Chapter 31
Nathanial
The note came as he was getting ready for Lady Darning’s musicale, the afternoon after Gregory and Tiffany’s visit.
Nathanial had been readying himself with the help of his new valet, Bennet, when Stalling came to his room with the note.
Thankfully, Nathanial had dismissed both of them before opening it, because he was not certain he would have been able to hide his reaction.
It is time to pay what your father owed.
He sucked in a breath as he stared at the letter, which was far too reminiscent of the stack of threatening notes he’d found in his father’s things.
The notes that had, at one time, made him think that his father might have been responsible for the death of all his friends’ fathers, in a roundabout way.
He’d worried that his father’s actions had gotten them all accidentally killed.
But when he’d revealed the existence of the notes, he’d discovered that his father had not been the only one receiving threats.
Gregory’s father had a stack as well, and they’d recently uncovered the fact that his father’s old steward had been the one sending them.
The man had fled before he’d been discovered, and they had investigators looking for him, but so far, he had not been found.
It had reassured Nathanial that it was likely not his father who had been inadvertently responsible.
They were still unsure how Gregory’s steward was involved, and none of them thought he was the mastermind—indeed, his last note had indicated a larger plot—but at least Nathanial had been able to wipe that guilt from his mind.
Taking a deep breath, he put that aside and started mentally tallying the list of debts his father had owed, not just to businesses but to the various members of the ton. All the debts he had inherited along with his title, damn his father.
Ton. Most likely ton.
The paper was heavy in his hand, thick and high quality.
He snatched up the envelope again. There had been a wax seal on it, which he had barely paid attention to, though he should have.
His mind had been too focused on the plan for this afternoon and evening, the first engagements with the ton since his marriage.
The wax was dark red, which indicated nothing, and Nathanial did not immediately recognize the coat of arms displayed on it.
He’d never been one for memorizing such things.
The ones he knew mostly belonged to those that he’d seen frequently on either correspondence or his friends’ carriages or both.
This was neither of these.
Was this a new debt or an old one?
“It’s possible I’ve already paid,” he murmured. The last of the banknotes had gone out from his desk just before they’d left for London. Perhaps this had been sent before the bank note had been received.
He would have to ask around to all those he’d paid. Ensure that they’d been paid properly. Impatience swept over him at the knowledge. He wanted to be done with his father’s legacy.
Folding the note, he tucked it back into the envelope and put it on his nightstand.
He would deal with it later. First, he needed to get through the musicale, then the Styx’s ball.
Those were the two events that Tiffany and Gregory had helped him and his wife choose from the small stack that had arrived as their first excursions.
Lady Darning’s musicale would be a well-attended event, featuring an opera singer and Tiffany herself, which was a large part of the reason for attending.
All of his fellow dukes would be there, as would Lady Astrid and his wife’s friends.
From there, the ladies would move on to a private tea at Tiffany’s, which he thankfully would not be expected to attend.
But he would escort his wife to the Styx’s ball tonight.
Tomorrow, they would do another set of rounds, a rather exclusive luncheon hosted by the Duchess of Windham, then a masquerade in the evening at Camden House.
The new Marchioness was hosting her first large event and, according to Tiffany and Gregory, it could not be missed without causing comment among their set now that they were back in London.
At every event, their role would be the same—to play the proper, boring, unconventional married couple.
He was not going to pretend to a love match, the way Gregory and Tiffany had to weather the scandal of being caught in the library. He did not have it in him. Not when his emotions were so conflicted already.
Torn between forgiving her and holding on to his righteous anger.
Eventually, he would forgive her… he knew it. His sisters were too happy. The family’s financial troubles were over, thanks to her. She was doing a remarkable job as his duchess, regardless of how she’d attained the position. And the way she responded to him at night…
He would forgive her.
It was creeping up on him, but he was not able to completely let go of his anger, his resentment. Not yet. He could imagine a day when he could, though, and that was good enough for him to feel more settled.
If the ton accepted their ruse and there was no more scandal or drama or anything that would harm his family’s reputation, it would be much easier to forgive her. With his friends rallying around them, that would help. Especially with Tiffany and Astrid at his wife’s side.
The bustle of servants as Nathanial made his way to the foyer impinged on his senses, interspersed with Fiona’s laughter. She was in the music room with Julianna and Emma, apparently enjoying herself. When he reached the front hall, his wife was already there waiting for him.
As always, her beauty hit him straight in the chest. Her lustrous dark hair was piled in gleaming coils on the back of her head, a dusky pink hat with three creamy feathers perched smartly on top.
As always, the pink set off the color of her skin, adding a rosiness to her cheeks.
Her dark eyes gleamed brightly as they lifted to meet his.
The gown she’d chosen was perfect for an afternoon musicale, with a high neckline and a bodice that nipped in at the waist to emphasize her figure.
The color was a matching pink to her hat, with a cream underskirt and cream ruffles lining the edges of her sleeve, drawing attention to her delicate hands.
Small pink diamonds, large enough to be seen but not so large as to be gaudy, shone at her ears and throat, reflecting the light in her eyes.
The uncertainty in her expression as she met his gaze was quickly covered by calm serenity, and she folded her hands in front of her. The pink kid gloves covering her fingers were a shade darker than the rest of her ensemble, drawing attention to her graceful movements.
“Madam.” Nathanial held out his arm. “Shall we?”
Neither of them smiled as she put her fingers on his arm, yet he felt her touch like a brand.
Their first public outing as man and wife.
Once again, he felt that little hint of resentment.
