Chapter Nine
Roberta woke with a yawn and snuggled down into her bed for a few extra minutes of sleep.
It was some days after the engagement had been announced.
She hadn’t woken in time for her ride in the park, and no wonder.
It had been another long night that seemed to go on and on.
A ball at a society hostess’s house, with gawking guests watching Roberta and Niki’s every move.
During the week since their engagement, the invitations had been overwhelming and increasing daily.
People were vying to get the two of them to attend their functions.
People who had never looked at her before, or scorned her because of the scandals associated with the Ashton name, were suddenly desperate to have her attend.
She was beginning to feel overwhelmed, and she had seen Antonia watching her a little anxiously.
It was exhausting.
Before, Roberta had discarded the invitations to events she didn’t want to attend.
If Estelle Longhurst wasn’t going to show up then she would not either, because she wouldn’t have anyone to chat with between dances, nor someone she felt comfortable with.
Those days had gone. Now she had been thrown into a world that had her as far out of her depth as it was possible to be without drowning.
Estelle had sent her several messages, and apart from replying to one asking about her engagement to say that yes, it was true, she hadn’t had a chance to properly respond.
Should she tell Estelle the truth? No, she couldn’t.
Her friend had a tendency to gossip, and Roberta doubted anything as juicy as her fake engagement would remain behind Estelle’s lips for long.
She had received a scrawled letter from Olivia, who declared she had always known there was a frisson between Niki and her sister, and asked Roberta to write back immediately and tell her everything.
Justina called on her to give her a hug, but she couldn’t stay—she was busy helping her husband, Charles, run Cadieux’s.
Both instances made Roberta feel guilty, but she soothed her conscience by telling herself she would explain everything when the “engagement” was over.
As for Estelle…perhaps she could visit her later today? Although it was already late, and she was meant to take lunch with Matilda and then walk with Niki in the garden. Why hadn’t she woken early enough for her usual ride in the park? It might have helped clear some of her jitters.
A tap on the door forced her to face the fact that another day had begun whether she wanted it to or not. The maid peeped into the room and, seeing Roberta awake, brought in a letter.
“Not another invitation,” Roberta wailed, and then thought how ridiculous she sounded. Other girls her age would like nothing better than to be the rage of the Season.
“His Grace said to bring this up to you, my lady,” the maid said.
Roberta took the letter and when she saw her grandmother’s spidery handwriting, she wanted to bury herself beneath the covers again.
The dowager duchess already knew about the engagement. Gabriel had told her, but not the truth. He still insisted the full story could only be shared between himself, Vivienne, and Roberta. He didn’t know about Antonia, and she wasn’t about to tell him.
She propped herself up against her pillows and tore open the envelope. As she had feared, the Dowager Duchess of Grantham was full of suggestions for her future, but her main point of discussion was Grantham.
You must visit Grantham as soon as possible, she wrote. Niki must come to view this house as his second home. She had underscored “second home” three times. If anyone can help us rebuild the east wing, then it is Niki.
Roberta sighed. In essence, the letter was all about money and saving Grantham from falling down, but she could hardly blame her grandmother.
The dowager had been very disappointed when her plan to marry Olivia to Niki had failed, and she must be over the moon now she had a second chance.
Maybe, if it had been true, Niki might have helped them out—if Gabriel could have swallowed his pride, of course—but it wasn’t.
Her grandmother was going to be disappointed yet again when the engagement was called off and the golden goose flew back to Holtswig.
She tossed the letter aside. Should she invite Niki to Grantham?
She was torn by the suggestion—more like an order!
She had visualized the engagement as lighthearted fun, but it was turning out to be more like work.
Did Niki feel that too? Would he want to come to Grantham and embroil himself in her family concerns?
The last time he had visited had been very different, but despite the many disasters he’d encountered, he seemed to have fond memories of the place.
At the celebratory ball, she had almost felt as if the whole charade was real.
That they were genuinely engaged. Was she getting in too deep?
She didn’t want to get hurt when it ended, and she already sensed that may well happen.
Niki had always had the capacity to break her heart, or at least injure it.
Was a dull life really so bad after all?
Right now, she almost welcomed the thought of it.
But no, not really. If she were honest, then she was mostly enjoying herself—or would be if Niki was not being threatened by some faceless man.
Her brother had told her in vague terms about the letter and package, although he said it was nothing for her to worry about.
So why was she worrying? Because something in her brother’s eyes had hinted there was more he wasn’t telling her. As someone who liked to control her own life, Roberta was struggling with being held at bay. She wasn’t exactly a puppet in this situation but neither was she a full partner.
Outside in the corridor, she heard her nephew’s chatter—most of it in a language only he and his mother understood—and the nursemaid’s responses. Breakfast must be over, and Roberta was yet to rise.
The thought of Grantham, her home, had given her a strong sense of yearning.
She missed it. London was all very well, but Grantham was special and always had been.
Perhaps it would be a good thing to go home?
She would feel more relaxed there, away from the endless round of social engagements, and if Niki came with her…
? He might be able to relax too without the constant fear of whoever was trying to hurt him doing so again.
Although…the keen eyes of her family would be upon him. Upon her. Could they continue their pretense under such scrutiny? It would certainly be a test.
