To Catch a Countess

by Patricia Grasso

  Alexander slid his gaze to his former employee. “What are you doing here?”

  “Mister Bundles works for me,” Victoria said.

  Alexander looked at her. “Doing what, may I ask?’

  “You may ask,” Victoria said, “but I am not required to answer.”

  “We must speak,” Alexander said. “Please, Tory. I beg you to listen.”

  His gaze pleaded for forgiveness. She was in no mood to forgive.

  “I wonder where I’ve heard those words before,” Victoria said, staring into his eyes. “Ah, yes, I remember now. I spoke those very words before you slammed the door in my face.”

  Her husband flushed, apparently uncomfortable with his previous actions. “You know we need to speak.”

  “I will speak,” Victoria said, “and you will listen.”

  Alexander inclined his head. Victoria unfolded the paper and showed him the headline.

  “Everyone in London knows I am stupid,” Victoria began. “When our son is older, people will enjoy telling him that his stupid mother once answered to adultery charges in court.”

  Alexander started to reply. “I doubt that—”

  “Don’t you dare speak,” Victoria interrupted him, wagging a finger in his face. “Dozens of Lydia Stanleys and Miriam Wilmingtons fill society. They won’t forget, and their whispers won’t let me forget.

  “You knew Venetia hated me,” Victoria continued, “and you knew the widow wanted you. You showed your mistresses more respect than you showed your wife.”

  “Your seeming betrayal devastated me,” Alexander admitted.

  “You will find no sympathy here,” Victoria said. “Your indefensible actions betrayed my trust. You allowed those two witches to shred my reputation, and you humiliated me. Publicly.”

  Victoria paused, took a deep breath, and placed the palm of her hand on the mound of her swollen belly. “Mister Bundles, please help me upstairs now. My husband has given me indigestion.”

  Alexander watched her leave. How could he reconcile with his wife if she refused to speak to him? Why would she even want a reconciliation after what had transpired the previous months?

  “Come and sit with us,” Aunt Roxie called. “We must discuss strategy.”

  Alexander crossed the room and sat at the table. “Strategy?”

  The duchess gave him her dimpled smile. “Only sound strategy will earn you a place with your wife.”

  Tinker served the duke his coffee. Then he returned with the duchess’s.

  “I’ll take a black coffee,” Alexander said.

  Tinker looked down his nose at him. “Get it yourself.”

  Duke Magnus rolled his eyes. “Serve the earl his coffee.”

  Wearing a disgruntled expression, Tinker returned to the sideboard and turned his back on them. He poured the earl’s coffee and served it.

  “Did I mention that I take my coffee without spit,” Alexander said, and noted the majordomo’s lips twitch. “I appreciate your loyalty to my wife.”

  “Someone needed to give her loyalty,” Tinker muttered, and pasted an insincere smile on his face. “Would you care for something to eat, my lord?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “I suggest a large piece of humble pie,” Tinker said. “Roasted crow?”

  “You may leave,” Duke Magnus said, “and close the door on your way out.”

  The majordomo exited the dining room and closed the door.

  “Tightly, Tinker,” the duchess called, and the door clicked shut.

  “Alex, darling, Victoria is understandably upset.”

  “I think Alex got that message, Roxie.”

  “Magnus, I am the relationship expert.” The duchess looked at Alexander. “Victoria will return home eventually.”

  “Eventually could be years,” Duke Magnus said.

  “Victoria does love you,” the duchess said, ignoring her husband, “but you dragged her name through the muck and forced her to reveal her disability.”

  Alexander said nothing. He sipped his coffee and waited for strategy.

  “Thankfully, there will be no divorce,” Aunt Roxie continued, “but you must persuade her to go home. Bring your daughters here on Friday. After a family luncheon for five, leave the girls with Victoria for the afternoon.”

  He perked up at that. “I could bring them tomorrow.”

  The duchess shook her head. “You must give her time to consider her options.”

  Alexander didn’t like the sound of that. “What are her options?”

