Chapter Six
Julian’s carriage ride to the theater two evenings later was particularly uncomfortable.
The carriage was well sprung and the driver took it at a sedate enough clip to not toss Julian and Franklin about.
Rather, Julian’s discomfort arose from an examination of his actions in the time since discovering the wager involving himself.
They had first formulated their plan for interfering in any particularly serious courtships involving Lady Charlotte while a bit in their cups. That Julian had followed through with that plan once sober was the bit that bothered him.
There was no denying he needed the money. And as the wager was made very quietly and very privately and wasn’t bandied about, it was unlikely to cause Lady Charlotte any true unhappiness.
But he still didn’t like it.
If she truly wished to make a match with Mr. Vernon or Mr. Travers, what right had he to interfere?
He didn’t mean to prevent a connection, only delay it.
He’d told himself that many times, and he didn’t entirely believe it.
The idea of her marrying either of those two sat poorly on his mind.
Neither was a bad person. Neither was ungentlemanly or uncouth or a particularly obnoxious person.
He just couldn’t picture either of them being a truly good match for her.
She was lively and interesting. She had shown herself to be in possession of wit and humor.
She flitted about from group to group with an ease that spoke to one who enjoyed Society and understood it, but was not unhealthily dependent upon its acceptance.
She deserved to be joyful, and he wanted that for her. He’d only truly come to know her over the last week and a half, building upon the vague acquaintance they’d had before, but already her happiness mattered to him.
And thus he was decidedly uncomfortable on his way to attend another Society event at which she might be present and at which he, if he were to continue his schemes, would be expected to interfere further.
His thoughts clearly moving in a similar direction, Franklin asked, “Have you heard for certain if Vernon or Travers will be at the theater tonight?”
“I haven’t,” Julian said. “I suppose it is possible.”
“Then you are not attending as part of this mission of yours?” Franklin pressed. “I would suggest you were attending simply for your own enjoyment of the theater, but you have not exactly been socially active these last few years.”
“Careful, there, you are tiptoeing terribly close to the same observation Sir Duncan made at the ball.”
“If ever I say something that comes within a close approximation of that coxcomb, I certainly hope you will tell me.”
Julian could smile a little despite his swirling thoughts.
“If you are not attending in order to interfere in a potential courtship and, if history is any indication, are likely not attending for your own amusement, then I fear I must press my question: why are you attending this evening? You do not appear to be particularly excited about it.”
Why was he going? Without any true reason to believe Vernon or Travers would be in attendance, his presence was hardly necessary.
He had heard whispers that Lady Charlotte would be there.
And if he were being entirely honest, that had been a significant part of his motivation. But not the entirety of it.
“I suppose some part of me is looking forward to an evening at the theater and amongst the glittering ton. And, I assure you, I am as shocked by this change in me as you are.”
Franklin’s smile was one of friendship and understanding.
“Not shocked so much as I am relieved. When we met our first year at Cambridge, you were a much more active and social sort of person. I saw that drift away after your father’s passing and your grandfather’s continued slide into dissipation.
I never could decide if you were retreating out of grief or embarrassment. ”
“Both, really,” Julian said. “I did grieve my father’s death, though he had caused me no end of sorrow.
And I was embarrassed by the person my grandfather was, at the person so many assumed I would be as a member of our family.
In the end, it was easier not to go about very often.
If nothing else, it quelled the rumors that I was going to be a frivolous gadabout who wasted all my time and diminished resources on pursuits of shallowness. ”
“But how were they ever to discover that you’re different from the previous Lords Wesley if they never have a chance to meet you?
” Franklin could at times be very philosophical.
Over the course of their friendship that tendency had alternated between frustrating and helpful.
In that moment, it was decidedly the latter.
“I think Lady Charlotte believes I’m not a terrible sort of fellow. Her father, however. . .” He let the sentence dangle, knowing he didn’t have to complete the thought for Franklin to understand what it was.
