Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

S amuel looked out the window as the carriage trundled down the cobbled road. His mind was plagued with thoughts of Lady Nora. She had been exactly how he had expected her to be from the moment she walked into his room to blackmail him, and he was glad he wasn't wrong about her.

It had been two days since she visited him in his home, and so far, he hadn't stopped replaying the moments they shared together in his mind. Her innocence and the manner in which she rebuffed him had been so adorable that he knew he had to have her.

Samuel did not often indulge in affairs with just anyone. The first night was often a test to see how the lady would fare and if their interests aligned, and Lady Nora had exceeded his expectations.

He'd never been so careless to allow a mistress to stay so late in his home. He had an impeccable reputation, and carelessness wouldn't just affect them but him also. He wouldn't risk being linked back to his mistresses.

His first night with Lady Nora had ended up with her very worried about how long she had stayed out late. Samuel had gotten carried away, not only by her beauty but also by her sweetness and innocence. He hadn't planned to kiss her just yet. The questions were supposed to be all that there was for the first night.

When he had touched her, he knew there was no way he could let her go without a kiss. He blamed his behavior on the dratted wine he had drunk.drank.

Samuel chuckled. He was a disciplined man. Perhaps more disciplined than his peers as a result of how he grew up, but fighting against the temptations he had felt with her was more difficult than he had ever imagined.

"What has you smiling the way that you are?" Benedict asked, jolting him out of his thoughts. "I must admit that it is a bit weird to see you like this."

Samuel chuckled lightly. His friend was right. He was not prone to random smiles. However, he had spent all of his time smiling during their night together. He had been unable to stop the smile that had suddenly taken up a permanent place on his face. Everything about her had been so amusing to him. It had been so long since he was entertained by a mistress.

Samuel had feared that having a mistress, albeit for seven nights only, had begun to lose its appeal, and he would soon have to find a new way to have fun. Now, things had proven different. He would make sure he had her.

He could tell that she was nervous about being his mistress, although she had agreed to it. He did not mind playing the long game, as long as he got her in the end.

"I have discovered an interesting pastime," he said plainly.

Benedict stared at him in shock. "Already? Your affair with the last lady only just ended."

Samuel nodded. "My seven nights with her ended on the same night I found my new mistress. Or dare I say, she found me."

He chuckled. It had been almost so easy how she had landed on his lap. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that all of this had been planned.

"Judging from the smile on your face and the easy way you speak of her, I believe it is safe to assume that you like her," Benedict said, smiling at him.

"I assure you, Benedict, while she is quite different from what you would expect a mistress to be, and is undoubtedly beautiful and amusing, there are no feelings there. She is exactly what she is—my mistress. And when the seven nights are over, she will be gone much like the others," Samuel said, pushing away the idea.

"It sure doesn't seem that way from my point of view," Benedict said, his smile teasing.

Samuel rolled his eyes at him. "You know me, my friend. I need not have to explain any of this to you.","

"I suppose I do," Benedict agreed. "I certainly wish I could meet this young lady."

"You know the rules, Benedict. I can tell you about them only because you are so eager to know, but I cannot tell you who they are. Especially if they will not be fine with that—and I assure you, she will not be," Samuel said, not bothering to look up at his friend.

Benedict had never been introduced to any of the ladies Samuel had his affairs with. He had hazarded a guess a few times, and on some occasions, he had been correct. However, Samuel had never denied or confirmed his guesses. Much like him, his ladies' reputations remained impeccable, even after their relationship was over.

Samuel and Benedict exited the carriage when it rolled to a stop in front of the gentlemen's clubs. Samuel often preferred to do his business at White's, often keeping it as impersonal as possible and leaving the moment the business was concluded. He was not one prone to conversations and fun with the men, which he supposed added to his mystery and also fueled the rumors about his cruelty.

He shrugged, walking into the room with Benedict by his side. He had been invited by the gentlemen he'd spoken to earlier at the masked ball, and he had agreed, surprising them.

"Your Grace, it is a pleasure to have you here with us," Lord Silvermere called out, standing up to greet him. "It is wonderful that you could make it."

"Lord Silvermere, thank you for the invite." Samuel sat down with Benedict in the chairs that had been vacated.

"Certainly, Your Grace," the smaller man said, scurrying to his side.

Samuel did not much care for the man. He had always considered him to be a little too much like a weasel for them to be more than just mere acquaintances—not that it would have changed if he was any different. He did not care to have a large group of friends.

"We wished you could have been present for the last meeting we had, there was much you could have provided your insight on, Your Grace," the Earl of Towbridge added.

Samuel grunted, not answering the man. He raised a hand for a glass of whiskey to be brought to him.

He

Samuel had never met a man so generous with compliments as the Earl. The Earl had tried to befriend him when he had just inherited his title after the death of his father. However, Samuel had been raised as a bit of a loner, with only the servants to interact with. He hadn't dared to speak with the servants except to make requests, as that would have only angered his father and led to punishments for everyone involved.

He had learned early on that he was better off staying away from everyone else, and that was exactly what he had done. As he grew from under his father's thumb, he realized just how much damage had been done. Benedict was his only friend, and he was honestly fine with that.

