Chapter 23
Livy
Livy and Lord Dunmore ambled up to the couples.
“Lord Dunmore, a pleasure to see you,” Lord Rutledge said, his tone strained. There was a glint in the man’s eye, something Livy couldn’t quite read, but he appeared relieved by their approach.
Lord Dunmore dipped his chin in greeting. “Fine day or not, I’m a happy man after meeting with my man of business. It is a fortunate day for those invested in steel.”
“Right you are, my lord,” Lord Pennington spoke up, grinning beneath his bushy brown mustache.
“Lord and Lady Pennington and Lord and Lady Rutledge. May I introduce Miss Forester, Lord Forester’s daughter?”
Livy curtsied to the group while the ladies smiled in greeting. Lord Rutledge nodded politely. Lord Pennington swept his gaze over her, then dismissed her without so much as a nod and turned to Lord Dunmore.
“I was just going over the monthly reports of my own investments,” Lord Pennington said. “Shall we all walk? I would love to pick your brain. We men can talk business while the ladies gossip about frivolities.”
Livy double blinked. That was rather insulting. Yes, a woman was supposed to have only modest intelligence, but that didn’t mean they had nothing important to discuss. Lady Pennington’s blue eyes sparked with fire as she glared at her husband’s back. What an odious man.
No matter, the insult couldn’t quash Livy’s excitement for an excuse to speak with just the ladies.
It was them she needed to make an impression on.
Said gossip getting back to the patronesses of Almack’s could make or break a young lady’s success on the marriage mart.
Matches were made and destroyed over small conversations like this. As frivolous as that may be.
Lady Rutledge bestowed a warm smile upon Livy as they ambled behind the men. Her green and gold eyes sparkled from under her straw hat that had a cheeky little upturn on one side. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Forester. I’m not familiar with your family. What brings you to London?”
“I am here for my coming out, though I’m a bit late in doing so. My aunt, Lady Elliot, has accompanied me.” Livy motioned toward where her aunt was chatting amiably with one of her friends.
“Oh, how exciting!” Lady Pennington exclaimed. “I remember my season. It was a whirlwind of balls and suitors.” She sighed, her blue eyes softening.
“And then your father ruined it, and you got stuck with Pennington.” Lady Rutledge wrinkled her nose, her lip curling.
Lady Pennington huffed. “Yes, I played dutiful daughter.”
Livy’s heart squeezed in sympathy for the woman.
No marriage at all would be better than a marriage like that.
Livy hadn’t realized until this moment how fortunate she was.
Even in a world where women had very little choice, Papa would never force her to marry someone she didn’t want to.
She bit back a chuckle. He probably wouldn’t even realize if she did marry or not.
A wicked grin split Lady Pennington’s face, eyes flashing. “But not before I got to enjoy the attentions of some of the most handsome rogues of the ton at the time.”
Lady Rutledge snorted. “That is a gross exaggeration.”
Lady Pennington tapped Lady Rutledge playfully with her fan.
“It is not! I’ll admit, they weren’t anywhere near in league with the Marquess of Dunmore.
Of course, back then, no one would have given him a second glance.
Goodness, how has it already been five years?
” She eyed Livy curiously. “How is it you came to be acquainted with the Marquess?”
Livy’s gaze drifted over Lord Dunmore, his lean muscles straining against his coat.
Those same lean muscles flashed in her mind.
Bare skin. Sweat-slicked. She hastily cleared her throat.
“We were introduced at the Chesterfield Ball. He is distantly acquainted with my aunt and has offered to show me around.”
“Hmm,” Lady Rutledge said thoughtfully, a few loose black tendrils of hair dancing around her face in the breeze. “I have known Lord Dunmore for quite some time, but I’ve never heard of this…distant acquaintance.”
Livy swallowed nervously. The story was a stretch, but the only other option was to feign a courtship with Lord Dunmore. Which was absolutely not happening. It would only feed into his attempts at seduction, and she would not give him the upper hand.
“It’s quite distant. My aunt hasn’t frequented town in quite some time.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him escort a young lady about,” Lady Rutledge said with a hum. “I find that very interesting. Don’t you, Lady Pennington?”
Livy's nerves danced uncomfortably. She didn't understand what hid beneath those words, but something did.
“I do. I truly do,” Lady Pennington murmured softly, her gaze sharp as she swept it over the man in question. “It is a rare sight to see Lord Dunmore acting properly with a lady. It makes one wonder if perhaps it is possible to bring the beast to heel.”
She turned to Livy, dark red curls flying. “A word of advice. If you have caught the Marquess’s interest, do not take it lightly. The mamas of the ton have been throwing their daughters in his path for years, to no avail.”
Livy opened her mouth to deny the statement, but Lady Rutledge's snort cut her off.
The marchioness leaned over and squeezed Lady Pennington's arm.
“Ohmygoodness,” she said on a laughing breath.
“Isn't that the truth? Remember when poor Georgiana ended up in the Serpentine when her mother tried exactly that?”
The women tittered and two sets of dancing eyes landed on Livy. She shook her head, and an awkward laugh bubbled out of her. “I appreciate the advice, but I don’t foresee a courtship between the Marquess and myself. I am hoping to gain the attention of another gentleman.”
“Well, whoever he is, I do hope there is some intelligence rattling around in his head. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me, listening to him chatter on about his so-called lucrative investments.
” Lady Pennington snorted and muttered, “Pretending every other word out of his mouth isn’t completely daft. ”
Lady Rutledge bit back a smile. “They’re not all so bad. You don’t want to scare the poor dear. My Rupert turned out to be a fine husband, and we were an arranged marriage.” Lady Rutledge’s green eyes glowed as she stared fondly at her husband.
