The shocked widening of his eyes made her feel quite gleeful inside. “Why, Lord Ludbridge, I fear I’ve embarrassed you,” she gasped. “I must seem quite shameless, not to mention, jaded, when I speak of the realities of what you know nothing about.”
Awkwardly, he shuffled his feet and cleared his voice, but daringly he gripped her wrist as he moved her into the shadows where they were shaded from view by a plinth bearing a voluminous plant. “I wouldn’t say that is an entirely correct way of putting things.” He drew in a labored breath as he raised his eyes to the ceiling. “Dear God, Araminta, if only I could have saved you from this horror in which you find yourself.”
Araminta sent him a searching look at the same time as she softly, secretly, stroked the inside of his wrist. “But you can, Lord Ludbridge. You’re going to persuade your brother to give you that letter and you’re get my ruby necklace back for me so that Debenham doesn’t beat me most cruelly.”
She saw the rise and plummet of his Adam’s apple before he shook his head. “I sought out the woman who you mentioned was last in possession of it. I offered her a respectable sum, but she said it had been sold already.”
“Sold? I suppose that doesn’t surprise me. But to whom, Teddy? You surely asked her that so you could then track down this buyer.” She gripped his wrist even tighter and stepped a little closer, turning slightly as she brought his hand, as if incidentally, upon her right breast. “Teddy, if there is one service you can render to keep me safe, this is it.” She drew in a deep breath which made her bosom rise, taking his hand with it. Unable to drag his gaze—or his hand—away, he stared as though mesmerized.
Araminta’s voice became more urgent and a little strangled. “Please, Teddy, you must find my ruby necklace. I don’t have the money to repay you right at the moment, but I promise that I will reward you...however I am able...” She stared meaningfully at him to ensure he understood her, before dropping her voice to a whisper. “Otherwise, I don’t know what Debenham will do to me.”
Teddy dipped his head to put his lips close to her ear, his voice a passionate growl. “I would never presume to take such advantage when I want only to help you, my angel.”
“It wouldn’t be taking advantage, Teddy, you must surely know that!” Placing her gloved hand to her eyes, she whispered, “Darling Teddy, I know it is so wrong of me to say it, but...” She took her hand away to reveal her eyes blazing with passion— certainly, she was sure the expression she strove for could not be mistaken for anything else— “...you cannot know how I have longed to feel your arms about me. The night you asked me to marry you, I was the happiest girl in all of England. No, this planet, Teddy. This universe. And then with Papa in danger of losing all his money, and me being pressured into this marriage with Debenham—”
“You were to marry his nephew,” he corrected her.
“Yes, yes, but remember I told you that he was only pretending so as to help me.” Her brain raced to remember what, in fact, she had told Teddy, and was pleased she could embellish her story when she added, “And Papa was pressuring me to marry Mr. Woking, or rather Lord Myles, since he was certain that both of the doddery relatives who stood in the way of him were on their last legs, meaning he’d be inheriting more than Lord Debenham and that, of course, made him the catch of the season. Of course, all that turned out to be true, but I held out, and held out, explaining that you would come back, but you sent no word, Teddy. I was distraught!”
“My darling Araminta, I wrote every day, but my letters must not have got to you in a timely fashion. Oh God, that I have ruined the love that we could have known.”
“But we can still know that love, Teddy.” Her voice was breathy and tender now. “If I get my ruby necklace back, then I will be physically safe from Debenham whose roving eye means I am so often left to my own devices.” Briefly, she touched his cheek. “You, Teddy, are all I’ve ever wanted. Please! Once, you let your scruples get in the way of us finding love.” Her voice trailed off. “Don’t let them stand in the way a second time.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Kitty stretched her arms and rolled over in the bed, patting the empty space left by Nash, before sighing with pleasure as she opened her eyes to a repeat of the light tapping on her bedchamber door.
“Mornin’, miss.” Her maid brought in a tray bearing a pot of hot chocolate and dainty teacup and saucer, and set it on the table beside her. “There’s someone downstairs ter see yer, miss. Bin ‘ere a while only I said yer was asleep.”