“Lady Charlotte likely never met your grandfather or father. She’ll know of your family’s reputation; everyone does. Her father, on the other hand, undoubtedly knew them both. It’s possible he even knew your great-grandfather. It’s more difficult to overcome an actual memory than a rumor.”
“Maybe that’s what I’m hoping to do tonight: begin substituting those memories of Lords Wesley gone by and replacing them with more flattering whispers about the current titleholder.”
“You mean to accomplish this while acting as a deterrent to Lady Charlotte’s matrimonial hopes?”
Hearing it spoken so bluntly gave him further pause.
“I’ve been contemplating abandoning that effort,” he said hesitantly. “Her birthday is not so very far off, and I think it’s already somewhat unlikely she will be married before the wager comes due.”
“And if she does manage it? You cannot convince me you do not need the ￡1,000.”
“Oh, heaven knows I need it,” he sighed.
“But it feels . . . wrong. We don’t even know who made the wager.
It might be someone bent on embarrassing her, in which case I don’t know that I want my name attached to it all, and certainly don’t want to be seen as assisting the effort.
Even if it isn’t likely to be widely known, it is terribly ungentlemanly to make a wager involving a lady.
Though I didn’t make the wager, and certainly had nothing to do with the forfeit, I will be seen to benefit from it, which would make it very difficult for me to convincingly claim that I had nothing to do with it. ”
Franklin nodded. “Especially considering the family reputation we were only just discussing.”
The weight in Julian’s stomach increased. “If only I knew who made the wager to begin with, I could ask him to kindly call it off.”
“Such a private wager will be far harder to get to the bottom of than a more public one would be. And though the keeper of the books at our club knows the identity of those involved, he would not breach their confidence by revealing the details.”
Julian shook his head. “I’ve thought about this over the last few days.
Once Lady Charlotte’s birthday arrives and the results are known, it’s entirely possible the wager will be whispered about.
Someone who would place such a wager cannot be entirely trusted to use discretion when crowing over or complaining about the outcome. ”
Franklin’s brows pulled. “That eliminates one of the people I have suspected of being involved.”
Julian met his friend’s eye. “Who is that?”
“Though I would hope he was not this sort of person, I wondered about Lord Tarrant. He, after all, as her father, is more aware than anyone if she is likely to make a match and how soon. And the animosity he seems to feel toward you could explain why he attached your name to something so ungentlemanly.”
“The ungentlemanliness of the wager made me wonder about Sir Duncan. He does seem to show up a great deal where Lady Charlotte is, which could indicate he’s keeping an eye on her.”
Franklin nodded. “And either of the two gentlemen who seemed to have been accepted as suitors could be behind it, though neither seems to have the disposition for it.”
“If it is not one of those four, but rather someone who randomly selected her as the focus of this wager, we are unlikely to identify the culprit.”
“You will if you are awarded the forfeit. The one who made the bet would be required to pay you what he wagered.”
It was possible the wagerer would make the payment anonymously, but ￡1,000 was a great deal of money, more than most people would have on hand in coin or currency.
It was more likely to be paid by banknote, which would have the payee’s signature.
And there would be some requirement of proof to the other man involved that the wagerer had made good on his debt.
“Part of me very much wishes we had never stumbled across this wager in the first place,” Julian said.
“Why only part of you?” Franklin asked.
“I’ve enjoyed coming to know Lady Charlotte.
She’s an enjoyable companion, interesting to talk with.
She has a lovely smile, which a gentleman cannot help but appreciate.
Further, she has a very good and keen sense of humor and seems to enjoy mine as well.
” He smiled to himself. “She was very quick to defend us when Sir Duncan gave a very unflattering version of our race. It was an unearned and unlooked-for kindness but very much—” Realizing Franklin was studying him a bit too closely for comfort, Julian stopped abruptly. “What has you so ponderous?”
Franklin’s expression turned as somber as those that came so naturally to Mr. Travers. “I believe, my friend, you are in a more precarious position than you realize.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“There’s a great deal to like about Lady Charlotte Duchamps.
