A Rake's Reward

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Reath climbed slowly back into his curricle. Unwinding the reins from the brake, he could not help but remember the feel of her neat ankle beneath his hand as he had attempted to feel for broken bones. And he would have been blind not to notice how she swayed toward him when she’d stood up. It had taken all of his restraint not to pull her against him so that he could give her the support she needed. How odd… Never in his life had he felt so protective of a woman. It was ridiculous! He didn’t even know who she was.

But for a moment, he had felt as if he truly knew her—the lilt of her unusual colonial accent, her distinctive rose-and-lemon scent. There were most definitely soft curves beneath that tough exterior. There was a woman.

He could not help but smile as he continued on his way. He knew that a true gentleman would not have enjoyed such an incident, but he’d never called himself a true gentleman.

Within ten minutes, he slowed his team, pulling to a halt in front of the door of Wyncort Hall. Reath schooled his thoughts in a different direction altogether, as a boy came running from the stables to take control of the horses, a large portly man, who Reath supposed to be the butler despite his casual attire, stepped from the house.

Jumping down, he gave brief instructions to the groom before turning toward the house. A small, skinny man with a little mustache had joined the butler and bowed low. This had to be the man of affairs Reath had hired but had never actually met in person.

“My lord. Welcome. Welcome to Wyncort. I do hope your journey was pleasant. We are very pleased to see you here, my lord.” The man’s bass voice caught Reath off guard, but he forced himself to continue on as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Reath strode into the house, the little man following at his heels. “Thank you, Lipking. No, unfortunately, I did not have a pleasant journey. In fact, it was fraught with one problem after another, but I am finally here.”

Reath stopped and faced the butler, who was waiting for an introduction.

“Ah, yes. My lord, this is Tate, the caretaker of the estate. He and his wife have been working very hard to ready the house for your arrival.”

Reath nodded as the man bowed to him.

“I am sorry your journey was not easier,” the solicitor continued, leading Reath into a room just off the main entranceway. “I do hope that you will find everything as you requested, my lord.”

The room into which Reath was led had clearly once been the library, but now the shelves that lined three walls were completely denuded of their books. The only furniture was two old wing-backed chairs of dried, cracked leather placed by a large ornately carved fireplace and a large oak table and chair that faced the bare window at the far end of the room. But since the room was a fair-sized one, these meager furnishings did nothing to show off its advantages. At least the room had been aired and didn’t smell as musty as it looked.

“Could you not have provided a little more furniture, Lipking?” Reath asked, stopping briefly just inside the room.

“I... I am sorry, my lord. I had not thought to purchase furniture, as it was my understanding that you were not going to take up residence,” the little man answered.

“No, but this is too sparse. I do not want it to be quite so evident that no one has lived here for the past ten years.”

“Yes, my lord.” Lipking went over to the table where he had some papers spread out and made a note to himself. With a glance up at Reath, he quickly and efficiently gathered up his papers, sliding them into the case at his feet.

Reath caught sight of a decanter and two glasses sitting on one of the empty shelves and helped himself to a liberal glass of brandy. After swallowing half of it at one go, he was caught off-guard at the excellent quality of the liquor. Gratefully, he refilled his glass, then made himself as comfortable as possible on the chair facing the desk, where Lipking still shuffled his papers.

“Now, tell me what progress you have made here.”

“Well, my lord, I am afraid not much since I last communicated with you. I have still been unable to locate Lord Wynsham. It is as if he has completely disappeared. After his move to America twenty years ago, my lord, no one has seen or heard from him.”

“No one at all? Is that not a little odd, Lipking?”

“Indeed, my lord. Aside from thinking that perhaps he has fallen victim to the red Indians, I really have no clue as to what may have happened to him.”

“Did you check all the major cities, as well as the countryside?”

“My lord, I have had men searching for his whereabouts for over a year now. They have scoured the colonies, everywhere Englishmen have been known to settle. They can find no one named Wynsham.”

Reath took a long sip from his drink. “Did he have any friends or siblings who might still be in contact with him?”

“I have looked into that, my lord. The only sibling he has is a sister, Lady Darlington. I have written her two letters, my lord, but so far she has not replied.”

“Perhaps you would do best to contact Lord Darlington. I don’t suppose a woman can entirely be trusted to understand the importance of responding to business correspondence.”

“I am afraid he is deceased, my lord. Has been these past three years.”

“Damn.” Reath ran his hand through his hair. “Well then, perhaps if I pay her a visit I might be able to learn something. Do you have her direction, Lipking?”

“Yes, my lord. Actually, Darlington is the neighboring estate here, but I am certain she has already returned to her town house on Leicester Square for the season.”

Reath nodded. Yes, of course, the season must have just begun. He wondered just how long the ton’s memory was. Would he be able to start with a clean reputation once again, or would he be condemned from the very beginning because of his youthful foolishness? He did not relish the idea of returning to society, but at least now he was older and wiser. And it was imperative that he find Lady Darlington and somehow discover her brother’s whereabouts.