Wallflower (Old Maids' Club, Book 1)

by Catherine Gayle

  Owen handed Lily off to Elaine and then came back, loosening Toby’s grip on Tabitha’s arm before her twin could pull it off altogether. Tabitha rubbed herself where his hand had been. It probably wouldn’t leave a mark, but it had hurt like the dickens.

  “Is it true that you had relations last night at Vauxhall beneath the fireworks? In a blasted field?”

  His words clenched her stomach. It tightened into an icy ball. How did he know? Had Noah said something? Had someone seen them? Oh, damn and blast, she was stupid. Such idiocy to stop thinking, even for a moment, and just act.

  “I think,” Owen said placidly, “this is neither the time nor the place for this discussion.” He gestured with his eyes toward the two gossipmongers, hanging on every word and waiting to pounce.

  Toby shrugged his brother’s hand off, never taking his burning eyes from Tabitha’s. “I don’t care who is listening. I want answers. Is it true?”

  Lying would serve no purpose. The wedding was already scheduled for tomorrow morning. Even if the two old dragons ran off and spread the word, the scandal would hardly warrant more than a week’s worth of on-dit at most. They were practically married already.

  Tabitha nodded. “Yes, it’s true.”

  “Bloody hell,” Toby muttered and started pacing. “I’ll kill him. I’ll tear every finger and toe from his body one at a time and let the rats have at him. No, that’s better than he deserves.” Nothing like taking things a bit too far. What else ought she to expect from her brother, though? Tabitha sighed.

  “Watch your language,” Father said from the doorway. “There are ladies present, and your niece too, in case you’ve forgotten. And explain to me why there is such a commotion going on in my house.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited. His posture lent him an authoritative air.

  Well, this was uncomfortable. Still, she might as well come out with it. Father would find out from Toby or Owen anyway. It might be better for her if he heard the truth from her own lips. She opened her mouth to speak, but Toby’s voice cut across her.

  “Oglethorpe ruined Tabitha last night at Vauxhall. Ruined in the deepest sense.”

  “What?” Father roared.

  “Oglethorpe!” Owen cursed beneath his breath.

  “Oh, my. Oh, dear me.” Lady Kibblewhite looked positively gleeful. Before Tabitha could explain, the Ladies Kibblewhite and Plumridge dashed out of the drawing room faster than she had imagined they were capable of moving and were gone, waving over their shoulders and calling out something about forgetting an appointment as they left.

  Elaine sucked in a breath, but stayed quiet. Lily said something incomprehensible to anyone but herself and giggled.

  What? Tabitha shook her head. “No—”

  Father stopped her with his hand in the air. “Silence.” He glared in her direction. “Toby, how did you come to learn this?”

  “Oglethorpe was boasting about it at White’s. Trying to collect on some bloody bet or something. And when I asked Tabitha, she confirmed his claim.”

  “No, that’s not—”

  “Elaine,” Father interrupted Tabitha again, silencing her with a wearied stare, “please take Tabitha upstairs to her chamber. Stay with her there until I come for her. We have to decide what is to be done. Leave your daughter with her nurse.”

  Tabitha had to make him understand. She didn’t know what Oglethorpe’s game was. But it would all be so much better if they all knew the truth. “But Father—”

  “Enough, Tabitha.” He looked wounded. His eyes begged her silently to comply. She hated to ever disobey him, to cause him more heartache. “Not another word right now. You’ve already done more than enough.”

  Elaine’s gentle touch prodded her forward.

  Like a sheep being herded to pasture, Tabitha took several steps before coming to a stop. “No. I’ll not be banished to my room like a misbehaving child.” Father’s expression was thunderous, but she pressed on anyway. She would not cower in fear before him. Not before any of them. “I did have a liaison at Vauxhall last night. But it was with Noah, not with Lord Oglethorpe. My blasted fiancé. And since our wedding is set for tomorrow morning, I don’t see that it is anything for any of you to get so upset about.”

  “But you said—” Toby spluttered, then searched the air for words. “You said it was true.”

  “It was true, you blithering blunderbuss,” Owen said. “You didn’t name names. You just asked if she’d had relations at Vauxhall last night.”

  Toby’s face dropped to the floor. “Oh, damn.”

