All the Things You Never Knew - By Angealica Hewley Page 0,10
go and–”
“Rose and I are nothing now,” Leon interjected. “And I don’t
want to ruin her marriage if she had taken a husband. I’d rather leave
things as it is.”
That caused Hargate to shrug. “If you say so, though a part of me
knows that you could still gain a chance.”
“You sound like a besotted fool, Hargate,” Leon laughed.
“Always speaking romantically and believing in the impossible. I’m
surprised you didn’t have all the women in London lined up at your
doorsteps.”
“That is because I have never told any women that they have eyes
that shine like stars or lips as ripe and sweet as the fruit of May,”
Hargate grinned.
“That won’t work,” Longsword told him. “I have said it too many
women and they all thought me to be a fool of dullness.”
“Has it ever cross your mind that maybe you are?”
Leon and Hargate broke into more laughs and this time,
Longsword join in with them.
“Proves why I haven’t gotten a countess, then,” he said, raising
his cup up. “Cheers to the Fool of Dullness.”
“And his failure to flatter and obtain a wife,” Hargate cheered. “Wait a minute,” Leon paused from rising his cup with theirs and
looked at Hargate. “You can’t even find a bride for yourself.” “That is because I’m waiting for the perfect love of my life,”
Hargate replied. “May this toast be for you to do the honor of winning
a bride for yourself. Perhaps, little Lady Rose would take the role.” Leon wanted to believe that he can make that a possibility but
every part of his mind says no. “Seriously, Hargate. Rose and I can
never be again. It’s far too late.”
“Believe me, my friend,” Hargate said, putting an arm around
Leon’s shoulder. “I know you don’t believe in second chances and you
fear of ruining Lady Rose, but if you just play along with the little
game I have in stored, you will certainly win. You may count on it. ” Leon sees it of no use to argue any farther with the case and just
shrugs.
He knows well that things could never be the same again. It’s just not going to happen.
There’s never going to be a second chance for him and Rose to be
together again.
CHAPTER THREE
As he had agreed, Leon stayed in London for the next couple of days to attend Lady Chatsworth’s ball with Hargate and Longsword.
His brother Sheik had decided to return to Bridlington alone instead of staying with him until after the ball.
“Balls and soirées are only for old farts,” he said, that next morning at Hargate Inn when Leon had asked him to stay. “I’m going back home. Mr. Penchant would need me to help him run his brewery.”
And so Leon wrote out a set of instructions for him to bring to his secretary and lectured him to be on his best behavior.
“I’m not Nix,” Sheik always say over and over again. “Nor am I a child any longer. I know what to do. Don’t worry. Just have your fun at the old fart event.”
True that he’s not a child anymore, but Leon just can’t see him as an adult with all the troubles he had caused. The same goes to his little sister.
“Fine. You tell Jack and them to watch Phoenix, too, you hear?”
“Don’t worry. Nothing would happen to that Nix.”
His brother rode off with not much to say afterward and promised to tend to the pupils at the school for at least once a day, though Leon highly doubted that he would.
He hopes that they will behave when he’s away now and not trouble him with more problems again. There’s so much occupying his mind that he doesn’t want to have to worry about them.
“Heartily, try this on,” Hargate said, throwing a navy blue coat with brass buttons at him. “I got it for you as a gift. Oh, and these breeches. I made sure they weren’t so tight fitting.”
“You didn’t have to, Hargate,” Leon said as he caught the garments. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” answered Hargate. “Just put it on. We have a ball to attend.”
“What about Longsword? He hadn’t arrive yet.”
“Our earl friend would be meeting us at Lady Chatsworth,” Hargate replied, tying on his cravat. “No need to worry about him.”
“We’re still on undercover duties, are we not? We will need him in this.”
“Right. I forgot this wasn’t a ball for fun.”
Hargate strode over and handed Leon a leather portfolio.
“This is?”
“Open it,” said Hargate with a smile.
Leon did so and was astonished by what he saw.
Staring at him were six men. One of them was his father all dressed up with