Chapter 18
After their return to London, Carenza and Allegra were settling in for a quiet afternoon reading when Olivia and Maude were ushered in by the butler.
Carenza set her book to one side and sighed. “What is it now?”
Olivia took a seat and smoothed out her skirts. “Apparently, while we were away, Percival started spreading even worse rumors about Mr. Laurent.”
“Such as?” Allegra asked.
“That Miss Cartwright is his mistress and that the home was set up to house all Julian’s bastards.”
“All twenty of them?” Carenza shook her head. “How ridiculous. Surely no one would believe such a thing.”
“Mr. Laurent is regarded as a somewhat coldhearted man, Carenza,” Maude said. “And there are many people in society who don’t like him and would relish the opportunity to see him brought low.”
“Then how can we support the Cartwrights and Mrs. Mountjoy and draw attention away from Julian?” Allegra asked.
“We could hold a charity ball or a concert on their behalf,” Carenza said. “And show society that we all support these reputable institutions.”
“That’s a good idea.” Olivia nodded. “I’ll ask my godmother to head the committee. No one will argue with a duchess. I’ll visit her this evening and secure a date for our venture.”
“Are you sure she will agree?” Allegra asked.
“Yes, she gets terribly bored and loves a challenge,” Olivia said. “Now, what can we do about Percival, whom I’m fairly certain is the source of all these rumors?”
All the ladies fell silent.
Carenza frowned. “I hate to admit it, but I suspect we’ll need a man to deal with Percival. He’s not going to listen to us, and if we do get involved, he’ll wonder why, and that might make things even worse.”
“I agree with Carenza,” Allegra said. “I wonder if Aragon might help us?”
“Aragon? He’s not exactly the cleverest of men,” Olivia said.
“I think you underestimate his loyalty to his brother,” Carenza said. “If Aragon was … carefully coached”—Olivia snorted—“I think he could deal with Percival, who is an incredibly weak man.”
“But what could Aragon say to discredit Percival?” Maude asked.
“Percival is incredibly thin-skinned,” Olivia said slowly. “He is afraid of being overlooked and supremely conscious of his status in life; hence, his hatred of Julian ‘stealing’ his fortune.”
“Perhaps we could threaten to reveal how he treated his great-aunt,” Carenza suggested. “Julian said she’d been badly neglected by her family. Percival would hate that to come to light.”
“And Aragon might know about such treatment if he visited their aunt with Julian.” Olivia looked at Carenza. “Do you want to approach Aragon, or should we do it together?”
“I think we should do it together,” Carenza said.
“Excellent. Then invite him here tomorrow for tea, and I’ll make sure to attend.”
“What about Lady Brenton?” Allegra asked. “Have you all forgotten about her?”
Olivia made a face. “I had hoped that bringing her to Mr. Laurent’s house party might persuade her to confide in Julian as to Percival’s plans for him.”
“Why would she do that, when she’s actively plotting against him?” Allegra raised her eyebrows.
“Because I thought she still cared for him and that if he was … kind to her, she might regret her allegiances and confess all.”
“You thought Mr. Laurent should pretend to care for her again in order to secure her confidences?” Carenza stared at Olivia.
“Yes! I already told you that.” Olivia glared back. “Except he refused to do so.”
“That’s hardly surprising. Whatever you may think of men and him in particular, Olivia, he isn’t that cruel.”
“He’s a man,” Olivia stated. “He is capable of anything.”
“And did Mr. Laurent speak to Lady Brenton as you requested?” Allegra looked at Olivia.
“He did.”
“And?”
“He got the impression that she is actively involved in the attempt to blacken his reputation and had no intention of stopping. She said he’d made her a laughingstock by sharing the story of the end of their affair.”
Maude frowned. “I am fairly well connected in society, and I’ve never heard anyone mention it.”
“Mr. Laurent said he hadn’t told anyone,” Olivia said. “But the story is obviously out, and Lady Brenton is sufficiently angry about it to want revenge. I do have some sympathy about this, but I’m also convinced that Mr. Laurent isn’t the source of the gossip.”
“So many lies and misdirections,” Carenza said. “Sometimes I hate the society we have created.”
“We haven’t created it,” Olivia said. “And there is no reason why we have to constantly bow to its demands.”
“Easy for you to say,” Allegra sniffed. “Not all of us are fabulously wealthy widows. My chances of making a good marriage are constantly hampered by society’s view of my parents as undesirables.”
“There you go again, accepting defeat without even trying,” Olivia said.