  Father looked from one of them to the next as Lily fussed in her mother’s arms. “What am I missing?” he asked when no one spoke for a few minutes.

  Elaine walked over to him and gestured to the open doorway. “Lady Kibblewhite and Lady Plumridge.” The gravity of the situation came over Father’s face like a sunset. “Surely they’re off to tell everyone they can what they just overheard. They didn’t stay long enough to discover the truth.” She turned and looked apologetically at Tabitha. “I’m afraid, my lord, that your daughter is well and truly ruined.”

  “I’m not bloody well ruined.”

  “Watch your language,” Father said. “Elaine and Lily, at the very least, should not be subjected to such profanity.”

  Tabitha ignored her father and barreled on with her objections. “And whether I am or not, Noah will still have me. He won’t care what Oglethorpe has done, but he will care what we have done. We’ll marry tomorrow morning, as planned.” She hoped. But now was not the time to let her family see her doubts.

  The anger seemed to dissipate from Father by the moment, lifting off of him in waves. “I hope you’re right.”

  “She’s right,” Owen said. “Devonport is an honorable man, however deplorable his actions last night may have been. He’ll not leave Tabitha to fend for herself against this.”

  “To fend off Oglethorpe, you mean,” Toby muttered. “He’ll still have to be dealt with. We can’t allow him to besmirch her name further. Tabitha’s reputation reflects upon the entire family.”

  Owen looked pensive for a moment, reflecting on his brother’s point. “He’ll have to be called out. Will it be you or me?”

  Oh, good grief. Tabitha shook her head. It was a stupid, silly lie. There was no truth in Oglethorpe’s claim. “Challenging the man to a duel will only fuel the rumors and give his claims credence. It would be like admitting he was right.”

  Toby smirked at her. “You don’t get a say in this.”

  “But she’s right,” Elaine said. She looked as affronted as Tabitha felt, with her eyes blazing and one hand planted on her hip.

  “Right or not, this is about the principle of the matter,” Owen said.

  Tabitha raised her hands in the air. “Exactly my point!” She might have overdone it on the dramatics by a bit.

  Rolling his eyes, Toby turned to Owen. “I’ll do it. And maybe I’ll do as good a job of it as Isaac did a few years ago.”

  Absolutely not. Tabitha couldn’t let anything so utterly idiotic happen. “You will do nothing of the sort. And I’ll murder you if you kill the man.” But what if Oglethorpe killed Toby? “And you’d damned well better not get yourself killed or I’ll never forgive you.”

  Owen spoke over Tabitha. “I’ll be your second.” He looked over to their father. “Unless you would prefer to have that honor.”

  Tabitha felt desperate. She needed Jo, but Jo wasn’t there so Elaine would have to do. “Elaine, you have to help me. They’ve got to see reason.”

  Her sister-in-law stood there with her mouth opening and closing, like a fish. Nothing would come out. She definitely wasn’t as much help as Jo would have been.

  Father cleared his throat and looked between Owen and Toby. “I’ll trust you two to take care of this matter. And Elaine, I’ll trust you to keep Tabitha out of more trouble in the meanwhile. On that thought, I think I’ll send word over to Josephine. Her assistance might be required, as well.”


  Thank goodness. If Jo came over, maybe the three of them—the three with any sense—could come up with a plan to stop all this bag of moonshine about dueling.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Oh, Lord Devonport, you poor dear!” The noxious voice of Lady Kibblewhite flooded over Noah and somehow pierced through the fog that had clouded his thoughts since leaving White’s.

  Claremont had tried to secure a hack for their conveyance, but Noah was impatient to get to Shelton Hall. Leith agreed that they shouldn’t wait. After a few minutes, the three had left on foot. Up until coming across Lady Kibblewhite—and her just-as-bad companion, Lady Plumridge—Noah had thought it a fine solution. Now, he wished he was safely enclosed in a rickety, smelly carriage where he could hide from them.

  But why had the two gossips already left Shelton Hall? On foot, no less? This seemed highly peculiar for the pair of them.

  “Good afternoon, Lady Kibblewhite,” he somehow forced himself to say. “And to you too, Lady Plumridge.” Noah and the other gentlemen tipped their hats. He moved to the side of the path, hoping to allow the gossipmongers to pass so he could continue on his way without further delay.

