“Of course, I am,” Dahlia snapped, “I am visiting Mrs. Amelia Garrity, His Grace’s aunt.”
Mr. Dayton blurted out, “The Duke of Shelthom has an aunt that is a plain Mrs.?”
Roger clenched his teeth. If that did not add insult to injury!
“My Aunt Amelia Garrity, my mother’s youngest sister, married for love since no connection was required of her. Deacon Garrity was an excellent fellow, a bit stiff, but correct in all things. My aunt is now a widow and has kindly consented to keep house for me while I am in London.”
“I pray you, Your Grace,” Mr. Carlyle said, “forgive my young companion. He is fond of Lord Goldstone and is therefore quick to discover fault.”
“The young are often full of folly. He is forgiven,” Roger graciously conceded. “However, he should be aware that I am rather fond of my aunt and growing to appreciate her more each day.”
“She has been most kind to me,” Dahlia added. “I am grateful to have her as a friend and mentor.”
“Could we have a word with the lady in question?” Mr. Carlyle asked. “I was not aware of there being a female in charge of the Duke’s household.”
“Indeed, you may,” the Duke’s aunt bustled in, slipping past the crowd at the door. “And I would like a word with you! What are you about coming here so early, before morning calling hours and interrupting us at breakfast? Nephew, please introduce these gentlemen so that I can properly give them a piece of my mind.”
Roger bit the inside corners of his mouth to keep from grinning broadly. He had so dreaded having Aunt Garrity as part of his household, since he had mostly remembered her as a gray shadow behind Deacon Garrity, but she was more than proving her worth. Every now and then, he could see the likeness to his mother.
“Aunt Garrity,” he said gravely, “And Lady Dahlia, please allow me to introduce Mr. Duncan Carlyle who is a cousin of the Marquess of Bath, and Mr. Cooper Dayton, second son of Sir Reginald Dayton, a merchant who was recently knighted for his contribution to the royal coffers and the general financial health of the nation.” Roger took petty satisfaction in emphasizing the word recently.
“Indeed,” his aunt sniffed, “One does wonder what was so momentous that it required allowing the tea and the omelets to grow cold. The cook will be beside himself.” She looked down her nose at Mr. Dayton as if he were a houseboy who had failed to turn the spit properly and burned the roast.
Mr. Dayton squirmed under that gaze and burst out, “Lord Goldstone challenges the Duke of Shelthom to a duel.”
Dahlia gasped and turned a shade paler. Aunt Garrity’s lips thinned to a firm line.
“Now, now,” Mr. Carlyle said. “That is only if we cannot come to an agreement. If Your Grace would retract the wedding announcement and return Lady Dahlia to her home, all will be forgiven and forgotten.”
Roger felt the beginnings of sardonic laughter bubbling up in his throat, but what erupted out of his mouth was pure, icy rage, “You can tell Lord Goldstone that no member of the house of Shelthom has ever gone back on his sworn word, and that the only way I will send the Lady Dahlia back into her father’s house is if she asks for me to take her there. If the Lord Goldstone had more honor, he would have courted the lady honestly instead of hiding behind permission from her father. Nay, more than that, when she bade him “no” he would have accepted that as her answer.”
He gathered his self-control. He was only a slight hesitation from pasting the pusillanimous little weasel in front of him a magnificent facer. He deliberately uncurled his fingers which had been knotting up into fists. He turned to the crowd that had collected behind him. “Lord Bochil, Mr. Cantor, will you act as my seconds?”
Aaron and Herbert gave quick assent, and he turned to Dahlia and to his aunt, “Ladies, may I escort you back to the breakfast room? I hardly think that the details for a duel are a fit topic for the morning meal.”
Dahlia gave Mr. Carlyle and Mr. Dayton an icy stare, without so much as a nod by way of courtesy.
“I will be glad to accompany you, Your Grace. What was it you were telling me about the properties of gunpowder?” She placed her icy little fingers on the top of his arm, deliberately turning her back on the two morning callers.
Roger escorted Dahlia from the drawing room, and everyone except Herbert Cantor and Lord Bochil followed after him. He felt as if his heart would burst with pride at her magnificent poise and presence of mind.
Now, if I can just make it through the duel, solve the mystery of the missing ships, and get my affairs in order, I will be able to offer an estate worthy of the amazing Lady Dahlia.
Chapter 25
Dahlia made it back to the little dining room before she sank onto a chair sobbing. “Oh, Roger, you cannot, cannot face that awful man in a duel. He has killed three men this summer. If he were to kill you, I could not bear it.”
The Duke sat down beside her, clearly at a loss as to how to comfort her. “My dear, we cannot let it go unanswered. But you are not to worry. Herbert has acted as my second before, and your brother is there to lend his countenance to the proceedings. Goldstone will not have it all his way, I can assure you.”
“But what if you kill him? You will need to flee, for I do not think that gaol will suit you at all.” She clutched at his arm, “Please, Roger. There must be some other way to deal with this.”
