Daniel was wondering how best to murder the dukes cousin. The valet could be impressed into the navy. Her Grace could
She did run off, Lady Cora blandly admitted, languidly waving her fan as if bored by the topic. As any woman with two wits to rub together would have.
But with a soldier, my dear. With a soldier.
A crowd had gathered around them, knowing the duchesss conversations were often tastier than the food she served. A woman gasped. A common soldier?
Her Grace frowned the female into silence. That is not relevant.
Daniel was ready to grab his mothers hand, sling his sister over his shoulder, and head for the exit, or the East Indies. Matters grew worse with each sentence the duchess proclaimed, louder than Daniels thudding heart.
They say she fled to Gretna with her soldier lover, and your own son rode to bring her back. Is that true?
Daniel held his breath. Now he knew how the captured French officers must have felt when they faced him and his cousin Rex: Death would be an easier fate.
Susanna looked confused.
Lady Coras eyelid twitched. Then she smiled and said loudly and distinctly, so everyone nearby could hear, Dear Corisande did leave her fathers house rather than marry that wretched old rake. She came to me, her beloved mothers best friend, just as she ought. I do believe a courteous young man escorted her, to ensure her safety. She was barely seventeen at the time, after all, too young to travel even a short distance unaccompanied. Far too young to marry a man so much older than herself, as you may rest assured I told Squire Abbott. She touched her eye, as if in thought. Now that you mention it, I recall a scarlet coat. A viscounts son, if I remember correctly.
Susanna rose to the occasion, seconding her mother, defending her friend. She shared my bedchamber that night and kept me awake with her weeping.
Daniel could feel the itch start at his toes and spread up his legs. It was going to reach his nethers in another three seconds.
In two seconds the duchess turned to him. Did you or did you not ride with Abbott to bring back the lovers?
He gulped and said, I did ride north with him. Daniel prayed that the truth would satisfy the gorgon and delay the spread of the rash. He was too incensed to listen to reason. I hoped his anger would cool before he spoke to his daughter.
Nasty temper, that chap, dont you know. Why, I remember one time when a footman at Whites dropped a dish and he
Her Grace swatted Lord Morgan with her lorgnette, sending him into a paroxysm of wheezing. She waited for Daniel to continue.
He had not intended to add any more rash, that is, revelations. Her Grace appeared ready to wait for doomsday, which was not far off as Daniel saw it. He chose his words carefully: Both Abbott and Sir Neville had a change of heart when they realized how unhappy the bride must have been, to go to such lengths. Miss Abbott was back at her own home the next morning.
The duchess looked from one Stamfield to the other. They say your family honors the truth above all things.
Now, that was one statement Daniel could gladly affirm. That is true. Royce family motto and all that. My cousin Rex even named his dog Verity.
And the gal is better off, I say, Lord Morgan wheezed, although no one asked him.
Daniel would have given the old tosspot Lady Coras hand on the spot, he was so grateful. Not grateful enough to hand him Miss Abbott, of course.
And brave, Clarence found the courage to say. He could have Susanna.
Shell make some man a deuced fine wife, Lord Chadwick added. He could go to hell.
The duchess pasted on a yellow-toothed smile and heaved her considerable bulk out of the chair, which meant everyone else had to rise to their feet, also, and bow and curtsy and try to hide their relief at her leaving. Then I shall put an immediate end to the gossip and continue to welcome Miss Abbott into society. A lovely girl, as you say. Abbotts heir, is she? That rather expensive cousin of my lords is still unwed. I shall introduce them.
She sailed off to save society from another encroachment of indecency.
Daniels mothers eyelid had developed a tic. Susannas nose was suddenly dripping. And Daniel needed to find a private place to scratch his private parts.
But theyd survived.
Chapter Thirteen
M
ay we leave now, Mother?
Not until after the supper, which should be soon after this dance. We shall
not
retreat.
They all watched Corie return to them with one of the worst rakes in London, which could not be doing her reputation any good amid the gossip.
Lady Cora sent Daniel a look of censure. He sent her one back. She was supposed to be the chaperone, wasnt she?
Lord Morgan beamed. Maybe his impoverished nevvy had a chance at the heiress if the starched-up sticklers wouldnt try. Then Jeremy would stop asking for loans.
Susanna frowned. Mr. Babcock was far more dashing than any of her own suitors, and no such interesting, dangerous gentleman was going to look at her if she kept blowing her nose.
Corie knew something was wrong by the whispers behind her back and the stares and the silence as Jeremy Babcock led her to Lady Coras seat. Daniel Stamfield was scowling at her, which was nothing out of the ordinary, but she had no choice except to return to his mothers side. Supper was announced and she did not wish to sit with Mr. Babcock, whose conversation was slightly warm, and whod tried to hold her too close during the waltz.
Once in Lady Coras circle, Corie noticed fewer gentlemen were hovering nearby, and fewer still were waiting to ask for dances. Lady Coras left eyelid was fluttering like a butterflys wing, Susanna was borrowing her mothers handkerchief, and Daniel was grimacing, shifting his weight from foot to foot as if his last partner had stepped on his toes, instead of the other way around.
Is something wrong? Corie asked.
Nothing.
Not a thing.
What could be wrong?
Then all three of them groaned at once. Susanna sneezed, Lady Cora held her hand over her eyes, and Daniel stepped behind his mothers chair.
Just a bit of old rubbish, the bit of old rubbish called Lord Morgan said. All resolved now. May I escort you into supper, Miss Abbott?
