The Duke Conspiracy (5 page)

“Never mind about that, why did you want to
know?”

“I was merely curious about who he was. I was
entertaining myself watching people while you were gone and I was
wondering how it was possible he managed to leave the house looking
that way.” The hastily made-up story did the trick as Elizabeth
tinkled with laughter.

“The poor man. That particular shade would
look perfectly lovely on someone else I am sure but certainly not
him.” Elizabeth paused for a moment in contemplation before
continuing, “He is a widower. His wife died a couple years ago. It
is just him and his daughter. You might recall the Chadwick girls
mentioned that they had called on Lady Anne to interrogate her, I
mean, ask her about dancing with the duke.”

Rose was grateful Elizabeth was not looking
at her while giving her that reminder, as she was certain her
feelings were not well hidden and she did not wish to be making up
any more nonsensical explanations at the moment.

Elizabeth was still speaking. “It would seem
they are not terribly flush with funds. Perhaps the viscount has
turned off his valet. If I recall correctly, I overheard my father
mentioning that Lord Austen had made some bad investments since his
wife passed. I do believe Lady Anne is in Town trying to make an
advantageous match.”

With relief, Rose heard the next performance
striking up, so no further conversation was possible at the moment.
Her mind raced with all the complications. She really should hate
the duke, but she had never been able to bring herself to that
point. But they certainly were no longer friends. However, not that
far in the distant past, he was her very best friend. Did that not
require a certain degree of loyalty? And then there was the matter
of the other man. The one who seemed to be orchestrating the scheme
against Alex. Sir Jason Broderick. Another shiver slithered down
her back. It was not at all pleasant.

Something really did need to be done about
the conversation she overheard. But to whom could she turn? Her
father would be blind to the implications because it involved
Wrentham. No one else could be trusted with what she knew. Not that
she knew very much. And she certainly didn't know very many people
so it was entirely possible she
could
trust someone else.
Elizabeth's father perhaps? Rose quickly dismissed that possibility
as she continued to feign intense interest in the musicale. While
the earl had seemed perfectly kind when she had been introduced to
him, she could not imagine herself confiding in the man. Lord
Castleton was a pleasant but distant gentleman. She could not
imagine him welcoming her confessions.

In this particular case, the fact that
someone was trying to entrap the duke, Alex would be the best one
to talk to. But if she spoke directly to Alex he would want to know
everything and there were so many details she absolutely could not
tell him. Things she knew about Broderick from her time in Vienna.
Things the always correct Duke of Wrentham would not welcome
hearing about from her. Could she manage to brazen it out, telling
him only about the attempt to catch him in the parson's mousetrap,
and leave out the details about why and how she knew so much about
the conspirator? Surely his wealth and position as Duke of Wrentham
could be explained as reason enough.

Rose sighed in resignation. It was not the
best plan ever hatched, but it was the best she could come up with
on her own.

“Are you all right?” Elizabeth whispered at
her side.

“As right as rain,” Rose answered with a
grin.

“That is a nonsensical expression, but you
sighed just now, it made me concerned.”

“Did you not find that musical number to be
as moving as I did?” Rose asked, managing to keep a straight face
despite her friend's dubious expression.

“Apparently not,” Elizabeth's answer was dry
before they were hushed back into silence by the other
spectators.

Once the musical portion of the evening was
complete, Lady Yorkleigh announced that refreshments were being
served in an adjoining room. The sound of many conversations
swelled to fill the rooms, echoing slightly off the high, ornate
ceiling. The crystals in the chandeliers shivered and tinkled with
the vibrations.

As the two friends made their way slowly to
the other room to have a glass of punch, Rose intercepted
Elizabeth's inquiring look.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You seem different since the beginning of
the musicale, I just cannot put my finger on what has changed.”
Elizabeth paused for a moment, gazing at her companion with her
head cocked to the side. “You seem tense or on edge. Do you care to
tell me about it?”

