A Scandalous Secret Read Online Free Page B

offer, but he never had any intention of allowing the two of us to marry.”
    Caroline’s eyes were as large as saucers as she listened. “What do you mean?”
    Chet heaved a heavy sigh. “The bastard gave his consent, and then whisked her off to Scotland behind my back. The servants at Carteret House said they’d gone to York. I followed, of course, but they weren’t in York. It was suggested that they’d gone to Carteret’s cottage in Cumberland instead, but they weren’t in Cumberland either. And by the time I made it to Briarstrath, the blackguard had already married her off to some neighbor—somebody Campbell. And she was gone.”
    Caroline’s mouth hung open and a frown creased her brow. “That doesn’t sound like James at all. He’s very honorable.”
    Chet snorted. “I’m afraid our opinions of that man are drastically different.”
    She shook her head as though she was trying to make sense of the situation. But there was no making sense out of it. Chet had tried for years to understand what had gone wrong.
    “Darling, that is the worst story I’ve ever heard,” Caroline announced matter-of-factly.
    A beleaguered laugh escaped his lips. “Come now, Caro, there are much worse stories than that. So I suffered a broken heart. I’m not the first and most certainly won’t be the last.”
    ***
    Except that unless Caroline was mistaken, Chet was still suffering from the ailment. In all the time she’d known him, Chester Peyton had been a gregarious fellow, full of life, though every now and then she detected a sadness that he was covering up. And after this conversation, she was fairly certain his loss of Hannah was responsible.
    Chet was and always had been a very dear friend, one she’d never known to be dishonest. However, no man was more honorable or upstanding than James MacFadyn. Which meant something was missing from this story, and Caroline was determined to find out what it was.
    “Chet, I’m having a small dinner party next week.” Staveley was going to kill her, but it couldn’t be helped. How was she to find the truth unless she had all the players in the same room?
    The old twinkle was suddenly back in Chet’s eyes. “A small dinner party? No fire breathers, or acrobats, or inappropriate ice sculptures?”
    “You sound just like Staveley.” Caroline pursed her lips. “I am perfectly capable of entertaining on a smaller scale, I’ll have you know.”
    “Perhaps,” Chet agreed with grin. “I’ve just never seen any evidence of it.”
    She smacked his chest. Hard. “You’re making it very difficult for me to help you.”
    “I didn’t ask for your help,” he said somberly. “My mother did.”
    “Well, a debt is a debt, and you got yourself into the mess because of Robert. It’s the least I can do. Now, if we’re through with all that… Do you want to see Lady Hannah or not?”
    Pain flashed across his strong features, and Chet shook his head. “I don’t know what good that would do me.”
    “You can lay old wounds to rest,” she hastened to explain. “Then hopefully the next time I take you to an event flooded with ladies, one of them will spark your interest and make this entire ordeal much more manageable for me.” Or perhaps Hannah truly was the love of his life. But Caroline would have to see them together to be sure. The prospect of helping both of them quickened Caroline’s pulse, making her nearly giddy. Of course she’d have to deal with Staveley later. Luckily her husband wasn’t immune to her wiles. “You’ll have to bring Clayworth with you. Even with Kelfield, I’m two men short.”
    Chet raised his brow in mild amusement. “So glad we can round out your numbers for you.”
    But her mind had moved on. Strategy was absolute necessity with an operation this sensitive. “Stop chattering and listen. If what you’re telling me is true, Carteret won’t be happy to see you. So you’ll have to let them arrive first—that way they can’t leave. Not