  “Victoria can return home and begin your marriage anew after you have properly prostrated yourself at her feet,” the duchess answered, “or she can live alone all the days of her life.” She gave him a pointed look. “Hmm, I wonder which she will choose.”

  “I’ll wait until Friday,” Alexander agreed, “and I’ll devour an entire humble pie if necessary.”

  “Do not ask her to return home,” Aunt Roxie advised him. “Your daughters will do that for you. Now, we must begin launching Victoria into society before the babe arrives.”

  “Why don’t we wait until she recovers from childbirth?”

  “Society will be invited to the christening,” Roxie said, and looked at her husband. “Naturally, we will host the christening celebration. No one will dare snub us.”

  Duke Magnus nodded. “Yes, dear.”

  The duchess turned to Alexander. “You and Victoria must attend the opera next week.”

  “I doubt Tory will—”

  “Tell her that she must do this to help your daughters gain entry into society when the time comes,” the duchess said. “Rudolf and Samantha will accompany you.”

  “What if someone—?”

  “I’m depending on you to protect her.”

  “Very well, I’ll persuade her to attend the opera if she comes home.”

  “I guarantee Victoria will return home this weekend,” Roxie said, “but you will be waltzing on eggshells for a long time.”

  Alexander nodded. “I trust your judgment.”

  “Wait here, Alex.” The duchess rose from her chair. “I will send Victoria down so you can ask permission for the girls to visit.” She looked at her husband. “Come, Magnus. No gentleman wants an audience when he grovels.”

  Five minutes later, Alexander rose from his chair when his wife walked into the dining room. Her face an expressionless mask, Victoria looked at him and waited for him to speak.

  “The girls miss you,” Alexander said, and noted her expression softened. “Would you be amenable to their visiting you this Friday?”

  A smile touched his wife’s lips, the first smile he’d seen since the previous November. “Yes, I will expect the girls this Friday.” Victoria turned to leave.

  “Tory?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.”

  Victoria inclined her head like a queen granting a favor. Without another word, she walked out of the dining room.

  * * *

  Victoria hurried downstairs as fast as her bulk would allow. Her stepdaughters would soon arrive, and she wanted to greet them in the foyer. Bundles and Tinker stood together near the front door and talked in low voices.

  “There you are, darling,” Aunt Roxie said, walking into the foyer. “I want a word with you before the girls arrive.”

  Victoria crossed the foyer to speak privately. “Yes?”

  “I forgot to mention that Alex will be joining you for lunch.”

  “I didn’t know the invitation extended to him.”

  Aunt Roxie gave her a dimpled smile. “That is because, as I said, I forgot to mention it.”

  Victoria could not believe that. Her aunt had never forgotten anything.

  “The truth is that I planned to invite Alexander for the girls’ sake,” Aunt Roxie said, apparently uncomfortable with the absurd lie. “Those darling cherubs need to feel part of a real family.”

  “You are correct.” After all, her stepdaughters had only seen Venetia and Diana si
nce November. Those witches had no interest in children, especially those born on the wrong side of the blanket.

  Outside, someone banged the knocker on the door. Victoria hurried across the foyer. Tinker opened the door. The three girls rushed inside but stopped short at the sight of Victoria.

  “You grew,” Darcy said.

  “What did you eat?” asked Fiona.

  “A horse?” Aidan said.

  Victoria smiled. “No, this is your brother.”

  “You swallowed our brother?” Darcy exclaimed, eliciting her sisters’ gasps.

  “I did not swallow your brother,” Victoria said, gathering them into her arms. “I missed you.” She kissed Darcy and then Fiona. “And I missed you.” Finally, she kissed Aidan. “And I missed you, too.”

  “We missed you,” Darcy told her.

  “We needed you,” Fiona added.

  “Don’t ever leave us again,” Aidan said.

  “I promise never to leave you,” Victoria said, ignoring her husband’s presence. “Cook has prepared a delicious lunch of roasted chicken with vegetables and potato. And for dessert we’ll have gingerbread and—?”

  “Whipped cream,” all three shouted.