They claimed a large table in the corner and Lady Cora demanded champagne. Now. A lot of it.
Clarence, Jeremy, and Lord Chadwick, who had attached himself to their party, left to fill plates for the ladies. Daniel sat when the women did, and thanked heaven for the trailing tablecloth that hid his frantic scratching.
Lord Morgan asked the waiter with the champagne to fill a plate for him. Oysters if youve got them. Then he held up his glass in a toast. To weathering the storm.
What storm? Corie sipped her wine but still wanted to know what had her friends and Stamfield so overset.
Later, was all her godmother said, emptying her own glass in one long swallow. Then she smiled for Corie, albeit with effort, it seemed. Are you enjoying yourself, my dear?
Prodigiously, maam. I cannot thank you enough for bringing me to London with you and Susanna.
While Miss Abbott unknowingly expounded on her gratitude for landing them all in the bumble broth, Daniel stood. He felt able to leave the tablecloths concealment without embarrassing himself or his mother, or bringing Duchess Haighs wrath down upon them again. He did not feel able to sit near Miss Abbott without putting his hands around her throat andwell, he was not entirely sure what he would do with the wretched woman once he had her, but he doubted Her Grace would approve. Besides, he was hungry. Dinner at home had been a hasty affair, with the females anxious about their gowns and their hair. Ninnies, all of them, he thought, worrying about their appearances more than their appetites. Hell, they should have been worrying about some maggots former valet.
As he went to the long serving tables to make his selections, he passed Miss Thomlinson and her duenna on line. The younger womans plate held one lobster patty, two asparagus spears, and a roll. The older ones was filled, as was her bulging reticule. A poor relation, he guessed, or a widow fallen on hard enough times to hire herself out as a paid companion. He filled two plates, choosing a bit of everything as if he did not know what his mother or sister enjoyed, then invited the strangers to share his familys table.
Too kind, the duenna gushed. Miss Thomlinson took another roll.
No, sit there, next to Lord Chadwick, he told the spectacled miss when they returned to the table in the corner and hed made introductions. The two of you have much in common.
Daniel set both brimming plates in front of his place and started to eat. His mother, nearly recovered by now, raised one nontwitching eyebrow and whispered to him, I thought you did not approve of matchmaking.
He jerked his head toward Corie. More like unmaking a mismatch. Chadwick would bore her to death.
Corie did not seem to notice the defection of her favored suitor, as Jeremy Babcock had her laughing and tasting the delicacies hed chosen for her.
Youll have to do something about that one, next, Lady Cora said from behind her napkin. Abbott would never release her dowry to such a gambler as Babcock. And the rogue would make dear Cories life a misery with his wild ways.
You do not think she has enough sense to see through him?
Of course I do. It is your friend I do not trust to take no for an answer.
Which ruined Daniels appetite after all.
They left the ball soon afterward, Lady Cora pressing her hand over her eye and claiming a headache. She fell asleep in the carriage, more likely from all the champagne than the pain. Susanna yawned and chose her bed over taking tea with Corie and Daniel, who was still hungry.
Dobbson wheeled in the tea cart and stood nearby, waiting to hear how the evening went, Daniel supposed, and why it ended so early.
That will be all, Daniel said. He was not about to make excuses to the puffed-up servant, not when he had to think of how to tell Corie of the near disaster.
She poured out the tea. She performed the ritual as gracefully as his mother, he noted, without spilling a drop or clattering a spoon. Crooked fingers did not hinder her perfect handling of the delicate china cups. Sugar?
Please. He went to the sideboard and lifted a cut-glass decanter. He recalled the last time hed taken tea alone with her and asked, Would you like a dash of brandy in yours?
Will I need it to hear what happened at the ball?
He poured a generous amount into her cup.
Between toast fingers with jam, macaroons, and several slices of poppy seed cakenone of which was as enticing as the uneaten tidbits hed left on his plate at Haigh Househe told her about the valet, the Haigh cousin, and the duchess. Then he told her what had been said, in case she had to repeat it for anyone else. They should all tell the same story, of course.
Shed gone pale and her lower lip trembled. What was the matter with women, that at the first sign of a crisis, even if the catastrophe was averted, they turned into quivering watering pots? First his mother and her eye twinge, then Susanna and her stuffy nose. Now Corie. Hed hoped she was made of sterner stuff, because sure as Hades he wasnt. He poured another measure of brandy into his own cup.
You arent going to cry again, are you?
She shook her head no, which let one tear fall. All of you did that? You lied for me?
We couldnt tell the truth, now, could we?
But no one in your family ever lies.
We do now, I suppose, although I cannot say I enjoyed the experience.
I imagine it must have rubbed you wrong, having to compromise your beliefs to defend me.
He hoped she never knew how much. Well, let us hope the necessity never again arises.
She brushed at her wet cheek and stared into her cup, as if trying to read her future there. I cannot ever repay you for what youve done.
He moved to the sofa where she sat. We had to do it, you know. Wed all have been tossed out on our ears, otherwise.
No, only I would have been ostracized. Your family would have been welcomed back without me.
I doubt my mother would have gone anywhere you werent welcome. Or Susanna.
They are good friends. Loyal. She fumbled in her reticule, but shed loaned her handkerchief to Susanna.
Daniel handed her his, the one Deauville insisted he carry. Now he knew why.
She dabbed at her eyes. As you are loyal to your family. I do appreciate your sacrifice.