  He shouldn’t have bothered hoping. For that matter, he needn’t have bothered moving out of their way.

  Lady Plumridge placed one of her pudgy, gloved hands on Noah’s arm and clucked her tongue. “Such a shame, Lady Kibblewhite, would you not agree?” She looked up at him with feigned sadness in her eyes.

  “Indeed it is,” her companion said. “But at least the wedding has not taken place yet. Lord Devonport isn’t quite a cuckold, not yet.” Lady Kibblewhite turned to Noah with an earnest stare, even as he felt the blood in his veins turn to ice.

  A cuckold? Surely she hadn’t heard Oglethorpe’s claim. Ladies were not allowed inside White’s. But Shelton had heard.

  Noah closed his eyes while she continued. “Though I would advise you to leave Lady Tabitha to Lord Oglethorpe. She has made her bed, my lord. Let her lie in it.”

  He couldn’t allow them to believe Oglethorpe’s boast. “You are mistaken, ladies, I can assure you.”

  Lady Plumridge pinched closed her lips, until they looked exceedingly out of place on her broad face. “And we can assure you that you are mistaken.”

  “Indeed,” Lady Kibblewhite crooned, “not only has Lord Oglethorpe been sure to inform half the gentlemen at his club of his conquest, but Lady Tabitha has confirmed his assertion.”

  “She wouldn’t have,” Leith said. “She’d never agree such a thing had happened.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure, if I were you, Lord Leith.” Lady Kibblewhite narrowed her eyes up at him. “But really, we must be off. The gathering at Lady Marcheford’s at-home, I’m sure, will be desperate to hear the latest.”

  “That they will,” Lady Plumridge agreed.

  Before he could stop them, they had scurried away down the walk. Claremont turned to Noah and Leith, his eyes wide. “There’s no truth to that, is there?”

  Leith cursed. “At this point, does it matter? The whole of the ton will have heard it by tonight.”

  “And hearing something is all it takes for it to be considered absolute truth,” Noah finished. “Let’s get to Shelton Hall. We’ll explain there.”

  They continued on foot, moving faster now. By the time they arrived, the butler showed them into the drawing room where only Shelton and Raynesford remained, their expressions black.

  “Excellent,” Shelton drawled. “We were just getting ready to head out and challenge Oglethorpe. You can come along to watch.” He stood and checked his watch fob. “But then again, just issuing the challenge might not be such a great show. You’ll come tomorrow? A duel in the morning might make the wedding seem more exciting.”

  Claremont perked up. “There’s to be a duel? Fantastic. Helen never lets me have fun anymore, but that should brighten my outlook for the week.”

  “You can’t challenge him.” Noah frowned. They were Tabitha’s brothers, true. But she was going to be his wife. “I’ve already done so. We’ll meet at dawn.”

  Shelton scowled. “I could challenge him, too. I should challenge him, too.” He scrunched his eyes together, revealing a crease above his nose. “For that matter, I should challenge you.”

  “So Tabitha has explained what really happened, then?” Thank God. He only hoped she was none the worse for wear after the encounter. The Shelton brothers’ wrath, he could handle; a crying, distraught Tabitha, he could not.

  “Yes,” Raynesford said. “And she’s damned lucky that it was you she met for an assignation and not Oglethorpe.”

  “She might not be so lucky tomorrow,” Shelton said. “If Devonport kills Oglethorpe in his duel, and then I kill Devonport for taking liberties with her before the wedding, she’ll be left with no options.”

  “But with her honor well defended,” Leith cut in sardonically.

  Shelton nodded. “Precisely.”

  “She won’t have to worry about that.” Noah heard the front doors open and close, but ignored the sound. “There’s no reason for Shelton to kill me, since I fully intend to marry Tabitha. The wedding will take place as planned. No need for that duel.”

  “You’re taking all the fun out of my day.” Shelton crossed to look out the front window, crossing his arms over his chest. “All that will be left is your bloody wedding.”

  “And his duel with Oglethorpe,” Raynesford said.