These men he saw only at balls or when he visited White's were not his friends. He only spoke to them when they met in places like these. He could see in their gazes that they disliked him for it and probably considered him to be proud. However, they also respected him for his business principles. He had never given them a piece of business advice that turned out to be wrong.

"So, Your Grace, we are all excited to know what businesses you are investing in," Lord Silvermere said, looking at the men surrounding them, who nodded, although their faces showed their wariness, as though they were uncertain how he would react.

"I suppose I could tell you all about it, but then it wouldn't matter if you have no interest in it. Investing in a business is more than just looking for profits. You need to want to know about it so that you will know the right venture to invest in. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing your money."

Samuel

He looked at the men, who stared at him with so much focus. "Think of investments like gambling. There are some gambles you know are worth the risk. But there are others whose risk-reward ratio you cannot ascertain. Studying the business and going into what you love will help you be in the first option. Do any of you have businesses you wish to invest in?"

"Yes, Your Grace. As you know, my father was into agriculture. However, in the later years of his life, he experienced a fire that ruined his fields. I have been looking into reviving the fields, but I fear that, much like him, I would suffer some severe loss."

"Your father was careless, Lord Downey. He did not plan for such things, which is why he suffered such loss. There are ways to be sure that you never experience such losses, as your father did. Do your research before you begin. Otherwise, you might face the same fate."

The young man looked affronted by his statement and grateful for the help.

"If you wish to know how best to proceed and are at a loss, then you could come with me to my fields. Perhaps you might find the solution you seek."

"Thank you, Your Grace. I will take you up on your offer," Lord Downey responded eagerly.

"There is one venture I am yet to invest in, if any of you is willing," Samuel said.

"What is it, Your Grace?" Lord Silvermere asked enthusiastically.

"Arts and collectibles. I admit I have always had a fascination for those, and it certainly helps that there is money to be made there."

"How splendid, Your Grace. Thank you for your suggestion."

Samuel nodded. He did not think the man risk-tolerant. Lord Silvermere had a weak heart when it came to money. But Samuel had no place for weakness in business.

"I have a business proposition," Lord Malachi piped up.

Everyone turned to look at him as he rifled through his case.

"I am into the jewelry business. I have been importing pieces of jewelry made of solid gold from the finest artisans in all of France. Have a look at this. It is all the rave in France, and soon, it will be the same here. Anyone who joins me will make a lot of money from it."

The men looked at the pieces of jewelry he placed on the table. Samuel could see they were interested. Gold had a good market value and would make whoever invested in it a lot of money.

Samuel reached for a piece, and he was handed a necklace. It was beautiful. Would have made the perfect gift for a lady if it was real. His mind flashed to Lady Nora, but he put her out of his mind, focusing only on the topic at hand.

He observed the necklace closely. It was a perfect replica, almost good enough to pass for the real thing. Samuel, however, had been involved in the gold business for as long as he could remember and could spot a fake from a mile away. He could see the coating.

He took out his handkerchief and dipped it in his drink, then rubbed it against the center of the necklace. The men watched as the gold coating slowly dissolved, leaving a metal center behind.

Samuel flung the necklace on the table, looking at the men, whose mouths were hanging open as they stared at it. Lord Malachi's face had turned an ugly shade of puce as he stared from the necklace to the Duke.

"You have been swindled, Lord Malachi. I suspect you already knew about it but wished to sell it to the others so you can recover the loss you have accrued. You will not swindle anyone here," Samuel said coldly.

"There are reasons why you should never rush into a venture. Men like Lord Malachi go in without proper research or the right type of help and lose everything they have to swindlers. Do not play a fool's game," he said with no regard to Lord Malachi, who stood there, blustering and red in the face.

Lord Malachi picked up the necklaces and shoved them into his case before promptly exiting the club, his face as white as a sheet.

"It's a good thing you knew, Your Grace. Otherwise, we would have ended up as victims," Lord Silvermere said, staring at the Duke with newfound respect.

"Yes, Your Grace. We certainly hope you will be gracing us with your presence more often."

Samuel nodded silently as Benedict, who had watched on in silence, shook his head, knowing that it was only a matter of time before he couldn't take their praises anymore and would have to leave.

"There are many other ventures you can invest in that guarantee constant profits. Consider boxing rings, for example. I suggest you look into it if you have the heart for that."

He stood up before anyone could ask him more questions. "If you will excuse me, there are other matters I need to attend to."

Samuel walked out to shouts of thanks behind him. It had been such an exhausting task to sit here with them, considering he would much rather be on his own. However, he was glad to have helped. He simply would not be making this a regular occurrence.

Samuel leaned his head against the back of his seat as he headed home. Now that he was done with the business with the men, there was only one thought in his mind.

His new mistress, Lady Nora.

He wanted to see her again. He had wished to send a letter to her immediately after she left. However, he had rules, and he intended to keep to them, or else this would not work.

Samuel went straight to his study the minute he arrived home.

Meet me at the Park by midnight.

S.G.

Samuel smiled as he sent for a servant to deliver the letter to Lady Nora. He wished he could see her face as she read the letter and realized that they would not be meeting at his home, after all.

He sat back in his chair. This was going to be good.