Chapter 1 #3
“We met at Harrow when we were seven.” Julian shrugged. “We formed a bond to fight off all the bigger bullies.”
“Hector was never a bully, Olivia. You can at least give him credit for that,” Carenza said.
Mrs. Sheraton sniffed. “When one sets such a low standard, surely even Hector can crawl under it.”
Anton tried and failed to conceal a snort.
“Your new gown is very fetching,” Julian said.
“Thank you.” She smoothed her skirt’s folds. “After two years of mourning dresses I was convinced that in light pink I looked like one of the madams seeking customers in Covent Garden.”
“You look delightful.” Julian smiled at her.
Her cheeks blushed to compete with the rose of her dress. “I appreciate the opinion of one of the best-dressed men in London.”
“My brother is rather fine, is he not?” Anton agreed. “Even in my dress uniform, he threatens to outshine me.”
“Hardly,” Allegra Musgrove said, her earnest gaze fixed on Anton’s oblivious face. “You look wonderful.”
The door opened to admit the butler with the tea tray.
“How is your father?” Julian asked.
“As hale and hearty as ever,” Carenza replied as she poured him some tea.
“And apparently keen to marry both his daughters off as soon as possible,” Mrs. Sheraton chimed in as she claimed her own cup of tea. “Perhaps he wants his town house back.”
“As he dislikes London immensely, I doubt it,” Carenza said. “He just wishes us to be happy.”
“As all fathers do,” Julian said gently, aware that Hector had proven to be a terrible husband for Carenza, and that he’d been responsible for introducing them to each other—something he bitterly regretted.
“I think Carenza will find her own way to happiness.” Mrs. Sheraton winked.
“As I’m sure will you, my dear Olivia.” Carenza sipped her tea, her smile serene. “But I am in no rush to be married again.”
“I am well aware of that,” Olivia said.
Julian couldn’t help but notice the pointed glare Carenza gave Mrs. Sheraton when she thought he wasn’t looking. Allegra’s expression appeared guilty, and he had no idea why. Was it possible that Carenza had already found a gentleman she wished to marry? The idea made him vaguely uneasy.
Anton, who was always good at defusing tension, introduced a new topic of conversation. “Are you aware of the latest scandal regarding the unknown lady seeking to interview her lovers through an advertisement in The Times?”
Allegra spluttered into her tea and hastily put down her cup. “I do beg your pardon. I have to go and speak to Cook about the lack of refreshments.” She hurried out of the room.
Mrs. Sheraton assumed an expression of great interest and replied to Anton. “It sounds quite delightful! Is this woman interviewing the whole of the ton?”
Anton chuckled. “Apparently, she wants only the scoundrels. And she requires all their measurements!”
Beside him, Carenza shifted in her seat. “Olivia …”
“But this is fascinating, Carenza! I wish I’d thought to do such a thing before my father forced me to marry a seventy-year-old man who was barely able to perform his marital duties.
” Mrs. Sheraton fluttered her eyelashes at Julian.
“Will you be applying, sir? It is well-known that you are an accomplished flirt and presumably skilled in bed.”
“I suspect it is all a scheme to embarrass and expose any man stupid enough to reply to a newspaper advertisement from a so-called lady,” Julian said lightly. “All a woman with such ‘standards’ will get is the dregs of society.”
“That seems harsh, brother,” Anton said. “There were plenty of gentlemen at our club today who seemed eager to either participate or place a bet on the outcome.”
“At your club?” Carenza repeated faintly.
Julian glanced sharply at her.
“Yes.” Anton chuckled. “Someone opened a bet about how many men will turn up when the lady starts her interviews.”
Mrs. Sheraton stood up. “I do apologize, gentlemen, but I must be on my way. My singing teacher is coming at four to take me through my scales.”
She kissed Carenza on the cheek and smiled as Julian and Anton rose to their feet. “I wish you all the best in India, Anton. I’m sure you’ll be a great success.”
Anton offered her his arm. “I’d be delighted to walk you to your carriage, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” Mrs. Sheraton placed her hand on his sleeve. “I’ll speak to you tomorrow, Carenza, darling.”
Julian waited until their voices died down before resuming his seat beside his hostess. “Is something troubling you?” he asked as she stared into space.
She wouldn’t look at him, and he possessed himself of her hand. “I would not normally presume to ask about something so personal, but we are old friends.” He paused. “Is it possible that … Mrs. Sheraton is the person who posted that advertisement for a lover?”
“Not exactly.”
She turned to look at him, and he went still.
“Olivia did pay for the advertisement, but …”
“But—” Julian prompted, as she seemed unable to continue.
“But she did it for me.”
The silence after she’d blurted out the truth went on for so long that Carenza grew dizzy from holding her breath.
“I … beg your pardon?” Julian’s faint smile disappeared as he released her hand.
“I asked her to place the advertisement on my behalf.”
“What in God’s name possessed you to do such a remarkably stupid and reckless thing?”
“I don’t believe I have to explain myself to you, sir.” Carenza raised her chin. “I am a grown woman who is perfectly capable of making her own decisions.”
“Obviously not.” His tone was biting and his eyes a frosty blue. “Does your father know about this?”
Anger stirred beneath her embarrassment. “Of course he doesn’t. And if you run off to Norfolk to tell tales on me, I will think very poorly of you, indeed.”
His incredulous expression hardened into something else entirely. “If it gets out that it’s you—and it will—your reputation will be ruined.”
“I think Hector already accomplished that feat for me, Julian,” she snapped. “If I am to be an object of pity and derision, at least this time I’ll have earned it for myself.”
