” Another round of giggles followed and Benedict failed to see what was so humorous.
    When the room fell silent, Benedict decided to leave before he was caught eavesdropping on the girls. It was apparent that Lady Gillian was not in immediate danger, and his assistance would no longer be needed to keep her safe.
    He was about to turn from the door when he heard Miss Graham say softly, “He wasn’t always that way, you know.”
    “You mean Lord Straton hasn’t always been an arrogant and overbearing brute?”
    “I was speaking of Lord Danford. I can’t help but feel sorry for the man. He used to be quite the rake before he left the country years ago. There was always an overplus of ladies vying for his attention, and when word of his father’s death got out, I know of at least a handful of mother’s who began scheming on how they could get their daughter to wed him. Now, it seems that no one is anxious for their daughter to be associated with him, all because of his unfashionable attire.”
    “And mothers are hesitant to allow their sons to embark on their grand tour, afraid that time spent out of the country is to blame for the unfavorable change,” another one of the voices he didn’t recognize added.
    “I detest the unfairness of it all,” Lady Gillian fumed. “A man can be involved in several unscrupulous pursuits, consort with his mistresses and drink himself under the table and the ton will simply turn a blind eye, but the minute one steps out in public with his appearance not up to snuff, the man is suddenly beneath everyone’s touch. It’s not logical.”
    “Of course it’s not, but it’s the way of our world. You better be careful whom you voice your opinions to, lest they find you very forward thinking and label you a radical.”
    “You are right, Lady Lydia, but it doesn’t have to stop me from being polite to the man.”
    “Just be careful that you don’t give him the wrong impression.”
    “I will. I just feel deeply sorry for him.”
    Benedict fumed at her words—he didn’t want her pity. He slowly backed away from the door and retreated down the hall, pulling himself into an alcove and exhaling in frustration. He heard footsteps and the rustling of skirts in the hall and tilted his head ever so slightly so he could see into the hall without being seen. He watched as Miss Graham and two of her friends walked by, heading in the direction of the ballroom, but Lady Gillian was not with them.
    As soon as they