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“I do not understand it, Darce! How could Gwendolyn Waltham be privy to information concerning the count and Miss Elizabeth?”

“Shhh,” William warned, looking over his shoulder. The drawing room of Lady Waltham’s townhouse was eerily quiet, and there was no one in sight, but the door had been left ajar by the housekeeper so he answered in a soft timbre.

“Lower your voice, Richard. We do not know who listens without, and we do not want her to think us disconcerted. Try to appear indifferent. I am quite sure from her note that she expects to reap a substantial reward for whatever information she thinks she has stumbled upon. I do not wish for her to think we are overly anxious and raise her asking price.”

Richard nodded, calming somewhat. Had he been able to have his way, William would have stayed at home and allowed him to handle the woman. As far as he was concerned, Lady Waltham was a carnivore and his cousin her favourite entree. Glancing at William, he wondered at his ability to project such a calm demeanour, since he knew without a doubt that the man was worried sick about how this would affect the woman he loved. But before he had time for further reflection, a seductive voice purred from the doorway.

“I was not sure you would come.”

Both men stood and turned. Lady Waltham wore a very revealing gown, not in any way appropriate for morning. Her gaze vacillated between William and Richard before she fixed on William, her eyes slowly moving up and down his body in an erotic manner.

“You look very well this morning, Fitzwilliam.”

William kept his eyes on hers, refusing to let them wander to her nearly uncovered breasts. Richard, however, had no such reluctance. Trained to study his enemy thoroughly, he took in the entire vision that was Gwendolyn Waltham with a sly smirk.

Irritated by Richard’s open inspection when his was not the attention she desired, Gwendolyn added, “I see you brought your protector.”

With an air of certainty, Richard replied, “I am merely here in case you forget yourself, Lady Waltham. I understand that you have trouble grasping the meaning of the word no without the help of Lord Greenwich.”

Gwendolyn’s eyes hardened, and her mouth formed a straight line as she tried not to let either man see that her confidence had been ruffled. Taking a seat on the sofa directly across from where they stood, she motioned to them.

“Have a seat, gentlemen. This discussion may take some time.”

With a deep intake of breath illustrating his impatience, William sat down, and Richard followed, his gaze now fixed on the sight of long, slender legs peeking from under her gown. Undoubtedly, she had pulled the hem up as she sat down.

“Let us get to the heart of it,” William declared. “What information do you have about my cousin?”

“My, my, we are irritable this morning!” She leaned forward as she scolded William, affording both men a view of her ample cleavage. “Could you try to be a little more amiable, Fitzwilliam? After all, we were once—”

“Madam, as I stated to you at the Matlock’s ball and again at Pemberley, what we were years ago is of no import to me in the least. Let us get to the reason for your imperial summons. How much?”

Irritated that her considerable attributes were even now of no advantage with William, she answered testily, “As you wish! Three thousand pounds!”

“You are mad!” Richard quipped. “How do we know that you have valid information? And even if you did, that amount is ridiculous!”

“I daresay it is a pittance to Fitzwilliam Darcy! I mentioned a count, did I not? What if I also mention George Wickham?”

Richard and William exchanged furtive glances, which did not escape Gwendolyn’s notice, and she smiled like a Cheshire cat. “From the look on your faces, perhaps I should have asked for more.”

William interjected, “Do not try my patience, Lady Waltham. As it is, you are inviting more trouble than you realise. Your request for money is blackmail.”

Greatly offended, Gwendolyn sputtered, “But ... but I am only offering to pass along the gossip I overheard because it concerns you. I knew you would want to know.”

“For a price!” Richard’s voice escalated as he moved to the edge of his seat, leaning forward. “And if it involves harming a young woman—”

William gripped his cousin’s arm, and Richard’s head swung around. Seeing the look on William’s face, he acquiesced, sitting back in the chair again with a smug look at the alarm now on Lady Waltham’s face.

William proffered solemnly, “I will pay what you ask.” Gwendolyn lifted her chin, glancing at Richard with the beginnings of a smile before he continued, “After you tell me what you know.”

The smile vanished entirely, and William challenged, “But, if I find that you are playing me for a fool, I shall spare no expense in seeing you prosecuted. And you know that my uncle is well able to accomplish that.”

Indignantly, Gwendolyn rose and began to pace, sputtering loudly enough to be heard, “Ungrateful!” She stopped, stomped her foot, then squaring her shoulders faced William.

“After the contemptible way you have behaved towards me recently, you do not deserve my help! One would think that we were never anything to each other!” As William started to protest, she held up a hand. “Even so, you are most fortunate in that I find myself uncharacteristically low on funds, so I will tell you what I know. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed in the information that has fortuitously fallen into my hands.”

“If I am not, you shall have a bank draft this afternoon,” William assured her. “Tell me everything that you know about the threat to my cousin.”

She sat back down, assuming her pretentious manner. “First, I shall recount how I came to be acquainted with the count and how that placed me in the position to inadvertently learn of the plan to kidnap your cousin from Pemberley.”