Courting Miss Vallois (17 page)

‘No, I can't say that it does,' Longworth agreed. ‘Nor do you have the wealth or position I would have liked for Sophie.'

‘Surely I have enough,' Robert said softly, ‘for the daughter of a farmer from Bayencourt.'

The look of shock on the viscount's face had Robert bracing for an explosion—but it never came. Longworth's expression of anger slowly gave way to grudging acceptance. ‘She told you, yet you said nothing to me. To anyone.'

‘I was afraid of how she would be treated by the
ton
if word of her origins leaked out,' Robert said. ‘I know better than most how cruel people can be and I did not relish the thought of Miss Vallois being exposed to ridicule and censure. I also thought that since you and Lady Longworth had not made mention of it, you would not be pleased at hearing it spread around by someone else.'

Longworth sighed. ‘Perhaps it would have been better if it
had
leaked out. We might not be in this predicament now.'

‘Don't be too sure. Oberon's obsession has no basis in logic. As for myself, while I may not be rich, I'm far from being a pauper. More importantly, I would love her with all my heart.'

Longworth studied him in silence for a moment. Finally, he nodded. ‘Very well. If Sophie will have you, you have my blessing. I am more concerned that she be happy than anything else.'

‘Thank you, my lord.'

‘One thing. If you are able to prove Oberon's misdeeds, come to me at once. He must be held accountable for what he has done.'

‘I will not come without proof, though I fear it will be difficult to obtain.'

‘Devious men seldom leave well-marked trails for others to follow. And the people they hold in their hands, they hold on to tightly.'

Robert nodded, thinking of poor Lawrence Welton. ‘Indeed, my lord. Of that, I am most painfully aware.'

 

For Sophie, the hours ran all too quickly into days. She lived in a constant state of nervous anticipation, waiting for the next blow to fall. As the countdown to her meeting with Mr Oberon approached, she began to fear that even Robert might not have the power to stop him. And then, three days into her allotted time, another rumour began to circulate throughout the drawing rooms of society. A rumour accusing a certain gentleman of having made up the bold-faced lies about Miss Silverton visiting a man in his rooms, when, in fact, nothing of the sort had happened. Furthermore, if Miss Silverton
had
spoken to someone in the park, it was nothing more than the polite exchange of greetings expected between a lady and a gentleman during the course of their social day. Certainly nothing grievous enough over which to defame her character.

The reason for the man's lies was not made clear,
but neither did it seem to matter. Montague Oberon had been heard to speak up strongly in the lady's defence, and with his name behind the rebuttal, no one was going to argue.

‘And so, there we have it,' Lavinia said at the conclusion of her recounting. ‘It would appear Jane's name is cleared and her reputation fully restored.'

Sophie raised the teacup to her lips. What would Lavinia say, she wondered, if she knew how steep a price Mr Oberon had demanded in exchange? ‘Does Jane know?'

‘I suspect the news will have reached her by now. It was the only topic of conversation at Lady Orville's this afternoon and given that most of the ladies arrived already in possession of the news, I can assure you it has been widely discussed.'

Again, Sophie could feel nothing but relief for her friend. It was over, the terrible stories finally laid to rest. Jane was once again free to move about in society, knowing that she would be welcome at any house she chose to visit, and that churlish whispers would not follow her wherever she went. That it put society in a dismal light was a fact Sophie could not deny. If people were so willing to believe a pack of lies on the strength of one man's word, what did it say when they were so ready to put it all aside on the strength of another's?

‘I fear it is a rhetorical question,' Lavinia said. ‘Society is what it is and I doubt it will ever change. People were willing to believe the lies when they were nothing more than rumours, so they could hardly
not
believe Mr Oberon when he came forwards to dispute them and publicly condemn the man who started them.'

Sophie's eyes widened. ‘He actually
named
the perpetrator?'

‘Oh, yes. And I was deeply saddened to learn of it.' Lavinia looked unhappy. ‘I never thought a fine young man like Lawrence Welton would do such a thing.'

 

Robert was at his club when he heard the news. ‘Lawrence Welton?' he repeated in stunned disbelief. ‘But that's impossible!'

‘Of course it is,' said Captain John McIntosh, the gentleman imparting the information. ‘But Oberon was most definite in his naming Welton. He said he had spoken with him a few days earlier and gained the man's confession, after which Welton bolted.'

Robert was too angry for words. So that was what Welton had meant in his letter. Oberon obviously held a packet of Welton's vowels and Welton's agreeing to become the foil for Oberon's monstrous plan was the price he demanded for discharging them.

