Chapter 12 #2
“My dear girl … you can’t let that woman upset you.” He reached her side and turned her around. He was both shocked and pleased to discover she was not crying but rather laughing like a maniac.
“This is ridiculous,” she breathed. “I keep wanting to laugh because she cannot bear to be bested.”
Julian chuckled as he gathered her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
“She’s even shut up my mother. Inviting Lady Harriet was a masterstroke my brother doesn’t even realize he created.
I must remember to congratulate him.” He slid his fingers under Carenza’s chin so that she had to look up at him. “Are you really all right?”
“I am. There is nothing Lady Harriet could say that could hurt me more than Hector already has.” Her gaze was clear.
He kissed her, and she kissed him back. The clock on the mantelpiece chimed the quarter hour, and he reluctantly drew back. “Will you meet me tomorrow at the usual place at twelve?” he asked.
“I thought we were done with all that.”
He frowned. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
“You did.”
“I merely suggested we needed to be careful. Mrs. Mountjoy’s house is the epitome of discretion.”
“You also suggested I expected too much of you.”
“Everyone does.” He smiled. “You should hear my mother on the subject.”
She studied him for a long moment and then looked toward the door. “I should get back.”
He took her hand. “How much will you wager me that Allegra and Lady Harriet are still at it?”
“I’m hoping your mother will regain control of the conversation and shut them both up,” Carenza said.
“I’m not sure if that’s possible. But I suspect she’ll try.”
They reentered the dining room separately as Julian needed to find the butler and resumed their seats.
It quickly became obvious that his mother was pointedly ignoring her guests and speaking solely to Aragon, while Lady Harriet and Allegra glared at each other over their plates of lamb shanks in parsley sauce.
“Did I miss anything?” Julian whispered to Allegra as one of the footmen replenished all the wineglasses.
“Not particularly.”
“It’s a shame Mrs. Sheraton isn’t here,” Julian said.
“Only if you wanted to see pure carnage over the dinner table. Olivia would never allow Carenza to be insulted like that.”
“You’re doing a good job of defending her yourself, my lady.”
“Thank you.” Allegra frowned. “Carenza has a tendency to be too nice, but luckily I don’t have the same restraint.”
The lamb was removed and replaced by the fish course along with a change of wine.
Aragon began loudly quizzing the new earl about his stables, which meant Lady Harriet had a chance to regroup and attack again.
Carenza wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole ridiculous evening.
Instinct told her to leave and that to engage in further conversation with Lady Harriet would only make matters worse.
But she couldn’t abandon her sister, in case she destroyed her own social reputation along with Carenza’s.
One part of her, the quiescent wife, the woman who had always looked the other way and smoothed things over, was desperate to make things right, while the new Carenza relished a fight where nothing was left unsaid and her enemies were destroyed in front of her eyes.
“Did you ever find the jewelry that was missing from the Smythe-Harding vault?” Lady Harriet asked Carenza.
“I can’t say that I considered it my concern,” Carenza replied, her desire to leave deserting her. “You’ve already been through my jewelry collection.”
“I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt,” Lady Harriet said. “My husband said I should not have called you out in public for your thievery, but I won’t apologize.”
Carenza looked at Lady Harriet, aware that anything she said wouldn’t satisfy her inquisitor. The new countess had taken against her before they had even met.
“I suspect you are the kind of woman who rarely apologizes for anything, ma’am.”
“That is because I am invariably proved right,” Lady Harriet said.
“If you truly want to know where the rest of the jewelry is, you should inquire at the more upmarket pawnshops and work your way down to the less reputable shops.” Carenza paused.
“Of course, if you’d consulted Mr. Hoskins, he could probably have told you exactly where Hector had disposed of the jewelry. Hoskins was very close with Hector.”
“I doubt your former husband was friends with a servant.”
“Hector, for all his faults, was devoted to those he considered his friends. He grew up with Mr. Hoskins, and Hoskins remained loyal to him even during the worst of times. If Hector wanted to pawn something, he would’ve taken Mr. Hoskins along with him.
Perhaps if you wrote to him, he might help you. ”
“I have no idea where the man is, and I doubt he could assist me, anyway.”
Carenza frowned. “But Mr. Hoskins and his family had accommodation in one of the mews cottages behind the house. Did you evict them?”
“Of course I did.”
Carenza stared at Lady Harriet. “Hoskins cared for his sick mother, and after his wife died, two of his daughters lived with him. One of them lost her husband at Waterloo.”
“None of which is my concern.” Lady Harriet poked her husband’s shoulder as the footmen filled the table with desserts Carenza feared she’d be unable to eat. “She says she hasn’t got any more of our jewelry.”
The earl gave his wife a quick nod and tried to return to his conversation with his hostess, but Lady Harriet was having none of it. “She says Hector is responsible for the losses, but I doubt that.”
“Hector?” Aragon joined the conversation.
“That man would pawn anything if it gave him a few extra guineas at the gaming table.” He laughed heartily.
“I once saw him turn out his pockets, strip off his rings, and add his watch and chain just to win a bet on a card game. And he still lost.” He turned to Carenza.
“I don’t know how you put up with him, ma’am. ”
Carenza smiled politely, but Aragon was in full flow.
“He wagered your favored mare on a race, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“And lost it, of course, because he was blind, reeling drunk at the time—begging your pardon, ladies—and shouldn’t have been allowed near a gaming table or a racecourse.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t as bad as all that,” the new earl said.
