Read Online The Repentant Rake by Edward Marston - Free Book Online

the eyes.'
        'Why?'
        'It's
a demand for money, Christopher. A missive that I incautiously sent to a
certain lady has fallen into the wrong hands. It's very explicit. If I don't
pay handsomely for its return,' he said, handing the letter to his brother,
'then it will be passed to the lady's husband. You can see how fatal that would
be.'
        Christopher
read the name. 'Lord Ulvercombe?'
        'A
duel would be unavoidable. He's already accounted for two adversaries.'
        'His
wife will surely deny all allegations.'
        'She
did that on both previous occasions but it did not stop her vengeful husband
from issuing challenges. No man likes to be cuckolded but Ulvercombe takes
resentment to unreasonable lengths.'
        'How
did your letter go astray?'
        'I've
no idea. The little minx swore that she'd destroy it.'
        'Does
the lady know of this attempt at blackmail?'
        'No.
Nor must she. I don't wish to drag her into it at all.'
        'But
she might be able to tell you who stole the letter from her. If you can unmask
the rogue who sent you this,' said Christopher, holding up the letter, 'you can
confront him and demand your private correspondence back.'
        'We're
not merely talking about my billet-doux, alas.'
        'No?'
        'Read
it to the end.'
        Christopher
did and sat up with a start. When he shot a glance at his brother, Henry was
hiding his face in both hands.
        Christopher
could understand his shame as well as his horror. He put the letter down in
front of him.
        'This
looks bad, Henry,' he whispered.
        'It's
a calamity!'
        'How
many of those things are true?'
        There
was a long pause. 'Most of them,' confessed Henry.
        'Most
or all?'
        'Does
it matter?'
        'I
think so.'
        Henry
lowered his hands. 'I expected you to be on my side.'
        'I am on your side,' said Christopher, 'and I'll do everything I can to help,
but I must know the truth. How many of these allegations have any substance to
them?'
        'All
of them.'
        'Could
anyone prove that these things actually happened?'
        'If
they had reliable witnesses.'
        Christopher
raised a censorious eyebrow. 'How could you be so careless?'
        'Step
down from the pulpit. You're sounding like father again.'
        'That's
the last thing I wish to do. You need assistance, not condemnation.'
        'At this
moment,' wailed his brother, 'I feel in need of the services of an undertaker.
This has ruined me. To all intents and purposes, Henry Redmayne is dead. I'll
never be able to hold up my head again.'
        'Yes,
you will,' Christopher assured him.
        'How?'
        'By
nipping this blackmail in the bud.'
        'And
how am I supposed to do that?'
        'I've
told you. By learning the identity of the man who wrote this and taking any
incriminating documents away from him.' He glanced at the letter. 'The fellow
seems uncannily well informed about your movements. He must be someone from
your inner Circle. There are detailed descriptions of your peccadilloes here.'
        'An
invasion of my privacy.'
        'You
should have been more discreet.'
        'I
was. Most of the time, anyway. Heavens!' Henry protested, snatching the letter
back. 'How can any of us remember to look over our shoulders when the wine is
rich and the company enticing? A man is entitled to his pleasures without being
spied on by some evil little blackmailer.' He thrust the letter back into his
pocket and looked more dejected than ever. 'What am I to do?'
        Christopher
took pity on him. Some of the revelations in the letter had shocked him even
though he was aware of Henry's love of revelry. The affair with Lady Amelia
Ulvercombe was both foolhardy and dangerous, and she was not the only married
woman with whom his brother's name was linked. Christopher imagined how their
father, the moralistic Dean of Gloucester,