ThiseBookislicensedforyourpersonalenjoymentonly.ThiseBook,oncepurchased,maynotbere-sold.Ifyouwouldliketosharethisbookwithanotherperson,please purchaseanadditionalcopyforeachrecipient Ifyou’rereadingthisbookanddidnotpurchaseitorborrowit,oritwasnotpurchasedforyouandgivenasagiftforyour use only,thenplease returnit andpurchase your owncopy If this bookwas purchasedonanunauthorizedplatform,thenit is a piratedand/or unauthorizedcopyand violatorswillbeprosecutedtothefullextentofthelaw Donotpurchaseoracceptpiratedcopies Thankyouforrespectingtheauthor’shardwork Forsubsidiaryrights, contactDragonbladePublishing,Inc
Thank you for your support of a small press. At Dragonblade Publishing, we strive to bring you the highest quality Historical Romance from some of the best authors in the business Without your support, there is no ‘ us ’ , so we sincerely hope you adore these stories and find some new favorite authors along the way.
Happy Reading!
CEO, Dragonblade Publishing
Additional Dragonblade books by Author Jenna Jaxon
HYDE PARK AT fivethirtyintheafternoon thesunloweringinthesky,thesmellofnewlymowngrass,theexcitementofthe crowdsoffashionablydressedmembersofthe ton strollingabout was thelastplaceMiss DianaEdgertonhadexpectedto findherselftoday.ForDiana,dressedinhernewestpalebluepromenadedressofcambricmuslin,trimmedwithfrillywhite laceonboththedressandthematchingSpencerandhat,thedayhadtakenonadreamlikefeeling,mostlybecauseshewasin theunlikelycompanyofLordLongford,oneofthehandsomestgentlemenshe’deverseen Perhapsheraunthadbeencorrectin sayinghavingaSeasonwouldchangeherlifeforthebetter.
Diana hadn’tthoughtthattrue until lastevening Notwithall the gossipingbusybodies listeningto the nastyrumors her owncousinshadstartedabouther.ButthenlasteveningLordLongfordhadbeggedanintroductionsohecouldaskherfora dance.Fairytalesapparentlydidcometruesometimes.
“Iamsorrythe sunis still quite warm, Miss Edgerton.” His lordship’s deep voice rumbled pleasantlyinher ear. They werewalkingarminarmaroundtheSerpentine,accompanied,ofcourse,byheraunt.“Anotherdayperhapswecouldridehere instead”
“Thankyou, mylord. Thatis verykind ofyou.” She smiled up athim, still awed thathe’d asked her for this outing. He lookedtrulysplendidinadarkbluecutawaycoat,snowywhiteshirtandfashionablytiedcravat Hisfawn-coloredbreeches and tall Hessianboots made himlookverydashingindeed. “Ilove to ride verymuch, thoughIhave notbeenable to do so sincethedeathofmyuncle.”
Diana shota glance up atLord Longford, tryingto judge ifhis commentwas barbed, a reference to the vile rumors her jealouscousinshadputaboutinTownthatsheandherunclehadcarriedonanillicitaffairwhileshewastakingcareofhimin his last years. She’d endured many such remarks in the past months. One look at her escort’s kind visage revealed no judgement,onlykindconcern.
“Shall we turntoward the pathbythe water now? Youwill wishto see the ducks inthe Serpentine Theymake quite a spectaclewhentheyallcometogether.”Hiseyestwinkledandhissmilebroadenedtoagrin.“Thedintheymakeisamazingly likethatatthesuppertablesatLadyCavendish’sballs”
Laughing, Diana settled her armmore firmly in the crook of his elbow. Lord Longford was proving to be a delightful companion.
“This way” He ledthemarounddifferentcouples andgroups ofpeople all preeningthemselves andwishingtobe seen Dianahopedtheylookedrightpasther.Peopleofthe ton hadnotbeenoverlykindtoher becauseofthoseawfulrumors.She tried to putona brave face and AuntFrances always came to her defense whenever anyone broughtthe rumors up Notthat she’dhadtodosuchathingwhereLordLongfordwasconcerned.Eitherhehadn’theardtheterriblethingspeopleweresaying abouther andshecouldn’tquitebelievethat,asitseemedtobe the talkofLondon orhesimplydidn’tbelievethem She trulyhopeditwasthelatter,butinanycase,he’dbeennothingbutsolicitoustowardher.Sucharefreshingchangefromallthe curiousoraccusingstares.
DianaglancedaroundatthethrongsoffashionablepeoplemillingabouttheSerpentine Noneofthemseemedtobepaying anyattentiontoher,thankgoodness.She’dhadherfill ofrudestaresandhorribleremarksatLadyBrisbane’sball lastnight. She’dbeenonthebrinkofleavingtheballroomafteraso-calledgentlemanwho’dpartneredherinacountrydancehadmade lewdremarks insinuatinghe’dbe happytoplaythe partofher uncle ifshe’dtreathimas nice as she hadUncle George whenher hostess had appeared withLord Longford intow and instantlyall the unpleasantness had melted away. Suddenly she’dfoundherselfinhisarmsinthemidstofawaltz.Hisstrongarmshadheldhergentlyashe’dledherflawlesslyaround the ballroomuntil she wishedthe dance wouldnever end.Exceptwhenitdid,LordLongfordhadsuggestedthis outing.She trulymustrelaxandenjoyherselftoday,andceasethinkingeveryonewaspointingatherandwhispering
From the corner of her eye Diana glimpsed a lady’s gloved finger pointing in her direction. Surely, the lady must be pointingouttheduckstohercompanion,orperhapssomeofthefloraandfaunatheSerpentinehadtoofferitsadmirers She glanced up at Lord Longford who was speakinganimatedlywithher aunt about flowers. Theywere one of her aunt’s true passions.ShesupposedLordLongfordlikedthemaswellbytheavidlookonhisface.
Oh,Lord,washefollowingher?Didhemeantomakethesameawful proposalstoheragain?Shehadtogetawayfrom here and quickly. Diana put her hand to her head, readyto plead a headache. “Mylord, I believe I amunwell.” That was puttingitmildly.“Ifearwewillneedtoleave.Mylord?”
She pressed closer to Lord Longford. Perhaps ifshe could getbehind him, the other manwouldn’tcontinue his pursuit. Glancingover her shoulder, she spied the manactuallyheadingtoward them This couldn’tbe happening She tugged onhis sleeve.“Mylord,weneedtoleave.”
AquicklookandasmilefromLordLongfordwerealltheresponseDianareceived Shesteppedtohisside,notwishingto have to shoutathimand draw evenmore attentionto herself. Her escortwas exceedinglytall. She raised up ontiptoe and called,“LordLongford!”
Her voice had beenlouder thanshe’d thought, joltingLord Longford outofhis conversationand makinghimstartatthe loud noise. On tiptoe she overbalanced, and put her whole weight onto Lord Longford, who stared at her with a look of astonishmentashebackpedaledinanattempttokeepfromslippingdownthebank Hisbootedfeetskiddedoutfromunderhim andswungtoandfro,hisarmswindmillingtonoavailashecontinuedbackwardsintotheSerpentinewherehehitwithaloud splashandsprayofwater
Heavingasighofrelief,shenodded.Ifnotforheraunt’squickactions,she’dbethismomentlyingatopLordLongfordin quiteanimproperpositionforallthe ton tosee.Diana’scheeksheatedatthethought.
“LordLongford,are you allright?”Herauntturnedherattentiontothegentlemansittinginastateofshock,hislowertorso completelysubmergedinthemurkywaterattheedgeofthepond.