“You let him wait downstairs?” Kitty knew Nash wouldn’t like an admirer gaining entry to the house, but the maid disabused her of this with a quick, “It’s a young female person wot says she’s a friend o’ yers.”
“A friend? Goodness!” Kitty couldn’t imagine who would fit into that category, and excitedly she wondered if it could be her sister. But Lissa wouldn’t call herself a friend.
“Says ‘er name is Dorcas, an’ she’d wait as long as needed ‘til yer was woken, miss.”
“Dorcas!” Kitty leaped out of bed and threw her shawl about her shoulders. “Tell her to come straight up. And bring another cup and saucer, Minnie. Dorcas!” she cried, even more excitedly when her old friend appeared in the doorway. “What are you doing here? Do tell me you’re here to stay!”
Dorcas lowered her eyes, obviously nervous at the enthusiasm of her greeting. “I wills if yer’ll ‘ave me,” she said softly. “Me bein’ wot I am.”
“What are you talking about?” Kitty put her arm about her friend’s shoulders and led her to a chair. “You’re a far purer soul than I am. You were tricked into a life of sin. I chose it willingly.”
Dorcas gave a little sob. “Yer look so pure an’ beautiful wiv that golden ’air. People don’t see yer as a sinner like they do me. It’s true, though. I don’t reckon I coulda come if yer’d been a proper married lady. Yer could no’ be thinkin’ o’ ‘irin’ me if yer were that.”
“But I am to be, Dorcas!” Kitty clapped her hands together and did a twirl. “Lord Nash asked me a week ago to be his wife. Can you believe it? I certainly couldn’t, but it’s true.”
“Lawks, miss, yer don’t mean it! An’ there was I thinkin’ yer was in love with Lord Silverton.”
“Lord Silverton?” Kitty frowned, while an uncomfortable lurch of her heart belied her response at Kitty’s surprise. “Why would you imagine that?”
“Cos he’s the one wot always ‘elps yer an’ tried ter ‘elp me. Yer talk ‘bout ‘im with a special kind o’ voice wot made me think yer were in love wiv ’im.”
“He’s my friend, Dorcas.” Kitty forced a laugh as she poured the hot chocolate. “I’m certainly not in love with him.”
“But yer like ‘im well enough that yer’ll come wiv me to ís ‘ouse to say thank yer ter ‘im fer tryin’ all them times ter get me away from Mrs. Montgomery’s?”
Kitty raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I will if you want me to.”
Dorcas nodded. “I want ter say thank yer, Miss Kitty. I do, that.”
“Then we shall call on him sometime in the coming week, and I can tell him also about my wedding.”
“Won’t ‘e already ‘ave heard? Ain’t ‘e invited?”
“It’s just a quiet wedding. Just Lord Nash, me and a couple of witnesses.”
Dorcas narrowed her eyes. “Reckon that don’t sound right fer a viscount ter be marryin’ in such a fashion. Mighty havey-cavey ter me, Miss, if yer don’t mind me sayin’ so.”
“It’s not a pretend wedding if that’s what you think,” Kitty said sharply, handing her a cup. “In fact, his sister will be one of the witnesses, and Nash said to me quite plainly that he hoped I wouldn’t think it a sham, either. You see, his parents will not be happy, and his grandfather’s ailing and he doesn’t want to distress the old man and hasten him to his grave. So the idea is that we’ll get married, and as soon as the right time comes, we’ll announce it to the world.”
“I don’t want yer ter be tricked
like I were, miss.”
“I don’t either, Kitty. But I have made inquiries.” Kitty sat down in a chair opposite Dorcas. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be properly married. I’m madly in love with Lord Nash, and now my dreams are about to come true.”
“Wot if Lord Silverton asked yer ter be ‘is wife.”
“He’s already said that could never be possible.”
Dorcas gaped. “But if ‘e did ask, would yer rather marry Lord Silverton?”
“Dorcas, is this the Inquisition? I love Lord Nash. He’s the man I am destined to wed.”
“Destined? I reckon yer told me that afore yer even met ‘im. That yer were destined ter marry a ‘andsome lord wiv a scar below ‘is right eye. But I don’t believe in ‘em fortune-tellers. I reckon it’s Lord Silverton yer wanna marry.”
