The Viscount's Wife: Christian Victorian Era Historical (Window to the Heart Saga Spin-off Book 4)

by Jenna Brandt

  “You are not,” Debbey stated as she stepped away from her husband trying to create some distance. “I was just about to go upstairs to get ready for an outing to Hyde Park. Would you mind helping me pick out an outfit for the occasion?”

  Clara nodded. “I will give you a moment, and meet you in your changing room.”

  Once alone, William reached out for Debbey again, but she put up her hand with a shake of her head. “If you kiss me again, we won’t make it to the park this afternoon.”

  With a chuckle, he stated, “I suppose you are right.”

  Debbey was wearing a dark grey velvet riding habit. It was trimmed with hunter green revers at the waist and along the edges of the hem and tailored jacket. She wore a hat in the same green with feathers in the band to match.

  William admired how the riding habit perfectly enhanced his wife’s physique. Debbey looked confident on top of her mount, her legs elegantly draped on the left side of the saddle allowing her skirts to flutter down and around.

  With a flirtious smile, William leaned towards his wife from his own mount and whispered, “You look ravishing in your new riding habit, my love. What do you say we forgo this outing and spend our time doing something else?”

  Debbey gave him a playful smirk. “Normally, I would take you up on your offer, but it seems we’ve already garnered attention.”

  William’s eyes followed to where his wife’s eyes were concentrating. Two couples on horseback were watching them. It was obvious from their scans they were determining whether to speak with them. A few moments later, one of the men approached William.

  “Good afternoon. I am Lord Milton Rontague, Earl of Buckshire. My wife, Lady Wilma, says that her friend, Lady Elizabeth, daughter of Baron Stiltmore, speaks highly of your wife, Lady Deborah. We were preparing to start our ride through the park, along with Lord and Lady Drakemore. We were wondering if you would be of the mind to accompany us?”

  Apparently, his aunt’s introduction had indeed procured the ton to positively speak about Debbey. His family was gaining favor with people they were not even acquainted.

  “We are grateful for your offer and happily accept,” William stated with a grin.

  The three couples spent the rest of the afternoon riding through Hyde Park where other members of the ton were either strolling along the paths, driving in open carriages, or enjoying a ride on horseback. By the end of the day, they had plans to attend the theater with their riding companions, and had two additional party invitations from aristocrats they encountered along the way.

  As they made their way home, William inquired, “The afternoon seemed to be rather productive for our social reputation. How did you enjoy the afternoon, Deborah?”

  Averting her eyes, she answered, “It was pleasant enough.”

  The vagueness of Debbey’s answer caused William to press the issue further. “Did you find fault with it?”

  “If I’m honest, I found the whole process overly formal. It seems to be more for show than for substance.”

  With a chuckle, William stated, “I cannot argue your point. It is most certainly about pomp and circumstance.”

  With a shrug, Debbey confessed, “I suppose I am still getting used to your English ways. Nothing like this goes on in the Oregon Territory.”

  “We are from two different worlds, no doubt, but it does not mean we cannot bridge the gap. If you want to go horseback riding more to the style you are used to, I can arrange such an outing.”

  A warm smile spread across Debbey’s face, making her eyes twinkle. “I would love that.”

  “Consider it done.”

  Chapter 18

  Lady Almonbury informed the family she invited several close friends over for dinner since she was unable to leave due to the mourning requirements.

  The servants were scurrying to and fro carrying linens, platters, silverware, and various other items needed for the dinner. Clara entered the parlor where Debbey was helping Lady Almonbury prepare everything for the cocktail hour before the dinner.

  The dowager viscountess looked up with an arched eyebrow and critical look on her face. “Is that the dress you chose for tonight?”

  Clara’s eyes grew round with shock as she glanced down at her dress and ran her hands down the pristine mauve gown. “I thought it would be acceptable for tonight.”

  “You are aware that the entire Blanchard family will be in attendance? That will include Lord Edward Blanchard.”

  Clara nodded her head as she pressed her lips together, placing her hands in front of her in a tight grip.

  “Although he is heir to a simple baronship, his family is well connected and extremely wealthy. I have it on good authority he wants to secure a betrothal contract with you before you are introduced.”

  A smile formed on Clara’s face as she nodded with a hopeful look on her face.

  “He would make an excellent reserve suitor for you, in the unlikely case we are unable to obtain a better match. Do you really think that dress will manage to keep his interest fixated on you?”

  Debbey watched as Clara’s smile faded, and was replaced with a look of dejection. Frustration manifested in the pit of Debbey’s stomach. Lady Almonbury was cold in her calculating schemes, and inconsiderate of other people’s feelings. She didn’t seem to care at all about the young man in question, simply of what he could do for their family, and only if he was a last resort. Nor did she seem to care for her own daughter’s feelings on the matter.

  “Should I go and change into a different gown?” Clara inquired.

  “Indeed,” Lady Almonbury snidely glanced towards Debbey. “Perhaps I should send Deborah with you as it seems even in her limited capability, she is able to make better wardrobe choices than you. Perchance the two of you together can pull together a winning look.”