‘Still, it's cleared your sister's name,' McIntosh said.

‘And made Oberon look like a hero into the bargain,' Robert muttered. ‘And that bothers me no end. Lawrence would never do something like this.'

‘Of course not.' McIntosh drained his glass. ‘But he has a weakness for cards and, by his own admission, only a fool gambles with the devil. Well, I'd best be on my way. Good to see you again, Robert.'

‘And you. I appreciate the information.'

The captain's smile held more than a trace of regret. ‘I'm just sorry it couldn't have been better.'

Robert sat quietly after the other man left, thinking over all that he had heard. So, Jane's life had been made better at the expense of Lawrence's. Obviously that was
what Oberon had meant when he'd said he held people's lives in the palm of his hand. He had no qualms about using whomever he pleased in the achievement of his own ends, and this time, his old friend Lawrence had been the expendable one.

But where did that leave Sophie? She was now in the unenviable position of believing herself indebted to Oberon for having restored Jane's good name when nothing could have been further from the truth. Robert knew the entire episode had been a carefully devised plot to strike back at
him
for having dared to interfere, and to put Sophie in a position of obligation to Oberon. And Oberon's price for revealing the so-called deception was her hand in marriage.

It was unthinkable! An outcome that must be avoided at all costs. Whatever it took, Sophie must not be allowed to become a prisoner to Oberon's tricks. The man was evil, and if Robert was able to do only one thing, it would be to ensure that his sweet Sophie never became prey for the monster.

 

Robert called on her the same afternoon. He was told that Lord Longworth and Mr Vallois were not at home, but when he advised Banyon it was Miss Vallois he wished to see, he was taken into the morning room where Sophie and Lavinia were sitting quietly doing their embroidery.

‘Mr Silverton, what a pleasure to see you,' Lavinia said.

‘Lady Longworth. Miss Vallois. I called to apprise you of the good news regarding my sister.'

‘Indeed, sir, we have already heard and we are both overjoyed at the outcome. Speaking of which,' Lavinia
said, rising, ‘I have written a note to dear Jane and would ask that you take it to her. I shall just go and fetch it.' She left, giving Robert a knowing smile as she passed.

Finally, it was just he and Sophie alone. He walked towards her slowly, suddenly anxious as to how she would receive what he wanted to say. ‘Well, Miss Vallois, it would seem at least one problem has been put to bed.'

‘It has, and I am so very pleased, for Jane's sake. Thank you for coming to tell us.'

‘That wasn't the only reason I came.' He halted in front of her. ‘I think you know that.'

Her eyes rose to his and then fell, long lashes casting shadows on her skin. But she smiled, and he heard her take a quick breath as she said, ‘And what is this other reason?'

As he looked down at her, he wished for the first time in his life that he had been blessed with a poet's gift for words. ‘I believe it safe to say that you and I did not get off to an auspicious start that night at the inn. I won't ever forget you telling your brother that you'd rather sleep in the barn than accept an offer of help from me.'

She laughed, but sent him a reproving glare. ‘You are not kind to remind me of that, sir.'

Robert smiled. ‘No, perhaps not. But I've since come to learn that I was wrong about so many things. We talked in the garden at Lady Chiswick's about making mistakes. Well, I've made more than my fair share with you. I let ignorance cloud my judgement to the point where it almost blinded me to the truth, and you, dear Sophie, suffered for that ignorance.'

‘You were only acting on your beliefs.'

‘Misplaced beliefs. I saw a man I thought would do
me no harm destroy the reputation of my sister and cause a fine gentleman to lose his home and his good name. I saw a woman I…cared deeply about forced into an untenable position as the result of her own desire to protect someone who wasn't able to protect herself. And I let my steadfast belief in my own lack of suitability stand in my way of my telling her how I really felt about her. But all that's in the past. From now on, I intend to tell her every single day how much I love her.' He slowly sat down beside her. ‘Sophie Vallois, would you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?'

He waited, heart in his mouth, for her answer. Never had he believed the seconds could move so slowly. That he would feel himself age as he waited for her response. That he might see his world fall apart at the thought of her saying no. But such was not her response. ‘Yes, I will,' she whispered. ‘Just as soon as matters can be arranged.'

He felt almost lightheaded with relief. He stood up and held out his hand, drawing her to her feet. ‘Lord Longworth already knows of my intentions, but I will speak to your brother immediately upon his return. I would like to have his approval, but I'm prepared to marry you without it.'

Her smile was golden, like the sun emerging after the rain. ‘Antoine will approve, as long as he knows I love you. He only wants me to be happy.'

