“You look remarkably cheerful this evening, if I may say so.”

Phillip looked over at his friend, Lord Benjamin Marshall, and grinned. “Mayhap I have something to be cheerful about.”

“Oh?”

Phillip gave a slight shrug, inciting his friend’s interest all the more.

“This is to do with that young lady, is it not?” Lord Marshall asked, with a chuckle. “I know you too well, you see? I remember that you were asking after her at that ball some weeks ago.”

“It was not the ball but the theatre,” Phillip corrected him, his grin widening. “Lady Harmonia?”

Lord Marshall’s face grew astonished. “Never say that you have made progress there!”

“I have called upon her and taken a visit to the bookshop. But why are you surprised?” Phillip asked, with a slight frown. “Did you think I would not?”

“No, tis not that,” Lord Marshall replied quickly. “It is more than I thought she was already spoken for. That cousin of hers. The rumors have been all around town.”

“Well,” Phillip said, firmly. “As you know, I am not inclined to listen to rumors. I have spoken to the lady herself and she has made it very clear that her cousin is not in any way her suitor or the like.”

Lord Marshall slapped Phillip hard on the back, chuckling aloud. “Well, well, well. So, you have inserted yourself in his place, have you?”

“I have not taken his place,” Phillip protested at once, as Lord Marshall continued to laugh. “He was never betrothed to her!”

“Well, regardless, I am glad for you,” Lord Marshall said, with a broad smile. “Now, to Whites, I think. A celebratory drink.”

“You are not to speak of what I have disclosed to you, Marshall,” Phillip said, warningly. “I do not want all and sundry to know my dealings, although I am aware they will become common knowledge soon enough.”

Lord Marshall grinned. “Yes, it will. Particularly if you continue to go out walking all sorts of places and the like.”

Phillip could feel nothing but happiness at the prospect, already delighted with how open Lady Harmonia appeared to be towards him. She had practically glowed with delight when he had given her the invitation to the ball, which was only one day away.

The feelings building within him were nothing like he had ever felt before. There was a happiness, a contentment that filled him and made him almost urgent in his desire to see her again. The ball could not come quickly enough.

Whites was already quite loud, filled with patrons from the beau monde. Given that it was late afternoon, this was not much of a surprise and, despite the noise, Phillip had to admit to himself that, at least no-one would hear their conversation. He did not want to start any kind of rumor about himself and Lady Harmonia, not until he had been able to ask her father if he might court her – which he had every intention of doing once the ball was over.

“I’ll get us a table, shall I?”

Phillip made to turn around, only for a large man to come hurtling towards himself and Lord Marshall. For a moment, Phillip thought he might have to catch him, such was the speed of his stumbling steps, but, thankfully, the man managed to right himself just before he reached them.

“Lord Marshall!” the man exclaimed, slapping Lord Marshall firmly on the back. “What the devil are you doing here?”

Phillip saw that Lord Marshall’s face was not exactly delighted upon seeing the man, although he did make a concerted effort to look pleased.

“Baron Roth,” Lord Marshall replied, with a small bow. “How good to see you again. May I introduce my friend, the Earl of Newford.” He gestured to Phillip and, immediately, the baron nodded towards him.

“How do you do, Lord Roth?” Phillip murmured, inclining his head. “Are you a friend of Lord Marshall’s?”

“A very dear friend,” the baron exclaimed. “A very dear friend, although I must be at least twenty years your elder.”

Lord Marshall chuckled. “But then you do always have the best stories, Baron.”

“And I have one for you now, if you would like to hear it,” Lord Roth replied, with a broad wink. “Come, sit with me and I shall tell you all.”

He began to make his way towards the back of Whites and, after an apologetic murmur to Phillip, Lord Marshall began to follow Lord Roth. Phillip joined them, finding Baron Roth to be loud, flamboyant and quite irritating, but yet realizing that it would be more than rude to turn his back on the man after only being introduced. Besides, he and Lord Marshall could spend a few minutes with the man, listen to his stories, share a drink and then excuse themselves. It need not be for long.

“Capital, capital!” Baron Roth exclaimed, as Phillip came to join them both. “I am always glad to meet another acquaintance of Lord Marshall’s.”

“Lord Newford is in town for the Season,” Lord Marshall explained, handing Phillip his drink. “And what of you, Baron? Why are you here?”

The baron chuckled. “I have a little business to take care of and, as you know, I simply adore the local gossip. I cannot help but come down here at the height of the Season and feed on any juicy pieces of gossip I can find.”

There was a short silence, with the baron looking at them both expectantly.

“And what have you discovered?” Lord Marshall asked, resigned to the fact that he was meant to ask Baron Roth just that.

The baron rubbed his hands. “Well, I have heard that the Duke of Westbrook is back in town, in order to put his youngest daughter through the Season – and that she has already found herself a suitor!”

Phillip felt his heart freeze in his chest, starting at the baron with a barely hidden horror.

“Oh?” Lord Marshall said, shooting a quick glance towards Phillip. “And who is this?”

“Her cousin,” the baron exclaimed, his eyes bright. “But, there is more to that man than meets the eye!”

