Pride and Retribution (21 page)

‘I’m going to kill him!’ Robert spat.

‘That would be unwise.’ Wilfred said. ‘He’s very powerful.’

‘I know just how powerful he is.’ Robert almost shouted.

‘Unfortunately, you don’t.’ Wilfred said softly. He lifted his gaze from the fire. ‘Until you take your seat in parliament, you have absolutely no idea just how much power he has. He could probably kill some poor girl and still nobody would touch him. He’s on numerous committees, including the Committee for Privileges. So if you want your Earldom to be ratified without a fuss, you don’t upset Markham.’

There was a tap on the door and Egerton put his head around the frame. ‘I thought I would inform you that His Grace, the disgusting Duke of Markham, has left the estate. He high tailed it straight to the stables, mounted his horse and galloped away leaving instructions for his valet to pack his belongings and leave with the ducal carriage as soon as possible.’

‘Thank you Egerton.’ Robert said softly as Egerton closed the door.  He sighed deeply. ‘I can see he has had a lot of practice at vacating the area after the fact.’

‘I feel so useless.’ Timothy said softly and as he looked up, Wilfred could see the heartbreak on his face.

‘You should not berate yourself Tim. You at least were able to interfere before it went to the extreme.’ Robert said carefully. He rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. ‘I think I should take you out to the meadow and teach you a little boxing.’

‘I learned boxing with Ben!’ Timothy spluttered indignantly. ‘I don’t need you to teach me.’ He sighed then. ‘I suppose it just took me by surprise, because Lucy’s gown was open to her groin and I could see everything.’ He squirmed in his chair. ‘It’s not something a man should see of his sister.’

‘No. Lucy should only be seen like that by her husband.’ Wilfred said firmly.

Timothy seemed miles away suddenly. ‘I had no idea Lucy had such a fine body.’ Timothy said with awe. ‘She looked like a Goddess, even with blood smeared over her.’

‘Tim!’ Robert said firmly, looking sideways at Wilfred. ‘You should forget you ever saw your sister so dishevelled.’

‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it, but I won’t mention it again.’ He started to snigger and both Robert and Wilfred frowned at him. ‘I was just remembering when Ben asked her “if those were breast growing on her chest” and Richard laughed ‘til he cried. I didn’t understand at the time, but now I know the joke is actually on them. I’m sure Richard would be mortified if he’d seen what I have!’

The door went again and this time Evelyn stepped into the Study. ‘Give me a brandy, please Robert?’ she said wearily as she closed the door. ‘Markham has left and Lucy is finally asleep.’ She said as Robert handed her a snifter. She swirled the amber liquid around as the bulb of the glass lay in her palm, heating the spirit. ‘I don’t want you to do something stupid, Robert.’

‘Stupid?’ he asked innocently.

‘Yes, stupid! Like offering the Duke to a duel or something equally ridiculous!’ She said firmly. ‘Leave Markham alone. He will be dealt with.’

‘I don’t think…’ Robert started, but Evelyn cut him off.

‘Leave him alone!’ she snapped. ‘I will take care of the repugnant Duke.’ She smiled and Wilfred was not surprised it didn’t reach her eyes. ‘I have a plan to stop his filth, once and for all!’

Robert held up his hand. ‘Is it something you would rather we not know about?’

‘Let’s just say the less you know the better.’ Evelyn
needed to get back to London to put her and Harriet’s plan into action and deal with the Duke of Debauchery once and for all.

Robert was disconcerted by the evil glint in her eyes and the wicked smile that graced her lips. He almost believed his mother could do anything, at that moment.

‘I think I will go and sit with Lucy for a while.’ Wilfred murmured and stood.

‘Did you take her virginity?’ Evelyn asked harshly and looked at the Earl coldly.

Wilfred glanced at Timothy before sighing and nodding his head. ‘Yes I did. She assured me that Markham didn’t get around to violating her, and yes, she would know the difference, now.’ He looked hard at Evelyn. ‘I love her, Mrs. Hastings and I can’t possibly sit down here while she is upstairs hurting from whatever that brute has done to her.’ He turned for the door. ‘If you could inform my father that she said yes, I would be grateful, Bassett.’ Wilfred said over his shoulder as he opened the door.

