Page 30 of Betting on a Duke
And wasn’t that his dilemma? Did he ignore Portsmouth, hoping he wouldn’t have to face his threats? Did members of the nobility respect Portsmouth enough to believe his slanderous words about his father? About him killing his family? Even thinking it sickened him. After last night and pouring his heart out to Clarice, could he survive without her? Was any of this fair to her? “I haven’t made up my mind. I’m having dinner with Clarice tonight. Perhaps I’ll discuss it with her, or not. I don’t want to burden her with my problems.”
“If I were you, I would speak to her. The threats are coming from her father.”
“I know this!” he bellowed, then flinched. “Sorry.”
“What if you retire to your estate with Clarice? You don’t need London Society; you never did. You prefer your thoroughbreds. Youcould start that stud farm of yours. And if Portsmouth leaks the secrets he claims to have, you need not care. You will have the love of your life with you.”
“In theory, it sounds promising. But there are several problems. Who will buy a thoroughbred from me if my reputation is tarnished? What about any children Clarice and I have? Who will marry them? I’m not concerned with something my father did years ago being gossiped about. I am worried that Portsmouth will go for my jugular. That he will spread rumors that I started the fire that killed my parents, my brother, and three of the servants. People believing that will ruin everything I’ve worked for and destroy any hope of a life with Clarice. If she’ll even have me.”
Hunter sighed. “Ask her tonight and you will know. Tell her everything. Tell her about what her father did to you. She is bound to find out at some point. Better to come from you.”
“I want to talk to Greyson.”
“He will tell you exactly what I did.”
Samuel was relieved Hunter didn’t take offense. “I know. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything he said, try to figure out what is truth and what is lies. How did such a promising day turn into a nightmare?”
“Because Portsmouth is toxic.”
The coach arrived at the bachelor lodgings where Hunter rented rooms, then continued on to Stanton House. Samuel walked the halls and paced his rooms as he tried to speed up the clock. Finally, when it was close to seven, with Wallace’s help, he dressed for dinner and left to travel several blocks to Chesterfield Manor in his carriage.
