Chapter 36
How can I say those words so calmly? How can I speak them at all?
Violet looked Alexander in the eye as she told him to leave.
There was no choice. She could minimize the damage done to the Ravendel reputation by distancing herself from them.
But the revelation that Lillian was her sister changed everything.
She could not ask Lillian to remove herself from the parents whom she believed were her mother and father.
Or from Clara, whom she believed was her sister.
The only way to avoid a scandal was to send Alexander away.
And hope that was enough for Ambrose to remain silent.
She could see now that her father was a viper, twisting and hard to hold onto. He was venomous and utterly selfish. Even now he wore a smile and seemed utterly at ease with the demands he was making.
I wanted to find my father so badly and now that I have, I wish I had not. Uncle George was right. I was better in ignorance.
Alexander looked at her searchingly, then nodded slowly.
He took her hand and softly, tenderly kissed it.
It felt like a goodbye kiss and tears sprang to Violet’s eyes, rapidly filling and then trickling down her cheeks.
Alexander reached up to softly stop the stream that was flowing down her right cheek.
Violet closed her eyes, feeling that when she opened them, he would be gone, like a dream.
An impossible dream. Such a man is not for me. Not in the waking world. I am destined to be the matchmaker but never to meet my own match. An expert on the rituals that govern men and women but apart from those rituals, outside of that society.
At that moment, she wished it could all just disappear.
She wanted nothing more than to open her eyes to find herself in a wooded glade with Alexander.
She would be barefoot, in a simple, peasant dress of light cotton.
He would be wearing breeches and an unlaced shirt, also barefoot and with grass in his hair.
Neither would ever have to worry about the correct form of address for a bishop who is coming to dinner.
Or which set of silverware to use for the fish course of a luncheon or the etiquette when attending a society ball.
They would think about their land and livestock, their children, and one day, grandchildren.
They would think about living their lives together happily.
She opened her eyes and Alexander was still gazing at her. There was a smile on his face, a smile of comfort and reassurance. He ignored Ambrose, behaving as though only he and Violet were in the room.
“Just answer me this, lassie. Speak truly and I will honor the answer you give. I can make your troubles disappear. I swear it. Were it not for the troubles this man has brought to your door, would you still be asking me to leave you?”
“You turned your back on me. I stood ready to support you, no matter what. You abandoned me. What is to say that you will not do so again when times get hard?” she asked.
“Of course he will. He has no moral backbone. It is a characteristic of the lower orders. That is why he will never prevail against our kind,” Ambrose crowed.
“Be silent!” Alexander snapped. “Or I will show you how the lower orders conduct themselves where I come from.”
Ambrose blanched and his jaw firmed as he clenched his teeth. His fingers tightened on the glass he held, but he also held his tongue.
“Lassie, this man made a threat to me in the Painted Chamber, that you would suffer if I did not give up. I did not know what power he held over you until now. But at the time, I had no way of fighting back. I would not see your reputation dragged through the mud for my sake. I’m sorry.
I should have told you what was on my mind. ”
It seemed plausible and noble. She could not fault him for it as she was prepared to make the same sacrifice for him.
“You must tell me in the future. Do not shut me out. I cannot tell if I am being pushed away because you no longer care for me or…for another reason.”
“Never the first reason, lass. I swear it on my life.”
“Then I forgive you. But…”
Alexander put a finger to her lips. She did not see how he could save her from this.
It did not matter if she forgave him, all that mattered was that her sister, Lillian, must be protected from the dishonor which Ambrose could bring down upon her.
Any sacrifice was a small price to spare her that.
Alexander turned to face Ambrose who smiled, evilly.
“I think I have stomached quite enough rudeness towards me in my own house. But I am curious. What could you possibly have to say to me that you think will change my mind?”
“I ken why you are so opposed to the Bill I’m leading, Ambrose.”
“The correct term of address would be Lord Godstone. Or simply Godstone. Did my daughter not reach that part of your education?”
“Aye, she did. And mair besides. You don’t deserve a title, ye sassenach,” Alexander said in a broad Glaswegian accent. “I’d skelp your backside for ye if I thought it would dae any guid. As it is, you’d learn nothing from it so I’ll stay ma haund.”
