"You must meet the girl soon." Barbara gave a languid
stretch, arching her back to display her breasts to best
advantage. He had already capitulated to her demands once,
but Barbara was never satisfied for long. She had come to
his rooms before he could even unpack his bag and had nearly
torn his clothes off in a lust–inspired frenzy.
"I believe I have." Hadley ignored the blatant
invitation for a second course, threw his legs over the side
of the bed, and pulled his shirt back on over his head.
"How so? When?" she demanded.
"This morning, shortly after my arrival. In the music
room. She was receiving most ineffectual dance instruction."
"But Monsieur Gaspar is the best...at dancing anyway.
Unfortunately, his lack of ...inches... makes him quite
inadequate in other capacities." She rose and pressed her
breasts to Hadley's back, stretching her arms about his
waist and licking the shell of his ear. Once, that might
have driven him near insane, but now it was faintly annoying.
He gently but firmly disentangled himself and continued
dressing. "Nevertheless, he had her so agitated the poor
thing was positively tripping over herself."
"But that is only her natural predisposition!" Barbara
laughed. "Didn't I tell you what a coarse creature she is? I
despair that she'll ever be ready to present. 'Tis a good
thing you are arrived. Mayhap we can now forgo the certain
fiasco of taking her out into society." "Perhaps her manners
and deportment lack refinement, but there's nothing coarse
about the girl. To be frank, I though her artlessness rather
refreshing." He smiled inwardly at their moment of ludicrous
laugher at the dancing master's expense. He couldn't recall
the last time he'd chuckled so naturally and spontaneously.
"That's absurd! You can't be saying you are taken with
her, Hadley?" Something in his expression made Barbara's
gaze narrow. "Well, I suppose it's best if she doesn't
altogether repulse you. It will facilitate the task at hand."
"And what task is that?" he asked. He had far more
important matters on his mind—like how to secure a
loan and garner sufficient support to petition the king.
Perhaps he would do better to try the queen? Walpole had
managed to run the country through her and Hadley could
charm the petticoats off any woman. Why would a young and
reasonably attractive queen prove any different?
"Darling, I never thought you obtuse. You must wed the
chit before someone else claims her fortune."
"Wed her?" the words jarred him out of his ruminations.
"Is your mind disordered of a sudden, Barbara? I have no
plans to wed anyone. Ever."
She gave him a petulant look. "But how else do you
suppose we are to get our hands on her money?"
"Is that the scheme you had in mind when you wrote me? To
bilk an unwary young heiress of her fortune?"
"Brilliant, isn't it?" She laughed. "I told you I had
discovered a means of getting it all back—and so much
more. She is exceedingly rich and once we have the money, it
should be no trouble at all to secure the influence needed
to restore your title."
"How much?" he asked, veiling his interest. "What is the
girl actually worth?"
She crawled onto his lap and laved her tongue up his
neck. "That information will come at a price." She was
begging to be taken again and Hadley felt nothing...or
rather nothing but an immense sense of relief that he was
over her. He jerked his head away. "I'm not in the mood for
any more games."
"Pity," she pouted. "Have you another lover now, Hadley?
Or perhaps you have developed a penchant for Venice's
unnatural pleasures? Most well–travelled men do, you
know. And I confess your valet was an exceptionally pretty
creature."
"How much?" he repeated icily, ignoring her insinuation.
She sighed. "I can't begin to tell you how much work that
took to discover. Sir Richard is tediously protective of her
assets."
"Sir Richard? What has he to do with this?" Hadley demanded.
"Yes, darling," she rolled her eyes. "That same obnoxious
boor. Did I not tell you the girl is his ward?"
"That girl is Sir Richard's ward?" When the girl in the
music room had introduced herself as Mary Elizabeth Edwardes
he had not made the connection, but then again, wily Sir
Richard had taken care not to reveal anything about the
Edwardes heir.
"One and the same my love, and worth every bit of fifty
thousand a year! That plump little pigeon is one of the
richest women in England, and thanks to me, she is yours for
the plucking."
The blood roared in his ears. It was just too bloody good
to be true. The very one who held his lands was residing
under Barbara's roof. The girl was not only the means to a
large fortune but also of revenge. "That certainly does
throw a different light on matters." He took heed not to
betray his growing excitement. "But you and I both know Sir
Richard would see me hanged before granting consent for me
to wed his ward."
She smiled. "Who said anything about seeking his consent?"
"You intend for me to despoil her to force a marriage? My
dear Barbara, such rude and crass methods don't suit me at
all. The entire thing lacks finesse."
She scowled. "Then how else do you propose we get control
of her fortune?"
"I would propose gaining the girl's good faith and
cooperation."
"And then what? Do you think she will just hand it over
to you?"
"Something very close to that."
"You are overly confident."
"Not at all," he laughed. "I have never failed to achieve
my object where a woman was concerned, nor has any ever
complained of my methods."