Stephanie Laurens - A Lady of Expectations and Other Stories - A Lady Of Expectations / The Secrets of a Courtesan / How to Woo a Spinster

“Heaven forbid!” Eyes narrowing, Jack turned to Harry. “And just in case you have any ideas along that track, perhaps I should remind you that it’s our good fortune—yours and mine and Gerald’s, too?” Features relaxing, Jack sank back in his chair, a smile erasing the severe line of his lips. “Indeed, the chance of seeing you playing catch-me-who-can with all the enamoured damsels is sorely tempting, brother mine.”

Harry grinned and raised his glass. “Fear not—that thought has already occurred. If the ton stumbles onto our secret, it won’t be through me. And I’ll make a point of dropping a quiet word in our baby brother’s ear, what’s more. Neither you nor I need him queering our pitch.”

“Too true.” Jack shuddered artistically. “The prospect does not bear thinking of.”

Percy was frowning. “I can’t see it. Why not let it out that you’re all as rich as bedammed? God knows, you Lesters have been regarded as nothing more than barely well-to-do for generations. Now that’s changed, why not reap the rewards?” His guileless expression was matched by his next words. “The debs would be yours for the asking—you could take your pick.”

Both Lester men bent looks of transparent sympathy upon their hapless friend.

Bewildered, Percy blinked and patiently waited to be set aright.

Unable to hold a candle to his long-time companions in the matter of manly attributes, he had long since become reconciled to his much slighter figure, his sloping shoulders and spindly shanks. More than reconciled—he had found his vocation as a Pink of the Ton. Dressing to disguise his shortcomings and polishing his address to overcome his innate shyness had led to yet another discovery; his newfound status spared him from the trial of chasing women. Both Jack and Harry thrived on the sport, but Percy’s inclinations were of a less robust nature. He adored the ladies—from a distance. In his estimation, his present style of life was infinitely preferable to the racy existence enjoyed by his companions.

However, as both Jack and Harry were well aware, his present lifestyle left him woefully adrift when it came to matters of strategy in handling the female of the species, particularly those dragons who menaced all rakes—the matrons of the ton.

And, naturally, with his mild manners and retiring ways, he was hardly the sort of gentleman who inhabited the debutantes’ dreams. All the Lester men—Jack, at thirty-six, with his dark good looks and powerful athlete’s physique, and Harry, younger by two years, his lithe figure forever graceful and ineffably elegant—and even twenty-four-year-old Gerald, with his boyish charm—were definitely the stuff of which females’ dreams were made.

“Actually, Percy, old man,” Harry said. “I rather suspect Jack thinks he can have his pick regardless.”

Jack shot a supercilious glance at his sibling. “As a matter of fact, I’ve not previously considered the point.”

Harry’s lips lifted; gracefully, he inclined his head. “I have infinite confidence, oh brother mine, that if and when you find your particular golden head, you won’t need the aid of our disgusting wealth in persuading her to your cause.”

“Yes—but why the secrecy?” Percy demanded.

“Because,” Jack explained, “while the matrons have considered my fortune, as you so succinctly put it, as barely well-to-do, they’ve been content to let me stroll among their gilded flowers, letting me look my fill without undue interference.”

With three profligate sons in the family and an income little more than a competence, it was commonly understood that the scions of Lester Hall would require wealthy brides. However, given the family connections and the fact that Jack, as eldest, would inherit the Hall and principal estates, no one had been surprised when, once he had let it be known he was seriously contemplating matrimony, the invitations had rolled in.

“Naturally,” Harry suavely put in. “With all Jack’s years of…worldly experience, no one expects him to fall victim to any simple snares and, given the lack of a Lester fortune, there’s insufficient incentive for the dragons to waste effort mounting any of their more convoluted schemes.”

“So I’ve been free to view the field.” Jack took back the conversational reins. “However, should any whiff of our changed circumstances begin circulating through the ton, my life of unfettered ease will be over. The harpies will descend with a vengeance.”

“Nothing they like better than the fall of a rake,” Harry confided to Percy. “Brings out their best efforts—never more hellishly inventive than when they’ve a rich rake with a declared interest in matrimony firmly in their sights. They relish the prospect of the hunter being the hunted.”

Jack threw him a quelling glance. “Sufficient to say that my life will no longer be at all comfortable. I won’t be able to set foot outside my door without guarding against the unimaginable. Debs at every turn, hanging on a fellow’s arm, forever batting their silly lashes. It’s easy to put one off women for life.”

Harry shut his eyes and shuddered.

The light of understanding dawned on Percy’s cherubic countenance. “Oh,” he said. Then, “In that case, you’d better accept Lady Asfordby’s invitation.”

Jack waved a languid hand. “I’ve all the Season to go yet. No need to get in a pother.”

“Ah, yes. But will you? Have all the Season, I mean?” When both Jack and Harry looked lost, Percy explained, “This fortune of yours was made on ’Change, wasn’t it?”

Jack nodded. “Lenore took the advice of one of the pater’s acquaintances and staked a fleet of merchantmen to the Indies. The company was formed through the usual channels and is listed in London.”

“Precisely!” Percy came to a flourishing halt by the fireplace. “So any number of men with an interest at the Exchange know the company was wildly successful. And lots of them must know that the Lesters were one of the major backers. That sort of thing’s not secret, y’know. M’father, for one, would be sure to know.”

Jack and Harry exchanged looks of dawning dismay.

“There’s no way to silence all those who know,” Percy continued. “So you’ve only got until one of those men happens to mention to his wife that the Lesters’ fortunes have changed and the whole world will know.”

A groan escaped Harry.

“No—wait.” Jack straightened. “It’s not that simple, thank God.” The last was said with all due reverence. “Lenore organized it, but naturally she could hardly act for herself in the matter. She used our broker, old Charters, a terribly stuffy old soul. He has never approved of females being involved in business—the old man had to lean on him to accept instructions from Lenore years ago. Charters only agreed on the understanding of secrecy all round—he didn’t want it known that he took orders from a woman. Which probably means he won’t admit it was us he was working for, as it’s fairly well known Lenore was in charge of our finances. If Charters doesn’t talk, there’s no reason to imagine our windfall will become common knowledge overnight.”

Percy frowned and pursed his lips. “Not overnight, maybe. But dashed if I think it’ll be all that long. These things filter through the cracks in the mortar, so my old man says.”

A sober silence descended on the room as the occupants weighed the situation.

“Percy’s right.” Harry’s expression was grim.

Glumly resigned, Jack held up Lady Asfordby’s invitation. “In more ways than one. I’ll send round to Lady Asfordby to expect us.”

“Not me.” Harry shook his head decisively.

Jack’s brows rose. “You’ll get caught in the storm, too.”