by Abigail Agar
Phin caught up to him, made sure he got his coat and hat then walked him to the carriage.
“We will discuss this when we get home. Don’t think about retiring for the night,” Bennett said, oozing hatred and frustration.”
Bennett threw his coat at Jenkins and stomped to his study. Phin slowly removed his coat and walked behind him. He knew this was going to be bad. He only hoped his father didn’t take out his gun. Phin shut the door.
“How dare you come to me and demand I leave a social event. Who do you think you are, boy, to presume such a thing?” Bennett said his voice booming and his face red.
Phin just did something terrible. He dragged his father out of a gambling hell mid-game. That’s an awful thing to have to do to your father. Even if you have no choice.
Why did his father hate him so much? Did he hate him or what he had to do? Phin had to remember, it was all for Mercy. He spoke slowly but loud enough for his drunken father to hear every word. “I am the person who is trying to save your ancestral home. I am the person who wants to stop you from destroying everything. Everything. What will Mercy do with no dowry and no home? Have you thought of that? Do you want her to be a spinster because of you? Should she go to work as a governess to support herself because you gambled her dowry away?”
Bennett threw a paperweight at Phin, but Bennett’s aim was dulled by the large amount of alcohol he had consumed. He did manage to hit an antique urn on the mantle that had significant value. It broke with a loud crash on the hearth below. Under different circumstances, Phin would have found it comical. But he wasn’t laughing.
“I have years to straighten out Mercy’s situation. By the time she turns eighteen, I’ll have won back her dowry and more.”
“You can’t be serious,” Phin said, incredulous.
Bennett began to shout. “I am. And listen carefully to something else. What I do is none of your business. You will never again meddle in my affairs. I never want to see you again. Get out, and don’t come back. I don’t care where you go or what you do. I never want to hear from you again.”
Phin stood there shocked, his mouth hanging open, looking at his father for some sign that he was not serious. But he was. Phin turned, opened the study door then shut it quietly behind him. He heard the crash of something hitting the other side of the door. He instructed Foster to send along his trunk of clothes to Everett’s townhouse.
Phin was hurt to the core. Bennett just chose his card games over his oldest son. The heir to his title. And he put Mercy’s future in jeopardy. His gambling had him by the throat. If Phin weren’t so hurt, he’d feel sorry for Bennett.
“You can’t be serious,” Everett said when Phin told him when he planned to do.
“I am serious, Ev. Don’t doubt it.”
Phin had been staying with Everett until his plan was complete, and he was ready to leave. His trunks from Collinswood had finally arrived after having been sent to his father’s townhouse. He would never forget the pleading look Foster gave him when he walked out the door, but Phin was beyond changing his mind.
“I get what you’ve done with the bank accounts, and I’ll take care of depositing the money you send. Must you go so very far away to do this?”
“I want to. I don’t want to be in the same country as that man. The free land grant the government is offering is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I will agree to sell the tea I grow to Britain and Europe. That’s easy. India is determined to break the Chinese export monopoly. Make no mistake about it.” He looked Everett in the eyes. “Ev, Assam, India is free. It’s free. I have five years to build a dowry for Mercy. I have to do this. For her.”
Phin could tell by the look in Everett’s eyes that he wanted to say it again, but he didn’t. Phin was relieved he didn’t say it aloud, but it was true. This was his penance.
Chapter 6
The night out at the play was a success except for Bernard’s presence. The way he grilled Charlotte on her social schedule could only mean he planned to be wherever she went.
And, he was. At the Symington’s ball, Bernard danced with her twice, had refreshments with her and even sat with Genevieve. Charlotte looked gorgeous in gray satin that accentuated her smoky eyes. Phin could only get a brief time with her after the dance before Bernard stepped in between them and joined in the conversation. Everything Bernard was doing against Phin was deliberate. It was as if war was declared and every inch surrounding Charlotte was a battlefield. So be it, Phin thought. He noticed Genevieve watching every moment. She gave Phin a kind smile and a nod, And he went back to his party.
Phin called on Charlotte the afternoon after the ball and was surprised to find only her and Genevieve in the parlour. He fully expected to have to deal with Bernard. How fortunate for him.
After bowing, he accepted tea and sat back.
“How are you two faring now that the season is in full swing? Mercy rests every afternoon.”
“I must confess I do also,” Charlotte said with a frown. “I want to go out to see all that London has to offer, but I fear I would yawn through the entire afternoon.”
Phin smiled. “I can’t quite picture you on the floor of the British Museum leaning against a column asleep.”
All three laughed. The Butler was at the door announcing Lord Bernard. He came in, bowed, and sat near Charlotte.
“Tell me your joke, Charlotte,” he said.
She waved her hand away and told Bernard they were making silly conversation. However, he insisted, and when she described their conversation, he did not find it funny at all.
“I’m afraid I am responsible for the poor humour,” Phin said apologetically.
