Gayle Buck (22 page)

The grandduchess smiled fondly at the earl. “Very well, my lord, I shall stroke your sense of satisfaction. I am never behind in giving credit where it is due. You managed to produce a most charming young lady as your intended when I felt certain that none existed. That in itself was a marvelous feat. However, it pales in comparison to this. It was a masterful stroke indeed to invite your friends to Walmesley. I compliment you, Miles, for it is not often that I am faced with the completely unanticipated.”

Lord Trilby was taken aback. He took care to maintain his mild expression, however. “I am not certain I know what you mean, your grace. I was thoroughly taken by surprise by the arrival of my friends. They have always been assured of a welcome at Walmesley, of course. I am sorry if you do not care for the company.”

The Grandduchess Wilhelmina Hildebrande expressed her disbelief with an unladylike snort. “Come, Miles, let us have done with this feinting. I have listened politely to the sad story of an incapacitated phaeton and I have agreed that it was a great inconvenience, as was obviously expected of me. That was the role assigned to me, after all, was it not? However, I would think it beneath me not to acknowledge my respect on a most successful foray. Yes, indeed, I suspect that your ploy to provide my dear ambitious Fräulein with a surfeit of eligible
partis
to choose from may prove unexpectedly vexatious for my own plans.” She directed a nod at the small knot of gallants gathered about Fräulein Gutenberg.

Quite astonished, Lord Trilby followed his great-aunt’s glance. His friends were obviously paying court to Fräulein Gutenberg. Even Lord Heatherton, having sated himself, had become willing to pay pretty compliments to the beauty. As for Fräulein Gutenberg, she fairly radiated satisfaction as her eyes dwelt on each of the gentlemen’s faces in turn.

The earl’s face lit up with a slow delighted smile. He glanced again at the Grandduchess of Schaffenzeits and discovered that that dame was regarding him with a sharp speculation that instantly made him wary. It would not do to let the grandduchess guess that the astonishing result he witnessed had indeed come about merely by chance. Surely it was far better to leave her on her guard, Lord Trilby thought. Perhaps then she might think twice before trying to engineer another assault upon his defenses.

With the aplomb for which he was well-known, Lord Trilby made a courtly bow from the waist. “Very well, madam. I accept your congratulations, for I don’t doubt that you will speedily conspire to counter whatever happy effects this situation has gained for me.”

The grandduchess cackled. Her world-weary eyes were bright with affection as she looked on him. “Indeed, you may consider it as a foregone conclusion that I shall do so. However, I think I shall be content, for now, to allow you mastery of the field. Savor your small triumph, my lord, for I warn you it may well be your last.”

“It is early days yet, madam,” Lord Trilby said cheerfully.

Soon afterward, the Grandduchess of Schaffenzeits indicated that she wished to retire to her afternoon rest. Since she required the Fräulein to attend her, this effectively broke up the pleasant gathering.

Mr. Underwood looked closely for some sign that Fräulein Gutenberg was reluctant to leave in company with her exacting mentor, but she offered only the most correct civilities, scattered impartially amongst the gentlemen, before she exited.

The viscount requested wine from one of the footmen who entered to clear away the remnants of the tea. When the wine was brought, all of the gentlemen accepted a glass and talked idly of what had been transpiring in London during the earl’s absence.

After the servants had withdrawn, Mr. Underwood said, “I am now deuced glad that you fellows carried me off. Otherwise I might never have had the felicity of meeting Fräulein Gutenberg.” He raised his glass. “A toast, gentlemen. A toast to the lady who has at last succeeded in stealing my heart.”

“Carey, you are not contemplating anything foolish, I trust?” Lord Heatherton asked with an anxious air.

“Of course not,” Mr. Underwood said, but with such a faraway look in his eyes as he stared into the fire that Lord Heatherton was not at all reassured.

“Fear not, Nana. He will have no chance to fix his interest with the beauteous Fräulein,” Viscount Weemswood said.

Mr. Underwood looked around, shooting the viscount a concentrated look of suspicion. “Whatever do you mean?”

The viscount contemplated the wine in his glass, swirling it gently and admiring the rich color. “Why, surely it is plain, Carey. The Fräulein is meant for our host.”

On the words he lifted his gaze to look at the Earl of Walmesley.