And would he agree to come? She could promise not to steal Leopold again. Niki would stare at her in that horrified way, but his dark eyes would have that sparkle in them that meant he was secretly amused. She loved…liked that sparkle. It meant she had helped him to forget, just for a moment.
Perhaps she could make his eyes sparkle today on their walk? With a grin, Roberta rang the bell for her maid to come and help her dress for the day ahead.
Niki could see that Matilda had gone to a lot of effort to arrange one of her splendid lunches—they were justly famous.
Apart from her town house, she had another house just outside London, which had been left to her by her husband.
It was an eighteenth-century mansion with sprawling grounds, and Niki found it a welcome refuge and stayed there whenever he could.
Matilda preferred her adopted England to her birthplace of Holtswig, and he understood why.
Her children were half English, and her friends were all in England.
He could not remember the last time she had visited her birth country.
It was different for himself. Holtswig was in his heart, and he could never leave it. Well, not for very long anyway. He had no intention of being an absent ruler like some other members of the European aristocracy who spent all their time enjoying themselves abroad.
When his grandfather was alive, he had been active in seeking a second husband for Matilda. “She is young yet. She needs a good Holtswig gentleman by her side,” he had said. “She needs to come home where she belongs.”
But Matilda had firmly resisted, and so far as Niki knew, she had never shown the slightest interest in remarrying after Baron Brooks had died.
She enjoyed playing her part in society, when she was not busy with her children and her houses.
Niki knew she was proud of her garden, and as they waited for Roberta and her family to arrive, she spoke at length about the various exotic plants she had added to her collection.
Her words washed over him, and although he must have made the correct responses, he could see by the smiles she sent him that she was aware his mind was elsewhere.
“You are lucky to have found someone so suited to you,” she said.
“I am not sure everyone agrees. Chamberlain Francis advised me not to become entangled with the Ashtons.”
Matilda screwed up her nose. “Pooh! What does he know? He is thinking of bloodlines and powerful alliances. I am thinking of your well-being, Niki.”
He had opened his mouth to ask her to explain what she meant when their guests were announced at the door. Roberta, flanked by her brother, the duke, and his duchess, as well as her sister Antonia. Freddie Hart was also in tow.
Niki presumed Freddie was here to do his job.
He had spoken to him only a day ago and was given an update on how the government was handling the worrying situation.
The sender of the package and the letter, if indeed they were the same person, was yet to be found, but he had decided to put his trust in Freddie—he seemed to know what he was doing—and there were always several of his men watching over Niki and now Roberta.
Even when he could not see them—and Freddie said that meant they were doing their job well—he felt them like a protective shield.
That was all comforting to know, but truthfully, Niki tried not to let his concerns show.
He put on a brave face and knew that would have made his grandfather proud of him.
Roberta curtsied prettily to Matilda, a lock of her dark hair falling forward across her cheek.
She was wearing a dress of pale blue, and the color accentuated her eyes.
There was a question in them when Niki met her gaze, but he wasn’t sure what it was.
The past week had been a little insane with so many social engagements, and he had struggled.
He was sure she felt the same. Indeed, when they were among others, he had sensed her withdrawing inside herself even more than usual, and frustratingly, there wasn’t much he could do about it.
“Your grandmother wrote to me,” he said, when the greetings were done and she came to his side. “She has invited me to Grantham for a visit.”
Instantly, there was a pinch between her brows, and she looked annoyed. “She wrote to me too. She asked me to invite you…but if she has done so already…”
“The Dowager Duchess of Grantham must have been pleased to hear of your engagement,” Matilda interrupted in her warm, friendly manner. She had overheard the conversation and now joined in. “I know how fond she was of my father. She will be delighted that our families are to be joined together.”
Niki knew just how “fond” his grandfather had been of the dowager, and Matilda probably did too.
Long ago, they had been lovers, and there had been talk of her running off with him to Holtswig.
Niki was glad she hadn’t. He wouldn’t be here now if that had been the case, but also, his little country needed stability, and an elopement wasn’t the way to bring that about.
However, it was another connection between himself and Roberta.
“I will have to check my schedule,” Niki said, and only then heard the pomposity in his voice. Matilda clicked her tongue, and Roberta looked away.
She wanted to go home to Grantham, of course she did, and he suspected she would go with or without him.
Suddenly, he was worried that this was all too much for her.
She was not used to the attention. She was not like him, able to put on a regal mask or simply ignore everyone and know it would not be commented upon.
He should be supporting her in ways other than appearing with her at social engagements—he should go with her to Grantham.
Niki cleared his throat and tried again. “I would very much like to visit Grantham. I will do my best to rearrange my schedule…if I am able. Some of the councillors have come to London to speak with me, so I will need to give them at least a little of my time.”
Was that better? He gave Roberta a hopeful look and saw her reluctant smile.
“I’m sure you can cancel some of those meetings you are having with the Holtswig council,” Matilda said in an uncharacteristically reproving voice.
“They are a lot of dithering old men who lost touch with the people years ago. I don’t know why you don’t replace them.
A weekend away would do you the world of good, Niki.
You are still pale after that awful incident—”
Her voice trailed off, but Niki knew she meant the attempt to kill him. Roberta was looking worried now, but thankfully, Matilda had already changed the subject to something far more pleasant.
“Let us eat,” she said, and clapped her hands.