Page 15 of Vying for a Viscount
Perhaps his heart was pounding because he felt guilty. Guilt for witnessing the disappointment on Letitia’s face, for never calling on her for two months. What a complete idiot he was. Yes, he’d beenbusy and had gone out of town several times on assignment, but he could have sent a note. Why hadn’t he? His stomach tightened. He didn’t deserve her. That was partly why he stayed away. Working for Prinny as a Black Knight—yes, that was what they called themselves—was dangerous. He didn’t know if he could court Letitia seriously or even marry her while endangering his life as a Black Knight. Not to mention keeping watch over his mother and father and chaperoning his sisters. It wouldn’t be fair to Letitia. He wouldn’t be able to give all of himself to her, which was what he always said he wanted when it came to marriage.
Tonight, he was going to indulge in cards. Relax in an atmosphere where one could be oneself without worrying about ending up in the gossip rags. Not that his name appeared in them often. In fact, not in quite some time, thankfully. Not since he had nearly found himself with the parson’s noose around his neck for stealing a kiss from Miss Emma Honeysuckle when he was all of twenty years old. How could he not kiss her with a name like Honeysuckle? His idiot friends, Stanton and Hunter, had dared him to kiss her. He had almost not escaped that one. But those days of being a rake and stealing hearts were over for him. Debutantes didn’t interest him anymore. There was too much to lose if one wasn’t careful. He would prefer to marry for love, not because a pistol was being held to his head. Even so, the lady marrying him would have to understand his past, value his present, and accept his future.
He worked hard to keep his private affairs secret, even from his two closest friends. There were times when it was difficult. Right after Letitia left Newmarket for London, he went on assignment for a sennight. It hadn’t been easy to make Stanton, Hunter, and his sisters understand why he had to leave. Thankfully, Clarice, now the Duchess of Stanton, had chaperoned Anastasia and Aurora during his absence. The harsh words exchanged with Stanton and Hunter weren’t easy to swallow. Goodness knew what they thought at the time. Not tomention the fact that it wasn’t the first time he’d bailed on them. Every time he left in a hurry, he witnessed the disappointment in their eyes. His body, his mind, and his soul were tired, and he needed an escape.
All of this led him to Club Knight, a place where you could have a tryst between two willing partners, and the knowledge would never leave the club. Perhaps if he hadn’t met Letitia, he might have visited those rooms on the upper floor. However, his days of rendezvous were over, even if he couldn’t have her. His escape that night would have to be in the form of card play.
After opening and closing the door several times, the doorman finally said, “Are you coming in?”
Greyson stared at the card in his hand, embossed with the word Knight. Nothing like hiding in plain sight. He handed it to the doorman, who flipped it over, no doubt to inspect it and make sure it was authentic.
“Welcome. The usual rules apply tonight.”
He took the card back and put it in his jacket pocket, then stepped into the foyer. His eyes widened as he took in the dimly lit interior.
“Mr. Knight is in attendance this evening,” the doorman said. “Would you like him to give you a tour?”
“If it’s allowed, I’ll wander around myself.”
“Stay off the third floor unless you know what it’s for and what you want,” he warned.
“I believe it was explained when my acceptance notice arrived, but thank you for the reminder. I’m really here for the cards.”
“All the tables are set up in the ballroom. Go up the stairs and turn right.”
He hurried up the stairs and whistled when he entered the ballroom and saw all the tables, most of them full, not just with gentlemen but with ladies as well. He was used to attending men-only gambling hells, though ladies of dubious reputations were present, notto partake in card play but to serve and entertain the gentlemen. The sight of ladies sitting at tables and playing cards with men was intriguing, to say the least. He walked the perimeter of the room, recognizing many members of theton.
“Welcome to Club Knight, Greyson.”
The gentleman who approached him wore a mask that covered most of his face. A face Greyson knew was burned and scarred in the war. He was dressed entirely in black, except for his fine white linen shirt. He had recently married a young widow by the name of Charlotte Beauchamp, making her his duchess.
“Tremont, or do you go by Knight here?”
“I prefer Knight while inside the club. It adds to the mystique. I was surprised to find your application cross my desk.”
“Why?”
“Mayhap there were rumors from Newmarket during the spring about you and Lady Rutherford.”
His stomach clenched up tight, causing stabbing pain. “How in the hell?”
“So tell me why you are here.”
“Perhaps I’m here for the gambling.” He had been admitted to the club, so why was Knight hammering him?
His Grace... Knight chuckled. “I admit some members come for the gambling and nothing else.”
“Perhaps I came to gamble, play billiards, and relax without having to be perfect all the time.”
“Oh, come now, Greyson. You can do that at any of the other gambling clubs around London. There must be another reason.”
“Christ, Knight. Give a man a break. The truth is, I do want to gamble, wear my shirt unbuttoned if I so desire, and not have to explain myself to anyone. Chaperoning my sisters during the Season, the racing circuit, and now the start of the Little Season, not to mention my father’s declining health and my mother’s right alongwith his, has me wanting peace.”
“You will get that here and more. I also understand that demons are fighting to take over, but you would be wise to fight them back.”
“Perhaps I just want to satisfy some desires with a willing partner.” Why the bloody hell did he say that?
“I’m disappointed in you. Perhaps you have a willing partner in Lady Rutherford. Perhaps you should visit her and devote your energy to solidifying your future with her. Or better yet, bring her here.”
