Chapter Eleven
Samuel led them out onto the pavement as the four of them left Gunter’s.
Clarice’s arm was wrapped through Samuel’s, and Letitia’s through Mr. Hunter’s.
Once a clear path across the street appeared, they crossed the road and entered the park.
Samuel distanced them from Hunter and Letitia.
“Sorry if I made you walk fast to keep up with me, but I wanted a word alone with you.”
“I managed fine.”
He led her to a bench under a large elm tree, and they sat down. He turned to her and took her hands in his. “How are you today?”
Pink tinted her cheeks. It was a telltale sign she understood he was referring to last night. “I am good. Better than good.”
He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. “No regrets, I hope?”
“None.” She glanced at their joined hands and smiled. “In fact, I look forward to doing it again soon.”
He moaned, slightly surprised by her assertiveness. Surprised, yet completely elated.
“That is, if you are agreeable to it,” she added.
“I am most agreeable. In fact, are you free this evening?”
“Why, yes. My social calendar is wide open.”
Raising her hands to his mouth, he kissed the sensitive underside of one wrist, then the other, and he could see her body tremble visibly.
“You are a rakehell, Samuel Radcliff, duke or no duke.”
He burst out laughing.
“I love your laugh. I was worried I’d never hear it again,” she said.
“Since it makes you happy, I will laugh often.”
“We should go. Letitia and I have one more shop to visit. Come for dinner. I have an excellent cook.”
“Dinner it is.”
He stood and held out his hand, and she placed her hand in his and rose to her feet. They strolled, hand in hand, over to where Letitia and Hunter sat on a nearby bench. Hunter was talking nonstop, and Letitia was laughing at what he was saying.
“I believe Hunter is spilling secrets about Greyson,” Samuel said, chuckling. “When he finds out, they will come to fisticuffs.”
“Truly?” Her eyes widened as she looked concerned.
“No. I’m teasing. Let’s get you ladies back to your shopping.”
*
“Here is the glove shop,” Clarice said, hurrying to the door and stepping inside, only to find herself face to face with her neighbor across the street, Lady Hornsby.
“Lady Clarice, my dear, what a lovely surprise to run into you,” Lady Hornsby said with a worried expression.
Then her eyes scanned the room where several old biddies were whispering and glancing their way.
Lady Hornsby frowned, leaned in close, and whispered, “I should warn you that rumors are going around that the Duke of Stanton spent the night with you.” She touched her arm.
“I dispelled the gossip, saying I witnessed him drop you off in his carriage just after midnight, and he left immediately after escorting you to your front door.”
Clarice suddenly felt a queasy sensation in her stomach.
Many widows took lovers and had affairs, and it was perfectly acceptable, so the gossip shouldn’t bother her.
To some members of the beau monde, it would ruin her reputation in their eyes, but to others, not at all.
Not that she was terribly worried about her reputation.
It was nobody’s business but hers and Samuel’s.
Except it was something of a sport for the ton to spread rumors and gossip.
She didn’t want to cause undue discomfort for Samuel.
Not with his upcoming races. No doubt he had enough worry to deal with.
“Thank you, Lady Hornsby. I appreciate you dispelling the rumor. As you know, His Grace did not spend the night, but he did visit for a spell.”
Lady Hornsby smiled sadly. “My dear, after being married to that horrible Lord Chesterfield, you deserve to live your life as you please.” Her eyes twinkled.
“And good for you for snagging Stanton. He is a fine and worthy duke.” Lady Hornsby paused, looking thoughtful.
“I’m just shocked that after what your father did to him and the months of recovery it cost him that he would want to have anything to do with you while your father still lives. ”
The patrons’ voices in the shop grew louder, and the walls seemed to close in around Clarice.
Her whole body trembled, making her heart beat irregularly.
Her lungs refused to work, causing her to gasp for air—air that no longer seemed to exist.
Her eyes no longer focused; all she could see were grey streaks that turned to black and then vanished.
“Clarice, can you hear me?” She heard Letitia’s voice, clear and concise, yet sounding distant.
And what an odd question to ask. Of course, she could hear her.
But why was she lying on a hard floor, with a cold cloth over her eyes and many soft voices chatting around her?
Taking her time to answer her friend, Clarice took several deep breaths, hoping to slow her pounding heart.
