Her Devilish Marquess (22 page)

He turned in time to see Ethan running over
to him. Surprised, he asked, “What’s the hurry? Do you require
immediate assistance from a doctor?”

Ethan caught up to him and shook his head.
“No, but we need you at White’s. Warren and that new gentleman he
brought in are impossible. They’re trying to get everyone to stop
making wagers. Next thing you know, they’ll forbid anyone from
telling jokes.”

“
I don’t see what that has
to do with me,” Derek replied.

“
It has everything to do
with you. You’re the only person who’s been able to take a stand
against Warren. Sure, we’ve had a vote that made him back off for a
while, but nothing Christopher or I say makes enough gentlemen want
to tell him no. They secretly want to, but they’re afraid of
him.”

“
That’s not my problem.”
Derek passed him and continued down the sidewalk. If he’d known
this was going to be another plea to go to White’s, he wouldn’t
have bothered listening to Ethan.

“
I know it’s not your
problem,” Ethan allowed, quickly catching up to him and falling
into step beside him. “But I’m asking for your help.”

“
Well, I don’t want to give
it.”

“
Why not?”

“
Because I’m a married
gentleman, and I have a responsibility to my wife. It wouldn’t be
fair to put her in a situation where she has to choose between her
friend and me.”

“
What happens at White’s has
no bearing on your wife. We have a strict policy that what happens
at White’s stays at White’s.”

Derek shot Ethan a pointed look. “Come now.
You know very well it doesn’t work that way, just as Christopher
knows it. Sure, Malcolm might not come out and say anything about
what occurred, but he will find some excuse why my wife isn’t
welcome to his townhouse.”

Derek had been fortunate so far that Danette
hadn’t told him she wasn’t allowed to visit Regan because of the
outburst he’d had with Warren. He didn’t know what Regan had said
to calm Malcolm down, but whatever it was, it had worked. But he
couldn’t rely on that method working all the time.

“
Surely, there must be
something you can do without risking Malcolm’s wrath,” Ethan
pressed.

Derek shook his head. “I’m afraid not.
Malcolm is good friends with Warren. It’d be as if I said something
bad to you about Christopher. Would you like it?”

Ethan looked as if he might protest but then
offered a resigned sigh. “I see your point. If only you’d married
someone other than your wife. Then we wouldn’t be in this situation
right now.”

“
My wife is the best thing
that’s ever happened to me. She looks beyond my faults and accepts
me. I doubt any other lady would do that.”

“
Wonderful! Then she’ll
accept it if you confront Warren.”

“
That’s not what I meant,
and you know it. The answer is no. I’m not going to do anything to
jeopardize what I have with her. You’ll have to find someone else
to do it if you and Christopher can’t manage it on your
own.”

“
All right, but if you
change your mind, let me know. I can find gentlemen who’ll support
you.”

Derek watched as his friend walked away,
glad he chose to put the matter to rest. With any luck, this would
be the last time anyone would try to get him to do anything else at
White’s. Had he known he would actually get voted in, he never
would have agreed to let Ethan and Christopher nominate him.

Oh well. This wasn’t his problem. As far as
he was concerned, he’d never step into White’s again. He’d be a
member in name only.

Chapter Seventeen

T
wo
weeks later, Danette was reading a book when Regan and Leonard came
to visit her. Danette could tell right away her friend was excited
about something, but it wasn’t until Leonard was eating a tart that
Regan finally told her what was on her mind.

“
I’m with child,” Regan
burst out once she finished sipping her tea.

Danette’s eyes widened. “So soon?”

“
Well, it only takes one
time,” Regan said.

“
I know, but it took a year
for you to conceive Leonard.”

“
And it wasn’t from lack of
trying,” Regan whispered so Leonard wouldn’t overhear.

Now that she was married, Danette understood
what the wink Regan gave her meant. Danette’s cheeks grew warm. It
was on the tip of her tongue to tell Regan she and Derek had plenty
of opportunities to get her with child, too, but she decided it was
better if she stick with safer topics.

Turning to Leonard, Danette asked, “Are you
looking forward to being a big brother?”

Leonard shrugged. “I’d rather have a
toy.”

Danette chuckled and turned to Regan. “I
hope Malcolm showed more enthusiasm when you told him.”

“
He did,” Regan said. “In
fact, Malcolm seemed to feel much better after I told
him.”

Noting the
feel better
part of
Regan’s comment, Danette asked, “Is something wrong with
Malcolm?”

“
He’s been moping for the
past couple weeks over something that Warren’s been
doing.”

“
Oh?”

“
Warren’s being
difficult.”

“
Warren?”

“
Lord Steinbeck.”

Oh, that gentleman. Danette nodded to let
Regan know she recognized his name. “What is he doing?”

“
Apparently, he’s trying to
tell everyone what to do. I told you how awful it is to be at his
dinner parties.”

“
Yes, I remember how much
you wanted me to join you so you wouldn’t have to suffer
alone.”

“
I did, didn’t I?” Regan
mused. “As it happens, that’s not a problem. Malcolm hasn’t gone to
one of his dinner parties for the last two weeks. He hasn’t even
been to White’s. For the most part, he’s been holed up at home
working on business plans. The only time he leaves the house is
when he wants to meet with a prospective merchant.”

“
I suppose Malcolm misses
Warren.”

“
He does. The two were
inseparable when I first met Malcolm. He couldn’t wait for Warren
to invite him to his dinner parties.”

Danette stirred a lump of sugar in her tea.
“Since that’s the case, isn’t it a shame the two aren’t spending
more time together?”

