The Duchess (47 page)

“Because for all his bluster last season about not falling in love, Quinton Hunter did just that. He fell in love with you. The fact that your papa settled an incredible amount on you no longer makes any difference. But Septimius Morgan will not cut you off. He will, I am certain, see you and Quinton have a most handsome allowance. Certainly far better than other young couples. You are being quite silly. Now dry your eyes. You can trust your husband. Spend a few days in London amusing yourself, and then go home, dear gel.”

“You really think it will be all right?” Allegra sniffed. “Oh, dear Lady Bellingham, I do not know what is the matter with me these days!”

“Why, you are breeding, dear gel. Didn't you realize it?” the older woman replied. “You are at least two months gone, I should guess. And,” she concluded quite archly, “I am very good at guessing.”

“What?”
Allegra was truly astounded. It wasn't possible!

“You are breeding, dear child,” Lady Bellingham repeated. “You are going to have a baby.”

“I can't be,” Allegra cried.

“And why not? You do have normal relations with
your husband, don't you? Of course you do. And when was the last time you had any show of blood? Think!”

Allegra clapped a hand over her mouth. “Ohhhh!” she gasped.

“Women who are breeding are often given to foolish fancies, my dear gel,” Lady Bellingham said calmly. “And more often than not they do not see the forest for the trees. It probably happened just before you went to France.” She smiled a kindly smile, and reaching out, patted Allegra's hand. “Rest a few days from your journey, and then return home. I believe your husband will be very happy to learn your news.”

“I should be certain,” Allegra said slowly.

“I shall send Doctor Bradford to see you tomorrow morning. He has looked after me for years, and is most discreet,” Lady Bellingham told her guest. “Now, shall we have some tea?”

“Yes, please,” Allegra said. “And cake, too, I hope.”

Lady Bellingham laughed. “Of course, dear gel. Of course.”

Allegra returned to her father's house to discover she had a visitor.

“My dear duchess, I will admit to being most surprised at hearing you were back in town,” George Brummell said as he kissed her hand.

“It was a whim, sir, but now that I am here, I believe I shall return home within the week. Quinton could not come. Something about the horses and a breeding schedule,” she replied airily.

“Well then, if your duke is not about to escort you around, dear duchess, I hope you will allow me to be your cicisbeo while you are here. I am going to a delicious new gambling hell tonight, and while I understand
you do not gamble, you must come with me, and be seen.”

“Why, sir, I do believe that I shall accept your invitation, and while I do not as a rule gamble, I might join you tonight in that wicked vice,” Allegra laughed. “Where are we going?”

“It is in St. James, Your Grace, and quite new. It has been opened by an Italian gentleman. He claims to have fled Venice in advance of a French general, Bony-part. The place is most cosmopolitan with émigrés from France and Italy, as well as the crème de la crème of the ton. We shall probably meet Prinny there. Shall I call for you at ten?”

“That would be perfect, Mr. Brummell. I have never before experienced the wicked life here in London,” Allegra said. “Perhaps I should, just once before I return to the country.” She smiled at him, and gave him her hand to kiss.

He did so, and smiling in return said, “Until tonight, Your Grace.”

“Neither your husband, nor your father would approve of you gambling, Your Grace,” Charles Trent said quietly as he stepped from the door of his personal billet.

“I shall want a thousand pounds, Charles,” Allegra told her father's secretary. “I shall not, I promise you, lose any more than that. I am not addicted to gambling, and have self-control.”

“No one is addicted at first, Your Grace, but the lure of the games is irresistible. Go with Mr. Brummell if you will, but take your own carriage. That way you are free to return home whenever you desire.”

Allegra nodded in agreement. She valued Charles
Trent's advice, but just this once she would do something impractical and wicked.
Just once.
Then she would return home to Hunter's Lair to tell her husband that she was breeding, and would deliver him an heir before year's end.
If
Dr. Bradford confirmed Lady Bellingham's conclusion. She hurried upstairs.

She wore black and silver, and carried an ermine muff that had a ruby and diamond pin fastened to it. Her jewelry was also rubies and diamonds, including a hair ornament nestling within her smooth elegant chignon, which was not at all fashionable, but which suited her quite well as Mr. Brummell observed. At her suggestion he released his own hired coach, helping Allegra into her vehicle. Then giving the coachman directions, he joined her. Within a very short time they arrived at St. James, the carriage stopping before a well-kept house that was all alight at every window. They stepped from the coach.