“Yes, he was.” Aragon nodded. “An absolute wastrel.”
Lady Harriet glanced pointedly at Carenza. “Perhaps he needed wiser guidance at home.”
“No,” Aragon said simply. “He was a bad man.” He winked at Carenza. “That mare of mine you rode in the park the other day? I chose her specifically because she’s descended from the same line as the one you lost.”
“That was very kind of you, sir.” Carenza smiled at him.
“It was nothing.” Aragon looked embarrassed. “I just remember at the time thinking it wasn’t right that Hector took away something you loved.”
Lady Isobel cleared her throat. “Would the ladies like to join me in the drawing room and leave the gentlemen to their port?”
Carenza would much rather have stayed with the gentlemen, but she rose to her feet and dutifully followed the countess to the rather chilly drawing room.
It was decorated in shades of the palest blue and cream, rather like a Wedgewood dish.
Carenza wouldn’t mention that bit of whimsy to her hostess.
Lady Isobel’s dislike of Carenza perhaps rivaled Lady Harriet’s.
Carenza walked over to the window that overlooked the square. It was already dark, and a splattering of rain hit the square windowpanes and rattled the glass. She was tired of pretending that everything was fine and wished she could go home.
“Are you all right?” Allegra came to her side.
“I will be. I wish we hadn’t come.”
“I’ve quite enjoyed getting the best of Lady Harriet, and both of the Laurents have been resolute in their defense of you.”
“Yes, they have.”
“I know you cannot come to care for Aragon, but he is being remarkably sweet.” Allegra lowered her voice. “Which hasn’t gone down well with his mama. Brace yourself, sister. I suspect Lady Isobel has a few things to make clear to you as well.”
Carenza squared her shoulders and went to join the other ladies, who were grouped around the fireplace.
Lady Isobel looked up as she approached. “Would you care for some tea, Lady Smythe-Harding?”
“Yes, please.” Carenza took the tea and sat beside Allegra on the couch farthest away from the meager warmth of the fire.
“Surely that is my title now,” Lady Harriet piped up.
“I suppose it is.” Lady Isobel’s expression indicated that she didn’t seem enamored of the new countess, either. “I should have added the dowager part.”
“There is no need,” Carenza said. “In fact, I’ve reverted to using my maiden name and prefer Lady Carenza.”
“That’s rather modern of you,” Lady Isobel commented. “Are you one of those women who think they are equal to men?”
“Equal?” Allegra raised her eyebrows. “In my opinion, women are far superior altogether!”
“I believe we all have different strengths that complement each other.” Carenza attempted to diffuse her sister’s inflammatory comment.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Lady Isobel said. “One does wonder what values are shared in an unconventional family such as yours.”
Carenza’s head began to ache. Allegra cleared her throat, and Carenza kicked her in the ankle.
“Don’t,” Carenza murmured. “It’s not worth it.”
“As you wish.” Allegra scowled at her and sipped her tea as Lady Isobel drew the other ladies into a discussion about their “good works.”
Soon, Lady Harriet’s gaze fastened on Carenza. “Are you sure those earrings are yours?”
Carenza repressed the desire to scream and concentrated on projecting calm as Lady Harriet sprang to her feet and stalked over to her.
She pointed her finger far too close to Carenza’s face. “Take them off. I wish to examine them more closely.”
Carenza rose to her feet. She was a good deal taller than the other woman and intended to use that height to her advantage. “I will do no such thing. These earrings were a present from my father on my twenty-first birthday.”
“I doubt that.”
Carenza locked gazes with the infuriated countess. “You are embarrassing yourself in front of your hostess, ma’am. You should apologize and resume your seat.”
“Take them off!” She lunged at Carenza.
Allegra stepped between them and shoved Lady Harriet. The countess clutched at her chest and screeched so loudly Carenza had an urge to cover her ears.
“I’ve been assaulted! Help! Fetch the Watch!”
Lady Isobel approached, her stern gaze on Lady Harriet. “You are hysterical. I will ask your husband to take you home.” She paused. “And do not expect an invitation to this house ever again.”
There was a clapping sound from the doorway. It appeared the gentlemen and the butler had been observing the scene.
Aragon strode forward. “I quite agree, Mother. Smythe-Harding? Please collect your wife. She is behaving appallingly.”
Tobias rushed over to his wife and grabbed her arm. “Come along, dear.”
“But she assaulted me!”
“I didn’t see anything.” Julian looked around the room.
“Did anyone else?” Everyone shook their heads, and Julian smiled at Lady Harriet.
“Perhaps you have imbibed too much wine, ma’am, and would do better to seek your bed at home.
A letter of apology to my mother in the morning should suffice to cover your embarrassing behavior. ”
He stood back as Tobias escorted his still-protesting wife out of the room.
Julian went over to Allegra and bowed. “I almost wish you’d planted her a facer.”
“I did consider it,” Allegra allowed. “But I was trying to be polite.”
“I would like to go home,” Carenza said, aware that her voice was trembling. “Will you come with me, Allegra?”
“Yes.” Allegra firmly linked their arms, and they walked over to their stony-faced hostess. “Thank you for an enjoyable evening, Lady Isobel.” Allegra turned to Aragon. “And thank you for the invitation.”
“It was great fun!” Aragon said. “We should do it again soon, don’t you think, Mother?”