Ambrose rolled his eyes. “Really. In the house of an English peer. Such frightful language. Say what you have to say and go back to whatever rock you crawled from under. But don’t forget to sign this first.”
He reached into his coat and produced a folded piece of paper. “It denounces the Child Slavery Bill and your seat in the Lords. Go to Hampshire. Or go to Scotland for all I care. Just go.”
He tossed it onto the table between the two chaise lounges. Alexander smiled bleakly. He reached into his pocket and produced a piece of paper of his own.
“I received this from my solicitor Mr. Octavius Gellert. After he gave me this, I asked him to look into the matter of Lady Violet’s true father.
He told me. Apparently, the instruction given to him by his other client, Lord Ravendel, was superseded by a request from me on behalf of my betrothed.
That put the matter within my interests, and as Duke of Lorchester, I outranked the Earl of Ravendel.
But that’s by the by. That paper will be of interest to you, Ambrose. ”
Ambrose looked at him, smiling mockingly. “Hardly. What could you have that I would possibly be interested in?”
“It’s a company charter. A company operating out of the city of Richmond in the state of Virginia. That’s in the United States, you know.”
“I am aware of geography, old chap.”
“Are ye? I would think so. Because your name is on that charter. And your signature. Your John Hancock as the Americans would say.”
Ambrose looked at the paper and licked his lips but still made no move to touch it.
“May I?” Violet asked.
A spark of hope had ignited within her. Alexander’s assured confidence combined with the unmistakable signs of nervousness from Ambrose.
Alexander unfolded the paper, and Ambrose reached for it as her fingers touched it.
Then he stopped himself and resumed his arrogant smile.
But his eyes kept darting back to the paper in Violet’s hands.
She looked it up and down, seeing nothing more than a list of names and the name of a company.
There were seals and signatures and a lot of tightly packed writing which seemed to be formal legal language.
“I must admit that I don’t know what I’m looking at,” Violet said.
“The American names on that charter are all slave owners,” Alexander said.
“Since the Abolition of the slave trade, it is illegal for any British subject to participate in any enterprise involving slavery. This company operates out of Virginia, taking slaves from West Africa and selling them in the Caribbean or directly to slave owners in the southern states of America. Ambrose is a signatory. So are a number of prominent Tories.”
Ambrose had gone quite pale. He threw back the last of his wine and placed the glass on the table. His hands were shaking as he did and he missed the tabletop. The glass toppled and fell to the rug beneath the table with a thump. He ignored it, staring hawkishly at Alexander.
“That paper proves nothing. Only that I am in business in America. Hardly a crime…”
“Mr. Gellert is making inquiries in the United States and will shortly have the evidence that proves what line of business you are in over there,” Alexander said.
“He really is an excellent fellow, as you would say here in England. He began investigating potential threats to the Lorchester name as soon as I expressed an interest in the seat in the House of Lords that came with the title. Had he not, I doubt I would have any leverage over you at all.”
“So, what is it you want from me? You want me to drop my threat to Lady Violet? It is done. I will keep secret my relationship to her. And in return, you will…”
“You will do that too,” Alexander said.
“Too?” Ambrose queried.
“As well as supporting the next motion to pass the Bill back to the Commons with no amendments. You will ensure the other Tories who are named on that document vote with you and me.”
“But I can’t!” Ambrose hissed, looking panicked. “The party will not stand for it. I will be thrown out.”
“All the better. You will do less damage that way,” Alexander said harshly. “Do it. Or I will reveal this in my next speech.”
Ambrose shot to his feet. “Do that and…and I’ll sue for libel!” he shrieked. “Who do you bally well think you are! You’re nothing but a jumped-up chimney sweep! A kilt-wearing Highlander! A Jacobite!”
Alexander rose, towering over Ambrose. “I am Duke of Lorchester. The rightful heir and a true Englishman by birth and by blood. And I will use Parliamentary privilege to make this public if I have to. You will have no legal recourse. My position in Parliament protects me. Did your father not teach you that, old chap?”
Ambrose looked up at him, lips moving soundlessly. Then he sat back down and put his head in his hands.