“
Not really.”

“
Regan! I’m shocked. How can
you dismiss your husband’s feelings?”

“
I’m not trying to dismiss
them.” Regan offered Leonard another tart then turned back to her.
“I see this as a chance for Malcolm to stop relying on others’
opinions so much. It’s time he stopped worrying about the Ton and
started doing what he wants.”

“
Are you sure this is what
Malcolm wants, or is it what you want?”

“
I don’t know what you
mean.”

“
I’m saying that sometimes
we want something for ourselves so badly that we’ll impose our
wants onto someone else. You probably want Malcolm to discontinue
his friendship with Warren so much you believe Warren is bad for
him.”

“
But he is bad for
him.”

Danette shot her a pointed look.

Regan groaned. “Don’t look at me like that,
Danette. It’s not fair. I didn’t do anything to cause the rift
between them.”

“
No, but you’re enjoying
this.”

“
Warren deserves what he’s
getting. He can’t keep telling people what to do. People have a
right to make up their own minds. Besides, people put up with what
they allow, and Malcolm has finally decided he’s not going to let
Warren do his thinking for him anymore. I say Malcolm is doing a
wonderful thing by standing up for himself.”

“
I do think it’s wonderful
if Malcolm’s standing up for himself, but I also feel sorry he
might lose his friend over this. I don’t know what I’d do if you
weren’t in my life. I bet he misses him.”

“
Even if you miss someone,
you can’t let them dictate what you do and think. It’s more
important you follow your heart.”

Yes, Danette supposed Regan was right. A
friendship wasn’t worth much if the person was being forced to do
something he didn’t want. It was much better to bear with the loss
of it and move on. Even so, she hoped Malcolm and Warren might find
a way to resolve their differences.

Regan picked up a cup of tea and studied
Danette. “You don’t think I pushed you too hard into marriage, do
you?”

Noting the worried tone in her friend’s
voice, Danette’s lips curled up ever so slightly. “You did push me
awfully hard.” When Regan’s brow furrowed, she added, “But I’m glad
you did. I needed a good nudge. Sometimes a little force isn’t such
a bad thing.”

Regan relaxed. “Good. I don’t ever want to
do anything to ruin our friendship.”

“
I don’t want to either.
We’ve been through so much together. I can’t imagine my life
without you.”

Leonard grimaced. “I hate coming over here.
This is boring.”

Regan and Danette chuckled. To a young boy,
Danette could see his point. “If you look over there,” she gestured
to the corner of the room, “I believe you’ll find a couple of
toys.”

His expression brightening, he thanked her
and ran over to them.

“
I never did tell you how
sweet you are to buy him toys to play with when we come over,”
Regan told her friend.

Danette smiled. “I remember being a child.
Listening to adults talk was so tedious.”

The two laughed and went on to discuss
possible names for the baby.

***

Derek entered the townhouse to the sound of
two ladies laughing hysterically from the drawing room. He checked
his pocket watch and was assured the hour was as late as he’d
thought it was.

The footman shot him an amused look. “They
certainly are the best of friends, my lord. I can’t recall a time
when I’ve ever heard ladies enjoying themselves so much.”

The corners of Derek’s mouth curled up. “I
can’t either, now that I think about it. How long have they been in
there?”

“
Four hours.”

“
Four hours?” He couldn’t
recall a time when he’d ever talked to anyone that long.

Another round of laughter came from the
drawing room, and the footman chuckled. “Whatever they’re
discussing, it must be good.”

“
It almost seems a shame to
interrupt them.”

Derek debated whether or not he dared.
Danette was talking in loud, excited tones, and though Regan’s
voice was softer, there was no denying she was just as thrilled by
the topic as Danette was. He took another look at the pocket watch
in his hand. Soon, it’d be time to get ready for dinner. He
supposed he owed it to the two ladies to break up their
conversation so they’d eat.

He tucked his pocket watch back into his
pocket and headed for the drawing room. The doors were slightly
ajar, but even so, he knocked on it to get their attention. When
their laughter stopped, he opened it all the way. Danette and Regan
were sitting on the settee, their tea and tarts long forgotten.
Poor Leonard had fallen asleep in one of the chairs with a toy in
his arms.

Danette rose from the settee and ran over to
him, showing him the parchment in her hand. “You won’t believe it,
but we got an invitation to a ball in three days! I don’t know if
Regan can convince Malcolm to go. Lord Toplyn’s the one hosting it,
and the two don’t get along all that well.”

“
Lord Toplyn is Malcolm’s
brother-in-law,” Regan explained. “The two have been at odds with
one another ever since they met.”

“
Yes,” Danette replied,
glancing back at Derek. “And considering Malcolm’s bad mood, it
doesn’t look promising that they’ll be going.”

“
Oh?” Derek’s gaze shifted
to Regan, wondering if this had to do with his conversation with
Warren. “Your husband is in a bad mood?”

“
It has nothing to do with
White’s,” Regan assured him with a dismissive wave. “He’s been
evaluating everything he’s been doing and how he’s been doing it.
Being around Logan—that is, Lord Toplyn—will only aggravate things
further.”

Derek released his breath. That was good.
He’d hate to think Malcolm’s bad mood had to do with him.

Regan looked over at the clock above the
fireplace mantle and bolted to her feet. “I didn’t realize it was
so late.” She ran over to Leonard and encouraged him to wake up. “I
promised Malcolm we’d have a nice, pleasant evening at home this
evening. He’ll think I disappeared.”