Rose's lips parted as she thought of a
plausible explanation of her distraction or tension but then she
quickly remembered that she had been claiming to be moved by the
music. Someone moved by the music would not be so quick to be on
edge, was her frantic thought, as she tried to come up with
something believable to say. Bringing order to her disordered
thoughts, Rose forced her shoulders to relax as she turned her face
more fully towards her friend with a warm, brilliant smile.

“How could I possibly be uptight at such an
event as this?” she asked before lowering her voice in
conspiratorial tones. “Aside from the usual reasons of this being a
ton
event, of course,” she muttered with a wink. “But did
you not think those last couple of numbers were exquisite? I do
believe we shall hear those musicians many times throughout this
Season, as they shall no doubt be in high demand to perform at
other functions.”

Elizabeth did not look fully convinced but
accepted Rose's words with good grace. “I am sure you are correct.
While I did not feel it to be the earth-shattering experience you
seem to have found it, many of the performers did do remarkably
well. We must find Lady Yorkleigh and express our
appreciation.”

Rose pulled a face at her friend's words.

“You, of either of us, should be eager to do
so, since you enjoyed the performances so very much.”

“Are you certain a note of appreciation would
not be sufficient?” Rose asked plaintively.

“Quite. Now hurry along if you have finished
with your punch, let us go and speak with her now, there does not
seem to be much of a crowd surrounding her at the moment.”

****

Rose was mentally castigating herself for her
choice of words as she was strangely reluctant to approach the
countess. But in all reality she
had
enjoyed the musicale
and Elizabeth was correct, it was only right that they compliment
their hostess in person.

The Society matron smiled in welcome as the
girls approached her. Rose admired the deep teal of her beautiful
gown; the embroidery on the soft cotton organdy caught the light
and nearly shimmered.

“Lady Yorkleigh, thank you so much for your
generous hospitality this evening,” Elizabeth began the
conversation as they neared the countess.

Rose quickly chimed in. “The performances
were exceptionally well done. You must have put a great deal of
thought into choosing your performers.”

“Why thank you, you dear girls,” Lady
Yorkleigh answered graciously. “I am so pleased that you are
enjoying yourselves. I was not certain the younger ladies would
enjoy a musical evening as much as a ball.”

“Balls are all fine and good, but a musicale
is food for the soul,” Rose enthused, much to Elizabeth's
amusement. Rose had to work hard to control her own giggles as she
saw her friend struggling to keep her face from breaking into a
grin.

Lady Yorkleigh regarded Rose with elevated
eyebrows. “Are you being serious, young lady?”

“Actually, I am. I think music is one of the
most beautiful things that was ever invented.” Rose had no struggle
infusing her voice with full sincerity as she really did love all
things musical. “Of course, at a ball you can enjoy the music too
but there are added complications that oftentimes interfere with
the unadulterated pleasure of a well performed piece.”

The countess's smile increased in sincerity
as Rose spoke. “How true that is, my dear Miss Smythe. I remember
my first season. There were many distractions to contend with. But
are you enjoying the Season despite the complications, as you
said?”

“Oh yes, of course,” Rose stretched the truth
a wee bit for the sake of tact. “Without the Season I would not
have made the acquaintance of my dear friend, Lady Elizabeth, which
would have been a sad thing indeed.”

The three well-bred ladies shared a smile
over these words before their hostess inquired politely, “Have you
two had a chance to have some refreshments and mingle with the
other guests? There are no doubt some here that you have not yet
met, Miss Smythe, as this is your first Season. Would you like me
to introduce you?”

Despite her usual composure, Rose felt her
cheeks beginning to blush with the pleasure of being thus singled
out by the countess. “That is exceedingly generous of you, my lady.
I would not wish to impose.”

“No imposition at all. Now come along. I am
quite certain I have invited some highly eligible young men that
you absolutely must meet.”

