A Most Sinful Proposal (The Husband Hunters Club 2)

As far as finding the rose went, the purpose of their journey had been a waste of time, although on a personal level Jasper and Lady Bethany had enjoyed themselves immensely. The manor of the de Turville family had been destroyed by fire many centuries ago and what remained was then taken by the local farmers to build their barns and byres and houses.

Jasper made a careful search across the overgrown patch of ground where the manor once stood. Lady Bethany refused to help him, saying she valued her skin too much, preferring to watch him from the safety of the carriage as he cursed and thrashed his stick through the weeds and brambles.

But it was all to no avail, and after Jasper declared that if the rose had ever existed here then it existed no longer, they turned for home.

“That leaves William Beauchamp,” Lady Bethany said, after ticking the list of crusaders’ names off on her fingers. “He is our last and final hope.”

Jasper looked morose. “Poor Kent. He thought he had a real chance of finding the rose. I don’t know what he’ll do if this fails.”

“He’ll keep looking, surely?”

“Oh yes, he’ll keep looking, my dear. But he knows, just as I know, that there is the distinct possibility it no longer exists. That no matter how hard and how long he searches for the wretched thing he’s never going to find it.”

“Is he the sort of man who’d become embittered?”

Jasper considered the question seriously. “I wouldn’t have said so, although lately he seems to have become rather desperate about the whole thing.”

Lady Bethany waved a lazy hand at an insect that had decided her chip straw bonnet would make a nice home. “You do realize, Jasper, that my visit is coming to an end.”

He turned to her with a startled look. “Good heavens! You’re leaving, my dear?”

“You know Marissa and I must return to our home in London, Jasper. And who knows where we’ll be this time next week! Probably in the wilds of Sutherland, hunting for mosses in knee-deep snow. My son-in-law is relentless when it comes to his chosen field.”

“Good heavens,” Jasper repeated, clearly shocked at the prospect. “We can’t have that. I’ll have to come and rescue you, my dear. Carry you off on some romantic tryst, eh?”

Lady Bethany smiled a little smile. “I would like that,” she said. “It sounds very agreeable.”

“Should I rescue your granddaughter, too? Or do you think she’ll be all right?”

“Oh yes, I think so,” she said. “If I am right, Jasper, then we’ll have a wedding to attend before too long, and I will be able to boast to all my friends that I was instrumental in bringing it about.”

“And were you, my dear?”

“I played my part, Jasper. I intend to claim the credit anyway.”

He laughed, and she laughed with him.

After a moment he grew serious. “I’m an old bachelor, my dear. Set in my ways. I never thought I’d…well, I’ve no idea what I’d be like as a husband at my age.”

Lady Bethany patted his hand, where he held the reins. “I don’t want another husband, Jasper. I’d much prefer a good friend.”

“Would you?” He seemed struck by the thought. “I thought all women were keen on bagging a husband.”

“Not all, I promise you.”

“Frie

nds then,” Jasper said. “Very good friends.”

They drove on in silence, both very content with the future they envisioned.

Chapter 24

The door opened a fraction and Augustus Von Hautt’s heart began to speed up. Sometimes lately his heart beat so hard that it hurt his chest, and he had to put his hand over it, to hold it in. This was one of those moments.

“There you are,” the familiar voice said, and the door closed again. “I was worried.”

“You told me to come here when I needed to.”