“My dear, I have no intention of killing anyone. And I do have a little trick or two up my sleeve that will deal honorably with the situation and keep both me and Goldstone out of gaol.”
Dahlia could feel the tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. “How can that be? He is reputed to be an excellent shot and a magnificent swordsman.”
“My dear, please don’t cry.” Roger brushed at the tears with his thumb, then kissed the corner of her eye where the salty drops ran down her cheek. His lips warm against her skin, exuding gentle comfort. “I have no intention of challenging him to swords or pistols.”
“But, how…?” Dahlia could scarcely see his face for the film of tears in her eyes.
“I shall challenge him to a bout of pugilism. He is a member of my club, and I have observed that he neglects his defense and that if you can get him angry, he waves his arms about like a windmill. I, on the other hand, have no small reputation in this area.”
Dahlia blinked, and the Duke’s smiling face came into focus. “You can do that?”
“I can,” he said. “I am the one being challenged, so I am allowed to select the weapons. I have no intention of killing anyone or being killed, nor do I wish to go to gaol. With that said, no more do I intend to allow Goldstone to continue to harass you with his attentions. It will give me great satisfaction to go a round or two with him, especially after taking a good look at little Tommy’s bruises.”
Just then, Aaron and Herbert came in. Dahlia’s brother was chuckling. “Shelthom, you are a complete hand!” Aaron exclaimed. “Fisticuffs, at your club! That is absolute genius.”
“Thank you, Aaron. I thought it was a nice touch. He can either meet me or he can forgo the challenge.”
Aaron sobered then. “You can count on him to cheat. That is how he managed to kill two men. The third’s pistol blew up in his hand.”
Dahlia gasped, her hand tightening on the Duke’s sleeve.
“I did hear of that,” Roger said, covering her small hand with his large one, protectively. “Have no fear, my Lady, I might not do well at cards or even at the track, but I have kept myself in good fighting trim. The Earl of Goldstone will not have his own way.”
Aunt Garrity sat down in a chair across the table from Dahlia. “Meanwhile,” she said, “We have this matter of the firecrackers. Now that it is daylight, it seems a bit absurd to hide in the central parts of the house. Nephew, have you considered reporting the incident to the Watch?”
“Indeed, Aunt Garrity, I have already done so. But I hardly anticipate any productive response from them. Let us continue to keep everyone to the central part of the house for sleeping
but resume normal activities for the day. What might you be doing on an ordinary day?”
Mrs. Garrity thought for a moment. “Today would hardly be an ordinary day, with my nephew’s future bride guesting with me. I would belike go about with her, paying a few morning visits and perhaps beginning to shop for some special items for the wedding.”
“No, no,” Dahlia said quickly, “that will never do. You are absolutely not to go to extra expense on my account.”
“Nor am I comfortable with the two of you going about the city,” said the Duke of Shelthom. “Goldstone is as like as not to make some dishonorable move despite your wishes. Yet you are right, we cannot simply remain mewed up here waiting for something to happen.”
“Why not bring the action to us?” Aaron suggested.
“The very thing!” Mrs. Garrity exclaimed. “I shall send the footman around with an invitation to Lady Amory and Lady Witley. We need them on our side, for once their tongues start wagging, they will set the whole of London on its ear for a scandal smaller than this one.”
“Must we?” Roger shuddered. “I had tea with them recently. They are a frightening pair of old ladies.”
“I think it might answer,” Dahlia said, scrubbing away the last of her tears with her handkerchief. “They know everyone and everything and are in touch with nearly every member of the ton. While they are not great or powerful themselves, they are excellent conduits of information.”
“And misinformation,” Aaron added. “Don’t forget the outrageous rumor they started last year that someone was deliberately sinking ships sponsored by Lloyds.”
“Did they, now?” Roger leaned forward, with interest. “How very odd.”
“It has been the strangest thing,” Aaron said. “Several important ships seem to have gone astray in the last two years, especially after the signing of the peace treaty.”
“This is common knowledge?” the Duke asked.
“Each ship missing is written up in the papers,” Dahlia said. “I will admit I took only moderate notice of them. I was more interested in the reviews of Miss Austen’s latest books. I was much saddened to read of her recent demise. My sisters and I have spent many enjoyable hours sharing her works.”
“There have also been some accounts of dissatisfaction among factory workers. It was thought that there might be some connection between the grumbling among factory workers and the loss of a couple of the ships,” Aaron put in. “I must own that I was no more observant than my sister. I paid more attention to the unrest than to the ships. Most of the wool from my sheep is sold locally to shops that are doing fine work rather than being shipped off to other regions. A demonstration by a passel of Ned Ludds could severely damage my business.”
“Unrest.” The Roger pondered that. “Is there a way to get a copy of those newspapers?”
“What are you thinking?” Aaron asked, “That we shall have people storming the Old Bailey as they did the Bastille?”
“I should think that the people of England would be more sensible than that,” Dahlia commented.
