Tenacious Trents 03 - A Reluctant Rake (15 page)

He placed his napkin on the table
before Lady Lydell could say anything further and turned to Miss
Montgomery. “Would you care for a walk about the gardens before the
dancing begins?”

She smiled up at him. “Thank you. That
would be delightful.”

“But we aren’t finished,” Lady Lydell
insisted.

Jordan turned to the lady and bowed. “I
believe we are.”

Audrey relaxed the moment she stepped
out into the moonlit garden on the arm of Jordan Trent. What was it
about Millicent that she could not let go of her
attachment?

“You think being a solicitor is a
worthy profession?” Trent asked her.

She glanced up and into his blue eyes.
“Yes, it is. I had no idea it was your profession,
however.”

He chuckled. “Few people
do.”

He took a step further into the dark
gardens. He had already been out here with one lady this evening
and she was not going to be another conquest. She stopped just
short of the light spilling forth from the doorway. If anyone were
to come outside they would see a couple in conversation, well
within view of anyone who wished to glance through a window or take
a stroll.

“It is more pleasant amongst the spring
buds.” He gave a gentle tug of his arm.

Audrey pulled her hand away from his
arm. “It is pleasant enough here.”

“It is more private amongst the
blooms,” Mr. Trent countered with a devilish smile, his dimple
winked at her.

“Of that I don’t doubt. You seem to
forget I have a reputation to protect.”

“I apologize.” He sighed and led her
over to a bench. “Can I help it that I wish to be alone with
you?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask
why and for what purpose. If he would declare himself she would
perhaps risk more. But he had done nothing but steal kisses when
and where he could. How could she trust anything when she in truth,
knew very little about him? She hadn’t even known he was a
solicitor until little over an hour ago. How much of his reputation
was truth or gossip? She sank onto the bench and left room for him
to join her. If he did not wish for conversation then she knew he
was no more serious about her than he was Millicent.

“Tell me about being a solicitor and
how one becomes a barrister.”

He smiled and settled down beside her.
“Being a solicitor is not as interesting as it once
was.”

“How so?” She assumed it would be
fascinating.

“I help with estates, draw up wills,
that sort of thing. It is very dry and tedious.”

It did sound rather boring. “Then why
don’t you do something else.”

“I find the criminal courts and cases
quite fascinating.”

Audrey studied him for a moment and
thought perhaps she understood why. “Because people are involved
and not pieces of land?”

He sobered and looked into her eyes.
“Yes.” He turned more fully toward her. “There have been innocent
people punished for crimes they did not commit and guilty have been
let free.”

“You worry about the innocent.” There
was more to Trent’s heart than she suspected. Is this concern for
others and having so little control what she glimpsed last spring?
Rarely had she heard a gentleman express compassion for others,
especially those considered to be of a lower station. She had the
sudden desire to ask how she could help him.

“If I am to become a barrister, I wish
to be with the criminal court.”

She had never seen him so earnest about
anything. Jordan Trent flirted, danced and kissed divinely and
Audrey felt as if she was getting a first glimpse at the true
passion of his soul. “Then I believe you should.”

He laughed. “If only you were the one
to make the decision it would be so much easier.”

“What needs to be done?” She knew very
little of the court system. Her life had been in Grosmont on a stud
farm. If anyone were to ask her about horses or racing she could
talk for hours. The doings at the Inns of Court might as well be a
foreign language.

“I would need to do a pupilage for at
least a year, but I may be able to do it in less time.”

“What is involved?”

“For six months I must attend court and
observe my mentor, which I do not have at the moment. However, I
have been to court many times over the past five years simply
observing.”

“Is it very exciting?” Audrey often
wished she could do something more exciting but her life revolved
around London and balls during the spring and fall. In the summer
she helped her father with the horses. He had even allowed her to
race and test their stamina but that was all.

He grinned at her. “It can be. I’ve
viewed some very interesting cases.”

“But you need a mentor?”

“Or supervisor or any criminal
barrister who wishes to teach me. Besides observing him in court, I
would assist with paperwork and such. Sometimes I’d have my own
cases, which I must present to the court. ” He grimaced. “Often
there is no pay involved.”

Audrey frowned. It didn’t seem right
that a man should work and not earn pay. Could Mr. Trent afford to
go without an income? From what she understood he was rich, but
perhaps he was deceiving everyone. If one looked about the ballroom
and at the various clothing and jewels, one would assume everyone
within was plump in the pocket but she also knew that was not to be
true. Is that why he had not gone further toward becoming a
barrister? Could he not afford to do so?

“What else is needed to become a
barrister?”

“I must be called to the bar” He
chuckled.

“You simply wait for someone else to
decide to make you a barrister.”