Her father dislikes you, and he will no doubt select for her a gentleman of greater fortune than you, as well as one without your family’s reputation.
And, should she learn of this wager you are connected to, not to mention your efforts to thwart her, I cannot imagine it will improve her opinion of you. ”
“None of that is exactly a shocking revelation,” Julian said, studying his friend as closely as he was being studied. “Why the sudden concern?”
“The way you talk about her, Julian. You are walking on thin ice, my friend. So thin I can already hear it cracking.”
Julian would have pressed for a greater explanation, insisted his friend was overreacting, but he couldn’t honestly argue. He had been intrigued by Lady Charlotte from the moment he’d begun this charade. That feeling of being intrigued had only grown. He knew he was nursing a partiality for her.
He needed to be very careful.
Their turn to alight and enter the theater arrived.
They stepped inside to find it already overflowing with attendees.
The corridor wrapping around, connecting the various boxes of the well-to-do and upper class, surged with silks and scented hair powder.
The ladies’ dresses were, thankfully, not as wide as they were at court, allowing for slightly greater ease when walking more than one abreast. Julian told himself he wasn’t watching for anyone in particular, but he knew his eyes were searching for Lady Charlotte.
He told himself he would simply keep a distance should he see her, but the moment he did, his feet took him directly to her.
He and Franklin offered elegant bows, which were returned with a curtsy on her part and a bow from her father.
“A pleasure to see you again, Lord Wesley,” Lady Charlotte said. “And you, Mr. Daubney.”
“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you,” Julian answered, one of those rare moments at Society gatherings when the commonplace response was deeply meant.
Lord Tarrant eyed him with a narrowed gaze, his mouth pulled a bit tight.
“I do not mean to impose on your evening’s enjoyment,” Julian said to them both. “I know, were my father here, I would appreciate being able to enjoy his company without disruption.”
The earl spoke for the first time. “Your father was not the sort most people longed to keep company with.”
“Father,” Lady Charlotte whispered sharply. “That is not a kind thing to say.”
“I thank you for your thoughtfulness, Lady Charlotte,” Julian said.
“I also must acknowledge your father’s not wrong.
But though there is much that I disapproved of in my late father’s behavior, he was my father.
A son is permitted to love his father even knowing the person he was.
Having lost him so young, I envy those children who have time with their parents, however flawed, however frustrating, however much sorrow existed in our relationship.
I know that my father deserves the unkind words that have been spoken of him, but I will say this one thing: he would never have begrudged anyone a moment with a grieved parent.
He had a good enough heart for that.” Julian sketched a quick bow to the earl, another to Lady Charlotte, then took a step to leave.
A soft and gentle hand on his arm stopped him. He glanced up to see Lady Charlotte taking a step closer. It was her kind touch that had halted his departure. “Please do not leave angry,” she said softly.
“I am not angry with you, Lady Charlotte,” he said. “I suspect I could never be.”
The tiniest tilt of her lips accompanied her next question. “Is that a challenge, Lord Wesley?”
“Would you like it to be?”
She raised a single shoulder, her head dipping in that direction. It was so coy and playful a shrug. He couldn’t help the smile spreading across his face despite the rather insulting conversation he’d only just endured from her father.
“If we issue a challenge,” he said, “I would rather it not be whether or not you could make me angry but how delighted I might make you.”
“That is a challenge I will happily accept. But be warned, I would then be on my guard and will choose to not be amused by anything you might say.”
Oh, she was absolutely charming.
He took her hand and raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her gloved fingertips.
It was a fairly commonplace gesture, one employed between gentlemen and ladies, which could ultimately be either a show of affection or of absolutely no significance at all.
But as he reluctantly released her hand, he knew that simple kiss, that commonplace gesture, was for him neither of the two options he’d thought the exclusive realm of such things.
His heart pounded, his mind spun, and hope bubbled around the possibility of her company.
His hand remained warm, tingling where his fingers had touched hers.
He wasn’t merely walking on thin ice; he had fallen through.