Page 35 of How to Tempt an Earl

Mrs. Kent pushed her spectacles farther up her nose. “I’ll make the arrangements, miss.”

A young man came from the back room carrying a tall stack of hat boxes. Grace recognized the handsome youth who was Mrs. Kent’s son. He smiled when he spotted Grace. “Good day, miss.”

“Good day, Jonathan.” Grace wasn’t certain if he knew of her work for his mother, but she suspected he knew something. Jonathan was always polite when Grace frequented the place, and he helped his mother with the shop.

Her business concluded, Grace joined Prudence behind a row of tall shelves.

“Is all well?”

“Mrs. Kent says the tobacconist next door could also use my bookkeeping services.”

“Are you sure you need to?”

Grace reached for a straw bonnet with fake flowers. “You mean work? Yes, and it’s not much hardship. I’m good with numbers.”

Prudence wrinkled her nose. “I still don’t understand how. Mother has been trying to teach me how to run a household after I marry, and she insists I must regularly meet with the steward. All those little numbers make my head ache.”

“For once, I agree with your mother. How else will you know if you are being cheated by your servants or others?”

“Posh! I’d rather talk about gentlemen.” Prudence pursed her lips. “Gentlemen like Lord Castleton. Did you know there are other fascinating rumors about the earl?”

“Such as?”

“That Castleton is responsible for his brother’s death.”

Grace’s fingers tightened on the bonnet in her hands, and she looked at Prudence. “That’s ludicrous.” The denial was out before she could stop herself.

“Why?” Prudence asked. “Some say he wanted the earldom and its wealth.”

Grace had no proof that Ian had nothing to do with his brother’s death, but deep down in the marrow of her bones, she knew such malicious gossip was false. “How do they say he killed his brother?”

“A horse race. His brother fell and broke his neck. Only the two of them were racing. No witnesses were present.”

“If there were no witnesses, then how can they believe the earl caused his brother’s death?”

“He coerced him to ride recklessly.”

Her fingers began twisting the bonnet again. “I don’t believe it.”

“How would you know?”

Ian didn’t want the earldom or the title. He resented being called “my lord.” From what she could surmise, he didn’t need the wealth.

How much to tell? “I just find it hard to believe. How could he know his brother would fall off his horse and die?” Grace placed the straw bonnet back on the shelf. The flowers were twisted where she’d tightly gripped them.

Prudence shrugged. “You make a good argument. I cannot wait to meet him! Mother is insisting I marry soon, and to a titled gentleman, but no one has caught my fancy this Season. Maybe Lord Castleton will be my answer.”

For some reason, her friend’s remark disturbed Grace. She rubbed her temples and felt the beginnings of a headache. “You just said there are rumors he caused his brother’s death to inherit the earldom, and now you are considering marrying him?”

“You pointed out it isn’t likely.”

Grace’s headache grew. “Yes, but—”

The shop’s bells chimed, and they both looked from behind a shelf to see a group of ladies enter.

“Look who has arrived,” Prudence said. “It’s Lady Castleton, the earl’s mother.”

Ian’s mother was here?