  Victoria and the girls walked down the hallway toward the dining room. She paused and looked over her shoulder. “Are you joining us?”

  “Yes, of course.” Alexander followed them down the hallway.

  Victoria and Aidan sat together at the dining table. Opposite them, Alexander sat between Darcy and Fiona. Bundles insisted on serving them.

  “I don’t like carrots,” Darcy said, and looked at Fiona. “I’ll trade my carrots for your broccoli.”

  “Okay,” Fiona agreed. “I love carrots.”

  “I’ll trade you some of my potato for broccoli,” Aidan said, pushing her plate toward her sister.

  “Ladies, you can eat as much or as little of everything,” Bundles assured them.

  “This is more fun,” Darcy said.

  “And we’re not wasting anything,” Fiona added.

  “How did the baby get inside your belly?” Aidan asked.

  Victoria looked at her husband. “I’ll let you answer this.”

  “The daddy and the mummy go into the bedchamber and lock the door,” Alexander began, smiling at his daughters’ rapt expressions. “God sends His stork with a seed, and the daddy plants the seed inside the mummy. When the seed grows into a baby, the mummy delivers it.”

  “How does the baby get out of the mummy’s belly?” Darcy asked.

  Alexander looked at Victoria. “You take this one, Mummy.”

  “The stork keeps that a secret,” Victoria answered. “The mummy doesn’t know until the time comes.”

  “Will you tell us the secret when you know?” Darcy asked.

  “I will consider it.”

  “We used your magic wand and pixie dust,” Fiona said. “We made the evil witches disappear.”

  “We asked the fairies to bring you home,” Aidan said, “but they took a long, long time before we got our wish.”

  With tears welling in her eyes, Victoria smiled at each stepdaughter. “That is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

  “Daddy married you,” Darcy said.

  “That was a nice thing,” Fiona said.

  “And Daddy missed you, too,” Aidan added.

  Victoria glanced at her husband, and their gazes met across the table. She looked away first, turning her attention to her stepdaughters.

  Lunch ended soon after that. Victoria and the girls walked Alexander to the foyer. “I’ll send my coach for them later,” he said.

  “We will bring them home,” Victoria told him. “Come, girls, let’s sit in the garden.”

  The Duke of Inverary’s London garden was a poor relation when compared to his Newmarket estate. Courageous crocus had signaled spring’s arrival. Yellow forsythia waved at the shy pansies hiding beneath trees beginning to bud. Red, white, and yellow tulips marched in a straight line to border still-empty flowerbeds.

  Victoria sat on a bench and watched her stepdaughters romping in the spring sunshine. She wished she could run with them. The garden door opening drew her attention, and Aunt Roxie walked in her direction. She had never known her aunt to step foot in this garden. She’d bet her last shilling her aunt was manipulating her.

  “How was the luncheon?” Aunt Roxie asked, sitting beside her.

  “I’m surprised you don’t already know.”

  “Darling, I—” Three little girls rushed across the garden to greet her aunt. Each carried a tulip picked from the duke’s garden.

  “These are for you, Aunt Roxie,” Darcy spoke for her sisters.

  Her aunt recovered, wiping the horror from her expression. “Thank you for these lovely tulips, my favorites.”

  When the girls raced away, Aunt Roxie said, “You need to return to Grosvenor Square, Tory.”

  Victoria looked at her but said nothing.

  “You need not forgive you-know-who in order to live in the same house and love your stepdaughters,” Aunt Roxie said. “The longer you wait, the harder it will be.”

  Victoria sighed. The only alternative to returning to Grosvenor Square was running away to America. She wasn’t running anywhere carrying this baby. She couldn’t even get a governess position because she was illiterate.

  “I suppose you are correct.”

  “I am relieved that is settled.” Aunt Roxie stood and called to the girls. “Come here. Mama Tory is going home with you. Let’s go inside.”

  The girls clapped and danced around. “The fairies did it,” Darcy said.

