The Heiress - Lynsay Sands [20]
“Although, if the gossips are to be believed, while he hasn’t attended social events, Richard hasn’t spent the last year always at home either,” Jamieson commented, and then asked, “Is it true he’s taken to hanging about with a certain fellow who calls himself Cerberus?”
Daniel stiffened, the last word catching his ear and managing to wrench his attention from Suzette and her dance partner. Cerberus was the three-headed dog who guarded the gates to Hades in Greek mythology. “Who the devil is Cerberus?”
“Ah.” Jamieson’s lips curved into a satisfied smile at knowing something he didn’t. “Of course, I suppose you haven’t heard about him, being away from town as long as you have. How go the repairs to the old family estates, by the by?”
“Fine,” Daniel said impatiently. “Now who is Cerberus?”
“The owner of a new gaming hell that opened up about a year ago,” Jamieson confided. He shook his head. “It’s already earned itself the shadiest of reputations and most of the ton steer clear of the place. Rumors abound that the unwary players are drugged and fleeced of as much wealth as can be gained.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “And you say there are rumors circulating that Geo—Dicky befriended this Cerberus who runs this place?”
Jamieson nodded, but grimaced and said, “I’d heard Richard was having people call him Dicky now. Hard to believe. He always hated it when George called him that.”
“Yes, and he still does,” Daniel assured him.
“But you just called him that,” the man pointed out with a start.
“A slip of the tongue,” he assured him grimly, turning back to check on Suzette again and scowling when he saw that Garrison was holding the girl far too close in the turns. Not as close as he had held her in the gardens, but still too damned close for his liking . . . and she wasn’t pushing him away either. She obviously considered Garrison a suitable backup if he said no to her proposal. The hell of it was, Garrison would probably jump at the offer to marry her if she made it. He would certainly not find the idea of bedding the woman as any kind of chore. Taking her money would be a pleasure to him, and her request to lead separate lives would probably make him the happiest damned bounder around. Hell, if Garrison had been the one in the garden with her rather than himself, the chit would probably already have been deflowered out in the garden and on her way to Gretna Green even now.
For some reason, that knowledge caused a twisting in his gut that brought a grimace to his face. Daniel could actually see her sprawled amongst the flowers in the garden, her skirts hitched up, moonlight dappling her passion-wreathed face, and Garrison pounding himself into her with happy little grunts. Hell, she would be the perfect prize to the bounder. But Garrison wouldn’t treat her right. He’d quickly tire of her, dump her in the country and go off whoring and drinking and gambling away her dower until she found herself on the verge of ruin and scandal again. And then hers would be another life ruined by George’s machinations.
Much to his relief the dance ended then and Garrison saw Suzette back to Lisa’s side, and then stepped aside as another man, the much older and rotund Lord Alliston, approached to claim her for the next dance. Once again Suzette glanced to Lisa in question as she joined Lord Alliston on the dance floor, and was again given a series of mysterious signals, but seemed more resigned than pleased by them this time, though they appeared similar to those given for Lord Garrison. Knowing that Lord Alliston was in search of a well-heeled bride himself, Daniel guessed the signals were to indicate as much to Suzette but this time she wasn’t all that pleased at the knowledge. However, he was pleased to see