“Good heavens, isn't that the Duchess of Devonshire?” Allegra asked, staring at the very beautiful woman just now entering the mansion.

“Indeed it is,” Mr. Brummell replied. “I understand that she has already gone through her allowance for the year. Several hundred thousand pounds, I am told. She is not a lucky gambler, I fear.”

“Where does she get the ready to gamble with then?” Allegra wondered.

“The moneylenders, friends, relations, sometimes even strangers,” Mr. Brummell replied. “She is quite charming, and people tend to like her, so they indulge her terrible vice, even though most of them know they haven't a chance of regaining what they have loaned.”

He escorted her up the two marble steps into Casa di Fortuna. Footmen, attired in sky blue and gold silk livery, and wearing powdered wigs, took their outer garments.
Others offered them wine in exquisite Venetian crystal goblets.

“What shall we play first?” Allegra asked him. “I have never been to a gambling hell, and I am entirely in your hands, Mr. Brummell.”

“I suppose you play Whist,” he said.

“I do, but I have also learned a new game with dice that is called Hazard. Do they play Hazard here?”

“Perhaps later, Your Grace,” he said, guiding her to a large ornate room where there were many players at many tables, playing Whist. Mr. Brummell seated her at a table that was just being opened up, and placed himself opposite her. They were quickly joined by a Lord and Lady Kenyon. They played for an hour, and to her surprise Allegra won each and every hand. Finally she grew bored, and stood up.

“I have enjoyed your company,” she told Lord and Lady Kenyon. “Come Brummell, and let me see what else Casa di Fortuna has to offer us tonight.” She stuffed her winnings in her muff, and moved on into another room where a wheel game was being played. “What is it called?” she asked her escort, curiously.

“Even-Odd, or E.O.,” he said.

“Let's play,” Allegra told him, enthusiastically.

“This is not a good game, Your Grace,” he advised. “The odds in this game are usually very much in favor of the house. It is, in fact, illegal, although many of the hells have it.”

“Three spins of the wheel, Mr. Brummell, and then we shall move on to the Hazard tables,” Allegra promised. Then she bet on the next three turns of the wheel, and to everyone's surprise won all three turns. “How boring,” she remarked, and stuffed her additional winnings into her muff once again.

Brummell was astounded. Because Allegra did not
gamble she did not realize that she was having an extremely lucky night. She wanted to play Hazard. Well, he thought, why not, and he led her into another room where the game was being played. The players stood about the green baize table watching and waiting until the caster threw crabs, and lost. Such play was a bit rich for Brummell's blood and so he stood behind the Duchess of Sedgwick as she waited her turn. Next to her stood an equally beautiful woman, who noting Allegra's rather good diamonds, smiled and said, “I am the Contessa di Lince. Do you come here often?”

“It is my first, and probably last time,” Allegra said with a small smile. “I am the Duchess of Sedgwick.”

“You do not like it?” the lady said.

“I do not gamble as a rule, and my husband would be very angry with me if he knew I was here. He does not approve of gambling,” Allegra explained to the lady. “You are English, and yet you have an Italian title, madame.”

“Yes,” the contessa replied, returning Allegra's smile. “I was born in England, but my late husband was Italian. I have returned because it is impossible to live decently in
Roma
right now with those damned French overrunning the countryside. I have taken a small house in Hanover Square. Gambling is a form of amusement for me, but offers little challenge for I rarely lose. The proprietor of this place likes me to come for I make it appear that people win,” the lady laughed.

The dice were now passed to the contessa, but with a smile she handed them to Allegra. “I will only win,” she said shrugging her elegant shoulders.

Allegra began to play, and once again she was overcome with luck. Soon the table at which she played was surrounded by admiring gamblers watching as she won toss after toss of the dice. Finally with a laugh she said,
“I must stop. My muff will not hold all my winnings.” She handed the dice to the next players, and turned to the contessa. “Shall we have champagne, madame? Brummell, do be a dear and fetch some champagne for the three of us. We shall seat ourselves in the foyer.”