Livy’s heart squeezed. That was exactly what she wanted. That look on Lady Rutledge’s face. The love and adoration. The ease and happiness that so clearly flowed between them.
“And I was nothing like the wife he wanted.”
Livy almost missed Lady Rutledge’s soft whisper, her words nearly lost in the hubbub of the park revelers. Something akin to hope sparked in her chest. It was so close to Livy’s situation. Perhaps Lady Rutledge’s story would hold true for her and Warren as well.
The men paused up ahead, and the women strolled up to join them. Lord Rutledge shifted uncomfortably, his polite smile forced. Lord Dunmore gazed absently around the park, his mouth set in a flat line.
“What fool would pay 975 pounds over five years when one could pay 930 pounds at the end of two years instead?” Lord Pennington chuckled. “They tried to spin some fanciful tale of interest yields at five per cent and annual installments, but I didn’t budge. Do they take me for a fool?”
Lord Rutledge wrinkled his brow. “I don’t believe they were attempting to deceive you, Pennington.”
“Of course they were. Crooks, the lot of them.”
It comes out to the same thing.
All eyes turned to Livy. Fiddlesticks. She groaned inwardly. She had said her thoughts aloud again.
“Pardon?” Lord Pennington peered down at her.
“Apologies, my lord. I meant that there is no difference between the two options. Assuming the five per cent annual yield, of course.”
Lord Pennington chuckled. “Are you trying to tell me that 975 pounds and 930 pounds are one in the same?” He glanced around the group. “I fear for this young lady. Ladies are known for their delicate minds, but this may be the most extreme case I’ve witnessed.”
Livy blinked at the man’s outrageous rudeness. Keeping a smile plastered on her face, Livy gritted her teeth and tried to swallow down her frustration. But it was too thick, too dry. Don’t say anything further, Livy. Do. Not.
“Their present value is the same,” her traitorous tongue said.
“You must take into account the time value of money. I’m assuming they said you would pay roughly 195 pounds per annum for the five years.
If you discount those payments back to today and discount the 930 pounds back two years, you get roughly 844 pounds and 5 shillings in each case.
So, if you simply discount each payment back to today and then invest in the funds with a guaranteed return of five per cent, there would be no difference. ”
Silence descended upon the group. Lady Pennington and Lady Rutledge stared at her with slack faces and wide eyes.
Shame licked across her cheeks, and a heaviness settled in her chest. Why couldn’t she have ignored his patronizing comment? He was clearly incompetent. Honestly, she felt bad for the man. His state of affairs was probably atrocious, considering his incomprehension of basic finance.
“Dear girl,” Lord Pennington snapped, his face turning a deeper shade of red.
“It is clear that no one has taught you when to hold your tongue, but it is best not to speak to subjects one does not understand. I’d tread carefully in the future.
There are those who might not be so forgiving of such impertinence. ”
She toed the ground underneath her skirts, properly chastised, and did her best not to squirm too visibly. She was supposed to be ingratiating herself to these people. Instead, she had ruined it like a complete ninny.
“You would do well to heed your own advice.” Lord Dunmore’s cold voice sliced through the tense silence.
“Everything Miss Forester said was correct. Ironically enough, I recently entered into a similar contract for a debt I just acquired. I chose the five-year repayment. I suppose you believe I am an idiot, then, Pennington?”
Looking up, Livy caught Lord Dunmore’s gaze. His teeth flashed, but no one would ever mistake that for a smile. He was angry…on her behalf? A fluttering broke through the heaviness weighing on her.
“I… Well…” Lord Pennington stumbled slightly.
Lord Dunmore leaned forward. “See, what I did—because I am far from an idiot—was took the present value of each payment I am due to pay and invested that amount in a fund guaranteeing 7%. Do you know what that means, Pennington?”
Lord Pennington’s mouth pressed tight, something ugly burning in his dark eyes. He didn’t respond.
Lord Dunmore’s turbulent gaze clashed with hers.
He lifted a jet-black brow expectantly. She mulled it over, her brain working frantically.
She loved the pressure of calculating on the spot.
The thrill, the adrenaline. “It means you would have paid 917 pounds 17 shillings, instead of the 930 pounds if you had agreed to the two-year contract.” Warm satisfaction spread through her. Oh, that had been fun!
“Did you hear that, Pennington? I actually paid 12 pounds 3 shillings fewer out of pocket. Now, I was dealing in much larger amounts, so those savings begin to accumulate. That is creative investing. That is smart investing.”
Lady Pennington and Lady Rutledge both hid their smiles behind their fans.
Lady Pennington caught Livy’s eye as she bounced on her toes.
She looked positively gleeful at her husband’s set-down.
She threw a wink Livy’s way. Livy’s lips twitched, and she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
She may not have ingratiated herself with Lord Pennington, but his opinion of her wasn’t the one that mattered.
“Since it seems you have nothing else to say, Lord Pennington, I will take Miss Forester back to her aunt.” He turned to the ladies, bowing over their hands.
“We do hope to see you again, Miss Forester,” Lady Rutledge said. “I will ensure that an invitation to my next dinner party makes its way into your hands.”
Happiness bloomed inside Livy. Even setting aside her aim to ascend society, a part of her hoped she would have a chance to see these ladies again.
Right now, she was a curiosity, an unheard-of unmarried miss in society.
She was subject to whispers behind fans, calculating stares, wary distance, unsure if she was a threat or an asset.
But these ladies—Lady Rutledge, with the mischievous hazel eyes, and Lady Pennington, with hair as fiery as her personality—had treated her differently. She liked these ladies.
She beamed at Lady Rutledge and looked around at everyone in the group, curtsying and saying her goodbyes. Lord Pennington’s glare burned into her, and her smile faltered.
She hastily glanced back at Lady Rutledge. “Th-Thank you, my lady. I am looking forward to it.”