Benedict's Challenge - Carole Mortimer Page 0,18

young lady.”

Benedict almost snorted at that description of the woman who had sat half naked on his thighs earlier and deliberately rubbed her pussy against the hardness of his cock. Even now, he occasionally breathed in a waft of her arousal, no doubt absorbed by his evening trousers.

“She is polite, yes,” he allowed.

The younger man eyed him speculatively. “Has she said any more about Lord Gordon and why he might have beaten her?”

Benedict grimaced. “I now know the man is her guardian.”

“And?”

Benedict frowned. “What do you mean?”

The younger man scowled. “Being her guardian doesn’t give the bastard the right to mistreat her.”

“No,” Benedict acknowledge grimly. “That legality does, however, prevent anyone else from having the right to interfere in his treatment of his ward, good or bad.”

“I still say a visit from the lads might make him reconsider that opinion,” Jimmy scorned. “Most men who beat on a defenseless woman are cowards at heart,” he added with disgust.

Benedict agreed. But he also knew that Gordon’s guardianship of Chloe would make it very difficult for anyone to be able to help her. Her being only nineteen years in age meant she would not come of age for another two years, and even when she did, Gordon would still be her closest male relative, and so still effectively her guardian.

At least, Benedict assumed it did…

Interestingly Chloe said she hadn’t met the man until after her parents died and she had been informed by Lord Gordon that he was then her guardian. But what if Chloe had another close male relative with just as much right to claim guardianship of her?

He was perhaps grasping at straws, but it would certainly be worth investigating.

“You just thought of something,” Jimmy said knowingly.

He straightened in his chair. “It’s enough for now that your friends are keeping an eye on Lord Gordon and will alert us if he comes anywhere near here.” Benedict would write and ask Julius Soames to investigate Henry Gordon’s right to guardianship over Chloe. He eyed Jimmy speculatively. “It would seem that Chloe is not the only one keeping secrets?”

Jimmy gave such a start at the sudden change of subject, he almost spilled some of the brandy from his glass. “What do you mean?” he prompted once he had successfully managed to prevent the spillage.

This evening, Jimmy, having been assisted by Benedict’s valet, was dressed in one of Benedict’s evening suits and white shirts, with a cravat tied neatly at his throat. His dark hair was brushed back from his face, and he smelled of the sandalwood soap he must have used when he bathed before dinner.

Even with two bandaged arms, Jimmy was a far cry from the ill-dressed and filthy young man from the slums Benedict had first met nine days ago. “Your appearance is every inch that of a gentleman this evening, James.” He noted how, once again, the other man flinched at his use of that formal name. “Also, your vocabulary and accent appear to have undergone a metamorphosis.”

“Anyone of minimum intelligence can parrot the way you toffs dress and talk,” Jimmy sneered.

Benedict took no offence at the remark. “But most of them would not have the intelligence to have voiced that intent so eloquently.”

The other man scowled. “Don’t see things that aren’t there.”

He gave Jimmy a reassuring smile. “I have no intention of intruding upon your privacy. Just know that if you ever did wish to talk to me, I would be only too willing to listen.”

“I’ll bear that in mind.” Jimmy put down his brandy glass and rose to his feet. “In the meantime, I’ll wish you a good night.” He bowed abruptly before striding purposefully from the room.

Benedict released a heavy breath. So far this evening, he seemed to have offended both his guests in his attempt to intrude into secrets they would rather remained known only to themselves.

He could only hope that tomorrow would be a better day.

It wasn’t.

Benedict came down to breakfast the following morning to be informed by Carlton that “Mister Brown removed his belongings to the stables earlier this morning, and he has requested to now take his meals with the other servants.”

To add insult to injury, a slightly awed maid came into the breakfast room a few minutes later to tell him that “Miss Chloe is feeling very tired and intends to spend the day in her bedchamber.”

The disappearance of Jimmy, and Chloe’s avoidance of his company, now meant that Benedict could spend most of today with Beatrix.

That did not, however, prevent