“In a way. One of the requirements is
to dine with lawyers and barristers so that they can come to know
you. It is referred to as to eating your terms and most participate
for at least three years.”

It sounded all very simple to Audrey
but she was certain much more was involved. “That is
all?”

Mr. Trent shrugged. “I have not really
been taken note of.”

Audrey pulled back. Why hadn’t he
participated in something so simple as eating?

“I didn’t want my father to learn
because he did not approve. After his death I began making my
appearance.”

“That was a year ago?”

“Yes.”

She grinned. “Then you only have two
more.”

Mr. Trent laughed. “Yes, I suppose
so.”

“Well, if that is what you must do, I
suggest you continue to eat your terms.”

His laugh was relaxed. Once again
Audrey suspected she was seeing a side of Jordan Trent that he
showed to few people. Why did he hide himself behind a shield of
debauchery when it really wasn’t who he was?

She glanced toward the ballroom. Most
of the guests had returned and the musicians had begun again. Mr.
Trent stood as did she and he offered his arm. She thought he was
to lead her back into the ballroom, but once again he turned toward
the gardens. Audrey stopped and would not move forward and simply
shook her head. No matter how much she wished to feel his lips on
hers, or his arms wrapped around her waist, it would not come to be
until she knew for certain what role she was to play in his life.
And, if it was simply to play with her heart, or to provide some
entertainment this Season, then she would not be kissing Mr. Trent
again.

Jordan closed the door on his chamber
and leaned against it. Miss Audrey Montgomery was going to lead him
on a merry chase of that he didn’t doubt. But, it would be an
enjoyable one and he would be the victor. A grin pulled at his lips
as he recalled the two times she had avoided being in a position
when she very well knew he wished to kiss her. What was her game?
Did she wish him to beg or ask?

No, she didn’t strike him as the type
of woman who would play such games. If so, he would have tired of
her already. Well, whatever she was about, he would do what was
necessary to earn a taste of those lips once again and perhaps they
would share a bit of cake beforehand.

One part of this evening did disturb
him however. Though he should have never mentioned money to a lady,
he had let it slip that there was a chance he would not get paid
for his work. There was something about Miss Montgomery that made
him guard his words less than he would with anyone else. There was
a comfort in talking with her. But had she frowned because he would
not be paid or did she think he would have no money in which to
support himself? He should have asked but it was too early into
this odd courtship to speak of such crass matters and usually those
discussions were left between the potential groom and the bride’s
father.

Jordan pulled away from the door and
began loosening his cravat. It wasn’t as if he needed to earn a
living. He was filthy rich, thanks to his father. Yet, there was
pride in actually earning his own way and perhaps that is what
pushed him to become a solicitor in the first place.

An envelope was set on a stand beside
the door and he paused to tear it open and read the message. No
sooner had he shut the door Jordan was opening it again and trying
to repair the damage to his cravat as he made his way down the
stairs. What did Stanwick need?

It wasn’t a long drive to Dagger’s
Haven and this time Jordan prepared himself before entering the
smoke filled environment. It was crowded this evening, each table
filled with young and old lords alike, chancing their quarterlies
and estates on the throw of the dice or toss of the cards. Jordan
enjoyed gambling as much as the next gentleman, but he never sat
down at a table with more in his pocket than he was willing to lose
and there had been many times he left an establishment with an
empty purse. But, he never continued gambling on credit and knew
when luck had abandoned him. Just as many times he had left with
far more than he entered. That is why these games were considered
chance and he couldn’t understand how gentleman could wager their
future in such a manner.

“Trent,” Stanwick called out from
across the room.

Jordan walked over to meet with the
man.

“Come into my office.”

Jordan followed him down a wide hallway
to a door at the end. Stanwick fished keys out of his pocket and
unlocked the door before opening it. Lights already burned in the
lamps and Stanwick shut the door behind them.

He turned to face Jordan, hands fisted
on his hips. “Creighton returned.”

“Did you let him in?”

“No, but he informed me that Jester’s
wasn’t too high in the instep and they were glad to have him
patronize their establishment.”

Jester’s had the worst reputation as
far as gaming hells went. A man might as well as hand over his
purse the moment he stepped across the threshold instead of
dragging the night out sitting at a gaming table. The result in the
end would be the same. Many suspected dice were loaded and cards
marked, but nobody had ever been able to catch the owner or dealer
cheating. Jordan also knew he would not be as successful in
removing Creighton from the establishment. Men have tried in the
past and ended up with a knife wound for their trouble. When Bow
Street showed up because of complaints there was always a
reasonable explanation and nobody was punished. For tonight, he
would need to leave Creighton where he was and hope young Rothsbury
didn’t lose an estate in the process.