Retreating to his humble personality, Aaron lowered his head. “I’m nothing more than a simple man, my lord. One who came to the aid of the Crown, just as any good Englishman would.”
“Simple man?” Lord Talbot said with a snort. “I’d say you’re far from simple. You’re a true hero. One deserving of recognition.”
Aaron’s pride swelled, but he tempered it. He had a mission to complete. “Have you heard about the troubles the proprietor of the theater is having?”
Lord Talbot frowned. “I have. Mr. Barker is not alone. Many are suffering in these difficult times.”
“I could not agree with you more, my lord,” Aaron said with an exaggerated sigh. “It pains me that such a well-respected man is suffering. Which is why I’ve decided to lend him my aid.”
“Oh?” Lord Talbot asked. “And how will you do that?”
“By seeing him receive enough money that he’ll not have to work again,” Aaron replied. “You see, I hope to purchase the building and turn it into a gentlemen’s club.” He went on to explain his plans in full, earning him a wide grin.
“If you can get Barker to sell that theater to you, I’ll surely invest. We men need a place to call our own!”
Aaron smiled. This invitation had been well worth his time. And the evening became better when Lord Talbot added, “You know who may be interested in such an enterprise? Zacharias, the Earl of Brayberry.” He pointed across the room. “He’s always looking for new ways to invest his money. He’s the curly-haired man standing beside the fireplace.”
As Aaron turned his gaze on the man Lord Talbot had pointed out, it did not remain on that gentleman more than a moment. His attention immediately shifted to Miss Louisa who stood nearby. What she was doing was apparent. She was undermining his carefully laid plans.
Yet it was the manner in which she implemented her actions that sparked his ire.
From the small distance that separated them, he could hear her polite laugh as she placed a gentle hand on the arm of a rotund man of around sixty years of age. If that action was not forward enough, her attire bordered on the obscene. Her yellow dress had white ribbons woven through the hems of the puffed sleeves and of the bottom of her skirt.
Her blonde hair was held back by ribbons that matched those on her dress, and seductive curls covered her ears. But what completed her look was her beautiful face and pouty lips, both of which drew the eyes of every man there. Including Aaron.
It clearly defined the feminine contours of her body. And she displayed a goodly amount of bosom…
His heart thudded as his body heated with desire. How dare she cause his thoughts to become impure! If she had acted like a lady and refrained from offering him a kiss at the tobacconist, he would not be thinking of her as nothing short of a harlot!
If she wished to stoop to such levels, he would show her how it was done properly. With grace and dignity.
He returned his attention to Lord Brayberry, a rather tall man in his middle years with black, curly hair. Beside him stood a young lady who was clearly his daughter. No older than twenty, she wore a brown gown that matched her hair. Her face was freckled, and her looks were plain. Extremely plain.
One of the benefits of being handsome was the ability to distance himself from homely women. That did not mean he could not speak to her father, however.
The poor girl’s destined to marry a penniless viscount,he thought.
“Pardon me, Lord Brayberry?” Aaron asked as he approached the pair. “Allow me to introduce myself. Sir Aaron Kirkwood, newly arrived in Chatsworth.”
The young lady gasped. “Father, this is the knight I told you about. Do you remember?”
Lord Brayberry frowned. “Calm yourself, Hannah. Don’t embarrass me. Of course I recall. Who can forget the tale of a brave man willing to put his life at risk to save the Princess? What can I do for you, Sir Aaron?”
Aaron explained his plans for the theater, and the earl puckered his lips in thought. “I’m unsure that such an investment is wise,” he replied. “Here, let me get us another drink. Where’s a blasted footman?” He took Aaron’s empty glass and went in search of another, leaving Aaron alone with the daughter.
Now Aaron would teach Miss Louisa a lesson. That he would win in matters of using subtle seduction to get what he wanted.
Seizing the opportunity, Aaron grinned at the young lady. “I imagine you’re already spoken for. Is that not so, Lady Hannah?”
Lady Hannah giggled, which sounded like old iron hinges in need of oil. “No, sir. But I’m hoping for more prospects come next Season.”
“Perhaps telling your father how wonderful I am may help you,” he whispered, adding a wink. “If you would like me to call on you, that is.”
The young woman gave a vigorous nod, her cheeks reddening.
Lord Brayberry returned and handed Aaron a glass of brandy, and Aaron could taste the victory. The lovestruck girl would all but beg her father to invest in the gentlemen’s club, thus doing Aaron’s work for him.
To say he was tempted to tell Miss Louisa of his victory was an understatement. But he was a man of dignity and would refrain from gloating and instead continue to seek investors.