“She advised Diana of Jackson’s wicked ways. Diana, in turn, sent me here to find out your intentions.”
“My wicked ways?” Jackson pressed.
“I believe she mentioned whips.”
Jackson nearly choked at Isabelle’s audacity, but it was nothing compared to the glower on Lord Byrn’s face.
“The devil,” Lord Byrn cursed.
“I don’t even have a horse in town,” Jackson said with disgust.
Lucas smiled, his eyes twinkling with a mirth that hadn’t been there before Diana became part of his life. “I never said anything about a horse. Just the whip—”
“Stop it,” Jackson snapped. “You know I don’t—I never—” This was ridiculous and so he was going to say in clear terms. He took a breath to do just that but was forestalled by yet another knock on his door. He didn’t have to answer. He knew the knock. Sure enough, a moment later the door burst open only to have Aaron, Lord Chambers, pull up at the sight of three people in the tiny room.
“Good lord,” he said with alarm. “Something’s afoot.” He ran a distracted hand through his already disheveled hair. “How can I help?”
And wasn’t that Aaron in a nutshell? On the scene and willing to help even though his mind was obviously torn in another direction entirely.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jackson asked. Aaronneverappeared disheveled. His political position meant he had to act in all ways composed, even when he wasn’t.
“An unexpected development,” he said as his gaze landed heavily on Lord Byrn. “But—um—that’s not important now. Why are you here?”
Jackson went back to polishing his boots. “They’re both here to threaten me away from marrying Lady Gwen.”
Aaron blinked. “You don’t want to marry her.”
There went what little fun he’d had poking at Byrn.
Meanwhile, Byrn jolted in surprise. “You don’t want to marry Gwen? Why not?”
Of all the ridiculous conversations. “You were just warning me off.”
“She’s special and valuable—”
“She is.”
Byrn pursed his lips. “Perhaps I misjudged you—”
“You did—”
“And that’s nothing to the point,” interrupted Aaron. “Jackson, put on some clothes. It’s decidedly odd to converse with an unclothed man. Lucas, has something happened with Lady Diana?”
“No, no. Well, there might be some happy news soon, but we don’t know yet.”
All the men looked up with varying degrees of shock. Lucas looked in alt at the possibility of starting a family when just a year ago his thoughts had been at the lowest place a man could go.
“Good God, man, that’s wonderful!” Jackson said with a grin as he pulled on his cleanest pair of pants. The other two men echoed his sentiment, but Byrn was clearly torn between the happy news and the puzzle that was Jackson.
Typically, Lucas was quick to understand the situation. “Never mind him,” Lucas said with impatience. “He’s not going to ravish your sister. Despite his reputation, he’s a perfect gentleman.”
“That’s not what Aunt Isabelle said,” Byrn grumbled. “She claimed—”
“That I’ve had orgies with half the ladies in London,” Jackson interrupted. “There was only one orgy, and she was the one who arranged it!”
The silence that greeted his words was like the drop of a guillotine blade. It cut sharp and swift through the fog of distraction that had clouded his thoughts. Normally he never would have said something so unpolished. And now all three men stared at him as if he’d admitted to being the horned goat he’d played last night.
“I didn’t participate in it!” he cried. But he had been witness to it, and that had been sickening enough to have him end his romantic relationship with Isabelle for good. But rather than explain, he glared at each man in turn. “Was there another reason you all chose to invade my room? Or may I go back to my plans for the day?” Unable to resist, he looked straight at Lord Byrn. “I have an appointment with Lady Gwen.”