The lookofsurprise onher escort’s face mighthave beenfunny was funnyifshe had to admititand judgingfromthe pealsoflaughtercomingfromthepeoplegatheringaroundthem,shewascorrect.
Thelaughterdieddownandtwowell-dressedgentlemenintallHessianswadedintothewatertohelpLordLongfordup. As he rose out of the water, a huge toad sprang fromhis lordship’s waterlogged waistcoat with a loud, surprisingly highpitchedcroak
Startled by the unexpected appearance, the two men assisting Lord Longford jumped and let go of their charge, who promptlyfellbackintotheSerpentine Anewroarofmirthwentupallaround
Shakingherhead,tearsofrageleakingfromhereyes,Dianacontinuedtohurrydownthepath.Afterthatdebacle themost embarrassingeventever inher life thelastthingshewantedtodo ever again was see LordLongford.The accusingstares and raucous laughter of the spectators, the threat of her horrible partner from last night, along with the malice in Lord Longford’s face, assured Diana she could never, ever meet his lordship againand not feel the full brunt of this humiliating moment Whentheygotbackto AuntFrance’s home, she would tell her auntinno uncertainterms whatshe should already know:theSeasonwasoverforher.
Chapter One
Longford, England
October 1819
“WHAT DO YOU mean the money’s all gone?” Geoffrey, Lord Longford barked at his new steward, John Folger, staring uncomprehendinglyasthoughthemanwasspeakingaforeignlanguage.
Mr.Folgerfidgetedwithhiswatchchainhardenough,heactuallywrenchedthechainfromthewatchatGeoffrey’sloud, angrytone.“Iamsorry,mylord,butIamsimplythemessenger ofthese badtidings.Itseems Mr.Griffinhas beenless than forthcomingwithyouabouttheincomefromthevariousestatesfor sometimenow”Folger pulledoutasheafofpapersand spread thembefore Geoffrey. “He kept meticulous records, I’mhappy to say. He didn’t pilfer a penny in…” The steward stopped “Howmanyyearsdidyousayhe’dworkedforyou?”
“Hewasmyfather’sstewardmuchlongerthanmine,atleastthirtyyears.Hestayedonatmybehestwhenmyfatherdied five years ago. Perhaps if I’d let him go then…” Geoffrey’s voice drifted off as the phrase, “almost bankrupt” kept reverberatinginhismind.
“Andthose were ontopofthe legacydutywhenmyfather died.We managedtopayit,butwe’ve never trulyrecovered financially.” Geoffreyslumped inhis chair. He was lettinghis father down. And his mother, himselfand his sister, Joanna. Joanna Christ, what about her dowry? How was he ever to manage the estate debts and provide Joanna witha settlement amountthatwouldassureheragoodmarriage?Ifanyonedeservedabrilliantmatch,itwashissister.Asweeter,kinderperson didn’texistsofarasheknew
“The estates not in the earldom’s entail Hillcrest, the northernmost property, for certain It’s been losing money the longest.”Folderpickeduponeofthepages.“DudleyHouseinEssex,althoughit’sinsuchneedofrepair,itwillscarcelyfetch enoughtopaythemortgage AndCharringPark ”
“CharringParkaswell?”Geoffreygrippedthechair armsuntil hisknucklesturnedwhite.Thatestatehadcomefromhis mother, as part of her dowry She’d loved it so, she’d spent everysummer there withhimand his sisters whentheywere children.Tellinghertheywouldhavetosellwasn’tanordealhe’drelishlivingthrough.
Geoffreyglanced atitand nodded. He was handingitbackwhensomethingtold himto take a closer look. Holdingthe papercloser,hestaredatthesignaturethatwasverylikehisown butnotquite.“No,damnit.Itisacleverforgery,butitis notmywriting Butwho ” GoodGod “Griffin The manhadseenmysignature a thousandtimes Ofcourse he couldhave forgedit.Butwhy?Icleareduphisaccountsafterhisdeathandhehadnomorethanahundredpoundstohisname.”
“Butwhynottell me the truthaboutthe estates? ThenIcould have done something.” Ifhe’d onlyknownaboutthe dire straitsofhisfinances,Geoffreycouldhavemadedecisionsaboutsomanythings,madeotherinvestmentswiththedwindling funds
Wasabetrayalanactualbetrayalifitwasdonewithonlygoodintentions?Geoffreyshookhishead.Hewouldhavetoput allthoughtsofMr.Griffinoutofhismindfornowandconcentrateonhowtogetoutofthemesshisformerstewardhadlanded himin.“Howmuchmoneyarewetalkingabouttokeeptheearldomfromruin,ifwedosellHillcrestandDudleyHouse?”He stillhopedtoholdontoCharringPark,forhismother’ssakeandsimplytokeepsomeremembranceofhischildhoodalive The thoughtofhisownchildrenspendingsummerstherewastooprecioustodiscardatamoment’snotice.“IfIcouldraiseatleast partofthatsum,andspeakwithmycreditors,perhapsitwouldkeepussolventlongenoughtobeabletosalvagetherest”
Mr. Folger shookhis head, thenquoted anamountthatalmostmade Geoffrey’s jaw drop. He’d had no idea the situation wassodire.Headreeling,Geoffreycouldn’tsayanythingforseveralminutesasthestaggeringsumkeptrepeatingitselfover and over inhis mind. At last Geoffreypulled himself together and rose. “Thankyou, Folger. I appreciate your candor and togetherIbelievewecanbegintoturnthingsaround.”
Risingas well, the steward sighed “Lord Longford, Iamheartilysorryto do this, butImusttender myresignation I’ll serve out mytwo weeks’notice and help youinanywaypossible duringthat time, but I fear I cannot ingood conscience remaininyouremploy”
At those fateful words, Diana Edgerton’s heart beganto race. She’d beenexpectingthis visit fromher uncle’s executor almostsinceshe’dmovedbackinwithherAuntFrancesjustafterUncleGeorgedied Atlonglasttheanticipationwasover Shecouldscarcelybelieveit.
“Fetchmyauntfirst,Lucy.ThenbringMr.Bonifacehere.”
Waitingforwordfromheruncle’sexecutorthat,aftermorethanayearofdisputes,UncleGeorge’swill hadfinallybeen settled had beenexcruciating. Whenshe’d offered to be her uncle’s housekeeper and caretaker for the lastyears ofhis life, she’dneverexpectedhimtoleavehersuchanastonishinginheritance Shewascertain,hadhercousinsrealizedtheextentof theiruncle’swealth,theywouldhaveclamoredandfoughtherfortheopportunitytotakecareofhim.Theyhadnot,however, andhe’dtreatedthemaccordingly.
WhenUncle George had died, however, and Mr. Boniface had contacted her, she discovered her uncle’s stories had all beentrue AfterreturningtoEnglandforthelasttime,he’dsoldtheshareshe’downedintheEastIndiaCompanyand,inhis will,hadleftalltheconsiderableproceedstoher,citingherdevotiontohimasthereasonforhisgenerosity.
Her cousins had, of course, protested and disputed the will, but Uncle George had apparently expected that and made provisionsforthem,thoughleavingDianathebulkofhisestate.Ithadtakenheraback she’dbeeninmourningforheruncle whenthefirstletterhadarrivedfromMr.Bonifaceandshehadn’tquitebelieveditatfirst.Butheraunt hermother’ssisteron theothersideofthefamily hadreaditthoroughlyandassuredDianathatonedayinthenot-too-distantfuture,shewasgoing tobeaverywealthyyoungwoman.