“Well, Lord Silverton isn’t asking and Lord Nash is, and I’ve been sinning with Lord Nash for all the time I’ve been in London, so there’s really no choice for me, Dorcas. Now stop all this silly talk and... ” Kitty leaped up, determined to be happy, for Dorcas had dented her pleasure somewhat. “...come with me to see how my wedding dress is progressing. Oh, but I’m so delighted you’re here to stay! You shall be my lady’s maid, but we’ll be the best of friends, and you’ll come and live with me when Lord Nash can acknowledge our wedding, won’t you?”
Dorcas smiled. “Course I will, miss. I’ll go with yer whereva yer want me ter. I shan’t forget what I owes yer.”
“You don’t owe me anything. Now, call Minnie for me, will you, while I get dressed, and then she can organize a room for you to sleep. And it’s too marvelous that I don’t, in fact, have to be at the theater tonight.”
“Could I see yer at the theater like I one day said I would?”
“Of course, you can! But I’ll want to be the best I can be for the night you grace our performance with your presence.” Kitty smiled, feeling happier by the minute. It was so lovely to have a friend, and she often felt lonely when Nash was out for the evening. “In fact, you can help me with my lines. I have a new part, and I’m struggling to remember the words of the scene that comes after the lovers make up. I’m not so fond of my leading man, and although that shouldn’t matter to a professional, it’s certainly much easier when you like the person you’re pretending to make up to.”
Dorcas giggled. “Yer want me to play the part o’ yer leadin’ man?”
“Yes, I want you to say his lines. I’m not going to kiss you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
Dorcas clapped her hands and laughed. “Oh, lawks, Miss Kitty, I should ‘ope not. But now yer’ve made me remember what it is ter feel ’appy!”
“And I’m so happy you are here, too,” Kitty responded as she reached beneath her bed, then handed Dorcas a dog-eared script. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Lord Silverton tried so hard to get you away from Maggie Montgomery’s, but it seems you worked out your contractual obligations to Mrs. Montgomery without our help.”
A shadow crossed Dorcas’s face and she dropped her head, prompting Kitty to say quickly, “We won’t talk about it if you don’t want to. Now you just have to forget about everything that happened in that dreadful place.” She came behind Dorcas and pointed over her shoulder to a place halfway down the first page. “You can read, can’t you? We’ll just practice a scene, and then I won’t feel guilty about going out on the town with you.”
But there was too much giggling and reminiscing for any worthwhile practice to come out of the exercise, and soon Kitty gave up the idea in favor of ice at Gunther’s followed by showing Dorcas the sights.
Her greatest pleasure, however, was taking her to see the exquisite wedding gown that was being made at a dressmaker’s above a shop in Regent Street.
“What do you think?” she asked, as she stepped out in a confection of silver embroidered netting over a cream underdress with a long train, held up by the dressmaker and three assistants.
“Oh, Miss Kitty, but ain’t yer a sight fer sore eyes. ‘Is Lordship will think he’s marryin’ a fairy sprite. Ain’t yer jest the most exquisite creature what ever walked the earth.”
“You’ll quite turn my head if you keep on in that vein. Not that my head isn’t already turned the way Nash is forever complimenting me.”
“So ‘e’s not ever done the dirty on yer like...like when yer was so upset that time yer saw me.”
Kitty couldn’t meet Dorcas’s eye. Remembering how he’d strayed had been the most painful experience of her young life, but not only must she forget it, she must make sure everyone else did, too. “Lord Nash made one lapse, and he says he would have sliced his wrists if he could only turn the clock back,” Kitty said determinedly, her thoughts dwelling uncomfortably on his passionate avowals the night after she’d found him in bed with Jennie. “Since then, he has been the most true and faithful of men, and perhaps it was even a good thing for him to realize how nearly he lost me. Goodness, it’s getting late. I’d better change.”
“Yer was one to look on the bright side, miss, an’ I’d ‘ate to see yer disappointed so I’ll offer me blessin’, that I will.” Dorcas followed her to the screen where she helped Kitty out of her gown after the dressmaker had made a few tiny adjustments. “Maybe we could stop by Lord Silverton’s on our way ‘ome an’ let ‘im know me own good news,” she added hopefully.
