Chapter 3
Three
“Do you have no understanding of the rules of Society?” Retford yelled at Nicoll.
She took a sip of her tea. “Yes, I understand them very well.”
“I find that very difficult to believe because a miss, especially one new to London, simply does not approach a lord and ask him to waltz.”
Nicoll blew out a sigh. “What would you have me do? You wanted an introduction and as Lord Cecil had not approached me, and the night was growing late, I took care of the matter for you. Unfortunately, he wishes for nothing to do with…me.” She smiled as she lied to him.
His green eyes grew hard. “Yes, well, given your lack of decorum, I am not surprised. It is also clear that your sisters would benefit from having someone who understands Society far better than you. I had intended to see them properly received and if necessary, married to wealthy and titled gentlemen so they do not end up like you.”
Her blood turned cold as she set her cup onto the table. Retford’s words were no longer the idle threat she had dismissed yesterday.
“Your behavior has left me no choice but to have these prepared.” He opened his portmanteau and drew out a stack of documents.
“Your father died without a will or a son and as the eldest and closest heir of your father’s, I am certain that all will go to me to manage, on behalf of your sisters, of course, which would include guardianship. ”
He had power and she had none.
“Good day, Cousin Nicoll.”
Retford turned and strolled from the sitting room, twirling his cane and quite confident that he had already won.
If he thought she would give in without a fight, then he was gravely mistaken.
With a deep breath, Nicoll lifted the first document, a petition to the Court of Chancery to name Reford as the guardian of her three youngest sisters, Ann, Ruth and Ellen, because they had not reached the age of one and twenty.
Further, he had every intention of taking control of the home her father purchased on Upper Berkeley Street, as well as any accounts and inheritance to be managed for them.
To complicate matters further, father received wealth when he married his second wife, the mother of Margaret and the younger sisters, but not Nicoll, and the only reference to her in the documents was that despite her advanced age, she was female and could not act as guardian of impressionable younger sisters.
He added that none of the funds provided by her stepmother should be allocated to Nicoll, and thus, she was more a burden on the estate and should seek employment for which she was better suited.
If Retford succeeded in his petition, he would see that she was separated from her sisters and no longer in a position to protect them.
She could not allow that to happen under any circumstance.
Now, she just needed a way to thwart Retford, which likely meant that she needed a guardian for her sisters that she could trust.
“Who is she?” Cecil’s younger brother asked.
They stood outside the card room at the ball being held by their eldest brother, Marquess Epworth and his wife Miranda.
“Who is who?”
“The one you approached a few nights ago and only kissed her hand, which happened to be the same one who asked you to waltz last evening.”
“Someone I met during my last visit to Jersey.” Cecil shrugged. “It was two encounters. We got on well. That is all.”
“That is all?” Nevill questioned, his voice heavy with disbelief.
“Two encounters. Hardley enough time to even become acquainted.”
Nevill shook his head and chuckled. “Will you be joining me in the card room tonight?”
“Later, perhaps,” he answered as he caught sight of Nicoll entering the room. No doubt he would suffer much teasing from Nevill in the coming days, but for a change, Cecil did not mind.
Nicoll intrigued him. She was refreshing, bold and daring and without any artifice. He trusted her, and not only because she kept his secret.
He wanted to stroll in the gardens and enjoy a conversation and with those thoughts, he lifted a glass of wine from the tray a servant carried, found a place away from others who may wish to talk to him and watched Miss Nicoll make her way across the room, and like always, stop beside an open door leading to the gardens as if she might need an escape.
Tonight he would bid his time and wait for the perfect opportunity to approach and not make the same mistake as he had last night and hope for her to be alone.