Apparentlythatdaywastoday
“Aunt Frances,” Diana turned to her aunt as she entered the comfortable drawing room, her whole body shaking “Mr. Bonifacehascometocall”
“SoIhear,mydear.”Her auntsettledherselfonthesofanexttoDianaandgraspedher shoulders.“Getyourselfwell in handbeforeLucysendshimin.”
Diana wasn’tsure she could getherselftogether well enoughfor this meeting, butshe tooka deep breath, thenletitout slowly.Withaglanceatherauntforreassurance,shesetwhatshehopedwasaserenesmileonherlipsandwaitedforherlife tochange
“We are veryhappyto meetyouas well, Mr. Boniface. Do have a seat.” AuntFrances indicated the comfortable Queen Annechairacrossfromthesofaandtheyallsat,calmtotheeye,thoughDianacouldscarcelysitstill Herauntrangthebell “Willyoutaketea,Mr.Boniface?”
“Thankyou,Mrs Beaumont Thatwouldbenice”Thegentlemanbusiedhimselftakingpapersoutofasatchel “Theseare thepapersdetailingallthedisputesregardingthetermsofthewillputforwardbyyourcousins.Theyhavebeendulynotedby the courts and ineachand everyinstance were struckdown.” Mr. Boniface gave a little chuckle as he shuffled the papers. “Your uncle’sprudentbequesttoeachofyour cousinsintheamountofoneshillingassuredthecourts hewas ofsoundmind whenmakinghiswill,whichbothcourtstookintoconsideration.”
At those words Diana’s breath stopped completely and she stared at the little man across from her, transfixed by his statement Suchanamountofmoneywasundreamedof “Diana?”Heraunt’skeengazeregisteredherconcern.“Areyouallright,mydear?” Dianagaspedandgaveherselfashake.Thiswasnotimetoswoon.“Yes,aunt.Butit…itquitetookmybreathawaytohear what I’ve inherited” Almost beyond her comprehension How was she ever to know how to manage such a vast sum? “I scarcelyknowwhattosay,Mr.Boniface,otherthanthankyouvery,verymuch.”
“Yourbetrothed”Thegentlemanfrowned,thenhisfacecleared “Idobegyourpardon,butIassumedyouwerestillMiss Edgerton. Whatis your married name, mydear? We will need thatfor the transference offunds. Your husband will need to approveyourhavingaseparatebankaccountofcourse Unlessyouwishtoholdonejointlywithhim”
Diana cut her gaze over to Aunt Frances whose face was frowning as well. Oh, dear lord. What had her uncle done? “UncleGeorgetoldyouIwasbetrothed?”
“Hedid”Thesolicitorpulledthemassofpapersoutofherhands,siftedthroughthemuntilhepluckedoutoneparticular sheet.“Ihadvoicedconcernstohimthatifheleftsuchavastsumofmoneytoyou,asheltered,unmarriedyoungwoman,you might not understand how to manage it, or allow yourself to be taken advantage of by some scoundrel At which point he informedmethatIneedn’tworrybecauseyouwerebetrothedtoaLordMerryweather.”
Inwardly, Diana groaned “I confess I did tell my uncle that, Mr Boniface He had become concerned about me as he neared the end ofhis life because Iwasn’tmarried, wasn’t settled, as he put it. So Itold hima little white lie. Iamgood friendswithLordMerryweatherbuttoldmyunclewehadanunderstanding.”Dianatwistedherhandsinherlap.She’dsimply notwantedheruncletofretaboutherwhenhewasalreadyfeelingsopoorly “IsupposeIledhimtobelieveIwasengagedto LordMerryweather,whichIam,infact,not.”
Grittingher teeth, Diana’s gaze traveled downthe lines of copperplate handwritingto her uncle’s signature, thento the spiderywritingbelowit
To ensure that my niece will have the best management of her inheritance, I make this stipulation that in order for her to inherit my fortune she must be married at the time she receives the money If she be not married within a week of the settling of the estate, she shall instead receive one shilling and the rest of the sum in its entirety will pass to a charity of my choice, which I will make known to my executor, Mr Boniface Signed by my hand this 13th day of August, 1818
Horrified,Dianareadthelastportionofthewill twice,hopingagainsthopeshe’dreaditwrongthefirsttime.Butno,it wasrightthere,unmistakable Her uncle’swordswereabsolutelyclear Shemustmarrywithinasingleweekor loseall her inheritance.
Diana clutched the paper so tightlyshe feared it might rip. Little good it would do her anyway, tornor not. There was simplynowayshecouldfindamanwhowouldmarryherwithinsuchashortperiodoftime Notwithherreputationwithinthe ton. Her cousins’malice mightjusthave prevented her frominheriting. They’d probablyrejoice ather misfortune, although noneofthemwouldbenefitfromtheiruncle’sestate Whatahorriblemessthishadturnedinto
She’dforgottenherauntsatbesideher.“Oh,AuntFrances,thisisterrible.ThewillisinsistingImarry…within a week!” “What?”
Dianagrabbedthewillbackandthrustthesheetsintoheraunt’shands,thenburiedherheadinhers “Readthat!” Ifonlyher forayinto Societyduringthe Seasonhad borne fruit. Her aunthad worked veryhard to secure invitations to several entertainmentsduringtheSeason althoughthey’dbeendeniedadmittancetoAlmacks tryingtocontrol thedamage her cousins had caused. Her aunthad pointed outthatshe would soonbe anheiress and the ton was notorious for turninga blindeyetoscandaliftheruinedpartypossessedagreatdealofwealth.Anditmighthaveworkedbecausetherehadbeenthat onewonderfuloutingwithLord
Diana’s face seemed to burst into flame as she recalled the lookonthe gentleman’s face as he sat inthe waters of the Serpentinewithallthe ton lookingon Oh,butshewouldneverlivedownthatshame Whowouldwishtomarryaladywho had done somethingso egregious and thenhad runaway? So ifshe had to marryinorder to gainher inheritance, her hopes werewellandtrulydashed “Myuncleapparentlydidn’tthinkIwascompetentenoughtomanagehismoneyonmyown He’s insistingImarrywithinaweekorIforfeitallthemoney.”Itreallydidn’thelptohearthewordsspelledoutforheraunt.“What amIgoingtodo?”
“Would Lord Merryweather perhaps consider a marriage ifhe knew ofthe inheritance youstand to gain?” Mr. Boniface venturedthesuggestionhesitantly.
Glancingather aunt, Diana shrugged “Isuppose Icanwrite to himand ask Ihaven’tseenhimfor some time now He wasn’tinTownduringtheSeason.ButIcantry.”
Staringatthe gleamingblue and white China teapot, Diana could thinkofnothingsave all thatmoneythatbyrights was hers,goinginsteadtosomecharity.Allbecausehercousinshadstartedthathatefulrumorabouther.
THE TEEMING CUT crystaltumblerofbrandyhisbestfriendThomas,LordBraetonhadthrustintohishanduponhisarrivalhad meredropsinthebottombythetimeGeoffreyhadapprizedhisfriendofhisdirecircumstances.Thespiritshadhelpedhimget throughthe difficultconfession, butGeoffreyremained stone cold sober as he finished his tale inthe libraryofhis friend’s countryestateinWestSussex.“Iknowit’smyfaultandmyfaultalone,Thomas.Ishouldhavekeptabettereyeonthings.But damnit,Griffinhadservedmyfatherforoverthirtyyears.WhywouldIthinkhewouldkeepsuchlossesfromme?”