He took the stairs two at a time and ran along the landing to her room this time. He opened the door quietly and Betsy smiled at him. ‘Is she awake?’ He asked.

‘Drifting in and out, Milord.’ She said as she stood. ‘Do you want to have some time with her?’

‘Yes, please.’ Wilfred said and smiled his most charming smile. ‘Don’t hurry back. I shall be here for some time.’ Betsy giggled as she opened the door and went out. Wilfred quickly stripped his clothes off and climbed into bed with Lucy, yet again. It was disconcerting to realise he had slept with her a total of three times and she had only been fit enough to enjoy sex this afternoon. As he snuggled up behind her, Lucy jumped. ‘It’s alright, Lucy. It’s me, Will.’ He murmured into her hair.

‘That’s what he said.’ She murmured. ‘That’s why I opened the door.’ She heaved her body over until she faced him and he sucked in a breath at the swelling and bruising on her face. ‘Not so pretty anymore.’ She mumbled.

‘You’re only temporarily ugly.’ He said and kissed her on the forehead. ‘It will all fade away, just like Harriet’s did.’ He pulled her against his chest and felt her sigh. ‘I love you.’ He finished on a sigh as he wrapped his arms about her body and held her close.
‘I can’t wait for our wedding day.’

‘I think we should have the banns read.’ Lucy murmured. ‘I won’t be so ugly then…’
She sighed as she fell into the black abyss of drugged sleep and security.

*****

Down in the study Evelyn sat quietly watching the flames leap up the chimney as they devoured the oxygen. ‘She assured me he didn’t get the chance, so all you could do is call him out for attacking your sister.’ She murmured. ‘The Bow Street Runners wouldn’t touch him over something as slight as a beating. It would take a murder before they would try and prosecute a Duke.’

‘And he would have the Prince Regent’s ear before we even got back to London.’ Timothy said distastefully.

‘Not necessarily.’ Robert said thoughtfully. ‘Even Prinny can’t ignore the facts. We, and by We I mean the
titled gentry, now what he does, we just haven’t been able to catch him in the act, until now.’

Evelyn shook her head. ‘It won’t make any difference.’ She looked up fiercely. ‘Do you not think that Viscount Redmond, Baron Felton and the Marquis of Carnarvon haven’t tried to solve this conundrum? Getting the magistrates to even sit in judgement on a Duke of the Realm is unlikely and finding a noble of a higher position willing to judge is almost impossible.’ She sighed deeply. ‘No, Robert. You leave this matter to me. Harriet and I will deal with this matter ourselves. He’s crossed the line, now.’

‘How do you now Harriet Saunders?’ Timothy asked and Evelyn looked at him coldly.

‘Never you mind.’ She said harshly, ‘but whatever has been said in this room is private and not for discussion with anyone. Do I make myself clear?’

‘As crystal, Mother.’ Timothy said and turned his inquisitive eyes to his elder brother. Robert shook his head almost imperceptibly and Timothy subsided.

‘You do realise that Buxton will have gone to Lucy and probably climbed into bed with her again?’
Robert said to deflect his brother.

‘I do. It will help her a
lot. She was still trembling when I tucked her into bed, so he will help soothe away her fear.’ She looked at Robert again. ‘You should send a note to Reverend White, asking for him to read the banns this Sunday.’ She sighed and stood up. ‘Still, I had better get back to the guests and you should get back to trying to court Caroline de Lacey.’

‘Yes, Mother.’ Robert muttered as she went out the door.

‘How does she know Harriet Saunders?’ Timothy demanded. ‘The damned woman is a courtesan!’ He sounded thoroughly affronted.

‘Be careful not to voice those sentiments near mother, won’t you? Harriet Saunders is her cousin.’ Robert replied softly. ‘That is not for public consumption, so keep it under your hat, boy!’ For once Timothy was shocked into silence. ‘I’m going to see how much damage Markham has done. I’m sure everyone knows that he attacked Lucy, so we need to contain the damage and I need to talk to the Duke.’