‘Then I shall do my best to convince him of it. And I shall arrange for a special license, and we shall be married on the day of your choosing. I want you as my wife as soon as possible.' Then, drawing her close, he kissed her, his lips gently tracing the outline of her mouth. There was no experience to her kiss, but the
taste of her nearly drove him mad. And when his tongue teased her lips apart and he delved into the sweetness of her mouth, he was lost.

‘Enough!' He set her gently away, blood coursing through every part of his body. ‘I have no wish to frighten you.'

Her smile reassured him. ‘You don't frighten me, Robert. I want this too. Can you not feel it when you hold me?'

‘I feel that, and more.' He reached for her left hand and raised it to his lips, gently kissing the finger that would soon wear his ring. Then, at the sound of approaching footsteps, he reluctantly released Sophie and stepped back. But when the door opened and Lavinia walked in, he knew she saw their happiness.

‘Oh, my dears, I am so very pleased for both of you.'

‘Thank you, Lady Longworth,' Robert said. ‘Perhaps you would be good enough to send me a note as soon as your husband returns. I would speak to him, and to Mr Vallois, at the earliest opportunity.'

‘Of course, I shall be happy to do so. As it happens, we are all engaged for dinner with Lord and Lady Otterham this evening, but would you and Jane care to dine with us tomorrow? To celebrate this most wonderful news?'

Robert glanced at the lady who would soon be his wife, and when she smiled, he thought she had never looked more beautiful. ‘We would be delighted.'

‘Excellent.' Lavinia was positively beaming. ‘I am so pleased everything has worked out. I do not think the story could have had a happier conclusion had dear Miss Austen written the ending to it herself!'

T
he meeting with Lord Longworth and Sophie's brother went better than Robert could have hoped. Though Antoine was quiet to begin, once Robert convinced him of the depth of his affection for Sophie, he seemed to relax and accept the news, and even to appear happy about it. Longworth had no such reservations. He shook Robert's hand and told him how pleased he and Lavinia were with Sophie's choice, then he assured Robert that they were very much looking forward to having everyone together at dinner the following evening.

Robert thought it an encouraging start.

Given that Sophie was engaged for the evening, he decided to take his sister to Vauxhall, as much to celebrate her good news as his own. It went without saying that Jane's mood had improved immeasurably since learning that her reputation had been restored, though she was deeply troubled at hearing it was Lawrence Welton who had been falsely named as the villain in the piece.

‘I would not have believed it of Mr Welton, even if you hadn't told me the truth,' Jane said as they strolled arm in arm down the Grand Walk. ‘He always struck me as being such a fine, honourable young man.'

‘He is,' Robert said, tipping his hat to an acquaintance. ‘Unfortunately, no one is going to challenge Oberon over it. Everyone's afraid of him.'

‘With good reason.' Jane was silent for a moment. ‘I would not have thought him so evil. Arrogant, perhaps, and vain, but not cruel and hurtful. To destroy a man in such a way…'

‘If you could have seen Lawrence that night, you would have understood my desire to call Oberon out.'

‘And yet, what crime could you have accused him of, Robert? Nothing was known for certain. You could not have laid the blame for the rumours at his feet, any more than you could have accused him of lying to you when you asked him about them. But it is truly unfortunate that Mr Welton chose to leave London when he did,' Jane said. ‘By doing so, he lent credence to Mr Oberon's story.'

‘Indeed, but I'm sure that was part of Oberon's strategy.'

‘Poor man. I hope he fares well in the country,' Jane said. ‘Still, we must not dwell on it when there is so much happier news to celebrate. You are to be married to dear Sophie and I am so very pleased for you.' Then, he felt her stiffen. ‘Robert, look!'

Oberon was coming towards them. He had a doxy on his arm and was laughing as though he hadn't a care in the world—until he spotted them. Then a cold, calculating look settled in his eyes. Stopping a few feet in front
of them, he touched the brim of his beaver. ‘Evening, Silverton. Miss Silverton.'

‘Mr Oberon,' Jane said, her voice cooling noticeably. ‘I understand I am in your debt for having restored my good name.'

Oberon's acknowledgement was perfunctory. ‘It was my pleasure. It would have been a crime to allow a good lady's name to be dragged through the mud while the perpetrator was allowed to go free. What say you, Silver?'

‘I'm not so sure the perpetrator of this crime will ever be brought to justice, but I'm very glad to see my sister absolved of all wrongdoing.'

Oberon did not smile. ‘Not exactly the thanks I had in mind, but it is of no consequence. The only thanks I seek will be found in another quarter. Good evening.'

