Read Online Reckless Rules (Brambridge Novel 4) by Pearl Darling - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pearl Darling
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Adult, series, Regency, England, Military, romantic suspense, Mission, 19th century, Bachelor, Victorian, Britain, widow, Forever Love, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, London Society, Brambridge, War Office, British Government, Deceased Husband, Secret Investigator
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discreet enquiries into his household if you could, just to make sure that we do a thorough job.”
“Of course. I have also been handed six other investigations that you might be interested in?”
Victoria waved her hand. “Go on?” She sat back and closed her eyes as Carruthers drew out a piece of paper and began to read.
CHAPTER 6
Bill’s men perched haphazardly at the dinner table in Brambridge Manor. They looked the most uncomfortable that Bill had ever seen them. Perhaps Victoria had been right—it was all too easy to see them through her eyes. Each man was at least six foot tall and burly, with muscles that threatened to spill through their carefully ironed uniforms. Although, in some cases Bill suspected that the muscles were now running to fat with the only exercise being undertaken a mild running up and down the stairs every time he returned home.
“Gentlemen.” Bill groaned when one of the men put his hand up tentatively. “Yes Percy, what is it?”
“Couldn’t you call us lads like you used to, Bill?” A quick elbow in his side caused Percy to choke slightly. “Mr. Standish, sir, I mean.”
“What’s wrong with being called gentlemen?” Bill paced back and forth behind the lined up chairs. The men watched him from the corner of their eyes as one might watch a bull in the field. “I would have thought you liked it. It’s a step up from what I used to be called as a lad.”
“Nothing, Mr. Standish,” the six men chorused like naughty school boys.
Bill sighed. There was obviously something wrong. It was just like being in the forge again, except this time the environment was not as dangerous. But it was still as important to work out what was bothering the men before he asked them to do something for him.
“I believe my fellow brethren are trying to point out, Mr. Standish, that they feel a little uncomfortable being called something that they are not.”
Ah. Trust George to be able to verbalize what the others could not. It was a pity that his butler had only now decided how to suitably communicate after his run in with Lord Granwich and disclosure of some of Bill’s night time activities.
Five heads nodded, whilst George picked genteelly at his fingernails.
“That’s right, see,” said Percy, gaining voice again. “You might have changed but we ain’t. We’re still the boys from the forge dressed up like monkeys.”
This time six heads nodded.
“But I haven’t changed!” Bill protested. “I’m still Bill, and you are still my apprentices from the forge.”
“You ’ave changed,” Percy said in a more uncertain voice.
“How?” Bill demanded. He was the same man and he treated them in the same way, apart from calling them gentlemen.
“You own an estate,” George pointed out helpfully.
“Not my fault.” Bill spread his hands out in supplication.
“You ’ob-nob with wellborn folk more than us.” Percy half rose to his feet.
“Ob-nob?”
“Hob-nob, sir, a word you used to be familiar with, with or without the aitch.” Really, George was a jackass sometimes.
“You know how to tie a cravat.”
“You used to chase after village girls, now your ladies have peacocks in the back garden.”
“You go off to London all the time.”
“All your talk is of Lord this and Lord that.”
“You used to be interesting and now you are not.”
Bill looked around the table. He couldn’t work out who had come out with the most hurtful last statement.
“I thought you wanted to work on the estate? I could hardly dissuade you. As it is, I’m the only one that goes back to the forge and the only apprentice there is Jim.” Bill looked at the sullen faces. He was rejected by the peerage, and now rejected by his own true peers. It seemed that Victoria wasn’t the only one rejecting him for who he was—or at least who they perceived him to be.
Bill looked more carefully into their faces; he shouldn’t be harsh on them. They had only demonstrated all the
“Of course. I have also been handed six other investigations that you might be interested in?”
Victoria waved her hand. “Go on?” She sat back and closed her eyes as Carruthers drew out a piece of paper and began to read.
CHAPTER 6
Bill’s men perched haphazardly at the dinner table in Brambridge Manor. They looked the most uncomfortable that Bill had ever seen them. Perhaps Victoria had been right—it was all too easy to see them through her eyes. Each man was at least six foot tall and burly, with muscles that threatened to spill through their carefully ironed uniforms. Although, in some cases Bill suspected that the muscles were now running to fat with the only exercise being undertaken a mild running up and down the stairs every time he returned home.
“Gentlemen.” Bill groaned when one of the men put his hand up tentatively. “Yes Percy, what is it?”
“Couldn’t you call us lads like you used to, Bill?” A quick elbow in his side caused Percy to choke slightly. “Mr. Standish, sir, I mean.”
“What’s wrong with being called gentlemen?” Bill paced back and forth behind the lined up chairs. The men watched him from the corner of their eyes as one might watch a bull in the field. “I would have thought you liked it. It’s a step up from what I used to be called as a lad.”
“Nothing, Mr. Standish,” the six men chorused like naughty school boys.
Bill sighed. There was obviously something wrong. It was just like being in the forge again, except this time the environment was not as dangerous. But it was still as important to work out what was bothering the men before he asked them to do something for him.
“I believe my fellow brethren are trying to point out, Mr. Standish, that they feel a little uncomfortable being called something that they are not.”
Ah. Trust George to be able to verbalize what the others could not. It was a pity that his butler had only now decided how to suitably communicate after his run in with Lord Granwich and disclosure of some of Bill’s night time activities.
Five heads nodded, whilst George picked genteelly at his fingernails.
“That’s right, see,” said Percy, gaining voice again. “You might have changed but we ain’t. We’re still the boys from the forge dressed up like monkeys.”
This time six heads nodded.
“But I haven’t changed!” Bill protested. “I’m still Bill, and you are still my apprentices from the forge.”
“You ’ave changed,” Percy said in a more uncertain voice.
“How?” Bill demanded. He was the same man and he treated them in the same way, apart from calling them gentlemen.
“You own an estate,” George pointed out helpfully.
“Not my fault.” Bill spread his hands out in supplication.
“You ’ob-nob with wellborn folk more than us.” Percy half rose to his feet.
“Ob-nob?”
“Hob-nob, sir, a word you used to be familiar with, with or without the aitch.” Really, George was a jackass sometimes.
“You know how to tie a cravat.”
“You used to chase after village girls, now your ladies have peacocks in the back garden.”
“You go off to London all the time.”
“All your talk is of Lord this and Lord that.”
“You used to be interesting and now you are not.”
Bill looked around the table. He couldn’t work out who had come out with the most hurtful last statement.
“I thought you wanted to work on the estate? I could hardly dissuade you. As it is, I’m the only one that goes back to the forge and the only apprentice there is Jim.” Bill looked at the sullen faces. He was rejected by the peerage, and now rejected by his own true peers. It seemed that Victoria wasn’t the only one rejecting him for who he was—or at least who they perceived him to be.
Bill looked more carefully into their faces; he shouldn’t be harsh on them. They had only demonstrated all the
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