Mistaken for a Rake - Rose Pearson Page 0,32

all nothing more than some sort of delicious enticement she was enjoying every moment of. “Your efforts are entirely fruitless, Richmond.”

Jeffery closed his eyes but did not turn back to her. “I am not required to listen.”

“Oh yes, you are,” came the swift response. “For unless you very much wish the consequences to fall upon those around you, those whom you consider your friends, then I suggest you pay attention to every single word I have to say.”

Closing his eyes tightly, Jeffery removed his hand from the door handle but did not turn around. An edge of fear had come into his heart now, wondering just which of his friends Lady Kensington now spoke of.

“Lord Swinton is a very dear friend of yours, I know,” Lady Kensington continued, her voice softer than before as though she were trying to speak in such a way so as not to injure him further. “Lord and Lady Merrick seem to be eager to help you in any way they can. And, for whatever reason, that young lady, the daughter of the Duke of Landon, seems quite intent on being in your company.”

Jeffery’s stomach dropped, a heavy weight landing on his shoulders as he forced himself to steady his breathing. Whatever Lady Kensington had planned, it was clear now that she had those within society willing to help her. There was no reasonable way for her to know of Lady Rebecca on her own.

“You will not say anything?” Lady Kensington teased. “What a shame. I had thought you might try to defend the latter, at the very least, since she has not long been in your company.”

A hard response came to his lips, but Jeffery pushed it away at once, refusing to allow himself a single word. It would be best to allow her to speak as she wished, to say all that she wanted but without responding to her at all. That was surely the quickest way to remove himself from this situation and return to the evening assembly.

“They will all come into difficulty unless you do as I ask,” Lady Kensington continued quietly. “I will not continue to live under my husband’s dictates, Lord Richmond. You are the sole cause of such a thing being put into place, for you did not give into your eagerness to be close to me when such an opportunity was presented. When you behaved in such a way, my husband discovered us, and since that moment, has barely allowed me from his sight. That will not be permitted to continue.”

“Then you expect me now to do as you bid me?” Jeffery asked, incredulous as he turned back to look at her. “Somehow, you believe that you will simply say a word and I will obey you?”

Lady Kensington’s smile was dark. “But of course,” she said with a small shrug. “Else I will bring scandal into the lives of every one of your dear friends.” Her voice dropped to barely a whisper, and a shudder ran up Jeffery’s spine. “Lord Swinton will find himself in a mire of trouble, Lord and Lady Merrick will have their marriage set asunder by the lies of another. And Lady Rebecca…” She smiled, and Jeffery’s heart began to pound with worry. “Lady Rebecca will find her reputation so badly damaged that she will not be able to turn her head in society without someone whispering about her.”

Jeffery closed his eyes. There appeared to be no way for him to escape from such a thing and yet everything in him wanted to defy her, wanted to refuse and to step away from the lady at once. But dare he risk it? Dare to put his friends and Lady Rebecca into such danger?

“Lady Rebecca is a mere acquaintance,” he said a little throatily. “There is no need to involve her in any of your threats.”

Lady Kensington only laughed. “Oh, but I think there is,” she said after a few moments. “You could warn Lord Swinton. You could speak openly to Lord and Lady Merrick about what I intend. But you could not do so to Lady Rebecca. Not when your acquaintance has only just begun, not when she has placed so much trust in you after only a few short conversations.” She laughed again, and Jeffery knew she had won. “You would be driving her away from you for good, should you do such a thing. And even if you chose to do so, even if you decided that it would be best