“Damn your eyes, Sinjin. They are too perceptive by half,” Lord Trilby said mildly.

Mr. Underwood, who had quickly switched his attention to the earl, was now staring narrowly at his lordship. “It is true, then, my lord?”

Lord Trilby made an irritated motion with his hand. “It is the grandduchess’s intention, yes. It is not mine, however.”

He frowned, misliking the turn that the conversation had taken but recognizing as well that it was inevitable. Obviously the time had come to take his friends into his confidence, yet he found himself most reluctant to do so. It was against his innate pride even to acknowledge the ridiculous situation, let alone authenticate its gravity by referring to it.

“The Grandduchess of Schaffenzeits is one of the most willful and autocratic ladies I have ever had occasion to meet,” Viscount Weemswood observed softly.

The Earl of Walmesley shot another glance at the viscount. A reluctant smile began to tug at his lips. “I suppose that next you will offer your opinion that I am rather too fond of my great-aunt for my own good.”

Viscount Weemswood gave a negligent shrug of his shoulders, forbearing to reply.

“I am too fond of her grace,’’ Lord Trilby acknowledged. “Otherwise, I would cheerfully have told her to go to the devil long since. As it stands, I cannot wound the grand old lady so cruelly, and so, as a result of my lamentable sentimentality, I find myself in something of a predicament.” Lord Trilby frowned slightly as he stared into his wineglass.

“Whatever the trouble, Miles, rest assured that you may call upon any one of us,” Mr. Underwood said.

The earl raised his eyes. Rueful amusement leapt into their depths. “Actually, I believe that all of you have already done me a service. According to my great-aunt, it seems that your untimely arrival has worked to my advantage, in that the Fräulein’s thoughts have been given a new turn.”

“I do not quite follow you, my lord,” Lord Heatherton said.

“I do, however. What you have said interests me most profoundly, Miles,” Mr. Underwood said on a laugh. His brown eyes danced. “You may count on my enthusiastic cooperation, my lord. In point of fact, I shall do my damnedest to cut you out.”

“I thought I might count on you at least, Carey,” Lord Trilby said dryly.

“Oh, of course, I see it at last. Well, I am not quite the favorite with the ladies that Carey is, or that Sinjin can make of himself when he puts a bit of effort into behaving with common civility, but I shall do my part in making myself agreeable,” Lord Heatherton said stoutly.

“I do not know why I accept such undeserved insults from my friends. I am sure I am no more rude than the next fellow,” Viscount Weemswood said. The flicker of a smile crossed his face at the derisive sound made by Mr. Underwood and seconded by Lord Heatherton’s discreet cough.

He addressed the earl. “I had no notion that a visit to Walmesley at this time of year would prove so entertaining. My commitments in London are not of such moment that I cannot remain a fortnight or longer.”

“I am deeply appreciative of your support, gentlemen,” Lord Trilby said. “I know I need not point out that I rely upon your complete discretion. My reputation would suffer a harsh blow if it were known that I would go to such lengths to spare an elderly lady a shocking set-down.”

“Of course you may rely upon us, my lord. I am certain there is not one in this room who would allow a word in your disfavor,” Lord Heatherton said.

There was a murmur of agreement from the other two gentlemen.

“I am glad to hear it, for I have a confession to make which will most certainly astound you all and possibly cause you to reexamine your declaration of loyalty.”

Chapter Twenty-three

The Earl of Walmesley saw that he had gained their undivided attention. He could not but smile at the profound somberness that had promptly fallen over Lord Heatherton’s features. His lordship always anticipated the worst, but perhaps in this instance his apprehension would prove to be justified.

Lord Trilby’s eyes traveled to his other companions. Mr. Underwood regarded him with the alert look of a loyal retainer, while the viscount had of a sudden gone quite still and only by the wariness in his cold eyes betrayed that his interest had been engaged to an extraordinary degree.

Lord Trilby set his wineglass down on the table, the click of its base sounding a contrast to the waiting silence.

“As all of you are now aware, my great-aunt has made shift to provide me with a suitable candidate for roping me into marriage, in the delectable person of Fräulein Gutenberg,” he said.

At their nods, he continued in a colorless voice, “I have countered her grace’s inspiration by enlisting the help of a certain lady who has agreed, most reluctantly I may add, to stand as my intended until the grandduchess chooses to leave England behind.”

