Only a Rogue Knows Read online

  Please RSVP to Delphine Richmond care of Whittemore Manor by the Eighth of April, regrets prior to the Tenth.

  Victor stared down at the card in his hand. A party so soon after the late Lord Whittemore had passed was sure to raise some eyebrows in polite society, particularly if he was able to work around the will and allow Arthur to divorce his wife as quickly as he wanted. Still, he couldn’t resist the allure of seeing Lady Whittemore again and hearing her play.

  “Cordelia,” he said, her name making music of its own on his tongue. Brian looked over at him from where he was putting away the food.

  “I’m sorry, sir?”

  “Nothing,” Victor said. He tossed the letter from Catherine on the table to read later and stood up. “It’s an invitation to a party next month on the eighteenth. I’m going into town for a bit. I’ll send my response to Whittemore Manor while I’m there.”

  “Are you sure? I’d be happy to do it for you,” Brian said. “There’s plenty of time for you to reply before the party.”

  “I need to go to my office anyhow. There’s an address I need to look up,” Victor said, draining his teacup and setting it on its saucer. “I appreciate the breakfast. And your discretion, as always.”

  “Of course, Mr. Pembroke.” Brian put the last of the dry goods into the pantry, then collected the dishes from the table and put them in the sink for the maid to take care of. “It’s my pleasure.”

  “To be honest, I had every intention of employing a cook but you’re so talented you changed my mind. Would you like me to ready your clothes while you wash?” Brian took the empty envelope and deposited it in the trash and Victor shook his head.

  “I’m not going to spend long in town, I’ll wash when I get back. The clothes from last night will suffice.” Victor was certain he wasn’t imagining the dubious look that passed over Brian’s face for a moment but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

  “Very well, sir.”

  Victor turned away from him and went to his bedroom before Brian could say anything else, though he knew he wouldn’t. His suit and tie from the previous evening were laid across the chair he’d taken his dressing gown from and in reasonably good condition. As a concession to common courtesy, he put on a clean undershirt and underwear before dressing and combing his hair in the mirror. He was presentable enough for a trip to town in which he didn’t plan to associate with anyone.

  Greenley was a quiet town to say the least, and progress toward modern living was slow but the shops and dining establishments were like something out of a much larger town. Victor stopped to post his reply to Mrs. Richmond, then thought he might enjoy a pint at the pub before going to his office.

  “Mr. Pembroke,” the barkeep said with a smile. “You’re looking well today. I trust you had a good time with Eleanor after you left us last night?”

  “Eleanor, that’s right,” Victor said, leaning on the bar. “A pint would make going into work on a Sunday much more enjoyable, Phillip.” The smile he received from the man behind the bar was all he needed to make him sit down and Phillip passed the glass over.

  While he was taking his first sip, two more men came into the pub and took a seat at one of the tables. Phillip excused himself to go to their table while Victor tried to decide which of his associates would be best to go to for advice when a snippet of the men’s conversation reached his ears.

  “Right in front of everyone, bold as brass,” the first man said. “He wasn’t even trying to hide it.”

  “Maybe it’s not what you think,” Phillip said fairly. “It wouldn’t be unusual for a man to be meeting a business acquaintance at a pub.”

  “Even if he left with the young man in question not half an hour after they’d met?” The second man at the table had a grin in his voice and Victor’s hand stopped with the pint glass halfway to his lips. He was suddenly much more interested in the conversation. “A very young man by my estimation.”

  “And that’s not the only time he’s been seen doing such a thing,” added the first man. “Not here or in Elston. He might think he’s being discreet, but I pity Lady Whittemore. There’s no way she doesn’t know.”

  Victor’s eyes widened and he set the glass down a little more heavily than he intended, sloshing a little of the beer on the bar. He could hardly believe he was hearing that Arthur, of all people, was meeting young men in pubs.

  “Thanks for the beer, Phillip,” Victor said, tossing some money on the bar beside his unfinished drink and hurrying out of the pub before Phillip could so much as say goodbye.

  His office was on the other side of town and Victor somehow managed to keep from running into anyone on the way there. He unlocked the front door and went toward his office, not bothering to lock it behind him.

  Once he was in his office, Victor took out his keys and unlocked his desk drawer, taking out a dark brown folio with a copper clasp. He pulled out his copy of the late Lord Whittemore’s will and read through it as fast as possible, wanting to get to the section about conditions and confirm what he thought he remembered.

  “I’ll be damned,” Victor said as his eyes fell on the clause he was looking for.

  In the event that Arthur Whittemore is unwilling or unable to remain married and produce a male heir to the Whittemore estate, the entirety of said estate will be ceded to the charities listed in section five. All titles and benefits thereof shall also be forfeit.

  Everything was becoming clear to him. Arthur was looking for a way out of his marriage that wouldn’t cost him his lordship not because he wasn’t in love with his wife, but because he preferred the company of men. Young men, if the men at the pub could be trusted.

  “I have to speak to Lady Whittemore at once,” he said to no one in particular. Surely she knew of her husband’s predilections, and most likely wanted to be free of the marriage just as much as he did. A smile spread over his face as he realized that as soon as he found a way around the clause in the will, Lady Whittemore would be his for the taking.