Chapter Fourteen

All the guests had been gossiping about Markham’s sudden departure and the Duke of Dovedale had done his best to keep the speculation down to logic, rather than the fantastical that Phyllida Allen was spouting.

‘Well, I think someone must have offered him to a duel!’ She blurted and her eyes swivelled immediately to Dovedale.

‘Who would do so and for what reason?’ Joseph Stapleton asked and frowned at Phyllida.

‘Well, Buxton, off the top of my head. After all that trouble last year with Markham’s mistress, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Duke called Buxton out.’

‘Nobody called out the Duke of Markham.’ Evelyn announced harshly and Dovedale noticed just how pale she looked. ‘He ran away before I could bring charges against him for attacking my daughter!’ Everyone in the room uttered an oath of some sort and the whimpers of shock from the young girls were understandable.

‘How is Lucy?’
Evangeline asked softly as she approached and took hold of Evelyn’s hands.

‘Sleeping.’ Evelyn said softly. ‘Wilfred is with her.’

Evangeline nodded. ‘I may be interested in your club, after all.’ She whispered. ‘I’ll meet you in London to discuss it further.’ Evelyn nodded, smiled graciously and turned to the Duke. ‘I think my son wishes to talk to you, Your Grace.’

‘Well, I shall vacate this room and leave you ladies to discuss…whatever.’ He smiled wanly and left quickly, followed by nearly every man in the room.

Robert was on his way to find the Duke when he met him in the corridor. ‘Ah, Your Grace. May I have a moment of your time, please?’

‘I think you should get some brandy out, you are about to be inundated.’ The Duke said cryptically.

‘Then let’s get back to my study.’ Robert said, but the other men caught up with them before they got to the door.

Robert served brandy all around and the talk was about Markham’s peculiar sexual tastes. Robert had to sit and nurse his temper as they discussed every facet
of the previous attacks and wondered out loud just what Lucy looked like.

Dovedale could see Robert struggling to maintain his calm and in the end he spoke quite firmly. ‘Well, Gentlemen. I’m afraid Bassett and I have some private matters to discuss and I wonder if you would leave us?’ Not one man in the room would argue with the Duke of Dovedale and slowly, amid pats of commiseration for Robert, the room cleared and Robert sighed in relief.

‘Shall we discuss the upcoming nuptials?’ Roderick asked gently.

‘I only know that Lucy said yes
.’ Robert started to explain, ‘but I have no idea what Buxton is planning, whether he wants a special licence or if I need to have the banns read.’

‘What state is your sister’s face in?’ Roderick asked sympathetically.

‘He certainly hit her with his fist a few times, but thankfully he didn’t manage to violate her.’ He sighed. ‘I think that was his intention, possibly as retribution for the Harriet Saunders affair.’

‘Then that is the rumour than can be spread all over London.’ Roderick said thoughtfully. ‘I’m sorry for you all, but at least she is still in one piece, relatively speaking. She will fare much better than Redmond’s sister.’

‘That she will.’ Robert said finally. ‘So I would like to ask you for permission to pay my addresses to your daughter Lady Caroline?’

‘What are your intentions?’ Roderick said formally.

‘Strictly honourable, Your Grace. I would like Lady Caroline to consider becoming my wife within the next twelve months. She will become a Countess and I will see that she is swimming in pin money and wants for nothing.’

‘There is only one thing I wish to know at this moment.’ Roderick said with a gentle smile. ‘Do you love her?’

‘Yes.’ Robert sighed, ‘at least I think so. I have no experience of love, but I know it would cut me to the quick to watch her be courted by another. I damned nearly grabbed Markham by the throat the other night when he had the cheek to ask her to dance. Luckily she made an excuse and Markham went away.’

‘I would say your feelings are engage.’ Roderick said with a beaming smile, ‘and if you don’t love her yet, you will do before the end of the year. She will make sure of it.’ He sighed deeply. ‘Yes, Bassett. You can court my daughter and when you are ready to propose, we will discuss the terms of her dowry. Now what are the terms of your sister’s dowry?’ Roderick shrugged, ‘not that it is really my concern as that will be for you and my son to negotiate, but generally I’m interested.’

