Earl of Gold (Lords of Scandal #7) - Tammy Andresen Page 0,24

provide a home for girls specifically. But ideally I’d like to set up a brother facility that housed boys.”

The men around her nodded.

“Goldthwaite.” Darlington sat forward. “What did you contribute?”

Logan shifted, his muscles tensing against her. “Six thousand pounds.”

“I’ll give the same amount.” Devonhall gave a careless wave of his hand.

Penny’s breath caught in her throat. That was unbelievable. Both the ease with which these men parted with life-changing sums and her sudden change in fortune.

“As will I,” another man murmured. She believed he was the Baron of Blackwater. She glanced over at the man to see his brown eyes glittering with…animosity. She drew back a bit, once again glad Logan was next to her.

“Well, gentlemen, it seems we’ve set the buy-in contribution.” Darlington slapped his knee as he spoke.

Buy-in? For what? She tilted her head to the side, confused. But now was not the time to ask, she knew that. Whatever else was happening, her life and the life of her children was about to change.

Then the duchess turned to her husband. “And what will we give?”

He smiled at his wife. “We’ll match the total contribution.”

Penny nearly fell off the settee. Logan’s hand steadied her elbow. “Your Grace?”

Logan straightened as he let go again. “That is very generous.”

Darlington shrugged. “It’s my share of the club’s proceeds from the last few months. It means little to me.”

The club?

Penny shook her head. She couldn’t puzzle it out now. Because a fortune was about to land in her lap. Money beyond her wildest imaginings. Enough to make all her plans come true.

She should be happy, and she was…

But a niggle of doubt was clouding that feeling.

Logan was buying into a club of some sort. The kind that made a lot of money. And the rest of these men were going to contribute the same amount of money with barely a word from her.

Because they wished to buy the same club from the Duke of Darlington.

So Logan had never wanted to help her. Disappointment stabbed at her chest. She’d been a means to an end. No more. He didn’t care about her or the children. She held her hands tightly together on her lap, forming a tight ball. “Your generosity is stunning. Thank you. I’ve no words…”

The duchess gave Penny a glowing smile. “Your generosity is stunning. Ours is barely tolerable.”

“You are stunning,” Blackwater said, giving her a wink. “Truly.”

Her brow drew together as she blinked. What was that about? The man had looked so cold just a few minutes ago.

Logan stood, his chest thrusting out. “Enough.”

Blackwater stood too, lightly brushing one of his long blond hairs back from his face and tucking it behind his ear. “Enough of what exactly?”

“I saw you wink.” Logan’s finger came up. “Miss Walters is a woman of position and deserves your respect.”

“You mean, Penny.” Blackwater slowly grinned. “Don’t think I didn’t catch that, Goldthwaite.”

“Hold your tongue.”

Logan’s voice had grown louder, his fists clenched. Penny swallowed a gasp. She reached out a hand and lightly touched Logan’s sleeve. His temper was getting the better of him and somehow, she had the feeling everything was about to slip away.

“Gentlemen.” Darlington stood as well, his voice sharp. “There are ladies present.”

Logan rolled his neck, ignoring Penny’s touch. “We can take this outside.”

“Fine with me, Earl of Gold,” Blackwater sneered. “Everyone knows you only care about one thing. And we all know why you’re feigning interest in Miss Walter’s cause: money.”

Penny rose too, the words reverberating through her. They sounded so cold. As frigid as the man she’d first met. The words rang with a truth that made her ache. “Earl of Gold?”

Blackwater gave her a sympathetic glance. “He’s as cutthroat as they come.” He looked over at Darlington. “Cruel. Violent. Which is why he shouldn’t be here. He doesn’t belong here.”

Darlington took a step in front of his wife, and before he’d uttered a word, he had Blackwater by the collar, dragging him across the room toward a double set of doors. “Follow me, gentlemen. We’ve got some business to attend to before dinner.”

Penny covered her stomach with her hands. This should be the happiest moment of her life, but somehow it was all wrong.

Logan started after the duke without glancing back in her direction. She sat back on the settee with a hard thump. Did Logan get in fisticuffs often? This was the second time today.

She steepled her hands in front of her face. Had she been wrong about everything she thought she’d known about Logan.

Earl of Gold.

What