Taking his wife out for their first excursion should have felt nothing but triumphant…
instead, he was going to have to go before the ton and pretend their marriage had not started with entrapment.
Pretend that he was entirely content in his situation, when the truth was he was not.
Taking a deep breath, Nathanial shook the thoughts off as he led his wife out of their rented house and to the carriage.
Kalina
The silent carriage ride with her husband was unnerving but thankfully short. She did not know what to say to him, and he did not seem to be interested in speaking with her. Staring out of the window as the streets rolled by, he appeared to be deep in thought.
Kalina stared down at her gloves and the lace ruffles on her sleeves, examining them even though she did not need to.
She wished she could think of something to say.
Something engaging.
Something that would make him smile.
And forgive her.
And fall in love with me.
She might as well wish for the moon on a string.
He jerked to attention when they reached Lady Darning’s home. Kalina was not surprised when Lady Darning’s eyes widened and brightened when they arrived. The lady and lord stood just inside the door, greeting their guests before they were escorted to the music room.
Kalina had been introduced to Lady Darning before, but had not met her husband until now.
The lady was several inches shorter than Kalina, generously curvy, with brown hair that was expertly coiffed.
Beside her husband, she appeared even shorter than normal.
He was a good inch taller than Hereford with broad shoulders that filled out his jacket, movements that hinted at extensive musculature, and a completely bald head.
Unlike some of the ton, he did not bother trying to hide his lack of hair, but stood proudly without anything covering his pate.
Just as she had with Lady Darning, Kalina liked him on sight.
One of the reasons she’d pushed to accept the invitation to Lady Darning’s musicale rather than Lady Sterling’s luncheon was that she’d remembered how Lady Darning had been kind to her and her mother when they’d met. Lady Sterling had not been unkind, but neither had she been welcoming.
If Kalina was going to raise a lady’s cachet with her and Hereford’s first public appearance, she’d rather it be Lady Darning.
“Your Grace.” Lady Darning curtsied low as Lord Darning bowed to the appropriate degree.
“We are so honored by your attendance.” Lady Darning rose, her eyes gleaming with interest. “I seem to have attracted quite a few dukes to my musicale today. I must admit, I did not expect such an august turnout, even with the Duchess of Clarence’s agreement to play. Especially so soon after your wedding.”
She was prying for information, though doing it very politely, and Kalina did not blame her at all. It was going to be a hot topic for a while yet, no matter the groundwork their friends had laid for them.
“We are always happy to support our own,” Hereford said, smiling. “Besides, I never miss a chance to listen to Tiffany’s talent.”
“This will be my first time hearing her. Ilene insisted I could not miss it,” Lord Darning said with a fond glance at his wife. Whether he was a music lover himself, it was clear he was happy to indulge his wife in her request—or command, as it were.
“You will not regret it.”
Hereford’s words proved true. Seated between her husband and Lady Astrid in the audience, Kalina found herself entranced by both the opera singer and Tiffany’s piano playing.
She was aware of the whispers that had flitted through the other guests when they realized she and Hereford were present, but once the music started, they hardly impinged on her conscience.
She was too enthralled by the performance.
Which was a relief.
Another benefit of this outing being a musicale was that the expectation was that they would not talk very much.
Once the music ended, there was conversation, of course, but it revolved around the performance they had just watched.
A few ladies tried to delicately pry for more information about Kalina and Hereford’s marriage, as Lady Darning had, but none of them pressed very hard.
Most were too excited to talk about what a talent Lady Tiffany had.
The matchmaking mamas were clearly relieved that she was safely married off already, rather than enchanting the eligible gentlemen of the ton with her music.
Kalina noted that Gregory was sticking quite close to his wife’s side as she accepted the compliments of several of the gentlemen who had attended the performance.
The ladies opted to walk around the corner to Clarence House, as it was such a lovely day and not a very far walk.
The gentlemen followed a little farther behind, escorting them from afar.
Once they reached the house, the gentlemen announced that they would be going onward to their club and leaving the ladies to their tea.
Gregory and Tiffany said their farewell to each other, an affectionate exchange that bordered on scandalous, given they were on the street.
Hereford bowed to Kalina and went to join St. Albans, while Ormonde appeared to be trying to do the pretty with Lady Astrid, while she was impatiently attempting to shoo him off.
From the glint in his eyes, Kalina thought Lady Astrid might have a better chance at moving him along if she was not quite so determined to order him about.
Delilah stared at the front of the house while Grafton stared just as avidly at her, as though he was willing her to look at him.
Monkey Sinclair had been left at home, so as not to disrupt the musicale, and it felt almost odd to see him without the little creature on his shoulder.
His attention to Delilah was less odd, but Kalina also found herself rather exasperated with the man.
If he was not going to propose to her, indeed, if he was preparing to propose to another, he needed to leave her alone.
As all of this was happening, a carriage rolled up, and Kalina was startled to see Mei, the matchmaker’s granddaughter, descend without her grandmother.
Tiffany came forward to greet her, while her brother looked askance at the young woman’s presence and muttered something about none of them needing a matchmaker.
Which prompted Lady Astrid to give him a sharp look and inform him that Mei was there for tea with the ladies, and that the world did not revolve around him.
Quickly subsiding into scowling consternation, the Duke of Bolton led the group away down the street while the ladies flowed into the house.
Kalina could not help but glance at them as they went.
Her husband, surrounded by his fellow dukes.
She wondered if he would discuss their marriage with his friends. What he would say.
Taking a deep breath, she followed her friends into Clarence House.
Perhaps they would have some advice on how she could convince her husband to forgive her. It could not hurt to ask.