Geoffreywinced “I’dthoughtofthat,ofcourse,butonlyasalast-ditcheffort ItseemssoMachiavelliantome,theends justifyingthemeansasitwere.Orworseusingtheladyasacatspaw,atooltogetwhatIneed.”Heshookhishead.“Youare the intellectbetweenus, Thomas I’d hoped you’d have somethinga bitless rapacious to offer I’d prefer to marrya ladyI know,andwithwhomIhavesomethingincommon.OneforwhomIfeelatleastamodicumofaffection.”
“The two former I cancertainlyoffer,” Geoffreypeered into the emptyglass and sighed. “The latter two I doubt many ladies ofmyacquaintance would agree with. Ifyouhave notnoticed, Thomas, Ido notalways have the kindestofmanners. EvenIknowItendtobegruffandsometimessurlyifvexed Asforbeingalovinghusband,”hegrunted,“IdonotknowthatI willeverbeabletomakethatclaim.EspeciallytoawomanIammarryingfirstandforemostforhermoney.”
“Well, ofcourse Iwill make everyeffort to love her.” Geoffreywould make the attempt, althoughhe had grave doubts aboutthesuccessoftheendeavor.Heknewhimselftoowellnottowherewomenwereconcerned.Tryashemight,whenoutin Societyhealwaysseemedtodoorsaythewrongthing Andwhenanythingwentwrong,ofcoursehistemperdidgetthebetter ofhim.AsithadthathorribledayinJune.Heshudderedatthethought.
SEATED IN THE cramped office of a rather peculiar establishment her aunt called The Lyon’s Den, Diana looked around cautiouslyatthepilesofpapersstrewnoverthesmalldesk,thepicturesofwomeninstrangeposesonthewalls,andtheornate goldenbirdcageonastandbehindthedeskwhereapairoflovebirdsfluttered,squeakingamicably.AuntFrancessatbeside her,waitingpatientlyforsomeonesheknewtocometalktothemaboutfindingDianaahusband.Thatwasallheraunthadtold heronthewayover,althoughDianahadn’tlikedthesoundofitwhenheraunthadcalledthewomantheyweregoingtoseea matchmaker.
Ofcourse,DianaknewshehadtomarrysomeoneorloseallthemoneyUncleGeorgehadlefther Sheonlywishedshehad time to find a manshe atleastliked and respected. The bestshe could hope for now was someone she could tolerate. Why hadn’tUncleGeorge,orattheveryleastMr Boniface,toldheraboutthemarriagestipulationbeforenow?Butthentheyboth thoughtshewasalreadybetrothed.Ifonlyshehadn’ttoldherunclethatlittlewhitelie,shemighthavehadmorewarningabout thesituation.Shecouldn’thelpbutthinkthecardswerestackedagainsther.
The door opened suddenly, making Diana jump as a short woman entered wearing black clothing including a veil that obscuredherface.Hadshehadarecentdeathinherfamily?Dianapeeredcloserattheswathedfigure.
“Mrs Dove-Lyons,how goodofyoutosee us” AuntFrances stoodandmotionedfor Diana torise as well “IamMrs HenryBeaumont.Idoubtyou’drememberme,butwemetonce ”
“Almost twelve years ago, Mrs Beaumont” The shrouded figure nodded “You were Miss Reed then, about to marry CharlesNichols.”
Aunt Frances’s words made Diana’s head swivel toward her so quickly, her neckpopped She leaned toward her aunt, intentonaskinghertoexplain,butAuntFrancesshookherheadslightlyandDianashrankback,shockedandpuzzled.She’dno ideaheraunt’smarriagehadbeenarranged
“Iamhappyto hear youare still pleased withyour marriage.” Mrs. Dove-Lyons satand indicated for themto take their seatsoncemore
“Mr.Beaumontisthekindestofhusbands,Imustsay,Mrs.Dove-Lyons.Icouldn’thaveaskedforabetter.He’sfromhome at the moment and I miss himsorely.” Aunt Frances smiled at the lady. Uncle Henry, a classics scholar, was currently in SwitzerlandasabearleaderforagroupofyounggentlemenonaGrandTour Dianasankdownontothechair,stillstaringatheraunt.Todaywasadayforrevelations.
“WhatcanIdoforyou,Mrs Beaumont?”
“Myniece,MissEdgerton,needstomarryandquickly.”
Although she couldn’t see the woman’s face for her veil, Diana could imagine Mrs Dove-Lyons’ expression at that statement and interjected, “Inorder to inherit myuncle’s fortune, ma’am. It’s a stipulationof his will that I marrywithina week.”
“Sixandahalfdays,tobeexact”AuntFrancesputin “AnddearDianahasnoacquaintanceforwhomshehasa tendre or specialaffection.Withtimesoshort,Itoldherwemustconsultwithyouifsheistofindasuitablegentlemanintime.”
“No, there’s not” That, ina nutshell, was the problem Diana didn’t know manyyoungmen, save her cousins who she wouldn’tmarryonabet.Andnoneoftheyounggentlemenshe’dmetatthefewentertainmentsshe’dattendedduringtheSeason wouldlikelybewillingtotiethemselvestobasicallyaruinedwoman Also,itwasahugeriskforhertotake,onmarriagetoa youngmanthatmightlastthirtyorevenfortyyears.
“CouldImeetwithSirHarry,Mrs.Dove-Lyons?”Dianahadtosteelherselftoaskthequestion,butmeetingthegentleman didn’t constitute accepting his proposal. Perhaps he would be kindly, as her uncle had been. Older gentlemen needn’t be unpleasantcompanions
The mannodded and withdrew There was a flurryofthuds as he raced downthe stairs and Diana turned backto Mrs Dove-Lyons.“Youarecertaintherearenoothergentlemenlookingforawife?Averyrichwife.”
The figure inblackshrugged “These things runincycles, mydear NextweekImayhave a dozenmen, youngand old, seekingawifeandnopartnerstobefoundforthem.”
Afaintchuckle fromthe blackgarbed womangave Diana the feelingMrs Dove-Lyons had forgivenher anysocial faux pas.“MyfortunesriseandfallasthoughIwerecaughtinaperpetualsquall,MissEdgerton.IweatherthestormasbestIcan.” Shesatbackinhertall,leatherchair “Doyouhaveacontingencyplan,intheeventSirHarryisunwillingtomeetyourterms? Youraunttellsmeyourequireyourfuturebridegroomtorelinquishallrightstoyoursubstantialfortune.There’snotmanywho woulddothat.”
“Ihopetoenticethegentlemanwithaweddinggiftofcashorproperty,whicheverheprefers Thatwillbeallhereceives ofmyfortune, butIintend to be generous.” Diana shota lookather aunt. She hadn’tdivulged thatlittle partto anyone until now “Thatwayhewillbecompensatedandhopefullynotexpectmoremoneyoverthecourseofthemarriage” “Dependingonthegentleman,theremaybeothercompensationshewouldbehappytoacceptaswell.”
AlthoughDianacouldn’tseethewoman’sface,sheimaginedaleerofepicproportionsonMrs.Dove-Lyon’slipsandher cheeks flushed. “With the possible exception of Sir Harry, with any other gentleman such ‘compensations’ will be nonnegotiable.”
“Eavesdroppinginplainsightis particularlyrude, Diana.” Speaking sotto voce, her auntpulled her backward until she wassittingproperlyoncemore.“Andrarelygainstheresultsyouwishfor.Mrs.Dove-Lyonswill tell usthenewsshortlyin anycase”
The conversationcontinuedbetweenthe footmanandthe proprietress,carryingonlonger thanDiana hadexpected.What didthemanneedtosayotherthanSirHarrywasonthewayornotcomingatall?ShesentapuzzledlooktoAuntFrances,who shrugged and continued to wait peaceably. How her aunt could do so was beyond Diana. Of course, her aunt’s future and fortunewerenotatstakeasherownwere Dianaclutchedthepurse-stringsofherreticuleandredoubledhereffortstoremain calm.
