Mesmerising the Duke (Regency Romance) (Regency Lords Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Regina Darcy
the true feelings of one member in particular. That member was currently at in a game room in Sheperton Manor. All he needed to do right now was find him.
Douglas looked across the room. He noticed an unusual amount of people congregated outside one of the gaming rooms.
“What is all the raucous about?” he asked Nathaniel.
“As you can imagine, some young pup is in the process of losing his inheritance,” Nathaniel replied with a frown.
It was not unusual for such gambling soirees to end with someone losing all they possessed. What was unusual, was for this to happen at Lady Archer’s. All guests were strongly encouraged to behave with more gentlemanly restraint than they would at White’s or any other gentleman’s club. The dowager demanded that a gentleman be left with enough to support his own living. If her rules were broken, future invitations to her balls would not be forthcoming. But on rare occasions someone felt the need to flex their muscles to such an extent that they brought someone else to their knees. It was all a very nasty business and thoroughly disapproved by both men.
“Who is it?”
“I seemed to have caught whiff that it is the son of General Danford.”
“The late General? Hero of the Anglo-Maratha War?” Douglas asked with a frown.
“The very same,” Nathaniel sighed and continued, “You will never imagine whom he is losing to.”
“Whom?”
“Rayner,” Nathaniel replied, looking away. Silence stretched between them. Lord Marcus Rayner, the Earl of Chesterton, had, until a couple of years ago been a very close friend to the Duke. What had caused a rupture in their friendship was unknown to all, including Nathaniel. But it was no secret in the Beau Monde that they could not stand to be in each other’s presence.
Lord Chesterton was also unfortunately, the night’s assignment. Douglas had been tasked to engage him in a debate about the current war and provoke him to reveal his true stance. Since they were known to be at odds, riling him up would be easy.
Douglas refused to believe that the friend he had known could turn traitor. But he had promised Pitt he would look into it and tonight was the first opportunity for that. He had roped Nathaniel in to provide an opposing opinion, which is how they would start the debate. That is if they managed to corner the Earl.
“Chesterton has always been an impatient man, quick to jump to assumption and even swifter to anger,” Douglas said. “But he has never been prone to fleecing the small inheritance off of young men. His fortune is vast enough that he need not worry about money for another hundred lifetimes.”
“Well, right now he is in the process of acquiring the young man’s fortune of £15,000. I am a bit worried that this game will get out of hand,” Nathaniel added.
“How so?”
“When I left the room, the young pup was clearly intoxicated, Lord only knows what else he will be betting away.”
Both men looked at each other and then nodded. Drawing Chesterton into a political debate would have to wait. The Duke was the luckiest bastard in all of England. If someone could win the money back it was him. And that was exactly what he intended to do.
“Well I guess it is time I go and say hello to my old friend,” Douglas muttered and strode towards the gaming room.
There was already a considerable crowd gathered around. The ton had an unhealthy fascination with a man’s downfall. If they could watch it unfold, they would not hesitate to do so, as long as they were afforded the moral high ground. There were not many amongst his peers he respected. But one of them had been the Earl of Chesterton.
The man in question was impassively staring down young Mr. Danford.
“The young man’s behaviour has been reckless to say the least,” Nathaniel whispered.
“This is the last hand, Mr. Danford. I would suggest quitting now, whilst you still can,” the Earl whispered humorously. Stephen Danford looked around the
Douglas looked across the room. He noticed an unusual amount of people congregated outside one of the gaming rooms.
“What is all the raucous about?” he asked Nathaniel.
“As you can imagine, some young pup is in the process of losing his inheritance,” Nathaniel replied with a frown.
It was not unusual for such gambling soirees to end with someone losing all they possessed. What was unusual, was for this to happen at Lady Archer’s. All guests were strongly encouraged to behave with more gentlemanly restraint than they would at White’s or any other gentleman’s club. The dowager demanded that a gentleman be left with enough to support his own living. If her rules were broken, future invitations to her balls would not be forthcoming. But on rare occasions someone felt the need to flex their muscles to such an extent that they brought someone else to their knees. It was all a very nasty business and thoroughly disapproved by both men.
“Who is it?”
“I seemed to have caught whiff that it is the son of General Danford.”
“The late General? Hero of the Anglo-Maratha War?” Douglas asked with a frown.
“The very same,” Nathaniel sighed and continued, “You will never imagine whom he is losing to.”
“Whom?”
“Rayner,” Nathaniel replied, looking away. Silence stretched between them. Lord Marcus Rayner, the Earl of Chesterton, had, until a couple of years ago been a very close friend to the Duke. What had caused a rupture in their friendship was unknown to all, including Nathaniel. But it was no secret in the Beau Monde that they could not stand to be in each other’s presence.
Lord Chesterton was also unfortunately, the night’s assignment. Douglas had been tasked to engage him in a debate about the current war and provoke him to reveal his true stance. Since they were known to be at odds, riling him up would be easy.
Douglas refused to believe that the friend he had known could turn traitor. But he had promised Pitt he would look into it and tonight was the first opportunity for that. He had roped Nathaniel in to provide an opposing opinion, which is how they would start the debate. That is if they managed to corner the Earl.
“Chesterton has always been an impatient man, quick to jump to assumption and even swifter to anger,” Douglas said. “But he has never been prone to fleecing the small inheritance off of young men. His fortune is vast enough that he need not worry about money for another hundred lifetimes.”
“Well, right now he is in the process of acquiring the young man’s fortune of £15,000. I am a bit worried that this game will get out of hand,” Nathaniel added.
“How so?”
“When I left the room, the young pup was clearly intoxicated, Lord only knows what else he will be betting away.”
Both men looked at each other and then nodded. Drawing Chesterton into a political debate would have to wait. The Duke was the luckiest bastard in all of England. If someone could win the money back it was him. And that was exactly what he intended to do.
“Well I guess it is time I go and say hello to my old friend,” Douglas muttered and strode towards the gaming room.
There was already a considerable crowd gathered around. The ton had an unhealthy fascination with a man’s downfall. If they could watch it unfold, they would not hesitate to do so, as long as they were afforded the moral high ground. There were not many amongst his peers he respected. But one of them had been the Earl of Chesterton.
The man in question was impassively staring down young Mr. Danford.
“The young man’s behaviour has been reckless to say the least,” Nathaniel whispered.
“This is the last hand, Mr. Danford. I would suggest quitting now, whilst you still can,” the Earl whispered humorously. Stephen Danford looked around the
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