“I am trying.” Allegra glared at her. “And I do not appreciate you making light of my misfortune.”
“Can we perhaps get back to the matter in hand?” Carenza asked. “We have agreed to speak to Aragon, and we are fairly certain that Lady Brenton wishes Julian ill and has no intention of stopping. What else do we have to worry about?”
“Mr. Cox? Calloway? Our identities being revealed?” Olivia raised her eyebrows. “In your desire to protect Mr. Laurent have you forgotten about our own peril?”
“The two things appear to be linked, Olivia,” Carenza replied. “If we can stop Percival, I suspect we’ll have nothing to fear. His only interest in the matter is because he suspects Julian is involved.”
“I hope you are right.” Olivia didn’t look convinced as she rose. “I’ll be off. Let me know when Aragon can speak to us. In the meantime, I’ll speak to my godmother about organizing that charity ball.”
Carenza rose also and went over to Olivia to kiss her cheek. “I’ll write a note to Aragon now and let you know the arrangements as soon as possible.”
Olivia left and Allegra rang for more tea.
“As per usual, Olivia takes no responsibility for her actions over the advertisement. She always attempts to shift the blame to you, sister,” Allegra said. “I find her quite infuriating sometimes.”
“Don’t we all,” Carenza said. “But I still believe her heart is in the right place.”
“I agree,” Maude said. “She’s been very kind to me recently.”
“How are matters between you and Gerald?” Carenza asked.
Maude took a deep breath. “He’s going back to Brussels.”
“Oh, my dear.” Carenza reached out to touch Maude’s arm. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not.” Maude looked at her. “You were right about what you said. He does make me anxious and miserable. We had a terrible argument where he accused me of being undutiful. I suggested that his neglect of his family, and his pompous assurance that we were less important than his glittering career, meant that he was the one not doing his part. He was furious and suggested I’d never been an adequate wife and that I’d stalled his prospects by my unwillingness to constantly uproot the boys and follow him around Europe. ”
“That’s a horrible thing to say,” Allegra exclaimed.
Maude bit her lip. “After that, there was very little left to say to each other. He informed me over breakfast this morning that he’d applied for the post in Brussels and that was that.
” She looked at Allegra and then back at Carenza.
“In a strange way, I’m almost relieved. I’m sure once he’s settled in Brussels, we’ll be able to have a more civil conversation about how to go on leading separate lives. ”
“It’s still a shame,” Carenza said. “No one wishes their marriage to experience such disharmony.”
“Carenza does speak from experience, Maude,” Allegra said helpfully. “Hector led her a merry dance.”
“I am well aware of how badly my brother treated your sister, Allegra. I had many a word with him but with no obvious effect.” Maude rose to her feet.
“I must be going. Gerald had an interview at the Foreign Office this morning. They might even have offered him the job on the spot. I must prepare myself for such news.”
“Please come to us if you need anything. We are quite discreet.” Carenza walked Maude down the stairs to her waiting carriage. “And if you need to bring the boys, you are all welcome here.”
“Thank you.” Maude’s eyes were shining with unshed tears. “That means a lot to me.”
“We are still sisters-in-law and your boys are my nephews,” Carenza reminded her. “Hector’s death doesn’t change that.”
She went back upstairs in a somewhat pensive mood to find Allegra awaiting her.
“Poor old Maude,” Allegra said. “It does make me wonder whether being a spinster is a better alternative to being married to a complete fool.”
Carenza went over to her writing desk and sat down. “I must admit that I never liked Gerald. He always struck me as something of a sycophant, always fawning over those he thought could smooth his path to greatness. Hector didn’t like him, either. It was one of the very few things we agreed on.”
She took out a fresh piece of cut paper and opened her inkwell. “Now what should I say to Aragon to make him come and see me with all haste?”
“Just say exactly that. He’s very biddable,” Allegra advised. “And very fond of you, too.”
“We’ve discussed that. He’s realized I’m not the right woman for him. I think he’s got his eye on Olivia now.”
“The poor man.”
Carenza looked over at her sister. “You seem somewhat out of sorts with our friend. Has something else happened that I don’t know about?”
“She’s just … infuriating sometimes. This whole mess with the advertisement is totally her fault, yet she refuses to admit it.”
“So you’ve said.” Carenza returned her attention to the composition of her note. “But she’s always been like that.”
“You are far more tolerant of her nonsense than I am.”
“Possibly because I am in a better position to understand the horror of her marriage to a man old enough to be her grandfather.”
Allegra fixed her with a hard stare that reminded Carenza of their father. “You can’t always make excuses for her.”