“I can hear you,” she said as she reached up and took the cloth off her face. She opened her eyes, blinking several times to clear the fuzziness. When she did, both Letitia and Lady Hornsby were kneeling beside her with worried expressions. “What happened?”
“You fainted, my dear,” Mrs. Hornsby said as she took her hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Fainted? I’ve never fainted in my life.
” She looked around at all the wide-eyed ladies whispering to each other, and dread settled deep in her stomach.
Clarice could imagine what they were whispering.
How Stanton spent the night in her bed, and she was already enceinte.
There could be no other reason a lady would faint dead away.
Except there were many reasons, but these ladies would not entertain any of them.
Oh, dear. What would Samuel think when he heard about this? “Help me up, please.”
Before Letitia and Mrs. Hornsby could help her, they needed help getting off their knees.
Two kind sisters, Lady Grace and Lady Faith, helped them to their feet.
With Letitia’s and Lady Grace’s help, Clarice was pulled upright.
She wobbled a bit, then steadied herself.
Glancing around the shop at everyone present, Clarice’s face heated.
Looking at Lady Grace and Lady Faith, she murmured, “Thank you for your kindness.” Turning to Letitia and Mrs. Hornsby, she said, “I’d like to go home now.”
With Letitia’s arm through one of hers and Mrs. Hornsby’s through the other, they made their way out the shop door. It was amusing, really, how the ladies parted to let them pass. She didn’t have the pox, but you’d think she did.
“Lady Hornsby, will you wait here with Lady Clarice while I signal my driver?” Letitia asked.
“Yes, dear, go ahead. I won’t leave her side.”
“Thank you, Lady Hornsby,” Clarice murmured. She was surprised how much energy it took to speak.
“I believe it’s time we used first names, my dear Clarice. Please call me Ellie, short for Eleanor.”
“Ellie, I like that.”
“Here’s the carriage.”
A footman approached and helped Clarice into the carriage, where she sat beside Letitia. Then Ellie entered and sat across from them. The door closed, Letitia tapped the roof, and they slowly moved into the line of coaches along Bond Street. It would be a slow ride home.
“I hope you don’t mind my intruding, Lady Letitia. I just wanted to see Clarice home safe and sound.”
“Not at all,” Letitia said. “What happened to you in the shop, Clarice?”
She leaned against the squabs and sighed.
Honestly, she had no idea why she’d fainted, except that it was probably related to what Ellie said about her father doing something to Samuel.
How could all these years have gone by without her ever hearing about any incident between the two—something Samuel would have had to recover from?
She wouldn’t ask Ellie to explain. This was a conversation she needed to have with Samuel.
“Maybe the lemon ice I had at Gunter’s didn’t agree with me. All I knew was that everything around me started closing in and turning black. Then I realized I was awake and lying on the floor. How humiliating.”
“Nonsense, my dear,” Ellie said. “Most ladies faint dead away at some point in their lives. Just last week, the young Mrs. Woodbine fainted during a stroll in Hyde Park.”
“Yes,” Letitia said, “isn’t she increasing?”
Ellie blushed and said, “Yes. Perhaps that was a poor comparison.”
Clarice closed her eyes and tried to relax, but failed. Increasing? She would pay close attention to her courses from now on if she was going to keep sleeping with Samuel.
The carriage finally came to a stop, and Ellie and Clarice stepped out with the help of a footman. “Thank you, Lady Letitia, for the ride.” She looked at Clarice. “Get some rest, my dear, and you will feel better.” Clarice watched as Ellie crossed the street and entered her townhouse.
“My thanks, Letitia, for your help,” Clarice said into the carriage. “Shall we have tea tomorrow?”
“Yes, please,” Letitia replied. “If you need me for anything, just send word.”
“Thank you.”
Clarice’s hands gripped the railing as she climbed the stairs slowly, her legs still a bit unsteady. Williamson opened the door and hurried down several steps to assist her. “My lady. Are you ill? Should I send for the physician?”
“I’m fine. Just tired from shopping.”
“Lord Portsmouth is here in the drawing room. He insisted on waiting. Shall I tell him you’re indisposed?”
All she wanted to do was climb into bed and take a nap.
Instead, she would have to deal with her father.
After their conversation at the Westport Ball, she couldn’t understand why he was calling on her.
“No. I will see him. Please send in refreshments, but please tell the entire household that if the Earl of Portsmouth comes here again, he’s to be sent away. I’ll not have him in this house again.”