A heavy footfall in the hallway had Diana sitting straight up and leaning over to try to peer out the door A spark of excitement,asliverofhopethatsomehowthiswasallgoingtocomerightshotthroughherasshestrainedtoseethepromised gentleman.
“THIS IS NOT Sir Harry Bowles, Mrs Dove-Lyons” Miss Edgerton’s face had gone a deep red shade that was totally unbecomingtoher.Notthathethoughtanycolor wouldbebecomingonthisinconsideratewoman.Geoffryhadtoclenchhis teethinordertokeepfromgrowlingindisgust.
Mrs. Dove-Lyons had miscalculated badlyifshe thoughthe would marrythis…this irresponsible womanjustto gainthe moneytokeephisestates He’dsellthemalllock,stock,andbarrelbeforehe’dstandupwithMissDianaEdgerton Shemust haveheard,as hadthewhole ton, abouttheir encounter lastJune.Thatwas the reasonthe ladyhadneglectedtotell himthe nameoftheprospectivebridewhensheaskedhimtocomewithher
Miss Edgertongaspedandclaspedthehandofher aunt.Ofcoursethetwoofthemmuststill bethickas thieves.Neither one had acted withanydecencythat afternoonhe’d give anythingto be able to forget. That debacle at the Serpentine was etchedintohismemory,more’sthepity Memoriesofafternoonwalksshouldbepleasant,andnotinvolveaplungeintomurky water and the appearance ofanamphibianthathad made himsucha laughingstock, he’d quitLondonthe nextday. Uponhis returntoTownhe’ddiscovered,tohisdisgust,someirreverentmembersofthe ton werecallinghim“ToadLongford”
Geoffreywincedatthatdescriptionofhimself,althoughhehadtoadmititwasdeadlyaccurate.Hewasnowagentleman looking to woo a lady with a fortune. Almost nothing else about the lady mattered except she couldn’t be Miss Diana Edgerton. “I do beg your pardon, Mrs. Dove-Lyons, but I’mafraid I must decline to make any offer of marriage to Miss Edgertonatthistime.”Helookeddownhisnoseandtriednottopursehislipsindisgust.“AsIdonotthinkwewouldsuitat all”
Theladyinquestionnoddedherheadsoquickly,sheseemedlikeapuppetwhosestringswerebeingyankedbythepuppetmaster “I never believed I’d have cause to agree withyou, Lord Longford, but I find that inthis matter, we are inperfect agreement.IcannotmarryagentlemanuponwhomI…I,”theladypausedamoment,thenstraightenedhershoulders,“cannot depend.”
Geoffreytriedtokeephisfacefromregisteringhisdeepdispleasure DamnThomas’smeddling He’dsenthimofftothe Lyon’s Denthis afternoon, sayinghe’d meetGeoffreyhere intime for themto walkaround and dine atWhite’s. Damnation. Thatwasanotherexpensehe’dneedtoforegointhefuture He’dbettersavortonight’srepastwhilehecould “IamafraidLord Braeton may have spoken out of turn, ma’am. As I said, I came to waste some time at the tables before dining with Lord Braeton,nothingmore.”
“Then you are not seeking to marry a fortune, Lord Longford?” Miss Edgerton cocked her head, her eyes bright with feignedinterest.“IamcertainIheardsomeone sayjusttheother daythatyou were inneedofa richwife.” The ladysmiled sweetly “WhyelsewouldyoucomeheretomeetaladyoffortuneatMrs Dove-Lyon’srequest?””
MissEdgerton’sfacedrainedofallcolorandshesqueezedheraunt’shanduntilherknucklesturnedquitewhite Instantly, Geoffreyregretted his words. Theywere, ofcourse, true. The lady’s cousins had spentthe pastyear spreading vicious rumors about Miss Edgerton, implyingthat she and her uncle had beencarryingona torrid affair and that was the reasonhe’dleftallhisconsiderablefortunetoher.TherumorshadcometoGeoffrey’searsevenbeforehemetherlastJune, althoughhe’dimmediatelydismissedthemasrathernastysourgrapesofferedbyrelativeswhohadn’tattendedtheunclewhile hewasaliveyetexpectedtobecompensatedathisdeath.He’dnoregardwhatsoeverforMissEdgertonnow,stillhewouldn’t disparagehervirtuewhenhedidn’tbelievetheclaimstobetrue.“Ibegyourpardon,MissEdgerton.Thatwasungallantofme. Ididheartherumorsthatwereputabout,howeverIwishtoassureyouthatIputnocredenceintheirallegationswhatsoever I wouldnotwishyoutothinkIdidso.”
AFTER AN UNSATISFACTORY meal withThomas thefoodwas excellent,however theconversationaboutThomas’s indiscretion regardingMrs Dove-Lyons and Geoffrey’s financial predicamentwas less thanappetizing Geoffreyarrived backhome at LongfordHouseinGrosvenorSquare,wonderingwhenandhowhewasgoingtotellhismothertheywouldneedtogiveupthe Londonproperty nearlyall thepropertiesinfact How he’ddothat,though,wasthepressingquestion Thewhenhadtobe soon.Thenextquarter’sbillswouldbedueonJanuaryfirstandaccordingtoMr.Folger,allthepropertieswouldneedtobe soldinordertomeetallthedebts.Thatdidn’tgivehimmuchtimeatalltofacilitateallthesales.
OverdinnerThomashadbroughtupthenamesofseveralyoungladies,andsomenotsoyoung,whoallhadfortunesenough that if Geoffrey married them, his monetary woes would be at an end. Geoffrey had staunchly shot down each and every suggestion,alwayswiththesamethought: ifhecouldsell enoughoftheproperties,hecouldstemthetideofmoneythatwas goingoutofhiscofferswiththespeedandmalevolenceofastorm-tossedwavecrashingontotheshore.
Something within him fought harder than ever, protesting the idea of marrying a young woman of whom he had no knowledge and for whomhe had no tender feelings whatsoever. Arranged marriages had gone out of fashion and although Geoffreywas notknownfor settinganyfashiontrends, he was certainthatmarryingfor love was a muchbetter proposition thantyinghimselftoapersonhedidn’tknow His parents’marriagehadbeenarrangedtoanextent,althoughthey’dmetone anotherbeforethebetrothal.HowFatherhadmanagedtocometotermswithhisheadstrongwifeuntiltheyactuallyfellinlove wasamysterytoGeoffrey Hadheknownwhatwasinstoreforhim,he’dhaveaskedhisfatherforadviceonhowtonavigate marriagewithastranger.
Thomashadbeenincrediblyluckytohavemarriedaladyheknewnotatall,butonehehadeventuallyfalleninlovewith. Geoffrey did not trust that he would be so lucky. The times had changed in favor of love matches, and for once Geoffrey intendedtogowiththetimes.
Helethimselfinthewhiteframeddoorway,touchingthebrasslion’sheadashealwaysdidwhenentering,gavehishatand coattothebutler,thenheadedforthefamilydrawingroom.Hismotherandsisterwerelikelytheretakingteaaftertheirdinner. Theyhad come to Townwithhiminorder to visitwithfriends ofhis mother’s, inpreparationfor Joanna’s come outinthe spring.Aneventthatnowmighthavetobepostponed.
