CHAPTER FIVE #3
“Mrs. Dove-Lyon could hardly have the reputation of being the best matchmaker in the ton if she took on untrustworthy clients. And if my ears weren’t deceiving me, she said he’d hired her.
Therefore, he needs a wife and wouldn’t want to cause undue gossip about himself.
” She paused. “I cannot wait until you meet him and tell me his name. I’m so curious.
Having to stay home is going to kill me with anticipation. ”
“I wish I were as excited as you. Don’t misunderstand me—I’m grateful for your help in all this.
If you hadn’t remembered the story about Lady Helena, who knows what would have happened to me?
I was also thrilled that Mrs. Dove-Lyon agreed to help me, a nobody with ties to the Earl of Greenwich.
Still, I can’t help but wonder why a gentleman of the ton needs a matchmaker.
What is wrong with him? Is he being bribed?
Forced to marry? I have not a farthing to my name. ”
Emma said, “I can’t even begin to understand the gentleman’s plight, except to say that you are fortunate he is available.”
Phoebe exhaled deeply. “I suppose so. Until I meet him, I will believe he is a good and kind man.”
When the carriage stopped several homes before her uncle’s, Puck opened the door and escorted them to the servants’ entrance.
“Thank you for seeing us home,” Phoebe said as Emma opened the door and they slipped inside unnoticed.
Once in her room, Phoebe sighed with relief, removed her cloak, and turned her back to Emma. “Can you help me with my dress?”
“Yes. Then I must go. Maggie is waiting up for me.”
Alone with her thoughts, Emma washed up, changed into her night rail, and climbed beneath the coverlet.
After hours of tension and nervousness, her body relaxed as exhaustion set in.
When she fell asleep, she dreamed of the man she would meet the next night.
And in her dreams, the kind gentleman looked an awful lot like the Duke of Doom.
***
Bessie went to the large window overlooking the main gambling room and watched the play. She never tired of seeing her guests lose money and fill her pockets and those of her employees. Of course, many players won, but the odds were in the house’s favor.
Her mind drifted to the two young women who had visited her tonight.
The daughter of the Earl of Greenwich had courage.
Miss Phoebe was fortunate to have her on her side.
As for Phoebe Windham, she was a beauty.
Her expectations for a husband weren’t high, which only made Bessie want to match her with someone who had all the attributes everyone usually asked for.
The Duke of Barrington had plenty of attributes. As far as Bessie was concerned, he was perfect, except for his dead wives and the stupid title of Duke of Doom. She didn’t think Phoebe would be bothered by that. However, she could have misjudged her. Tomorrow night will tell.
She had already sent a note to the duke requesting his presence at the meeting.
When the two met face-to-face, she would have a better view on the situation.
If there wasn’t instant attraction or mutual interest, she would have to rethink the pairing.
The most important thing was to get Miss Phoebe away from her aunt.
When she’d spoken of her father’s abandonment and her mother’s death, not to mention her suspicions that her aunt had poisoned her, Bessie had wanted to hug the girl and take her home so she’d never have to set foot in Greenwich House again.
As for the cousin, if word got out that Lady Emma had visited the Lyon’s Den, it would ruin the young woman.
Not that Bessie couldn’t find Lady Emma a suitable match.
She could, but she didn’t want to. Scandal for young ladies of the beau monde was cruel.
She would trust Lady Emma and Phoebe to keep Emma safe from the gossip rags.
Meanwhile, Bessie would set her spies to finding out everything she could about Lord and Lady Greenwich.
She needed to know their secrets in case she needed to use them to secure Phoebe’s future happiness.
Bessie already knew one of Lord Greenwich’s downfalls.
He gambled more than he could afford to lose.
He owed her quite a sum. Surely there were more secrets to uncover.
Once they learned Phoebe was to marry a duke, no doubt the aunt would seek to use it to her own advantage.
Never mind that she’d once tried to poison her niece.
That was when poor Miss Phoebe had nothing to offer.
Once she became a duchess, her aunt would use her niece.
Bessie wouldn’t allow that. The only Windham allowed to see Phoebe or use her advantage of being a duchess would be Lady Emma.
Therefore, Bessie needed Lord and Lady Greenwich’s dark secrets.
Of course, she was getting ahead of herself since the duke and the miss hadn’t even met yet.
They might hate each other on sight. Though her intuition told her otherwise, and Bessie always listened to it, for it had never let her down before.