With those words, Lady Yorkleigh set off
across the room. With a wry, questioning look exchanged between
them, Rose and Elizabeth set off in her wake. Rose wanted to turn
away from following the countess when she saw her heading toward a
handsome young man who seemed engrossed in conversation. The other
man had his back toward them but Rose had a sinking feeling it was
the man she had overheard earlier speaking to Lord Austen. She
so
did not want to talk to him!

“Lord Edgecombe and Sir Broderick, I trust
you are having an enjoyable evening,” Lady Yorkleigh began, causing
the two gentlemen to quickly turn and bow respectfully to their
hostess.

“My lady, we are having a marvelous time,”
enthused the handsome young lord as he bent over his hostess's
hand, placing a gallant kiss on the back of her wrist.

“Who are your lovely friends, my lady?”

Rose barely suppressed her shudder at the
sound of Sir Broderick's voice. She felt the slither all the way
down to her toes. He put her in mind of the snake she had seen at a
fair being held in Vienna. The romantic side of Rose had always
considered that men with the title
sir
should always be even
more gentlemanly than other men of the
ton
due to the
origins of the knighthood. It seemed to Rose that Sir Jason
Broderick had never been of the same mind. She managed to maintain
her composure as the countess performed the introductions.

Lady Yorkleigh began with Lady Elizabeth but
as she introduced Rose to Sir Broderick, Rose could not help
interrupting.

“Sir Broderick and I are already acquainted.
We attended a few of the same functions while we were both in
residence in Vienna, while my father was occupied with the
Congress.”

“Oh, how lovely,” Lady Yorkleigh replied, her
tone correctly polite, although her bright eyes seemed to Rose to
be looking right into her soul. Rose bolstered the sincerity of her
smile as much as she was able. It became less difficult as she
turned her attention to the conversation Elizabeth was having with
Lord Edgecombe. She hoped fervently that the young viscount was not
involved in any nefarious plots with Sir Broderick. Rose could not
bring herself to trust anyone she saw conversing with the slippery
knight.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,
my lady,” he was saying. “And you too, Miss Smythe. Are the two of
you enjoying the Season thus far?”

“Oh, yes,” Elizabeth answered promptly while
Rose merely smiled politely, neatly sidestepping the question.

Not allowing her off the hook, his lordship
probed a little deeper. “I heard you mention you had been in Vienna
with your father. Does that mean this is your first Season here in
London?”

“As a matter of fact it is, my lord. It has
been an interesting experience thus far, I must say.”

These words caused the viscount to throw back
his head and laugh. Rose was torn between embarrassment over the
attention brought to their small group and appreciation of his
grasp of her subtle humor. She was relieved when he turned to
Elizabeth and questioned her.

“Tell me, my lady, have you found the Season
to be interesting as well?”

“Infinitely more so now that I have the
enjoyment of the presence of my new friend Miss Rosamund,” she
replied, staunchly loyal, unsure if the viscount was making fun of
Rose or not.

As though he were feeling like he was being
ignored, Sir Broderick took this opportunity to enter the
conversation. “Have the two of you ladies been friends for long? I
did not think Miss Smythe had been long returned to Britain's fair
shores.”

Rose stiffened slightly at the implication
that he was aware of her whereabouts but managed not to verbalize
her reaction, leaving Elizabeth to answer the question directed at
her however she wished.

“In some ways it feels as though we have been
friends forever, but you are quite correct, our acquaintance is not
of a terribly long standing.” Elizabeth either picked up on her
friend's discomfort or took the knight into dislike on her own
account: Rose could see that her usually sunny smile was noticeably
dimmed as she turned it upon Sir Broderick. “Did you enjoy Vienna,
my lord? Miss Smythe has been regaling me with amusing tales of her
time spent there.”

Rose was grateful that the knight had never
become aware of any of her involvements in the Congress as he
turned and gave Rose a look bordering on pity as he replied to
Elizabeth's question. “The ladies, of course, enjoyed the fairer
aspects of life in that fine city while we gentlemen saw to the
actual work of the Congress. Much of the time I was in Vienna I was
far too busy to enjoy what the city had to offer.”