  Cordelia, he reminded himself as he put the papers back in the folio and locked them in his drawer. With any luck, she won’t be Lady Whittemore much longer.

  Six

  Now that she’d seen what the manor was like when it was full of people, Cordelia couldn’t help thinking that this was the way it was meant to be. She stood at the door with Arthur in the beginning, greeting each guest as they walked through with a smile and thanking them for coming. Each face she saw took away a sliver of her hope, though, because she hadn’t seen Victor yet.

  She hadn’t been able to ask Arthur if he’d gotten an RSVP from Victor, and she hadn’t seen his name on the confirmed guest list so she had no idea if he was actually coming or not. The thought that he would say he wanted to hear more of her playing then not come to the party was more than a little disheartening, but she tried her best to act like it wasn’t bothering her.

  “Delia, this is wonderful,” Birdie said, hurrying over to see her sister as she stood by the window in the conservatory. It overlooked the courtyard so she could see who was coming and going, and there was still enough light out to see anyone who might be coming up the front path. She tore her gaze away from the window and turned to her younger sister with a smile. “The house is just beautiful. Wherever did you find all these flowers?”

  “I don’t know, to be honest,” Cordelia said, looking around. There were flowers on just about every surface in the house, but the conservatory was by far the most spectacular-looking room. There were vases everywhere, exploding with color and filling the air with a fresh scent that put her at ease. “I told Mrs. Richmond what I wanted and she put in an order with a florist. They can find just about anything at this time of year, I suppose.” She glanced out the window again and Birdie did the same.

  “What’s outside?”

  “Oh, nothing,” Cordelia said hurriedly, stepping away from the window. “I was just seeing if anyone else was coming. I wanted to make sure everyone was here before I started playing.�
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  “The soul of a true performer,” Birdie teased. “You were this way when we were girls too. You always got so excited when you got ready to play, even if it was just for Mother and Father.”

  “So this is where they’re hiding the most beautiful ladies in the house,” said a white-haired man who had followed Birdie across the room. Cordelia had seen General Richard Ellison several times since he and Birdie were married and he was quite handsome for an older man. His hair was neatly trimmed, as was his mustache, and he gave the appearance of someone you didn’t want to get on the bad side of. Every time she’d spoken to him, however, he had been quite pleasant and jovial. “Good evening, Lady Whittemore.”

  “Oh good heavens,” Cordelia said with a laugh. “You’ve been my brother-in-law for months now, General. It’s high time you stopped being silly and started calling me by my first name.”

  “Only if you agree to stop calling me General,” he said, tipping her a wink. He put a hand on Birdie’s waist and she smiled up at him as if he was her entire world, making Cordelia’s heart twist with envy. “Birdie, my dear, would you accompany me to the sitting room for a moment? There’s someone I wish for you to meet.”

  “All right,” she said with a quick look at Cordelia. “I’ll be back in a moment. Don’t start playing without me!”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She watched Birdie and Richard walk away together, her arm linked through his, and she sighed to herself. He really did care for her, and she had to admit it made her more than a little jealous to hear him call her by the name Cordelia had come up with when they were children. She supposed it was all part of being married, at least for most people.

  “Are you about ready to start playing?” Arthur came up behind Cordelia and put a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to look at him. He was just as handsome as Richard, possibly even more so with his dark blonde hair and blue eyes, but the difference between them was deeper than just their hair colors.

  “Not quite. My sister went to meet someone on the General’s behalf and made me promise I wouldn’t start without her.”

  “Of course we can’t start without darling Bridget,” Arthur said with a laugh. “She’s the one we have to thank for you rediscovering your talent like this.” He leaned forward and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. Conscious that people were watching, Cordelia smiled as if it were the joy of her life. “Would you like a glass of champagne while you wait?”

  “That would be lovely,” Cordelia said, thinking she could use a couple of drinks to get through this night. “Thank you, Arthur.”

  “I’ll bring it to you myself,” Arthur said. He went to the door of the conservatory with the intention of going to get a glass of champagne, only to stop suddenly and say hello to someone just outside the door. Cordelia was only mildly curious as to who it was until Arthur turned back and pointed to her. She wondered what on earth he was doing until a man came through the door that stopped her heart.

  “Good evening, Lady Whittemore,” Victor said as he crossed the room to see her. “I hope you’re well this evening.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it again, the same way he had when they had last met. It must have looked strange to a roomful of people but Cordelia was so happy to have his lips on her skin, even for a moment, that she could have cared less.

  “Very well, sir,” she said. Now that you’re here, anyhow. “And yourself?”

  “Much better now that I’ve seen your face,” he said, grinning at her. His eyes caught hers and held them as he let go of her hand. “I hope you’ll forgive my lateness. There was an urgent matter to attend to at the office and I’ve come straight over.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Cordelia said, shaking her head. “Everyone’s been coming and going as they please, it’s all very informal.”

  “Informal or not, this is quite the party. Please tell me I haven’t missed your piano playing.”

  “Oh no,” she said with a smile. “I haven’t even begun.” Before she knew what she was saying, she blurted out the words. “I was actually waiting for you to get here before I did.”

