“Indeed they do.”
“Not me.”
“Lucas said you were smart.” He pushed up from his seat. Then after a quick turn about the room, he came to a stop across from her. “I shall do you a favor, Miss Rees. A free favor from a man who hopes that one day you will have cause to return it.”
She waited, wary but still curious. “I am listening.”
“I shall tell you the best way to negotiate with Mr. Palmer. He’s a veteran gambler. Can’t resist a challenge no matter how stupid, which means he’s got notes throughout London. The right contest will have you buying his business for much less than it is worth.”
“Why should I buy his business? You said it is a stain upon your neighborhood.”
“Mr. Palmeris a stain upon my neighborhood, but he has put advertisements for his services all over England. Nearly every new resident of London has heard of Mr. Palmer’s Path to Prosperity. They flock to his registry with nary a soul to send them elsewhere.” He snorted. “It’s the one thing the man did right. His registry—if it were run correctly—would be an asset to my neighborhood.”
She agreed with him. She’d already discovered that Mr. Palmer’s registry was the most well-known and in the best location, but it hadn’t occurred to her until now that she might win his business in a wager. “It cannot be that easy,” she said.
He chuckled. “It won’t be easy, but if you can win the business from Mr. Palmer, I will support you with my protection.”
“But I don’t gamble—”
He laughed as he leaped to his feet. “Everyone gambles in some way. You more so than most, I think, else how would you have landed here?”
Lilah winced at his perception. She had indeed gambled when she’d pressed her father to bring her home with him when she was nine. She’d gambled again when she’d pressed Lord Ares to marry her, but she’d lost that bet.
“Find a way to win against Mr. Palmer,” he pressed. “Otherwise, I shall have to employ more drastic measures to oust the blighter, and that is not something I want to do.” On that enigmatic statement, he pulled an address from his pocket and passed it to her. “That’s where you’ll find Mr. Palmer most nights, but mind you don’t go alone. I’d bring a large, brute of a man with you. Mr. Palmer negotiates with his fists first.”
She looked at the address and frowned. She’d heard of the Lyon’s Den gaming hell from someone, but she didn’t recall the exact details.
“And don’t bring Lucas,” he said grimly. “They’ve got a past and Palmer would likely cut off his own nose rather than help anyone associated with your brother-in-law. Which means, I wouldn’t let him know who you are.”
“Then how am I to negotiate with him? I’m related to Lucas!”
Mr. Bates bowed to her as if he hadn’t heard her question. Then he left, moving down the stairs with surprising speed. He had gathered his hat from their butler and was out the door before she could decide if she were insulted or amused. A little of both, she supposed.
Either way, her next steps were clear. After a little more research and a discussion with her brother regarding her dowry, she needed to find a large, powerful man to accompany her into the Lyon’s Den. Someone who wouldn’t be appalled at the idea of her going into a notorious gambling den.
Her brothers wouldn’t do it, that was for certain, even if Mr. Bates hadn’t explicitly warned her against using them. Her servants weren’t large enough to be intimidating. She needed someone she trusted, someone who would see it as a lark, perhaps, and would still provide some measure of protection.
In short, she needed a lord who laughed when most of his compatriots would scowl. She needed Lord Loughton.
Chapter Twelve
“Absolutely not! Iwon’t do it.”
Aaron frowned as he heard his sister’s voice through the door of her parlor. He was coming home after another long day’s work. He had no wish to step into an argument with his sister. At least he didn’t until he heard the voice of the other half of the argument.
“I could think of no one else. You needn’t join us. In fact, I much prefer you didn’t. You have a reputation worth saving.”
Miss Rees. He had not spoken with her in the eight days since their last kiss, though he had done that and much more with her in his dreams. She had been to the house. That much was certain from his daily conversations with his sister, but he had not crossed paths with her. Indeed, he had worked to avoid her. Unless he could find a way to marry her—and he had thought often on the possibility—it did neither of them any good to stay in each other’s company. But his efforts had failed tonight. She was here, and he wanted to see her.
Without thinking too hard about it, he knocked once on his sister’s parlor door and entered. His sister was standing in the center of the room. Her face was flushed, and her hands fisted as she spun around to glare at him. Miss Rees was sitting in the far corner and she looked chagrined. Also, she looked adorable as she bit her lower lip while her chin sat firmly in the palm of her hand. She straightened upon his entrance, but that didn’t stop him from mentally recording her expression such that he could recall it whenever he wished.
“Aaron! Why are you here?” his sister gasped.
“Because I live here?” he returned.
“But you’re never home before…” Her gaze turned to the clock. “Oh. My. It is late.”
Meanwhile, Miss Rees stood up. “I need to be going. Good evening—”