He stared at her for a long moment and then drew in a ragged breath. “Will you at least stop and think about this properly?”
“Why? So you can lecture me again?” She rose to her feet and took a hasty turn around the room. “I didn’t expect this from you. Of all my friends, you know how Hector treated me during our marriage.”
“Then find someone better!” He stood up and faced her.
“What if I am deceived again?” Carenza asked. “I thought I was making a good choice the first time and look what happened!”
He was standing so close that she could smell the bergamot on his skin. Hurt by his unexpected reaction, she gathered her resources and met his incredulous gaze.
“The only thing I miss about marriage is sex,” she said. “The only thing I require from a man is that and nothing else.”
“You’re determined to make a fool of yourself and ruin your reputation just for a tussle in the sheets with some man who won’t value you?”
Carenza shrugged. “Hector didn’t value me, but he was an excellent lover.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw as he regarded her. “I don’t approve of this, Carenza.” He stepped away from her and picked up his hat and gloves. “And when everything goes awry, don’t expect me to restore your reputation.”
“I won’t.” Carenza fought a desire to brain him with a candlestick. “You never did a thing to stop Hector behaving as if he were still single. Why should you assist me now?”
“That’s not true, I—” Julian abruptly stopped speaking. After a moment, he bowed. “I wish you good day, my lady.”
Carenza inclined her head an icy inch. “Good afternoon, sir.”
He walked out and shut the door with a definite click, leaving Carenza unsure whether to scream or cry.
She walked over to the window and watched the brothers drive off in Julian’s curricle.
If Julian thought to bully her into giving up her scheme, he would be disappointed.
All he’d done was make her realize that even he—her oldest friend—had double standards.
It made her angry enough to ignore society’s opinion of her.
Olivia was correct. What right did any man have to dictate how she behaved during her widowhood?
Her gaze followed the carriage as it turned the corner.
She’d expected better from Julian. They’d grown up on neighboring estates, and he’d always been her ally.
His disapproval hurt. She sat back in her chair with something of a flounce.
She refused to be cowed. Having her name bandied around in the gentlemen’s clubs was nothing new.
Hector had even bet on her himself when his finances were particularly low.
But how to manage the matter now that every gentleman in town was aware of the advertisement? She walked over to her desk and took out a sheet of paper. As Olivia had gotten her into this mess, her friend was honor bound to find a way to make things work as planned.
Allegra came into the drawing room, a plate of cakes in her hand.
“Oh! Where has everyone gone?”
“Anton escorted Olivia to her carriage. I think she had him convinced that she’d been the one to place that advertisement. Julian stayed behind to advise me to stop her from doing anything further.”
Allegra set down the plate. “Anton didn’t even come and find me to say goodbye.”
“He’s always had a horrendous crush on Olivia, you know.” Carenza tried to be gentle.
“Hasn’t every man? Even Hector—” Allegra stopped speaking.
“Flirted with her on every occasion they met?” Carenza finished her sister’s sentence for her. “I was quite aware of that, but Olivia would never betray me.”
“Yet she happily monopolized Anton’s time when she knows how I feel about him.” Allegra ate a cake and then another one. “She isn’t always nice, Carenza.”
“I know, and if you wish me to chastise her, I’d be happy to do so.” She indicated the letter she was writing. “I am halfway through composing a note to her demanding she sort out the mess she has created. I can always add an extra paragraph on your behalf.”
“I’m not sure there’s any point.” Allegra was obviously reluctant to let the subject of Anton go. “She’ll just want to know why I didn’t tell Anton how I feel about him and claim that anything she did was to make me jealous enough to stand up for myself. And she’d be right.”
“Unfortunately, she often is.” Carenza blotted the letter. “I should have insisted on reading the advertisement before she took it to the newspaper. I didn’t realize she intended to include everything we joked about.”
“You should have known she would.” Allegra offered her a cake. “What did you tell Julian when he asked you to intervene?”
“I told him it was none of his business.”
“Does he know her family?” Allegra asked. “I do hope he won’t tell tales on her.”
“As she can honestly deny that the advertisement concerns her, she has nothing to worry about, does she?” Carenza selected a cake and bit into the jammy center.
She had no intention of telling Allegra that Julian knew the truth about who the advert was for and wasn’t at all pleased with her. “I am the one risking my reputation.”
“Then perhaps this is a sign that you should not proceed,” Allegra said. “The idea that they are betting on you at White’s is insufferable.”
“But why should men be allowed to get away with such behavior when women are not?” Carenza asked.
“Women are allowed, ladies are not.”
“Unless they are married or consort with other married men. It is most unfair.” Carenza ate the rest of her cake, as she pictured the revolted expression on Julian’s face when she’d told him the truth.
“If Olivia can come up with a suitable way for our scheme to go ahead without drawing any more attention on ourselves, I am still willing to proceed.”
Allegra shook her head. “I believe you are making a mistake, sister.”
“Then I will do everything in my power to make sure that if things do go awry, you are not held accountable in any way.” Carenza met her sister’s worried gaze. “The last thing I want is to damage your reputation.”
“What reputation?” Allegra raised her eyebrows. “I’m Hector’s sister-in-law, and our father married an opera singer who isn’t received in society.” She smiled. “And as Anton has left for India, my heart is already broken.”
“You can do far better than Anton, my love.”
“We shall see about that.” Allegra offered Carenza the plate of cakes again. “As our visitors have all deserted us, why don’t we finish the refreshments ourselves? I can’t bear to see Cook’s good work go to waste.”