‘Will you not congratulate my brother on his good news, Mr Oberon?' Jane said. ‘He is to be married.'

Robert squeezed his sister's arm, but it was too late. The cobra had turned and stood poised, ready to strike. ‘Married? Indeed, I had not heard. Who is the lucky lady?'

‘Miss Vallois,' Jane said.

Did Robert imagine the soft hiss? ‘'Pon my word, Silver, I hardly know what to say. You made no mention of this the last time we spoke.'

‘There was no need. I thought we understood each other well enough.'

A shadow of anger rippled across Oberon's face, transforming the handsome features into a stone-like mask. ‘A moment in private if you please, Silverton.'

‘I would rather not leave Jane—'

‘I said a moment, sir!'

Robert felt Jane stir uneasily at his side. ‘It's all right, Robert. I shall walk on to the Cascade and wait for you there.'

Oberon didn't bother looking at the female at his side. ‘Be gone,' he snapped, and she was.

Robert waited until Jane was safely out of distance before remarking, ‘How gallant, Oberon. Do you dispense with all of your harlots with such tact and diplomacy?'

‘Do not try my patience, Silverton! I am not in the mood.' Oberon took a threatening step towards him. ‘How dare you go behind my back and ask Miss Vallois to marry you. She was already promised to me!'

‘No, sir, she was not. And do not think I am unaware of the terms you tried to exact from her.'

Oberon's face went white. ‘I would have you explain your self!'

‘You promised to restore Jane's good name in return for Miss Vallois's promise of marriage.'

‘Which she gave me!'

‘On the contrary, you asked her to marry you and gave her a week to consider your proposal. I asked her to marry me today and she agreed.'

For a moment, Robert thought Oberon would strike him, so vicious was the anger that flashed in those obsidian eyes. ‘You'll be sorry you did this, Silverton. I will make you pay.'

‘There is nothing more you can do. You cannot defame my sister again and you have already destroyed your good
friend
, Lawrence Welton.'

‘Lawrence was a fool,' Oberon spat. ‘But there are others who can be made to suffer. I will not allow you to stand in my way again.'

‘I don't care for threats,' Robert said. ‘And it is
you
who would do well to take care. The aristocracy is not above reproach. Society
will
turn its back on
any
man if the crimes are heinous enough.'

Oberon's face could have been carved from stone. His anger vanished, replaced by a quiet loathing that was far more dangerous. ‘I
will
bring you down, Robert. And by God, I'll enjoy watching you fall.'

Robert stood his ground, but he felt a chill run down his spine. The façade of the elegant dandy was gone, devoured by the snake and lost for ever. He had no doubt the creature would strike again…and that when it did, it would strike more viciously than ever before.

 

Sophie was emerging from Clark and Debenham's the next morning when she saw Mr Oberon leaning against a lamp-post, looking in her direction. She was tempted to go back inside, but it was too late. Oberon pushed away from the pole and came towards her. There was a thin smile on his lips, but his manner was as cold as a blast of Arctic air. ‘Miss Vallois, what a pleasant surprise.'

‘Mr Oberon.' She was eminently grateful for Jeanette standing quietly behind her. ‘I was just on my way home.'

She went to move past him, but was stayed by his words. ‘I would have but a moment of your time.'

‘Lady Longworth is expecting me—'

‘This will not take long.'

‘I'm sure it will not. But first, there is something I must tell you—'

‘Say nothing. Have your maid stay well behind us and keep your voice down,' Oberon advised. ‘I shall walk
you the length of this street and then back to your carriage. What I have to say will take no longer than that.'

Aware that there was nothing she could do, Sophie handed her maid the few packages she was carrying and instructed her to follow them at a distance. Then she fell into step beside Oberon and they began to walk.

‘It has come to my attention,' he said in a conversational tone, ‘that you have agreed to marry Mr Silverton. No, do not answer. Simply smile and nod, as though we were discussing the weather.'

Sophie did, though the knot in her chest tightened until it threatened to choke her.

‘It also strikes me that in doing so you have failed to honour your side of the bargain,' he continued.

‘I was not aware we had entered into a bargain.'

‘Were you not?' He turned to her, his beautiful smile unbearably cruel. ‘I thought I'd made it plain.
I
was to restore Miss Silverton's good name and
you
were to accept my proposal of marriage.'

‘You said you would
endeavour
to restore her good name, and you gave me a week to consider my answer.'

‘Spare me the argument, Miss Vallois. I was to exonerate Miss Silverton and you were to marry me. Simple. Had you told me at the time that you had no intention of agreeing, the outcome for your friend would have been very…different.'