‘Lucy has twenty thousand pounds in trust, which will be released either on her marriage or when she reaches twenty five. Buxton will get access to this money immediately upon their marriage. The money was left by my father as Lucy’s dowry. However my Uncle Rupert, God rest his soul, decided he wanted to give something to his only niece and upon his death her trust was increased to forty thousand pounds and a small estate in Hertfordshire. The only stipulation my Uncle made, was that only Lucy can access the other twenty thousand whether she is married or not and the money from Uncle Rupert has been available to her since my Uncle’s demise in September.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Also the small estate is only for Lucy to bequeath. Neither of them can sell the property and only Lucy can bequeath it to a beneficiary on her death. Now there is nothing to stop her from willing it to Buxton, but he cannot take possession of it. It is solely Lucy’s property for the remainder of her life.’

‘Can it be contested?’ Roderick asked thoughtfully.

‘No. My Uncle made sure nobody could contest it, as he drew up his will just after my father died two years ago. He was fit and healthy at the time and the documents have been witnessed and ratified since then.’ He sighed. ‘Uncle Rupert wanted to protect her from an unscrupulous husband; he wanted her to have somewhere safe, that she could never lose. He set into a separate trust enough money to support the estate for the next fifty years and it is tied to the estate.’ Robert shook his head. ‘If Buxton doesn’t like the terms, then there is nothing he can do about it, other than marry somebody else.’

‘I don’t think he’ll do that.’ Roderick said with a smile. ‘His feelings are definitely engaged and I wouldn’t
be surprised if he tells you to make the trust over to Lucy so he can’t touch it at all.’ Roderick shrugged. ‘It’s not as if he needs the money, Chelmorton is a profitable estate and he will inherit Dovedale soon enough. He’s not a heavy gambler and knows when to walk away from the table.’ He smiled again. ‘I have a feeling he will find marriage suits him very well.’

‘What about Caroline’s dowry?’ Robert asked softly. ‘Is it as large as everyone says?’

‘It is I’m afraid.’ Roderick laughed at Robert’s expression of chagrin. ‘I was waiting for you to ask. The curiosity must have been enormous.’ Robert nodded in embarrassment. ‘Well, to put your mind at rest, her  dowry consists of sixty thousand pounds, a rather large state in Buckinghamshire from Evangeline’s family and two smaller estates, one in Bedfordshire from my grandmother and one in Cambridgeshire from the Dovedale inheritance. All of this comes to you upon your marriage. The only discussion you and I will have will be to sort out how much pin money I want you to make available to Caroline.’ Roderick finished with a satisfied smile. ‘You can ask for her hand now if you’d like.’ Roderick said smoothly. ‘It would get it out of the way.’

‘May I request your daughter’s hand in marriage?’ Robert blurted and made Roderick laugh heartily.

‘Yes, son, you may.’ Roderick said and lifted his brandy glass. ‘You may marry my daughter with my blessings.’ He toasted Robert and swallowed the contents of his glass. ‘Well, I have to go and tell Evangeline and then I shall let you ask my daughter in your own sweet time.’

Roderick sauntered out of the study absolutely content with his lot. He knew that Howard Cu
thbertson was going to offer for Eleanor and he debated talking to the Baron about it now, while he was in a good mood.

*****

During the final evening, Lucy did put in an appearance, at Wilfred’s request and Robert was happy to announce the engagement. The story Roderick had suggested was told to all, especially Phyllida Allen and Robert was confident that the gossip would die a death.

Lucy’s face was bruised and swollen, with the scratch marks on her chest visible, even though she had tried to camouflage it with a fichu. Wilfred never left her side all night and she finally got to have a discussion with Lady Caroline. Actually she was impressed. Caroline wasn’t the empty-headed doll she expected, but it was Eleanor that was really quick witted and bright. Lucy sat with the two de Lacey sisters, Howard Cuthbertson and her fiancé. She found the banter between Howard and Eleanor entertaining and slowly she relaxed.