  “Were you now?” Victor’s eyebrow went up. “And to what do I owe such an honor?”

  “You were the one who suggested I should perform. I’ve been practicing a few pieces that were quite a bit more difficult than the one you heard me play.” She hoped he understood the implication that she had been practicing them for him, and the way he smiled at her gave her the impression that he did. “I hope you’ll enjoy them.”

  “I’ve been looking forward to it since the last time we met.” His eyes moved over her slowly, as if he was drinking her in, and he smiled. “You look absolutely radiant tonight, I might add.”

  “Thank you,” Cordelia managed. The way he said it made her blush harder than she had in years. “I would have liked to have a new dress made but I was so wrapped up in my music that time slipped away from me.”

  “This one looks lovely on you,” he said. “Blue is really your color.”

  “Th-thank you,” Cordelia stammered. She hadn’t had so many compliments in one evening since her wedding day, and the fact that they were coming from Victor made them even better. He seemed to either not know or not care that what he was saying was almost certainly as indiscreet as Arthur’s affairs but Cordelia didn’t care. She wanted him to go on forever. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that she saw Birdie and Richard come back through the Conservatory’s door and she motioned to them. “Well now that you’re here and my sister is back, I suppose I can start.”

  “Yes, I should think so.” Victor met her gaze again. “I’m honored that you waited for me.”

  “All right, Delia, we’re back,” Birdie said cheerfully as she joined them by the window. She looked at Victor, not bothering to disguise her interest. “Who is this?”

  “This is Arthur’s solicitor,” Cordelia said, gesturing to Victor with a smile. She hoped she wasn’t blushing. Birdie had always been able to spot when she was flustered, even as a little girl, and teased her relentlessly about it. “Mr. Victor Pembroke, I’d like you to meet my darling sister Bridget and her husband General Richard Ellison.”

  “Good evening,” Victor said pleasantly. He shook the General’s hand, and Cordelia was pleased to see that he took Birdie’s hand but only clasped it for a moment and nodded at her. “I hope you’re both looking forward to Lady Whittemore’s recital this evening as I am. She’s quite the pianist.”

  “Oh yes,” Birdie said, still smiling brightly. “She played beautifully when we were children. You’ve heard her play, Mr. Pembroke?”

  “Only briefly when I was here on a business with Lord Whittemore. She was playing something that was far too simple for her, and I made sure to tell her so.”

  “I’m so jealous,” Birdie said. “I haven’t even gotten to hear her play and I’m her sister.” She stuck out her lower lip in a magnificent version of her childhood pout and Cordelia couldn’t help laughing. “Are you going to play now?”

  “Yes, yes, all right!” Cordelia threw up her hands in mock exasperation. “If you’re all going to be on me about it I might as well start, hadn’t I?” She went to the piano in the middle of the room and everyone seemed to grow quiet at the same time. Seeing her in place, Arthur broke away from the conversation he was having and went to her side.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said as if he were announcing a Broadway show, “thank you all for coming this evening. Even though it comes so closely after the death of my beloved father, Lord Whittemore, I’d like to welcome you all to our estate. My beautiful wife Cordelia has agreed to favor us with some music this evening and I’m sure you’re all going to be enchanted with her playing.” He turned to Cordelia. “So if it pleases you, my dear, you may begin.”

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling. She wasn’t sure what to say to the partygoers, but her eyes went immediately to Victor and she felt a surge of warmth. Rather than stare at him any further, she cleared her throat and went
to the piano.

  When she sat down on the bench, a sudden wave of nervousness came over her and she was horrified to see that the hand she was using to open the music book was shaking. She’d played the songs she was about to perform over and over, but at that moment it felt like she’d never even looked at them before. She could feel everyone looking at her and it only made her more nervous. Taking a deep breath, she put her fingers on the keys and began to play, glad she’d had the champagne.

  She started off with something a little slow, drawing the melody out of the air with her fingers on the keys as she pulled her audience in, and as she felt the room open up to her the jittery feeling she’d had faded away. This was what they had come to hear and she intended to give it to them. Somehow she knew Victor was watching her too and she hoped he was enjoying himself. She’d played this song often enough that she didn’t need to turn the pages as she played, and before she knew it the song was over and the room was clapping for her.

  She looked around the room and saw that her sister was clapping vigorously, as she’d expected, but was more pleased to see that Victor was doing the same. He was grinning and looking at her in a way that she could only describe as proud and she was glad of it. Her practicing had certainly paid off.

  The next piece was quite a bit faster and she’d only perfected it the day before so she was a little nervous, but as soon as she started she was enveloped in the music and everything else disappeared. Her polite but loveless marriage, the loneliness that crept up on her whenever she was anywhere but the conservatory, and the jealousy she couldn’t hide when her sister spoke of her family. It was all gone the moment her fingers met the keys and she was happier than she’d been in months.

  Cordelia was so lost in her own world that the applause she received when she finished the piece startled her a bit. She stood up from her seat to even louder applause and gave a small bow, surprised to feel how hard her heart was beating. Arthur was immediately by her side again, putting a hand on her waist as if they were the happiest couple in the world.