  Aunt Roxie took charge in the foyer. “Tinker, take the girls into the dining room for gingerbread. Bundles, go to your room and pack your belongings. You will be returning to Grosvenor Square with Victoria.”

  “I doubt His Lordship will rehire me.”

  “You work for me,” Victoria said, “and I will be doubling your salary.”

  Bundles hurried to his quarters to pack his belongings, leaving Victoria and Aunt Roxie alone in the foyer.

  “I will supervise packing your belongings and delivering them later.” Aunt Roxie stepped closer and lowered her voice to offer advice. “Make Alex beg to spend a fortune on jewels and gowns and furs.”

  “I don’t want jewels and gowns and furs.”

  “Swallow your tongue,” Aunt Roxie said. “What do you want?”

  “I want a husband who loves me,” Victoria answered.

  “Alexander loves you.”

  “He’s never said so.”

  “Men cannot express their feelings as well as women,” Roxie said, waving her hand in dismissal. “God created woman second because He wanted to correct His mistakes.”

  Victoria laughed at that.

  “Darling, you carry my blood in your veins,” her aunt said. “I have faith in your abilities.”

  Victoria hugged her aunt. “I love you, Aunt Roxie.”

  * * *

  Alexander stepped out of his coach in front of his Grosvenor Square mansion. Had his daughters returned from their visit with Tory? Had they asked her to return home? How much time would pass before his wife came home?

  The front door opened before he reached it. “Welcome home,” Bundles greeted him.

  “What are you doing here?” Alexander asked.

  “Her Ladyship thought you might be missing my services,” Bundles answered. “She offered to double my salary if I returned with her.”

  “My wife is here?”

  “That is what I said.”

  Alexander crossed the foyer toward the stairs. “Where is she?”

  “I believe Her Ladyship is resting.”

  Alexander started up the stairs but paused and turned around. “I worried for your safety after you’d gone and looked for you. I will triple your salary.”

  Bundles smiled at that. “Thank you, my lord.”

  Alexander listened outside his wife’s bedchamber but heard nothing. He opened
the door and crossed to the bed. His wife and daughters were napping together. Smiling, he left the room and headed to his office.

  Alexander walked into the dining room for supper. Only Bundles stood near the sideboard. “Where is everyone?”

  “The young misses supped earlier,” Bundles answered. “The day’s excitement wearied them. Lady Victoria asked for a tray in her chamber.”

  Alexander left the dining room and went upstairs. Reaching his wife’s chamber, he knocked on the door and then entered. Clad in her nightgown and robe, Victoria was sitting on the settee.

  “Welcome home,” Alexander said, sitting beside her. “Are you avoiding me?”

  “We live in the same house,” Victoria said. “That would be difficult.”

  “You haven’t answered my question.”

  “I am not avoiding you,” she answered. “I have survived five stressful months, and I’m tired.”

  “I’m sorry, Tory.”

  “My tiredness is not your fault,” Victoria told him. “My sisters informed me that tiredness is usual in pregnant women.”

  “The five stressful months are my fault,” Alexander said, “and for that I am sorry. I want you to know I never touched Diana Drummond or anyone else. She had sent me a note asking if she could change for the opera here because Venetia and Harry were arguing.”

  When she said nothing, he continued, “I should have recognized the signs of your disability. I will hire a tutor if you want.”

  Victoria glanced at him. “You would be wasting your money.”

  “I never told anyone we were separated,” Alexander said. “I did not tell anyone the reason, but Venetia and Diana told anyone who would listen. I visited Inverary House three times before the hearing, but you were in Newmarket.”

  “Tinker gave me your calling cards,” Victoria said. “Is your sister returning to Australia?”

  “Harry Gibbs has already booked passage.” Alexander hesitated for a long moment. “Your aunt insists we attend the opera next week.”

  “I will never attend the opera again in this lifetime,” Victoria refused.

  “Your aunt insists you need to step into society once before the babe arrives,” he told her. “Inviting society to our babe’s christening celebration will be impossible if we don’t, and we need to start thinking about our daughters’ entry in society.”