  Debbey took her cue and led Clara from the room. As soon as they were far enough away to not be heard, Debbey stated, “I think your dress is lovely, Clara. Besides, I don’t think it matters what dress you wear, Lord Blanchard will be smitten with you regardless.”

  “Thank you, Debbey. I cannot seem to please my mother no matter what I do.” She glanced at Debbey with an appreciative smile. “I do not know what I would do if you were not here. You have been such a blessing.”

  “Has your mother always been like this?” Debbey inquired.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I guess I’m asking, has she only been like this since your father’s and brother’s death?”

  With a shake of her head, Clara stated, “This is how she has always been. Maybe a little worse since they died, but she has been obsessed with matching me with the perfect suitor since I reached womanhood. She cannot help herself.”

  “How are you doing with the loss of your brother and father?”

  Clara stopped for a moment in the middle of the staircase with her hand on the rail. She swallowed several times before answering. “You are the first person to ask me that.” She looked over at Debbey with tears in her eyes. “I have to hide it because mother believes emotions are weaknesses, but I miss them terribly. My father loved me and protected me from the worst of my mother’s instincts. Andrew always stuck up for me when she concentrated on my flaws. With them both gone, I feel so alone.”

  “But you’re not, Clara. Both William and I are here for you.” Debbey reached out and placed her hand on Clara’s shoulder. “Please come to us any time.”

  Clara started to climb the stairs again. “I appreciate your offer, but I do not want to be a bother.”

  “You will never be a bother to us. I want to spend time with you.” A thought jumped into Debbey’s head, prompting her to make an invitation. “In fact, I would love it if you would attend church with William and I.”

  “I am not sure my mother would like that much. We only made appearances at church when it was socially necessary.”

  “I will have William tell her he insists. She will not deny him the request.”

  “I can
see you really believe in God,” Clara stated with a side glance. “From the way you conduct yourself, to how you care for others; you are one of the most selfless people I have ever met.”

  “It’s more than just believing, Clara. I have a relationship with Him.”

  With a nod, Clara said, “I would like to go to church with you. I have seen a significant change in my brother as well. If both of you are the way you are because of God; I want to give Him a chance to do the same for me.”

  Chapter 19

  What the family had been told was to be a small dinner party with a couple of guests turned out to be a rather extravagant event. In attendance was Aunt Beatrice with her husband, the Duke of Cavendish, Lady Almonbury’s two closest friends, the widowed Baroness Wollingleer, and Lady Annabelle Stenal, The Earl of Bunsdare with his daughter, Lady Madeline, and the Baron and Baroness Stiltmore with their son, Lord Edward Blanchard and daughter, Lady Elizabeth.

  The group was sitting in the parlor where they were nibbling on appetizers and drinking glasses of wine. The men stood in the corner discussing politics while the women sat on the sofa and chairs chatting about the latest fashions from Paris.

  Baroness Wollingleer stood up and inspected the mantle over the fireplace at the north end of the room. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “Lady Almonbury, did one of your vases break? I always admired the set that sat on your mantle, yet I only see the singular one upon it now.”

  Debbey glanced up at the mantle. On one end, there was a beautiful crystal vase with fresh flowers, but on the other end, there was a hole where the second one normally was displayed.

  With a shocked look on her face, Lady Almonbury stated, “I have no idea.” She raised her hand in the air and one of the household servants appeared at her side. “Who was in charge of cleaning the mantle today?”

  The female servant looked frightened as she whispered, “I did, my lady.”

  “What happened to the second vase that sat upon the mantle?”

  The young woman looked over at the mantle with large round eyes. “My lady, when I cleaned the mantle this morning, both vases were there. I dusted all the objects and replaced them all in perfect order. It was there when I left the room.”

  Lady Almonbury dismissed the servant with a flick of her wrist. She looked as if she were contemplating something and then her attention turned to Debbey. “You were with me this afternoon helping prepare for this evening, and you returned here after you helped Clara, did you not, Lady Deborah?”

  The tension was thick in the room. All of the women watched as Debbey slowly nodded her head.

  “You were the last one in the room? Do you know what happened to the vase?”

  She shook her head. “I have no idea what happened to it.”

  With a soothing tone, she coaxed, “If an accident happened and it broke, you simply need to tell me, Lady Deborah.”

  More adamant this time, Debbey stated, “When I left the room to get ready for the evening, it was still upon the mantle.”

  “Well, it could not have simply disappeared on its own,” Lady Almonbury accused with a raised voice. “You were the last in the room, so you must know what happened.”

  William approached the women and asked, “I heard raised voices. What is all the fuss about?”

  Lady Almonbury blurted out angrily, “One of my vases has disappeared from the mantle and your wife was the last one in the room.”

  “I am sure if my wife had anything to do with the disappearance of the vase, she would openly admit it. As it happens, I will have it replaced next week.”

  “It cannot be replaced. The set was a gift from your father. He brought them back after his first trip to Paris.”