  The sound of a woman clearing her throat came from the double doors of the drawing room. Noah turned, hoping to see Tabitha, but instead found Miss Faulkner. “Is Tabitha in her chamber, then? Uncle Drake sent for me. Said there was a bit of an emergency.” She planted her hands on her hips and glowered at the lot of them. “From what I heard from Lady Kibblewhite on my way over, it seems to me there is more than a bit of an emergency, though. She was telling everyone she passed on the street. Lady Plumridge was on the other side of the street, no doubt doing more of the same.”

  “Bloody hell.” Shelton walked to the sideboard and poured himself another whiskey, downing it and refilling before he continued. “I will challenge him, too. Be sure you don’t kill him, Devonport. I want a turn.”

  Raynesford focused on his cousin. “She’s in her chamber, Jo. Elaine is with her. Keep her out of trouble.”

  “From the sound of it, I ought to stay here and keep all of you out of trouble. Or perhaps you’ve forgotten that I’m a better shot than the lot of you by far.” Miss Faulkner narrowed her eyes at Noah. “Well, I know nothing of your aim, Lord Devonport, so I suppose I can’t make that claim.”

  Shelton swallowed another mouthful of his whiskey and grimaced. “Just go upstairs and be sure she stays put until the wedding tomorrow, Jo.”

  She glared at Shelton, but remained silent before spinning on her heel and leaving them. Leith’s eyes remained transfixed on the sway of her skirts as she left for a bit longer than they ought to have done.

  Claremont shook his head. “Ordering Jo about was a stupid move, Toby.”

  “I have never been afraid of your sister, and I don’t plan on changing that now. Just because you’re petrified of her retribution doesn’t mean the rest of us should be. Don’t be sore with me for putting her in her place when you should have done that and more a long time ago.”

  “You think rather highly of your own abilities.” Leith chuckled. “No man will ever put Josephine Faulkner in her place.” He sounded like a man who knew that to be truth all too well.

  Claremont brushed off Shelton’s comments. “Do you still want to duel Oglethorpe when Devonport’s done with him?” His voice was eager, excited. Like he could think of no better way to spend his day. By gad. “We should go find him, to make your intentions known. Make sure he accepts.”

  “I think one duel in a day will be more than enough,” Raynesford said. Shelton started to protest, so Raynesford merely raised his voice to be heard over his brother. “Devonport’s challenge has already been accepted. And since he i
s the one who will be married to Tabitha, it is his right to be the one to defend her.”

  Finally. Someone who could see reason.

  “We can at least all come along to watch, then can’t we? Making it through the entire day otherwise will be more trying than I can manage. And I suppose we might have to clean Devonport up before we rush him off to the church.”

  Noah had to stifle the laughter that threatened to overwhelm him at Shelton’s pout. He’d not seen a grown man pout that he could remember in his life. “We can’t very well expect you to suffer the boredom of a day without a duel.”

  Raynesford, in his ever-serious manner, eyed his brother for a minute before turning to Noah. “We’ll all come with you in the morning, and then we’ll be sure you meet Tabitha at the altar. I’m not going to take any chances.”

  “Of course.” At last, perhaps they were all in agreement over how things would proceed.

  Shelton returned to the sideboard and helped himself to yet another whiskey. “Anyone else want a drink? Devonport?” He waved the bottle of whiskey around, as though the motion would entice Noah into accepting the poison.

  He tried not to lose the contents of his stomach just from the thought of drinking more whiskey. “None for me. But should we perhaps send word up to Tabitha that I’m here to see her?” He’d seen enough of everyone but Tabitha for the day.

  ~ * ~

  “I can’t have just heard you properly.” Tabitha plopped down on her bed and shook her head, thinking maybe it would clear the cobwebs filling her ears.

  Jo did have a diabolical streak, but this went beyond her typical fodder—and it was directed at Tabitha, not at one of the men of the family. Jo wouldn’t do that to her. Not now. Not when Tabitha was still reeling over her family knowing what she and Noah had done the previous night. Not when she was trying to face the fact that the most notorious gossips in the ton were in the midst of executing her downfall. Would she?

  “I thought you said that Noah had challenged Lord Oglethorpe to a duel. This is supposedly in addition to the duel Toby intends to have with Oglethorpe, which I was already aware of, and a duel between Toby and Noah.”