They found a quiet corner, and settled themselves upon a satin striped settee.

“Are you always so lucky, Your Grace?” the contessa asked.

“I don't know,” Allegra said honestly. “I have, as I said, never spent an evening gambling.”

“But you play cards, and you knew how to play Hazard,” the contessa noted.

“We all learn to play Whist. Didn't you as a girl? As for Hazard, my friends and I cajoled their husbands into teaching us, but I have never before played for the ready.”

“Your husband is not in town?” the contessa inquired of Allegra.

“No,” she replied. “He doesn't like London. Quinton is a country gentleman.”

“But you do like the city and its highlife?” the contessa pressed. “Ah, I was once like that, too. My first husband was a rather dull fellow, I fear.”

“No, no!” Allegra said. “I don't like London at all, but we argued, and so I came up to town. However, after I spoke with my friend, Lady B., I realized how foolish I have been. I will go home in another day, madame.”

“Then you love him,” the contessa remarked. “One must love truly and passionately to become so angry. I never felt that with my first husband, but with my second it was a different matter altogether.” She smiled softly. “True love is a precious commodity, Your Grace. Treasure it. You are most fortunate.”

“I was certainly lucky tonight,” Allegra replied with a grin.

“You have had beginner's luck as they say,” the contessa remarked smiling. “Ah, here is your friend with our champagne.” She took a goblet from Mr. Brum-mell, and sipped thirstily. “Delicious! Carlo has exquisite taste in wines.”

“Carlo?” Allegra looked puzzled.

“Carlo Bellagio, the proprietor,” Mr. Brummell explained.

“Brummell! Brummell!
Is that you? Where have you been?” The prince had arrived with his entourage of friends.

“Your Highness,” Brummell said, bowing. “I am the Duchess of Sedgwick's cicisbeo this evening.”

Allegra stood and curtsied. “Your Highness.”

“Thought you went back to the country, duchess,” Prinny said.

“I had to come back into town for a few days, Your Highness, and with the Season beginning, how could I resist? Mr. Brummell invited me to come with him tonight. As I have never been in a gambling hell, I decided I would come. You know how Quinton disapproves of gambling,” she concluded with a twinkle and a smile.

Prinny chuckled. “Did you lose very much, Duchess? I promise I shall not tell on you should I see the duke,” he chortled.

“She won,” Brummell said. “It would seem she cannot lose, Your Highness. Damndest thing I have ever seen.”

“I am not a great sport, Your Highness,” Allegra said. “I came prepared to lose no more than a thousand pounds, but it would seem I have won fourteen thousand pounds.”

“Zounds, madame, you are indeed lucky,” the prince exclaimed. Then he caught sight of the Contessa di Lince. “Introduce us, Brummell,” he said. “Who is this most fetching creature?”

“The Contessa di Lince, Your Highness, a refugee from the armies of France,” Brummell said.

“How d'you do, Contessa,” Prinny said, kissing her hand.

The contessa curtsied. “I am honored, Your Highness,” she said.

“You are English?”

“I married an Italian,” the contessa replied.

“Who are your people?” Prinny demanded.

“You would not have known them, sir,” the contessa replied. “Do you play Whist? I should be delighted to be your partner. Like the duchess, I do not lose.” She smiled seductively at him.

“You'll join us, Duchess?” Prinny said.

“You must excuse me, sir, but I came up to London to see Doctor Bradford. I should not have stayed out quite so late as it is. Will you forgive me?” She smiled winningly

The prince beamed from ear to ear.
“Is it?”
he said meaningfully. “Does your husband know, madame?”

“I shall not be certain until I have consulted with Doctor Bradford,” Allegra replied, “but should he confirm my suspicions, sir, you will actually be the first to know.” She curtsied to him.

“Zounds, madame! I am honored,” Prinny said. “Send 'round to me tomorrow with word.”

“I will, Your Highness,” Allegra told him. Then she turned to George Brummell. “If you would like to remain, Mr. Brummell, you are free to do so. I shall send my carriage back for you.”

“No need, madame, I shall see Brummell safely home,” the prince told her, “but he must escort you to the door, of course.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Allegra curtsied again, then turned to the Contessa di Lince. “I doubt we shall meet again, madame, but I thank you for your company this evening.”