Roger could think of nothing to say in this regard, but Aunt Garrity spoke up and addressed it. “Dear children,” she said, her voice filled with gentle reproof, “you have no idea what it has been like among the farmers and shopkeepers these last few years. My dear husband did what he could to meet the needs of the people under our care, but too often it was little enough. You can only water the broth so many times before it is of little more value than hot water.”
“Are you saying then,” Roger asked, “that the people are hungry therefore they will riot?”
“That is precisely what I am saying,” his aunt said with some asperity. “My dear Nephew, while you have been liberally running through the money your father laid up, the small farmers and manufacturers who rent the plots on the estate and put up the food and fodder for the main house as a part of their share, have found their portions growing smaller and smaller.”
“Why didn’t anyone say anything?” Roger protested. “I didn’t even really care about the things that I was doing, other than my horses.”
Dahlia clasped his hand gently, with sympathy. Herbert cleared his throat. “Permission to speak frankly, Your Grace?”
“By all means, please do, Herbert,” Roger said with some bitterness.
“There was a time when you came back from the continent, Your Grace, that we all feared for you. The war was hard, and you were worn thin with your command. Then, you were hard-pressed with grief. We were all glad to see you take an interest in life.”
“I? A poorly trained landlord who manage to play my way through more money in two years than my father . . .” The Duke shook his head, not finishing the sentence.
“Not entirely, Your Grace,” Herbert said. “Not entirely. Those of us who were near you know that there was more to it than a few bad hands at cards.”
Roger sighed and looked so weary, that Dahlia thought her heart would break from the deep sadness she saw on his face. “More than I should have, and I should have been wiser. But done is done, and I must move forward with what we have before us. I just hope . . .”
But what he hoped remained unspoken, for the reverberating peal of the door knocker was heard again, followed by Peter’s slow steps in the hall. The butler returned with Mr. Carlyle in his wake, and Mr. Dayton trailing along behind.
“Lord Goldstone accepts your challenge for a bout of fisticuffs to the point of unconsciousness,” Mr. Carlyle said, solemnly delivering a paper embossed with the Earl’s seal.
“But he curses you as a coward, and a bacon-faced backgammon,” Cooper burst out, putting himself forward. “And he will expose before all the world your pusillanimous intent toward … OW!”
Mr. Carlyle trod on Mr. Dayton’s foot, a moment or two late, but the Duke only raised his eyebrows and fixed Mr. Dayton with a stare, as that worthy protested, “Confound it, Carlyle, mind where you are putting your feet.”
Aaron stepped forward, smoothly taking the paper. He read it, then handed it to Herbert. Herbert read it and passed it on to the Duke. The Duke read it, chuckled and handed it back. “Tell Lord Goldstone I will see him three days hence at the appointed time. Inform him that I am pleased for him to bring all the witnesses he wishes. I might bring an audience of my own. The club is well set up for viewing matches.”
“Gentlemen, might I see you to the door?” Peter enquired. “I am sure you have matters to which you should attend.”
This left Cooper and Duncan no choice but to follow the butler out, unless they wished to create a scene.
“Well then,” Roger said, “It seems that the die is cast, and we shall read its tale three days hence. Meanwhile, I would like to get to the bottom of these attacks, and I want to learn whether there have been similar events around the city.”
“I’ll invite the Lady Witley and Lady Amory to tea immediately,” Mrs. Garrity said. “I’m sure they will be delighted to be the first to be informed as to my nephew’s intentions and whether Lady Dahlia has been spirited away against her will.”
“Which she has not,” Dahlia said tartly. “If your nephew’s man had not recognized me, Aunt Amelia, I would be hiding in your attics counting linens and wondering how housemaids manage to combat dust on their clothing. I’ve yet to see one that is not perfectly spotless and clean, even Betsy.”
“Voluminous aprons,” Aunt Garrity said. “A housemaid who appears slovenly will quickly lose her position. She cannot afford to look other than spotless, even when put to cleaning fireplaces and the like.”
“Oh,” Dahlia said, “I think I understand. I must have given myself away a million times over.”
“Only enough to make me think that perhaps this new housemaid should be kept far, far from my nephew, and much too occupied to acquire notions.”
The Duke laughed, placing his hand over Dahlia’s, “And now I have brought her in through the front door as an honored guest.” His large hand felt warm and slightly rough, engulfing her
small one protectively.
Dahlia glanced down, feeling her cheeks grow warm with unaccustomed feeling. “Thank you, Your Grace,” she said, “I am grateful for your protection.”
“Even with firecrackers and sleeping in the chapel?” Roger gave her his full attention.
“Even so, Your Grace. I find firecrackers much less terrifying than Lord Goldstone, and how could I feel less than secure sleeping in such holy precincts?” Dahlia placed her small hand over his large one and gazed up at him with an expression of trust and growing affection.
I would feel secure with you, even if I were sleeping in a dungeon or a dusty garret. But will this sham engagement take you away from me forever? Will Lord Goldstone rob me of a chance for happiness?
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