  “Mother, I am sorry about the vase, but you need to drop the matter this instant.” He looked around the room as if worried. “We have guests, and this is a matter we can discuss at a later time.” William looked at his sister with a plead in his eyes to help. She nodded as he asked, “Who would like to hear Lady Clara play the piano before dinner?”

  The women clapped their hands and stated the entertainment sounded lovely. Debbey knew what was planned for the evening. Clara playing the piano was not on the itinerary; however, she was skilled enough to play without warning. Debbey suspected William had used the announcement as a distraction from the fight.

  Gracefully, Clara stood and made her way over to the piano. She perched herself on the edge of the bench and opened the piece that was on the piano. The familiar sound of Schumann’s Kinderszenen filled the room. The upbeat piece entertained the entire group until it was time to enter the dining hall for the evening meal. Debbey was grateful William’s ploy worked, and everyone forgot about the vase.

  Leave it to his mother to make a difficult night worse. He had been fending off questions about Debbey all night, then the fight about the vase occurred, and now his mother had purposefully seated him next to Lady Madeline. He glanced down the table at his wife. From the unhappy look on her face, he knew she was equally displeased with the arrangement.

  His wife had been seated by Baron Stiltmore, who was quite honestly a cad, and he seemed to be living up to his reputation as Debbey seemed uncomfortable in his presence. His mother was engaged at the other end of the table in a conversation with the earl on one side and the duke on the other. The most interesting pairing was his sister and Lord Edward Blanchard. He was sure his mother would not be fond of the match, but yet she had placed them next to one another. They seemed to be the only pair content at the table besides his mother.

  “Oh, William, did you hear? My father had to turn away another suitor. I was surprised my father did not at least consider his proposal since he was the son of a marquess, but my father was adamant, I could make a better match.”

  Absent-mindedly, William nodded his head. He was still watching his wife fend off Baron Stiltmore. The baron was leaning towards Debbey—a little too close for William’s liking—and whispering in her ear. William was aware of the baron’s reputation. The older man not only had a wandering eye, but a wandering hand as well. He was not above propositioning a married woman, even with her husband in the room.

  Lady Madeline feigned hurt. “You are not listening to me, William.”

  He momentarily turned his attention to his dinner companion. “What was that you were saying, Lady Madeline?”

  “You do not have to be so formal with me, William. You act as if we have not known each other our whole lives.” She lowered her voice so only he could hear. “We have shared moments together which make us close enough to call each other by our given names at the very least.”

  This time his eyes focused on Madeline and narrowed. “I have not forgotten our past, but that is exactly what it is, the past.”

  “It does not have to be, William. Now that you have settled at home and taken your place as the Viscount Braybridge, perhaps we can have a second chance. Your mother told me before you returned home that your American wife was only interested in your money.”

  William stiffened as he tried to push down the fury threatening to burst free. Through gritted teeth and in a steely voice, William whispered, “My mother needs to stop meddling in my affairs. She has no business inspecting my relationship nor talking about it with anyone.”

  Madeline must have realized she crossed a line because quickly she amended, “I am sorry, William. I was given the impression you were unhappy in your current relationship. Please forgive me for overstepping. If you are happy, I will do my best to respect your marriage.” She glanced across the table at Debbey. “I will even make an effort to get to know your wife and become friends.”

  William nodded and softened his tone. “Thank you, Madeline. You always had a kind heart, and I am grateful to see that has not changed.”

  “You were my friend before anything else, and I do not wish to lose you over a misunderstanding.”

  The rest of the meal passed by with easy conversation and delicious food. As everyone finished t
he final course, Lady Almonbury stood at the end of the table. “I want to make a toast to my daughter-in-law, Lady Deborah. I did not know what to expect when she first got to England, having only heard vague rumors regarding American women being socially inferior. Lady Deborah has proven to be a quick study and has adapted to our world remarkably well. I remember when she first arrived at Hinwick Manor, she had no idea the difference between a soup and dessert spoon.”

  There were several laughs around the table. William looked across the table at his wife. She seemed uncomfortable with all the attention on her but was doing her best to remain poised.

  “I remember when her etiquette tutor had one of the groomsmen work with her on horseback riding. She had to be taught how to ride sidesaddle. In America, all the women ride astride, she fell off the horse three times before she managed to learn the technique, but she never gave up. She persevered and now, I hear she turned countless eyes when she rode through Hyde Park last week.”

  “Everyone, raise your glass to Lady Deborah, the woman my son, the Viscount Braybridge chose to marry.” Everyone did as Lady Almonbury requested and toasted to Debbey.

  After the meal concluded, William came around the table to Debbey’s side. He helped her from the table and pulled her to a corner of the room to speak privately.

  “Are you alright? My mother’s toast was a bit peculiar. I wanted to make sure your ego was not bruised beyond repair.”

  Debbey looked more flustered than upset. “I admit, the toast seemed to be a veiled way of making public barbs at my expense. I was able to grit my teeth and withstand that. What confused me was her blatant lie about my riding training.”

  “What do you mean?” William inquired.

  “My equestrian etiquette was the only session I passed without issue. As you know, I am well versed with horses and it was like second nature. I never fell off my horse, not even once.”