“I should have known,” Bernard mumbled.
At that, Phin stood to thank the ladies for the fine visit.
“Oh, but you can’t be leaving so soon,” Genevieve said.
Phin sighed. “I’m afraid I must. I will call on you again soon.”
Bernard rose, nodded his head and said, “Collins,” and then promptly sat down.
Phin told the carriage to go, having decided to walk home. Charlotte was in Bernard’s company day and night. How was he to make any headway if all his conversations with her were in the presence of Bernard? He had to think of a way to keep Bernard at bay.
Mercy would help him. She loved to get into everyone’s business. This was perfect for her.
“I told you when you mentioned her that Lord Bernard had a head start. I am not sure you can make up ground. What happened to your plan to find a quiet woman who will stay in at Collinswood?”
“That plan is still in place. Every ball, I dance with at least three shy or quiet girls, but I haven’t found out yet who holds my interest.”
“I know one way to get her talking to you every day, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”
Phin shrugged, “If she were to talk to me every day, I’m sure I’d like it.”
Mercy took a deep breath and looked into Phin’s eyes. “Ask her to act as your matchmaker.”
Phin snorted. “That’s ridiculous, Mercy. Tell me your idea.”
She grinned. “That is my idea. You sit her down, tell her what you want, ask her to introduce you to her shy friends and sit back and wait.”
“For what, exactly?”
“For her to get jealous when you are with other women. For her to finagle a way to realize you liked her all along.”
“This could work?”
“Phin, what have you got to lose? Women love to match make. Who knows? She might match you up with someone you like. Would that be so horrible?”
That night, Phin, Everett, Mercy, and Josie went to Vauxhall for the fireworks. It was a beautiful, warm, breezy evening. The crowd was lively. Phin thought it amazing so many people could have a change of mood because of the quality of the air. He loved to close his eyes and breathe in clean air, and he did it several times that night.
While they milled around, Phin bumped into several membe
rs of the House of Lords. He was pulled aside and asked about his leaning on the new tax proposal. Each time, he answered that he was studying it and had not decided his vote yet. He would hear from these men again. He really needed to get together with Everett to study the bill.
He saw Charlotte sitting in Bernard’s box. A sharp zap hit his heart, and he reluctantly dismissed the feeling. Elizabeth was leaning in close to Bernard in a thick conversation. No one noticed Phin, so he took time to look more closely. Phin never tired of seeing Charlotte, but he was surprised Elizabeth knew Bernard. Charlotte wore a walking dress of bold stripes and a straw hat with a ribbon as wide as the stripes in her dress.
He moved his eyes to Bernard. Daggers were coming out of his eyes aimed straight for Phin's heart. Just then, Charlotte turned and followed Lord Bernard’s eyes until they saw Phin. Elizabeth saw too and said quick goodbyes and left. ‘I’m sure Charlotte goes to only the top modistes and has a clothing budget unsurpassed, but she looks great,’ he thought. She always did. From the top of her head to the tip of her toes, she never missed, fashion-wise. The House of Lords’ wives would usher her into their circle with no effort on her part. She was born to do this.
Mercy called to Phin, and he turned away to catch up. They found a good place to see the fireworks and stood together looking up to the sky.
“Where were you?” Mercy whispered.
“I saw Charlotte. I’m having little luck finding a wife on my own so I decided to enlist the services of a good matchmaker,” he whispered back.
She turned to him quickly and smiled. “I think that is wise.”
Mercy sent a note to Charlotte and Aunt Genevieve asking them to visit her for afternoon tea. When they arrived, it was just Mercy and Josie.
They talked of Vauxhall, the balls, dresses, and walks in the park before Mercy started the real conversation.
“You know, Charlotte, the Duke is having a little trouble finding the right Duchess. I fear he is getting discouraged, but I’m not sure what I should do. Tell me, do you know any matchmakers or matrons who have experience in the art of matchmaking?”
Genevieve’s head swivelled to Charlotte, and then she waited for Charlotte to reply. Charlotte opened her mouth and shut it, searching for the best words.
“Mercy, does he know what he wants for a wife?”
Mercy gave a short laugh and waved her hand away. “He thinks he wants a shy, quiet wife that learns to understand his need for privacy during part of the day. Ever since I’ve known him, he has had to retreat for an hour – usually after the evening meal – to regenerate. He has also been known to retreat from conflict that doesn’t involve him. Those are his biggest quirks.
“But I think a shy girl is a mistake. After all, she is going to have to be by his side as his Duchess at government events. He hasn’t yet immersed himself in the House of Lords. It’s a high profile existence for him and his wife. And she is going to have to run his properties. Phin also wants her to redecorate Collinswood, this townhouse, and his box at the theatre.
“Silas and I are trying to talk him into having a house party for two weeks this July. Who likes to be in London during the summer, right? A shy wife would never be able to talk him into giving a house party. I fear a quiet wife will turn him into a stick in the mud.”
