She sauntered with slow deliberation into the room, allowing him time to admire the grace of her movements. “By your ‘family’s property,’ you mean to speak of Merrybourne?”
He drew in a long breath through the nostrils before correcting himself, “Yes Merrybourne, which is now more appropriately your property.”
“And it would have been the bank’s property before long, as I understand your father had offered it as collateral for one of his loans.”
A muscle tightened along his jaw, but he kept his tone cordial. The fact that she had specified to meet at the Red Chrysanthemum indicated this was to be no ordinary meeting. He could only guess that she knew of his past here or why set the meeting at the site of his wicked and deviant deeds?
“I wondered if you would consider a rent worthy of delaying your designs for Merrybourne?”
In contemplation, she brushed the tassels of a throw that covered the back of a sofa. “I think the better question to be: what you can afford?”
He stiffened. He could not tell from the tone of her voice if she meant to be impertinent. She seemed to know the state of his finances.
“My mother has known no other home since marrying my father,” he divulged. “I would endeavor to do all that I can to make good on the rents so that she may spend the rest of her life there.”
Lady Pennington seemed to falter, and she knit her brows in uncertainty, but she straightened and replied, “I would that I could consider your mother’s situation, but I purchased the property for the purpose of seeing a specific return on my investment.”
“I would offer a rent that would, in time, return your purchase price and more.”
“Forgive me if I doubt your ability to make the payments.”
He inhaled sharply. Though the price of sugar had risen, the income from the sugar plantations in Barbados would not be enough for him to make an offer she could not refuse.
“I do not fault you for your skepticism, my lady, but I have several business dealings that are likely to prove profitable. I will, hopefully, be in a situation soon enough to guarantee the rents on Merrybourne.”
She arched a brow. “Do these business dealings involve the hand of Miss Adams?”
She was being impertinent. He had a mind to turn her over his lap and give her a sound spanking.
Determined to remain calm, he merely replied, “My lady?”
She had the decency to look a little abashed at her previous remark.
“I appeal to your compassion, Lady Pennington,” he said. “I can make an initial payment of fifty pounds, and whatever is owed will only earn interest for you.”
“And what if these business dealings of yours do not bring about the desired success? What then?”
“Perhaps we can agree to a period, such as a sixmonth, after which, if I am unable to produce the payments you seek, you may have Merrybourne to do as you wish. Surely you can sustain a delay of six months?”
She turned her face away from him and her eyes lowered. “I have a better proposition, Mr. Ashley, one that will not be so difficult for you to fulfill.”
He raised his brows. “Indeed? I am all attention, my lady.”
Taking a deep breath, she faced him. “I will consider staying my plans to develop Merrybourne into a square of townhouses if you can grant me a night with Master Ashley.”
He could only blink as the blood drained from him. Was the woman mad?
“Your pardon?” he managed to say.
She strolled around the sofa so that only the length of the rug in the center of the room separated them. When she spoke, her voice had a low and husky quality. “I have seen your abilities, Master Ashley, and have been impressed.”
She must have been a member of the Red Chrysanthemum for some time then. How was it he had not noticed her before at the inn? He combed his memory to no avail, but perhaps she was one of the members who kept their identities hidden behind masks.
“I have not assumed the role of Master Ashley in years and have no intention to do so again,” he said. His last memory of the Red Chrysanthemum still sickened him. In his fervor to punish a submissive, Miss Julia, who had wronged him by lifting her skirts to another, he had not heard her whisper her safety word till it was too late. She had fainted, and though he had stayed to see her recover, the fear in her eyes when she beheld him had been a dagger through him. He had vowed then that Master Ashley should never return.
“No?” she asked.
“If you are a member here, perhaps Madame Devereux has explained why I have quit this place.”