Heartily confused by what the baron was saying, Phillip closed his eyes and rubbed one hand across his forehead. “Her cousin?” he repeated, suddenly desperate to know what the baron meant. “Do you mean Lord Luke Darnsley?”

“The very same!” the baron cried, looking at Phillip in astonishment. “You have met the man?”

“I – I know of him,” Phillip replied, leaning forward in his seat and looking at the baron in the eye. “The question is, what do you know of him?”

The baron chuckled, rubbing his hands again. “Another one for the gossip, are you? Well, I shall not keep you in suspense. The man is the lady’s suitor, by all accounts, and appears to be quite besotted with her. However,” he continued, leaning in a little conspiratorially, “I have discovered that he is not the man he seems.”

Not quite sure what to make of this, Phillip frowned hard.

“In what way?” Lord Marshall interrupted, a look of concern on his face. “I know the lady, you see, and I would be most upset if she were entering into a union under false pretenses.”

Phillip looked at his friend sharply, but Lord Marshall simply gave him a small nod. Phillip, realizing that he meant to ensure that Phillip was not the only one asking pertinent questions about the man, understood what his friend was trying to do and turned back to face the baron.

Baron Roth looked more than delighted that they appeared so interested. “Well, I have heard that Lord Darnsley has debts up to his eyes, and that he has no money with which to pay them!”

“Debts?” Phillip repeated. “Debts from what?”

“From gambling, of course!” the baron replied with a chuckle, as though Phillip should have guessed that this was the reason behind it all. “That man has not managed to play a good hand since the Season began!”

“I see,” Phillip murmured, his heart sinking into his boots. Did Lady Harmonia know of this?

“And the women of the night are not cheap either,” the baron said, with a slight sniff. “He finds them cheap sometimes but, more often than not, it is the better establishments Lord Darnsley goes to.”

There was a short pause. Phillip felt too astonished to speak, staring at Lord Marshall who was looking at the baron with a frown.

“And you are sure this is Lord Darnsley you are speaking of?” Lord Marshall asked, frowning.

“Of course, it is!” the baron exclaimed, loudly. “I’m not a man for idle gossip, I tell you. I want only the best.”

Phillip nodded slowly, wondering if he needed to warn Lady Harmonia about her cousin’s behavior. There was no truth in the baron’s suggestion that she was in any way engaged to Lord Darnsley but still, he wondered if she knew the truth. It would be best for her family not to associate with Lord Darnsley in any way, if what the baron said was true.

“Of course, he wants the lady’s money to cover his debts,” the baron continued airily. “He has not two shillings to rub together at this point!”

Phillip’s stomach dropped.

“Does the Duke know of this?” he asked, hoarsely. “About Lord Darnsley’s debts?”

“No, I don’t think so,” the baron shrugged. “Do you really think the old man would let such a man near his youngest daughter if he knew the truth about Lord Darnsley’s finances? I know he is ill, but I do not think that any of his faculties are less than they should be, if you get my meaning.”

Phillip nodded, lines of worry appearing on his forehead. “Yes, I understand. You are quite right, of course.” Phillip began to think quickly about the Duke’s lack of knowledge, as well the fact that Lady Harmonia would also be completely in the dark as regarded Darnsley’s true intentions. He knew that she was not interested in the man but was also aware that Lord Darnsley himself had been more than eager to capture the lady’s’ affections. It all became clear to him now, why Lord Darnsley had been so overprotective, so rude to him and so caught up with everything Lady Harmonia was doing. She was his best chance of securing a good fortune, enough to pull him out of his debts at least. Although he felt somewhat assured of Harmonia’s lack of interest in Lord Darnsley, he could not help himself but to worry about what a man who could hide secrets like this was capable of.

Otherwise, Phillip had no doubt that the truth of Lord Darnsley’s situation would come to light and no-one in their right mind would secure their daughter to a man in such debt. Particularly if they had a large dowry.

“I think I need to excuse myself, gentlemen,” he said, getting up from the table and sending an apologetic look towards Lord Marshall.

“Of course, I quite understand,” Lord Marshall said at once, a look of comprehension in his eye. “You have an appointment to keep.”

Phillip cleared his throat, holding out his hand to the baron and then to Lord Marshall. “Yes, that is quite so.”

“It is rather late for an appointment, is it not?” the baron asked, with a look of surprise.

A flush ran up Phillip’s cheeks. “Not too late at all, I assure you,” he said, aware of what the baron would think. He did not have to wait long. The baron lifted his brows and chuckled, shaking his head at Phillip.

“Well, well. Of course, go and enjoy yourself, my man! I shall stay here and keep Lord Marshall company,” the baron chuckled, lifting his glass aloft. “Have a good time, Lord Newford.”

Phillip did not respond but hurried away from the table at once. He dodged through the rest of the patrons, trying his best to keep his anxiety down. While, of course, there could be no immediate danger, Phillip had such a sense of urgency that he could not wait another moment before seeing Lady Harmonia or her father. Whilst it was late, he hoped that someone in the house would still be awake, that they would still be able to allow him entry for just a few minutes.

What Phillip did not see was a shadowy figure follow after him. A figure who had heard every word Baron Roth had said and was exceedingly angry because of it. A figure who had every intention of getting exactly what he wanted, no matter what Phillip or Lady Harmonia herself desired.