***
Charlotte was silent. Why hadn’t she thought about him more? Because of Lord Bernard, that’s why. Phineas seemed like such a nice man. He needed a woman to run his properties and redecorate. He needed someone to accompany him to government functions through the House of Lords. The House wives, as they were known, were an interesting group unto themselves. A challenge. His wife would have to become a House wife. She could do that. He could not marry a shrinking violet. He needed to understand a woman like that wouldn’t serve him well.
She would look for the right person for him. She’d pass some quiet girls by him, show him they weren’t right and would slowly convince him she was the right wife for him. After all, opposites attracted, didn’t they?
Well, that had certainly given her something to go on; turning slowly to Mercy, Charlotte said, “Mercy, give me a few days, and I will think of ladies to introduce to him. If he’s willing to give me his opinion of them, we might find the right wife for him.”
“Oh, Charlotte, thank you. I don’t want to burden you.”
Charlotte picked up for teacake. “Don’t be silly. It will be my pleasure.”
***
Phin decided it was time to call on Elizabeth. When he arrived, he couldn’t avoid noticing her manner of dress.
She had always dressed as the eccentric she strived to be, but her dress was low cut for daytime, and the feather in her hair made her look dated. Her look was one thread shy of matching that of a whore.
He was shocked to see Bernard there with her. They must be more than passing acquaintances if they talked at Vauxhall last evening, and he visited her in her townhouse the next day.
The butler announced Phin, and Elizabeth and Jasper stood. “Welcome, Phin. May I introduce Jasper Bernard, Baron of Warwick. Phineas Collins, Duke of Exeter.”
Both bowed. “Thank you, Elizabeth, but we are familiar with one another.”
“Oh, how nice,” she said, absently.
“If you will excuse me, Lady Elizabeth, Your Grace,” Bernard bowed, “I must be going.”
Elizabeth turned to Phin. “Phin, take a seat,” she said, nodding to a chair near the fire. “I will walk Jasper out and be right back.”
Phin smiled and nodded.
There were anxious whispers coming from the front hallway then an abrupt stop. Phin heard a door shut before Elizabeth came back in and sat across from Phin.
Phin pointed, “The Gainsborough on your wall was Bennett’s.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said, trying to be breezy and failing. “He gave it to me.”
“Oh? Why would he do that?”
She lifted her chin to match his style of attack. “In your father’s last years, I helped him out, and he was grateful. I have a few items from Bennett’s townhouse he gave me.”
Phin crossed his leg and quietly said, “Well, you need to give them back.”
“What? No. They were gifts, and I have no intention of relinquishing them to anyone.”
“Elizabeth, I’m sorry to say my father played you for a fool. Of course, you did the same to him, but that’s not the matter for discussion here. Every item you took was specifically mentioned, along with its disposition, in my father’s will.
“When I noticed some missing items around the townhouse, I met with Bennett’s solicitor to straighten this sorry business out. He’s on his way over with Bennett’s will to review your holdings. If he sees any items in your home or anywhere else for that matter mentioned specifically in the will, then it must be returned. Knowing my father, he probably handed over pieces he knew could be retrieved. Didn’t you think it odd he would hand over valuable pieces without blinking an eye?”
“You can’t do this,” she yelled for all of London to hear. “I ran around town day and night to put money in Uncle Ben’s hands, and this,” she said, sweeping the air with her hand, “and this is what I received for my efforts.”
“Elizabeth, if I had to guess, the pawnshop gave you a certain amount of money. You shaved a little off the top before giving it to Bennett. So you were already rewarded your cut, I’m sure. You were already rewarded once, wouldn’t you say?
The solicitor spent the better part of the afternoon inventorying Elizabeth’s home and loading items mentioned in Bennett’s will into a carriage to be taken back to Phin’s townhouse.
Phin was most pleased to have Mercy’s jewellery back. The chandelier was so bulky and had so many pieces that he didn’t really want it back. But he took it. The solicitor commented on how thoroughly Bennett wrote his will.
Elizabeth held her hand on her face as she sat through the humiliating business of having Bennett’s things take from her house.
It
took Phin some time to get the name of the pawnshop Elizabeth used. It took even longer for her to relinquish the tickets. It was a different pawnshop than was used from Mr Whitaker’s receipts. When the sordid business of pulling everything from Elizabeth’s townhouse was finished, Phin went to the pawnshop and showed the proprietor Elizabeth’s tickets.
Phin paid for each item and left for home.
***
“Well, Mercy, how did it go?”
“Better than even I expected. She is hot on the trail. She’ll tell you who to dance with, and she will expect to know why you didn’t like them. Unless, of course, you liked one of them,” Mercy said, bumping her arm into his arm. They were in the parlour waiting for tea with Everett and Josie.
