Chapter 15
Max returned to Sodom only to learn that the Scotsman had left. A few carefully directed questions and he was able to ferret out the man’s address. Shortly after that he was being escorted into Mackenzie’s well-appointed office by a bleary-eyed butler.
The man looked up from his desk. Several ledgers were spread before him. Apparently after a night at Sodom, he preferred to work. “Camden. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“We need to talk about Aurelia.”
Mackenzie leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Oh?”
“Stay away from her.”
“Now why would I do that? My intentions are honorable . . . and I happen to know that Lady Aurelia is in the market for a husband.”
Max stopped before the desk. “That husband won’t be you.”
“And you intend to marry her, is that it?” At Max’s expression, he chuckled. “Oh, you should see your face.”
“I’m not interested in marrying her.”
He scratched his jaw. “Then I fail to understand what you are doing here.”
“She’s the sister of my best friend . . .”
“Then why is Lord Merlton not here?”
“He doesn’t know—”
“I’d wager there are a good many things Lord Merlton doesn’t know about his sister . . . and you.”
The words hung in the air, threatening. Max did not mistake the implication.
“There are other eligible girls,” Max said. “Move on to one of them.”
Mackenzie sighed and cocked his head like he was contemplating the suggestion. “Ah, I’m going to say . . . no. I like Aurelia.”
You can’t have her.
“What do you want?” Max growled, his fists curling and uncurling. He would like nothing more than to feed his fist to the arrogant bastard’s mouth.
Mackenzie settled his considerable bulk more fully into his chair and considered Max at length. “Unless you have a marriageable daughter or sister with appeal equal to Lady Aurelia, you have nothing I need, Lord Camden.” He waved his arms wide, encompassing the opulence of his office. “I’m a wealthy man, as you can see. I need very little of a material nature.”
“You have a price,” Max proclaimed with certainty, his hands tightening at his sides.
Some of the mirth faded from Mackenzie’s eyes. “I don’t know if I should be offended, but let me be clear. There is only one thing I would like and that is a blue-blooded wife to secure my position in Society.”
“And you’ve chosen Aurelia to be that wife?” He wondered what the man would think if he knew his prospective bride was the same person drawing satirical caricatures of the ton and leaving them all over Town. There were wagers in betting books as to the identity of the mystery artist. Aurelia was a breath from ruin at any given moment. Would Mackenzie be quite so certain she was the perfect blue-blooded wife if he knew?
“I like her well enough. So far.”
Max’s skin prickled with the conviction that Mackenzie would have a change of heart if he knew of Aurelia’s hobby. “You’d be surprised . . . you don’t know everything there is to know about Lady Aurelia.”
Mackenzie lifted an arrogant brow. “Oh? Do tell.”