Kitty bit her lip. She wasn’t at all sure that going to Lord Silverton’s was a good idea. She knew he’d be disappointed she was marrying. Then she decided there’d be a certain amount of pleasure in proving him wrong; and that while he might not be prepared to marry her, Lord Nash was.
With this determining her, she and Dorcas made their way to Lord Silverton’s townhouse and found him surveying the plants on his balcony. He looked up, startled, as they were announced, before hurrying across to take Kitty’s hands in his, and offering Dorcas a warm smile.
“My afternoon is complete,” he said. “I pinked Lord Ludbridge at fencing this afternoon, and now my two favorite ladies have come to pay me a visit. I was going to ask to what do I owe this pleasure but seeing you, Dorcas, makes it clear that question is redundant.”
He was clearly in buoyant spirits as a result of seeing them, and when Kitty anxiously inquired if they’d waylaid him on his way out, he said he’d far rather spend the evening in their company than carousing with Lord Debenham.
“Are you and he truly such friends?” Kitty asked, screwing up her nose as they sat in a cluster of comfortable armchairs about the drawing room fire. She gathered her courage to tell him what Dorcas had warned her about; that Debenham mistrusted Silverton, though all gambling men must experience ebbs and flows in their feelings toward those whom fortune favored one week, then abandoned the next. There surely couldn’t be anything sinister in the note Daisy had found and besides?
“We’ve known one another a long time, and it’s become habit more than anything else. Especially since Lady Debenham has been...indisposed, leaving him more than unusually to his own devices.”
Kitty heard Dorcas sniff at this and asked, “I hear Lady Debenham gave birth several weeks ago to a lovely baby boy. Lord Debenham must be vastly pleased. And did you know I am to marry Lord Nash?” she added in a rush, for she really had no wish to dwell on news which she felt he’d receive with none of the enthusiasm she’d hope he might have.
She was correct in her assumptions. He stopped short in the middle of his sentence and stared at her. “Lord Nash has made you an offer of matrimony?” he repeated.
“He has, and before you make assumptions as to whether it is an honest offer, let me tell you that I’m not a babe in the woods, Lord Silverton. I have ensured he is true to his word. And I have verified that it is indeed to be according to the rule of law and the church, exactly a week from now.”
“In that case, we will have to celebrate? Perhaps a glass of my best Madeira for you ladies?” But he said it after a pause and with forced gaiety, rising with his long-legged grace to go t
o the sideboard.
“An’ me?” squeaked Dorcas in surprise as he handed her a glass.
Kitty looked at her over the top. “Of course, Dorcas. You might be my maid but you are also my friend, and I am hardly a conventional friend of Lord Silverton’s. If I were a proper, respectable young lady like the one Lord Silverton was courting when we first came to London, we’d certainly not be alone with him and drinking Madeira in his drawing room.” Kitty grinned at Lord Silverton. “I might not be the kind of young lady a gentleman like you can marry, but there are advantages to not being respectable if it means we can enjoy pleasant cozes like this.” She turned to Dorcas. “Aren’t I the luckiest girl, Dorcas? I have you, my dearest female friend in all the world back with me, and I’m drinking Madeira with Lord Silverton, my dearest male friend in all the world, and in five days’ time I will be marrying Lord Nash who, like Lord Hamilton, loves me so much he is prepared to marry beneath him.”
It was a small victory when Lord Silverton reacted with mild indignation. “You phrase it as if Lord Nash is somehow a better man for flouting convention, whereas I am too concerned with my own position. Kitty...” He shook his head. “If I were not so concerned for the inevitable pain it would cause so many around me, not least the children who might be born from a marriage to—”
“An illegitimate and common actress?”
“To someone not in the same social class, Kitty, that’s what I meant to say, and I don’t espouse such snobbery lightly. There are dynastic considerations, the well-being of my aged mother, and prospects that our children would be shunned—”
Beyond Rubies (Daughters of Sin Book 4) Page 21