In that moment, Sophie knew she was dealing with a man without conscience, a man who would not hesitate to use any weapon in his arsenal to secure what he wanted. ‘You made me believe you cared as much for Miss Silverton's reputation as I did,' Sophie said, keeping her eyes on the road ahead. ‘Now I see it was simply a means of buying my affection.'

‘Call it what you will, the end result is that you have accepted Mr Silverton's proposal and do not think to hear mine. Well, I am here to inform you that you
will
hear my proposal, and that you
will
agree to it.'

‘That, sir, I cannot do. I have given my promise elsewhere.'

‘A promise that need mean no more to Silverton than yours did to me.'

‘He asked for my hand and I was free to bestow it. I am not in that position now.'

‘And if he had not spoken to you and I had come to you as agreed? Would you have accepted
my
proposal?'

Sophie stopped dead, forcing him to halt as well. ‘I would not, sir. I told you I did not love you and that has not changed. If I led you to believe my answer would be yes—'

‘Say no more, Miss Vallois. It is I who must now speak my piece,' he said, taking her arm and forcing her to walk again. ‘Perhaps it will help soften your heart towards me.'

‘There is really no point—'

‘There is always a point, dearest Sophie.'

‘Please do not address me in that way—'

He raised his hand to silence her objections. ‘It has not escaped my notice that you and your brother are very close. And, indeed, he is a fine fellow for all his being French. But it has also come to my attention, through the most reliable of sources, that in the past he committed an act which, to certain factions of the government, might be viewed as treasonous. No, keep on walking,' he said when her step faltered. ‘See, there is your carriage just ahead. We only have a few more
minutes in each other's company and there is still much I would have you know.'

‘What do you want?' Sophie said, dreading what he was about to say.

‘What I want is your agreement to be my wife. I thought after what happened at Lady Chiswick's to make you my mistress, but that would still leave you free to marry Robert Silverton and I'll see
hell
freeze over before
that
happens. So, you will agree to be my wife or I shall make known your brother's doings to certain people in Paris who, I think, would be very interested in knowing the whereabouts of a man who once saved the life of a much sought-after English spy. For if your brother would do that, who knows what other conspiracies he might have been a party to?'

‘You're bluffing! You don't know anyone who would wish him harm!'

He smiled, coldly. ‘You seem to have forgotten that your former charge, Miss Georgina Grant-Ogilvy, married a Frenchman who just happens to be in an area of government very interested in the activities of men like your brother. And since that illuminating night at Lady Chiswick's, I have taken it upon myself to develop a close and most useful relationship with both the lady and her new husband while they are here in London.'

‘You would not dare!' Sophie whispered fiercely. ‘Antoine has done nothing to you!'

‘Ah, but you, dear Sophie, have. You have bewitched me and I intend to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.'

Knowing that love would have nothing to do with it, Sophie said, ‘I will
not
marry you!'

‘I think you will. Because you are no longer the only
one whose future hangs in the balance.' Oberon turned to bestow an angelic smile upon her. ‘If you do not agree to marry me, I shall see to it that the moment your brother returns to France, he
will
be apprehended and clapped in irons. And from what I understand, life expectancy in a French jail can be…alarmingly short.'

‘This will
never
come to pass!' Sophie whispered furiously. ‘I will tell him of your monstrous plan. If Antoine knows you conspire to trap him—'

‘Ah, but you will not tell him or anyone else of our conversation this afternoon, for if you do, I will make life very difficult for two
other
people I know you hold in high regard. In case you fail to realise it, the lives of an English spy and his wife are never completely without danger either. Not to mention dear Robert. Who knows what manner of…accident may befall him?'

Sophie felt the blood drain from her face. ‘I don't believe you! Even
you
would not be so vicious as to threaten them in such a way.'

‘My naïve child, I would threaten
anyone
who stood in the way of me getting what I want—and I want you. But I prefer to think of it as having the upper hand. I always do, you know,' Oberon said amiably. ‘As I once told Silver, everyone has secrets. All one has to do is find out what they are and then put them to use. I make it my business to find out as many secrets as I can, and you would be amazed at how many people's lives I could destroy. Titled ladies and their lovers. Grand dukes and their paramours. Shady businessmen and dissatisfied bankers.' He smiled, as though the conversation was of the most trivial in nature. ‘So you see, Sophie, you really cannot win. Refuse me and I will cause you more pain and heartache than you can imagine. Accept, and
everything goes on as normal. Your brother can safely return to France, the Longworths can go on as usual, and Robert and Jane will continue with their boring little lives. And you will become my beautiful viscountess and the envy of all society.'