“Good God!” Viscount Weemswood abruptly straightened in his chair. His eyes, igniting in twin points of angry disbelief, narrowed on the earl. His long fingers clenched suddenly on the chair arms. “You must be mad, my lord!”

Mr. Underwood confined himself to a low thoughtful whistle.

It was left to Lord Heatherton to ask the obvious question. He cleared his throat in a diffident fashion and sought a delicacy of phrasing, deciding finally that there was none. “My lord, this lady ... is she perhaps known to any of us?”

Lord Trilby glanced at the savage expression on the viscount’s face. He held himself very still, knowing full well that gentleman’s capacity for fury, yet not fearing it. The friendship between them had survived a tumultuous history, one which had irrevocably linked them. “Yes, I fear that the lady in question is quite familiar to each of you. It is Lady Caroline Eddington.”

“You should be thrashed within an inch of your life for dragging that lady into your filthy mire, my lord,” Viscount Weemswood ground out, looking very much as though he were just the individual to mete out such harsh punishment.

“You are undoubtedly correct,’’ Lord Trilby said in a quiet voice. He and the viscount clashed stares for a long tense moment.

Realizing that a crisis was in the making, Mr. Underwood snapped sharply, “Sinjin, leave off! Cool heads are required, do you not see?”

Still the viscount regarded the Earl of Walmesley with hard glittering eyes, then slowly nodded. But he threw out a last barb. “I have always thought you too careless of your friendship with Lady Caroline. Someone should have married her years ago and with a cuff to the head sent you to perdition. She is too fine a lady to be taken for granted by a gentleman of your deliberately careless stamp.”

The Earl of Walmesley’s face reflected his surprise at the unexpected direction of attack. The viscount’s charge was unpleasant to hear, astonishingly so, and in response he felt a surge of ferocious anger. “Have you yourself in mind to do the thing, Weemswood? For I shall tell you to your face that I would not willingly stand by whilst one of your rack-and-ruin character made free with Lady Caroline’s affections.”

The viscount threw himself out of his chair to his feet, a curse snarling from between his lips.

“Enough, I say!” Mr. Underwood exclaimed, leaping forward to put himself between the two antagonists. He said urgently, “Miles, you know how Sinjin is when he takes one of his freakish starts! Come to your senses, man! What will it profit either of you to come to blows?”

Lord Trilby spared a glance for Mr. Underwood, and that gentleman’s appalled expression served to clear the angry mists from his head. He discovered that his fists were clenched. Slowly he loosened his fingers. “You are right, Carey. There is nothing to gain. Sinjin, I owe you an apology. As my friend, you have every right to question my ethics in this matter. So should I have done, in your shoes.”

“It is forgotten, my lord.” Viscount Weemswood spoke somewhat stiffly. His anger was not so easily let go of, but apparently his response reassured Mr. Underwood, for that gentleman sighed and his defensive stance relaxed.

Lord Heatherton regarded the earl in open reproach. “I cannot fathom how you could have asked it of Lady Caroline, my lord. Dash it, she is a gentlewoman to her fingertips. No, and another thing! It further mystifies me why she ever agreed to take part in such a havey-cavey business.”

The viscount briefly caught the Earl of Walmesley’s inscrutable eyes, and his lips twisted in a mirthless smile. He had his own thoughts on that score, but such speculations were not to be bandied about even in this company. Viscount Weemswood spoke quietly but with an underlying violence. “No one was to know of it, Nana. One does not parade one’s attachments, for fear of disillusion, does one, my lord?”

“It was to be a completely private matter between myself and Lady Caroline,” Lord Trilby said, with equal quiet. He again met the viscount’s eyes, and for a long moment their glances visibly clashed.

“Then why have you made us party to this conspiracy, Miles? Lady Caroline’s good name should not be risked even among us who may be considered her friends. We have naught but the utmost regard for Lady Caroline, yet this sordid tangle cannot but raise unseemly curiosity in our breasts,” Mr. Underwood said.

He was very disturbed by what he considered a flagrant disregard for the lady’s reputation and her sensibilities. For himself, he thought it was certain that he could never again meet Lady Caroline without wondering what had ever possessed her to agree to participate in such a mad scheme. His curiosity would almost certainly color his acquaintance with her and perhaps even cause him to treat her to a wounding reserve.