The next morning all the guests left for London and the Hastings household breathed a sigh of relief.

‘I shall never hold another house party as long as I live.’ Muttered Evelyn as the last coach rolled away. She looked at Robert. ‘A week’s rest and then I need to get to London. Lucy needs her trousseau sorting out and I need to see somebody rather urgently.’

‘We don’t need to wait a week, Mother.’ Robert said softly. ‘If you want to go to London tomorrow, then we will go tomorrow.’

‘That’s very kind of you, Robert.’ Evelyn said and smiled kindly at her son. ‘Lucy’s face will recover either here or there and I can’t do anything for her wedding here.’

‘Well, Buxton spoke to me just before they left.’ Robert said as he took his mother’s arm and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. ‘He is applying for a special licence. He intends to marry Lucy as soon as possible.’

‘Very wise.’ Evelyn said and smiled. ‘They have pre-empted the wedding night by at least a week.’

*****

By the time the Hastings family arrived in London, the Duke of Markham had vanished abroad. He had made an announcement that he was going to Italy for the foreseeable future as he had some business to attend to there. It was all poppycock, of course and the
gossip mill ran for weeks on the knowledge that he attacked the Earl of Buxton’s fiancée.

Wilfred and Lucy had a spectacular wedding, as Robert didn’t just let them run away to the nearest chapel. They had a fine, if rushed wedding at the end of January and Lucy walked down the aisle at Grosvenor Chapel dressed in the finest gown she had ever possessed.
Caroline and Eleanor de Lacey were her attendants and Howard Cuthbertson stood at the altar as groomsman for Wilfred. Tears of joy seeped out of Lucy’s eyes as they said their vows and Wilfred swept them away with his thumbs after the vicar announced them as husband and wife. He kissed her so beautifully, that more tears cascaded, making her sniff and suddenly she laughed and Wilfred crushed her to his chest.

The wedding breakfast went off without a hitch and half the
ton
turned up to drink Robert’s best champagne. Lucy and Wilfred soon left as they were taking the Ducal travelling coach to Scotland for a few weeks before stopping off at Chelmorton before returning to London.

Robert proposed to Caroline that evening and she cried too!

*****

Evelyn called the first meeting of the retribution council during the second week of February. As Harriet had devised, only she and Evelyn knew all the members. Each woman was provided with a letter of the alphabet to conceal their identity, a heavy black veil to hide their faces and Harriet had hired a small room in a back street hotel for the meeting. They all knew that all correspondence should be burned immediately.

‘Ladies.’ Harriet
, now known as Madame U, said firmly. ‘We all know why we are here. The question I want to ask you today is, what we are going to do with the Duke of Debauchery?’

‘I’d like to slice off his manhood!’ Lady Patricia Redmond
, known as Madame Z, said heatedly.

‘Hear, hear.’ The others greeted this intention.

‘I think we can all assume that goes without saying. Another question to add to that one would be, should the Duke be alive when you do so?’ Evelyn, known as Madam V, said harshly.

‘Yes!’ Madame Genevieve
, known as Madame X, blurted. ‘The cold bastard should feel every slice of the blade!’

‘Then let’s get down to some serious planning here.’ Harriet sighed. ‘After his aborted
attempt at raping the Countess of Buxton, Miss Lucille Hastings, as she was then called, the Duke of Debauchery has fled to the continent. So, we have time to prepare. This is not something that you just throw together at the last minute, this is an event that will take careful planning and financing. We shall need money to pay off the Duke’s servants, possibly we’ll need to bribe coachmen or even our own servants. The list could be endless and we need to organise it properly.’

‘But how are we to go about it?’ Celia Parfitt
, known as Madame Y, said in trepidation.

‘M
ost of us can organise and host a ball. Order is the way to achieve anything.’ Harriet said and started counting things off on her fingers. ‘There must be a logical plan. We need to gather intelligence. We need a detailed plan of his townhouse, we need to know where he sleeps, what his schedule is like and we also have to recognise an opportunity if it should arise.’