Byallrightsheshouldgoonandtellthemthesituation He’dnotbeenunluckyatthetablesatTheLyon’sDen,buthealso knew he didn’thave enoughskill atcards to winthe fortune he needed. Neither was he willingto wager his lastremaining fundsontheoddwagersforwhichTheLyon’sDenwasfamous
So he was backto economizingto the bone and sellingthe minor properties, hopingtheyfetched enoughcapital to keep themafloatuntilthenextcropscamein.TheycouldpostponeJoanna’scomeoutforanotheryear.
In his heart, however, Geoffrey had to admit his youngest sister had always been his favorite Seeing her bright spirit aroundthehouseeverydayhadhelpedhimimmeasurablyafter their father’s untimelydeath.They’dall beendevastated,but Joannahadborneitbetterthananyofthem,comfortingthemallwithherserenepresenceandunfailinglyhopefulmannerevery day
IfhehadtopostponeherSeason,she’dbesorelydisappointed,butwouldacceptthedecree,hewascertain,withherusual poise She’dtakeitinherstride Andhewouldmakesurenextyear,therewouldbeenoughmoneytobringheroutproperly Geoffreyshookthoughtsofhissister’swoebegonefaceoutofhismindasheclimbedthestairstothefirstfloorandheaded towardthelarge,comfortablebluedrawingroomfromwhichhecouldhear Joannaplayingaspritelytuneonthepianoforte. Shediddearlylovetoplayandwasexcellentattheinstrument.He’dlovenothingsomuchastositdown,haveMotherpour hima cup of tea, and relax as Joanna played one of her pieces by Handel. But if he did that, he wouldn’t have the heart afterward to give themthe devastating news And once he imparted to themthe truth about their dire circumstances, there wouldbenopeaceforanyofthem.
Still, he would atleastenjoyone cup oftea before allowingthe sword ofDamocles to descend onall ofthem “Good evening,Mother.Thatisaveryprettytune,Joanna.”Geoffreyseatedhimselfbesidehismotherandacceptedacupofteawith onelumpofsugaronly.“Isthatanewpiece?Idon’tthinkI’vehearditbefore.”
“Goodevening,Geoffrey.” Mother presentedher cheek,whichhe kissed,thensatbackwithhis tea,tryingtorelaxfor a fewminutesatleast.
“It’saScottishsong,‘Music,LoveandWine,’byMr Beethoven”Joannalookedupfromthekeyboardofthepianoforte, allsmiles.“IborroweditfromClarissaJohnstoneandwillstartcopyingittomorrow.ButIcouldn’twaittohearit,soIstarted playingitassoonaswecamehome”Shelookedathimthoughtfully “Willyoucomeandsingitwithme?Itisintwoparts” Before Geoffreycould evenopenhis mouth, his sister had jumped up fromthe piano and thrownher arms around him. “Pleeeease,Geoffrey?Itwouldbesomuchfuntosingaduetwithyouagain.We’venotdoneitinages.”
“Not as enjoyable as they usually are.” Geoffrey kept his gaze on his cup as he sipped. “There were some topics we touchedoninwhichwedifferedsignificantly.”
“Well,I’mcertainyoutwowillcometoanaccordsoon You’veneverhadafallingoutofanyconsequencesinceyouwere born.” His mother smiled her amused smile, still mostlikelyseeinghimand Thomas as lads ofeightor nine instead ofthe twenty-eightyearstheywerenow “I’llinvitehimtodinnerwhilehe’sinLondon Thenyou’llbothhavetobehaveinfrontof Joannaandme.”
“I’mcertainThomaswouldlovetoseeyou,Mother”Atleasthecouldrelyonhisfriendnottoscoldorharanguehimin frontofhis family.Unlike their dinner tonight.“Youmustsendaninvitationtohimsoon,however.Idon’tthinkhe means to lingerlonginTown.Hedislikesbeingawayfromhiswifeandthetwins.”
Straightening, Geoffreyheaded for his desk, the mahoganybehemoththat had beenhis father’s, and sat down, the letter clutchedinhishand.Heglancedoveratthesideboard,wishinghe’ddetouredovertherefirstforaglassofbrandy.No,better hedealwiththiswithaclearhead Heunfoldedthepieceofpaperandbegantoreadagain,hiswholebodytensedasifready tofendoffablowitknewwascoming.
Lord Longford,
I have recently had the foresight to purchase the mortgages on several of your properties, including Longford Manor located in Middlesex I am willing, even eager in fact, to relinquish the papers for these properties back to you, if you will, in exchange, allow me to marry your sister, Lady Joanna Longford.
Dandridge,sonofadaylaborer,wasthesoleownerofTheDandy,agamblingdentuckedawayinSt.James,withawild reputationand a clientele ofyoungaristocrats backed bytheir fathers’money How he’d raised the moneyfor suchanelite establishment was a subject of wild speculation in Geoffrey’s circles. Rumors of smuggling, burglary, and extortion ran rampant However, Dandridge had amassed the funds to procure and refurbishthe abandoned haberdasherybythe time he’d turnedtwenty-one,leadingLondonsocietytospeculatethathismoneyhadcomefromunsavoryorillegalsources.Henowalso owned several less savoryhells downinthe SevenDials district, the verythoughtofwhichmade Geoffreyshudder. Every nighttherewasabrawlinoneofDandridge’sestablishments,orastabbing,orashooting.Yetthemanhadmanagedtoamassa fortuneoutoftheprofitsofthegamblingdens.Dandridgehadgainedthereputationofaruthlessmaninthesehells,hehimself sometimesactingasbouncer,breakingheadsandtossingpeopleoutthedooriftheybecametoounrulyorcheated Rumorsof hispatronsbeingbeatenorkilledfornotpayingtheirgamblingdebtsabounded.
If you are willing to come to an accord on this matter, please send me word that we may proceed. If, however, you decline my most generous offer, my solicitor will be contacting you regarding the immediate payment of the twenty thousand pounds owing me.
Twentythousand pounds Analmostunimaginable sum Dandridge musthave boughtup the mortgages oneveryproperty Geoffrey owned. Head spinning, he rose at last and stumbled over to the sideboard, poured a tumbler full of brandy then drained the glass almost at a gulp. The usually steadying burn merely scorched his throat and his already roiling stomach threatenedrevolt Whatthehellwashetodo?
HisfirstthoughtwastomeetwithDandridge,trytopersuadehimagainstthisludicrousdemand.Fortunately,hiscommon sense tookover immediately All thatcouldcome ofsucha meetingwouldbe Geoffrey’s anger gettingthe better ofhimand leadingto analtercationbetweenhimand Dandridge, whichmight leave Geoffreyirreparablywounded or dead. Withher brother outofthe picture, Dandridge would be free to pursue Joanna unfettered, likelywiththreats ofevictionifshe didn’t marryhim.Orworse,hemightconvincehertobecomehismistress.
HisnextthoughtwastocontactThomas,butthatwasfutile Hisfriend,whilecomfortablywelloff,couldneverraisesuch a sumnor would Geoffrey wish himto do so. Selling all the properties was the only solution, although even that was no guaranteetheywouldfetchenoughmoneytopayoffDandridge
He stared at the letter, tryingto reasonit out. Whyhad the manchosento fixate onJoanna of all people? Not that any gentlemaninhisrightmindwouldn’twishtomarryhissister.He’dalreadyrealizedhewasgoingtoberunraggedallsummer keepinga close eye onher duringher Season. Withher dowry, excellentlineage, and the face ofanangel, his sister would likelybe the mostsought-after guestfor everyentertainmentand partner ineveryballroom. Eventhoughshe wasn’toutyet,
Slowly, Geoffreylowered his glass, anidea takinghold ofhim. He hurried backto the desk, pulled pen, ink, and paper towardhimandbegantowritefuriously Momentslater,herangthebell,thenfoldedthenoteandfinishedsealingit Vickersenteredthelibrary.“Yourang,mylord?”
