The Prince of Pleasure (Notorious 5)

"Yes. And because… he suspected her of treason. He intimated to me that she was involved with the spies who were hanged."

Dare found himself grinding his teeth. "That was a falsehood he concocted to force me to end my betrothal. Miss Laurent had nothing whatever to do with treason or spying."

"I suspected as much. I admit, it never set well with me that your grandfather would intervene in your affairs so flagrantly. But he was adamant. You were his hope and pride. He did not wish to see you go to… Begging your pardon, my lord. My tongue does run away from me at times." Looking uncomfortable, Butner flushed.

"No, please… I value your honesty. What were you about to say? Go where?"

"To the devil, the way your father did."

With effort Dare kept his lip from curling. "So Grandfather employed the same high-handedness with me that he'd tried on my father."

"Lord Wolverton hoped to compel you to call off your betrothal."

"By threatening to disown me, I know. For years I thought he had done so."

"He never changed his will. He had no reason to, once your betrothal ended. At the time, however, he was utterly determined. He said that whatever it took, he would gladly pay. He wanted to ?free you from the clutches of a scheming fortune hunter.' Those were his words, if I recall correctly."

Steeling himself against his growing disquietude, Dare managed a calm reply. "I gather he intended to use Ivers to frame Miss Laurent for treason."

"Possibly. After you left here, vowing never to return, Ivers called to collect. And he came two years later to request a loan. His pockets apparently were empty again."

"Did my grandfather comply?"

"No, he refused adamantly. I overheard their argument. Ivers said he would go to you if Lord Wolverton wouldn't pay, that you would want to know the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"Again, I'm not certain, my lord. It had something to do with Miss Laurent, because I heard her name spoken."

"But you're certain Ivers threatened to blackmail my grandfather?"

"It seemed that way. His lordship was so enraged, he had the footmen throw the earl out of the house. Ivers never called again, to my knowledge. I am not surprised that he has fallen under suspicion now, though. I always thought he would come to a bad end."

"Thank you, Mr. Butner. You have been a great deal of help."

Once the elderly secretary had gone, Dare sat unmoving, trying to grapple with the fear hovering in the back of his mind. Had his grandfather actually hired Ivers to spoil his betrothal? And had Ivers held the threat of being hanged for treason over Julienne's head?

Dare felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Had he somehow mistaken the situation regarding her relationship with Ivers that day? If he could set his jealousy aside for a rational moment, he would have to admit that even before the secretary's revelation just now, he'd begun to question their alliance. In Newmarket Julienne had seemed to regard Ivers with an enmity bordering on loathing.

Was that because Ivers had abandoned her all those years ago? They had been lovers then, hadn't they? Dare had seen it with his own eyes, heard the admission from Julienne's own lips.

His gut churning with unease, Dare rose to call for his carriage. He needed to speak to someone who had greater knowledge of Julienne and what might have happened that long-ago summer.

Famous for its oysters, the small seaport of Whitstable boasted several excellent inns, two dozen shops, and a minor shipyard. The town ha

dn't changed much in the years since his last visit, nor apparently had the hat shop where his life had been turned upside down.

Stepping from the carriage, Dare stood outside the door of the millinery, hesitating. He had hopes of finding the sales clerk who had been in Julienne's employ, but his skin felt suddenly cold and clammy with apprehension at what he might discover. He had to force himself to open the shop door and enter.

Memories rushed in on him all at once, reflections of the last time he'd been here…

He'd thought it odd to find the millinery empty and unlocked, with no sign of Julienne or the girl she employed as a clerk. Hearing voices coming from the floor overhead, he'd climbed the stairs to the large room above the shop that was used for storage and sewing and occasionally as sleeping quarters.

Julienne sat on the cot, her disheveled hair spilling from its pins, while the Earl of Ivers stood beside the bed, hovering over her. When she spied Dare, she clutched a hand to her heart.

She looked dismayed to see him-although no more dismayed than he felt, seeing her with his rival in such an intimate setting.

Ivers's expression remained cool, however, as he rested a hand possessively on her shoulder. "Clune…I am glad you have come. Julienne has something she wishes to tell you."