Engaging the Earl. Mandy Goff

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СКАЧАТЬ The fiery little governess had gotten in quite a good blow. He wouldn’t be able to see his face in the glass without remembering her for a few days at least.

      Not that he was likely to forget her anytime soon—injury or not.

      In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time a woman had so thoroughly engaged his attention—despite the fact that many had tried to spark his interest over the years. Marcus’s title was old, his name was well respected and his fortune was considerable. Not to mention he still had his health, his wits and all of his teeth. Even half so many attributes would be enough to draw the notice of matchmaking mamas and their ambitious daughters. But none had caught and held his eye like the young woman who had seemed so very determined to escape his company.

      He was still musing on the fire in her eyes when the carriage pulled up in front of his town house. Before Marcus could open the front door, however, someone pulled it open from the inside. The earl was mystified to find Gibbons standing on the other side. The butler looked remarkably alert, considering the late—or rather, early—hour.

      â€œGibbons?” Marcus asked, blinking in surprise. The servant actually doing his job during daylight hours was notable. This was flabbergasting.

      His butler looked just as surprised to see him. The eye, Marcus supposed.

      â€œWere you waylaid by a band of ruffians, my lord?” the older man asked.

      â€œNo, Gibbons.” Marcus sighed.

      â€œAttacked by a throng of marriageable young misses?”

      Closer to the truth, Marcus reasoned, but still, he shook his head in denial.

      â€œTrip over your feet?”

      â€œLeave it, Gibbons,” Marcus ground out. Gibbons was an old family retainer and, as such, had the liberating knowledge that his position was secure. However, for some reasons mystifying even to him, Marcus was too fond of his butler to dismiss him. Although the notion was occasionally tempting.

      Gibbons quirked a smile but then sobered suddenly. “Though I’m curious to know who accosted you, we’ve no time for game-playing, my lord,” he said as though the persistent questions were somehow Marcus’s fault.

      â€œI couldn’t agree with you more,” Marcus said, stepping into the house. His eyes—well, the one that wasn’t swollen shut, at least—were tired, and his tongue felt thick and unwieldy. He’d been up now for nearly twenty-four hours, and fatigue weighed heavily on him.

      â€œI’m going to bed now, Gibbons,” Marcus said, pulling off his greatcoat and passing it to the butler.

      â€œI think you might want to go to the blue salon instead,” Gibbons suggested.

      â€œHas my bed been moved there?” Marcus quipped.

      â€œI don’t believe you left explicit instructions for us to do so in your absence.”

      â€œThen I can visit the blue salon tomorrow. Right now, I’m going to sleep.” Thinking was becoming a struggle. If Marcus didn’t move quickly, he might end up sleeping in Gibbons’s chair because he couldn’t make it any farther.

      â€œShall I tell your estate manager to rest while he awaits your leisure?”

      Marcus stopped in his path to the stairs. He turned to face Gibbons, trying to ignore the knot forming in the pit of his stomach. But Gibbons wasn’t smiling, smirking or doing anything that suggested he was joking.

      â€œGrimshaw is here?” he asked.

      Gibbons nodded. “He arrived twenty minutes ago.”

      What could his estate manager want? Marcus knew that whatever had happened, Grimshaw’s coming to see him in the middle of the night was an ill omen. Anxiety momentarily banished his fatigue, and the earl nearly sprinted to the salon.

      â€œGrimshaw? What are you doing here?” Marcus asked as he entered the room. Any thought of exchanging pleasantries faded at the sight of his employee’s haggard expression.

      â€œMy lord,” the older man said, rising from the chair. He took a step forward as though to shake Lord Westin’s hand but then quickly stepped backward. “I’m sorry to have woken you.”

      Marcus could have corrected him, but he didn’t bother to. “I’m only surprised to find you here so early,” he said instead.

      Grimshaw nodded. “Forgive me, my lord. I wouldn’t have intruded were it not of the utmost importance. But once I received the news, I left immediately for London.”

      â€œWhat news?” Countless possibilities paraded through his mind, each one more dire than the one before.

      â€œYou made an investment with Lord Rutherford for some American timber,” Grimshaw said slowly.

      Marcus nodded. He only vaguely remembered the investment itself—Grimshaw handled those details—but he did recall the estate manager mentioning it to him several months ago. The investment seemed sound, and Marcus had authorized the man to deal with it accordingly.

      â€œWhat about it?” Marcus prompted when Grimshaw hesitated.

      â€œThe ship transporting the goods has been in a storm. We can’t say for certain, but I’ve received some information that the ship and the merchandise …” Grimshaw trailed off, obviously unable—or afraid—to say anything else.

      â€œThe ship and the merchandise, what?” Marcus pressed.

      â€œWell … they might have … it’s not certain, you understand … really, we won’t know anything further until more information surfaces …” Yet Grimshaw still didn’t get to the crux of the matter.

      â€œGrimshaw, it’s much too early in the morning to be playing guessing games.”

      â€œThe ship has most likely sunk,” the estate manager blurted.

      Marcus thought through the ramifications for a few moments before he said anything.

      â€œIt’s certainly a tragedy if that’s the case, Grimshaw. But I’m more concerned about the crew and any other people who might have been aboard the ship. We can only pray that the reports are untrue.”

      â€œBut the merchandise, my lord?”

      Marcus waved the concern away with a negligent slash of his hand. “Undoubtedly, it would be unfortunate. But it’s hardly worth traveling across the country before dawn. I appreciate your diligence in keeping me informed, but I don’t see that this is a matter of any urgency. Surely nothing can be done until the reports have been confirmed.” He made a move toward the door to call Gibbons to ready a room. “Stay here tonight and get some sleep before you return to Westin Park.”

      â€œYou don’t understand, my lord …”

      Marcus СКАЧАТЬ