“Well,hehasthebestexcuseofanyoneI’veapproached.”Dianalookedupatheraunt,hermouthpuckered.“Hemarriedin thespring.That’swhyhewasn’taroundduringtheSeason.HewasonhishoneymooninParis.”AndDianawasn’tcompletely sorryhecouldn’tmarryher.AlthoughsheandtheEarlofMerryweatherhadbeenacquaintedsincechildhood,theyhad never seen eye to eye on anything Dante’s interests had run to art, museums, and theaters while she had been more attracted to outdoorpursuits,suchashorsebackridingandgardening.Hehadexquisitetasteandapursethatcouldsupporthisextravagant purchasesofobjects de art “I’dhavebeenunhappyhadImarriedhim”
“Iassureyouthereisnot,aunt”DianatrailedafterAuntFrances,asinkingfeelinginthepitofherstomach Shewasgoing to lose a vastfortune simplybecause no one wished to marryher. “Ihave writtento or spokenwitheverygentlemanofmy acquaintancewhoisnotoneofmycousins,whoIabsolutelyrefusetoconsider TheyarethereasonIaminthispredicament” She flopped downonto the chaise, her auntsittingdownbeside her. Tears welled up inher eyes and she leaned againstthe comfortingshoulder ItwassounfairthatUncleGeorgehadinsistedshemarrybeforeshecouldinherithismoney Didhenot understandhowdifficultthiswouldmakeitforher?“Thereissimplynoonelefttoask.”
Diana satboltuprightand shota lookather aunt “How could youevensuggestsucha thing, AuntFrances? Youwere there. Yousaw what happened. What he said to me.” Four months hadn’t beenenoughtime to erase the embarrassment of everyone staringat her, laughingat her Nor forget Toad Longford sayingsuchawful things to her It hadn’t beenher fault, exactly.Atleast,shehadn’tmeanttopushhimintotheSerpentine.“IwouldbemortifiedeverytimeIlookedathim.”
“Thirtythousand pounds a year cantake awaya lotofhumiliation, niece” Her auntstared calmlybackather “Ifhe is willingtomarryyou ”
Frowning,shetookit,foldedtheedges outwardandcommencedtoreadingthesmall,neatscript.As shereadher frown smoothedoutuntilshelookedatherauntwithhopefuleyes.“ButMrs.Dove-LyonsdoesnotmentionLordLongfordatall,aunt. She says only that there has been a development and if I still wish to wed, I should come to her establishment at noon tomorrow” Diana beamedather aunt “This has nothingtodowithLordLongford There has simplybeena ‘development’ MostlikelyanewsuitorneedingarichwifehaspresentedhimselftoMrs.Dove-Lyonssoshe’ssenttoinformme.I’mcertain suchthingshappenallthetime”Shedidwishsuchthingshappenedto her allthetime Iftheydid,she’dsurelyhaveahusband bynow.“Wemustgoimmediatelyafterluncheon.”
Herauntrosewithashakeofherhead.“ItrulythoughtshemeantLordLongfordhadhadachangeofheart.Still,whatever the development,itmustbode well for you.” Her auntrangthe bell andwhenthe servantappeared,askedfor their hats and
“Diana!”AuntFranceslookedatherasthoughsheweremad “WemustgoatoncetoTheLyon’sDen Theletterwassent yesterday.” WhenDiana looked at her blankly, she shookher head and sighed heavily. “She means for us to come bynoon today It’salreadyhalf-pasteleven Ifwearelucky,wewill justmakeitintime”AuntFrancesgrabbedher armandtugged hernonetoogentlyoutintothecorridorandtowardthefoyer.
PACING BACK AND forthintheclutteredcubbyholeMrs Dove-Lyonscalledanoffice,Geoffreycursedhimselfandhisluckfor aboutthe fiftiethtime. He was aboutto make the ultimate sacrifice and agree to marrya womanwho had humiliated himin frontofhalfthe ton Nevercouldhebeseeninpublicwithherandnotrememberthatawfulday Nevercouldhetrusthernotto makeafoolofhimagain.Hetookadeepbreath,tryingtodispelhisangerbeforeitgotthebetterofhimoncemore.Still,he’d marryher,anddoitwithasmileifitsavedJoannafrombecomingthewifeofthatviolent,ill-bred,mongrelDandridge.The bluewalls,paperedinageometricpattern,waveredbeforeGeoffrey’seyesuntilheclosedthemandbreatheddeeplytocalm himself.
Itdidn’tmatterthatthemannowmovedinmoreillustriouscircles tryingtobuyhiswayintoasocietythatwantedbadly toshunhim.Unfortunately,moneydidsingasweetsongtothoseinneedandsomehadsuccumbedtoDandridge’ssirensong andintroducedhimtoafewhostesses ThatmustbehowthemannoticedJoannainthefirstplace,althoughhecouldn’tforthe life ofhimthinkofwhere it might have occurred. His sister wasn’t out yet, and so had beenallowed to attend onlya few entertainmentsthispastSeason,andonlythoseheldbyfriendsofthefamily.Geoffreypromisedhimselfthatwhenhisestates weresafeoncemore,he’dinvestigateanddiscoverhowthisdisasterhadbeenallowedtocometopass.
For now, he had to put onhis best pleasant face and be as charmingas he knew how to be, inorder to persuade Miss Edgertontomarryhim Elsehehadnoideawhathewasgoingtodotosavehissister
SoundofadoorslammingsomewhereinthebuildingmadeGeoffreyjumpandwishforastiffdrink.Thomashadofferedto come withhim, butMiss Edgertonmighttake thatas a signofweakness He had to convince her he could be the manwho would make all her dreams come true. Financially, atleast. Mrs. Dove-Lyons had informed himofthe terms ofthe will by whichtheladywouldcomeintoaverysubstantialfortune ifshewaswillingtomarryhimtogetit.Afterthinkinglongand hardaboutit,hehopedhe’dcomeupwithanoffertheladysimplycouldn’trefuseifshewantedtokeepherinheritance
Geoffreywhirled around at the creakof the office door, openingto admit Mrs. Dove-Lyons, Mrs. Beaumont, and Miss Edgerton,thelattertwoladieslookingasthoughthey’dbeenblowninbythewind Heassumedaproudstanceandsmiledas thoughheweregreetingalong-lostrelation.“Mrs.Beaumont,MissEdgerton,howwonderfultosee ”
“Oh,drat”MissEdgertonstoppedstockstill,her wholefaceturningintoafrown “Youwereright,aunt It is onlyLord Longford.”SheturnedtoMrs.Dove-Lyons,impatienceineverylineofher.“Youwrotethattherehadbeenanewdevelopment, ma’am. Lord Longford is hardly that, as he has already refused to marry me. I truly hoped you had the solution to my predicament Timeisrunningout,Mrs Dove-Lyon,andIcannot ”Tearsstartedfromhereyes “Icannotwaste ”
“Buttoads have excellenthearing, mydear.Youmustlower your voice ifyouwishfor us nottoeavesdrop.” The bright blushofredonhercheeksmadeGeoffreybitebackasmile.Thiswasnottimetohavefunatherexpense notifhewishedhis endeavortohavesuccess “Inanycase,IamheretohelpyouinanywayIcan Withbothahandkerchiefandaproposal” MissEdgerton’sheadsnappedup,herdeepblueeyesseekingouthisassteelyasthoughtheywererapiers.“Wedispensed withthatidiocythe lasttime we met, mylord Iremember we were inaccord thatwe would never consider marryingone another.”
“AuntFrances!” The startled lookofbetrayal onMiss Edgerton’s face was nothingshortofcomical, althoughGeoffrey foughtvaliantlytosuppressalaugh.“Whywouldyoutellhimthat?”
“I’mcertainshedoes,Mrs Beaumont”Mrs Dove-Lyon’svoicewasclipped “However,sheneeds,justastheMagdalens do,tohelpherselfifshewantstosaveherfortune.”ShemotionedtoGeoffrey,whostoodstraighter.“LordLongfordiswilling to make an honorable proposal to her If she refuses to take it, her future fortunes may still be enriched by her uncle’s beneficence,althoughthroughadifferentmeansthanshemightwish.”
BothMrs BeaumontandMissEdgertonturnedshockedstaresatthefigureinblackwhileGeoffreyagainhadtobitebacka laughatthesubtlehinttheladymightendupaMagdalen.JustbecausehewaswillingtomarryMissEdgertondidn’tmeanhe wasn’tabove enjoyinga joke ather expense. “Would youperhaps listento myproposal, Miss Edgerton, before turningme downsooutofhand?”
TheladystrodeovertotheleatherchairbeforeMrs.Dove-Lyon’sdeskandflounceddownintoit.“Doyouintendtodrop toone knee as is customary,LordLongford? Imyselfcandowithoutthe dramatics,however ifyouhave setyear heartona properproposal,IdaresayIcanmanagetolivethroughit.”
Morethanwellawareofthesacrificehewasabouttomake,Geoffreystrodeovertostandinfrontoftheladywhoseeyes were snappingsparks like a flint. “I caneagerlydispense withthe kneelingpart of this proposal, Miss Edgerton. I myself prefertothinkofitasatransactionthatwillformabusinesspartnership,sotospeak.Weeachgiveupsomething,butweeach receivesomethingwedesperatelyseekinreturn”
Geoffrey didn’t want to antagonize the woman at least not until they were legally married but he couldn’t help his pointedstareather gown,aserviceablegarmenttobesure,butnotthefirststareoffashionbyanymeans.Certainlynotthe qualityofthegownshe’dworninJune.Whywasn’tshedressedbetternow?“Haveyoubeenaccustomedtomanagingonmore thantenthousandayearbeforenow,MissEdgerton?”
The glare of animosity she leveled at himmight have made himshiver under other circumstances. However, Geoffrey understoodhewasinthegameofhislife,onehehadtowinatallcosts Andagainstamostworthyadversary “No.”Shespitthewordoutasthoughshehopeditwouldwoundhim,preferablyintheheart.
“Ididn’tthinkso.Therefore,wewillbeabletoliveverycomfortablyuntilyourfundsbecomeavailableagainnextyear. Once my estates become profitable again, we will have even more income to help with the running of the households.” Geoffreyhadrelaxedatlast,breathingeasiernowheknewhe’dbeabletopayDandridgeoff.Joannawassafe.
“I did not mean‘no, I haven’t had tenthousand a year,’mylord, althoughof course I have not.” There was no lookof triumphonMissEdgerton’sface,merelyanefforttosethimstraightaboutheranswer.“Imeant‘no,Iwillnotmarryyou.’”
“I will lose the inheritance, yes, aunt, I do know that.” She turned her gaze fromAunt France’s shocked face to Lord Longford’ssoberone.“Ialsoknowthatmarriageisforever.AndithasoccurredtomethatIdonotwishtobemarriedtoLord Longfordforwhatmightbeaverylongtimebythelookofhim”Shecastanappraisingeyeoverhim Thegentlemanlookedto beinhislatetwentiesorearlythirties,andafinerspecimenofahealthymanDianacouldnotimagine.Hetoweredoverher, broadshouldersthatseemedtoextendfarbeyondthenormalrange,ataperedwaist,andlongstraightlegs Themancouldlive fordecades.
“Icannotarguewiththat,MissEdgerton.”ThecastofLordLongford’sfaceremainedsomber.“Themeninmyfamilytend to live well into their seventies, the exceptionbeingmyfather who died ina ridingaccident before he reached his fiftieth birthday.”Thegentlemanshrugged.“YoucouldwagerthatItoowillcometogriefatanuntimelyprematureage.”Hefrowned, thenhisbrowsmoothed “ThatiswhyyouweresoconcernedwithSirHarry Athisadvancedage,youwerewillingtowager you’dbeawidowinratherquickorder.”
“Iunderstand.”Togivehimcredit,LordLongforddidn’thardenhisvoice,didn’tlookdaggersather,ortryinanywayto persuadeher things mightbe differentatsome time inthe future He knew as well as she theyweren’tlikelytochange their opinionsaboutoneanother.
“Thisisaletterfromadearfriendofmine.Shemadeanexcellentmarriage,orsoshethought.Shewasn’toneofmyclients orIwouldneverhavemarriedhertotheman Still,shestuckitoutforfivelongyearsofcruelabuse,onlytofindtheEnglish courts unsympathetic to her petitionfor a divorce. Her husband thendragged her over the pond to America followingsome land deal inthe state ofPennsylvania. Fromher letters to me, Iknow she was evenmore unhappythere. Buteventuallyher fortunes turned as the manlefther and tookup withanother woman” Mrs Dove-Lyons’s head moved fromDiana’s face to LordLongford.“Afterseveralyearsalone,shefellinlove again withagentlemanwhoactuallydoesdeserveheritseems, butofcoursesheisstillmarriedtothemanwhoabandonedher”
“She wrote tellingme she’s petitioningfor divorce fromher husband ongrounds ofdesertion, whichis a valid claimin Pennsylvania.” Mrs. Dove-Lyon shrugged. “She has only to wait a few more months that state requires the spouse to be abandonedforatleastfouryears sosheexpectstoberidofherfirsthusbandinthenewyearandmarriedtothesecondone shortlythereafter”
“Much as England hates to admit it, America is a sovereign country. We want laws governing our citizens such as marriage tobeacknowledgedbythem,soweinturnrecognizetheirs.”Mrs.Dove-Lyonsshrugged.“Myfriendhasresidedin the state ofPennsylvania longenoughtoestablishresidencythere.She andher estrangedhusbandare obviouslynottogether andthestateacknowledgesthat.Thecasefordivorceisheardinthecivilcourtthere,notanecclesiasticalone.Itmakesallthe difference,orsoshesays”
“Can I see her letter, please?” Diana held her hand out and Mrs. Dove-Lyons gave it to her. Diana perused the letter, marvelingathow casuallythe ladyspoke ofthe petitionfor divorce Here inEngland, the subjectwas anathema Still, this schemecouldsolvethemajorimpedimenttotheirmarrying.Finally,shelookedupintothedarkeyesofLordLongford.“Ifyou arewillingtoallowmetodivorceyouoncewereachAmerica,thenIbelievewecanreachanaccord,mylord.”
“I assume we would both need to travel to America for this scheme to work” His brows dipped fearfully over Lord Longford’snose.“Wewouldneedtobeseenasamarriedcouplefor aperiodoftime,thenIwoulddesertyouandreturnto England You would remain in Pennsylvania for whatever length of time the law demands, then petition for divorce” A brooding shadow seemed to touch his face, then suddenly vanished to be replaced by a charming smile. “I think it is an admirableplan,mydear Ifyouarewillingtoputitinmotion,Iamaswell”
Lord Longford held up a finger, his eyes twinkling. “Mrs. Dove-Lyon was kind enough to procure, at my request, the servicesofavicarofanearbyparish Heiswaitingforus,inthe ?”Helookedinquiringlyattheladyinblack
