Lady Catherine's Secret: A Secrets and Seduction book (26 page)

As Catherine snatched her arm free, she turned her fury on Huntley. “Don’t touch me. I’ve had enough of being manhandled tonight.”

“Catherine!” her mother cried from the doorway.

Catherine’s head snapped to the side. Mother’s hand was pressed to her chest as she stood frozen with her mouth open, staring at the scene before her. Her other hand clutched the door frame for support. Behind her, through the open door, Catherine saw the wide-eyed, shocked faces of guests clustered in the hallway. Following her gaze, Mother glanced over her shoulder and then darted into the study, slamming the door shut behind her.

Lord Huntley circled Stansbury’s form on the floor and joined Lady Kensington by the entrance. Once there, he leaned back against the pair of closed doors so that nobody could enter the room.

“Catherine,” her mother said again, “Come here, dearest. Let me look at you. Are you injured?”

Shooting Stansbury a last contemptuous look, Catherine joined her mother. “I’m fine, but the evening is in shambles. This
beast
thought to press his suit after I had already rejected it. Twice.”

Stansbury rolled over with a grunt and pulled himself up to one knee. “A most regrettable incident for which I most sincerely apologize,” he panted, attempting to stand.

“Save your apologies,” shot Catherine.

“I’m afraid that in my eagerness to press my suit I may have done permanent damage to the young lady’s reputation,” he rushed, now addressing Lady Kensington, “and for that I’m full of remorse.” A small smile of satisfaction slipped out before he recovered his guise of apology. “If I may again renew my offer of marriage, I believe that the situation might still be salvaged so that her reputation isn’t permanently tainted.”

Catherine’s jaw dropped as comprehension flooded through her. “This was your plan all along,” she accused. “You horrid snake!” Her fists clenched as she stalked toward him, her fury renewed.

Mother held her back by placing a hand on her forearm. “Catherine, let me handle this. You’re much too overwrought.” She turned her attention to Stansbury. “I believe you should leave this room before my daughter decides to do you more harm, sir,” she said in a stern voice.

Catherine clenched her fists at her sides. How dare Mother try to hold her back from this argument?

“But, my lady,” Stansbury said slyly, “what about all of the people outside the door? What should I say?”

“Tell them there was an unfortunate accident and you need to leave immediately,” she enunciated clearly. “This is neither the time nor the place for this.”

Huntley interjected. “Unfortunately, Lady Kensington, I believe this
is
both the time and the place. Stansbury has manipulated this scene adroitly, and we must come to a resolution before anyone leaves this room.”

“I’m surprised by your unexpected support, Huntley,” Stansbury said in icy tones. “But I can handle this situation on my own. You may leave us to work out the arrangements.”

“This is absurd.” Catherine turned to her mother. “I absolutely refuse to marry this odious man. I don’t care if I never show my face in polite society again. In fact, I’ve had my fill of it. I wouldn’t even
be
in this situation if I hadn’t been trying so hard to behave as a proper earl’s daughter. I can’t keep acting like someone I’m not. What good is London if I can’t even... can’t even be myself?”
If I can’t even fence?

She screwed up her face as she turned away from the others, trying to hold back the tears. She’d failed so completely that there would be no recovery from this situation. Nothing was left for her. Not after this.

“I’m sorry, Catherine, but too many people saw Stansbury drag you in here,” Mother said, voicing the worst of her fears. “I could hear your scream from the hallway, as could everyone else out there. Soon, everyone at the ball will claim to have witnessed what happened in here, and our family is not powerful enough to squelch the rumors that will run rampant.”

“You must be reasonable, girl,” Stansbury said, pouncing on the weakness. “This is the only solution. And if you never want to be in London again, that can also be arranged.”

“I’d like to suggest an alternative to you becoming a recluse,” Huntley said, “if you’ll hear me out.”

Catherine bit her lip. What now? Would he suggest Stansbury whisk her off to Gretna Green in disgrace? Or perhaps some marriage of convenience where Papa would pay off Stansbury and he’d abandon her at his country estate? She shook her head sharply and turned around to face the room. As she opened her mouth with a sharp retort, her mother intervened.

“I’d appreciate hearing a calm voice amidst this confusion,” Mother said.

“If she’ll agree, I would like to propose a union between the two of us, thereby offering an alternative to the proposal offered by the earl.”

Catherine’s stomach dropped, and she grabbed the back of the chair next to her for support.
Marriage? Was that all anyone could think of?

“I believe that the
marquess
,” Stansbury sneered, “is the one who is taking advantage of this situation. Catherine hardly knows him, whereas I have been a guest of her brother’s on a number of occasions.” He said this in a tone of triumph. “We even came close to marriage only a year ago.”

“Stop calling me Catherine,” she demanded. “What do I care if you know my brother? You have no claim on me. I rejected your proposal a year ago, and I reject it now.”

Stansbury turned to her. “Dearest, surely you see that you
must
accept my proposal. You can’t leave this room without making a decision. Too many people know that something has happened in here.”

Catherine suddenly became aware of the hubbub of voices in the hall beyond the door. The crowd must have doubled since her mother had entered the room. She was trapped.

Stansbury had manipulated events masterfully. Had he always been this underhanded? She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to clear her head and identify a clear path through this mess.

It all rested on her decision.

What if she simply disappeared? She could go to America. She wasn’t afraid of hard work. She could sell some of her clothing and jewelry. If she lived frugally, she could make the money last. And she had skills. She’d make an excellent governess. The more she contemplated the plan, the more she liked it. She could finally be free to follow her own path. Men did it all the time, so why couldn’t she?

She opened her mouth to refuse both offers when her mother grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Startled, Catherine turned to look at her.

Mother gave Huntley a sharp smile. “Thank you, my lord. On behalf of my daughter, we accept your generous proposal of marriage.”

Catherine’s jaw dropped. “That’s...”

“No!” thundered Stansbury. “I
will not
have it!” The man’s face turned beet red with fury. “This is
not
how it was supposed to happen! It’s obvious he only wants Catherine for her money. He barely knows the girl. He just wants to use her dowry to rebuild his estate in Scotland. Everybody knows it’s a money pit! If you think I’ll stand idly by while he steals her out from under my nose, you’re wrong. I’ll tell everyone what she and I did in here. All of London will know...”

Huntley moved quickly, and Catherine barely saw the flash of his hand as he picked up the long, pointed letter opener from the tray on the duke’s desk. In less than a heartbeat, Huntley was across the room, holding the tip of the slender opener to Stansbury’s throat.

Huntley’s voice shook with barely controlled fury. “If you
ever
again try to sully Catherine’s good name, you’ll find that it’s no longer safe for you in this city, or anywhere else in England.”

The chill in his voice sent a shiver across the back of Catherine’s neck.

Stansbury winced in pain as Huntley pressed the dull point of his makeshift knife against the other man’s throat.

The calm look on Huntley’s face made his words all the more frightening. All the more believable. “I promise I’ll hunt you down myself and make you regret every moment of your miserable life. Do I make myself clear?”

All of Stansbury’s bluster vanished beneath Huntley’s controlled attack. Stansbury didn’t respond, his eyes wide with fear.

“Do I?”

“Yes-s-s-s,” Stansbury’s susurrated reply was soft, but audible. The snake.

“The choice is made, and if you say anything to impugn Catherine, her family, or our engagement, I’ll do everything in my power to destroy you.” He released Stansbury with a small shove, stepping away as he did so.

There was a knock at the door, and Charles opened it slightly, slipping inside.

Her brother looked grim as he took in the four of them, and then he focused on Catherine. “There are some nasty rumors spreading. What’s going on here?”

Catherine couldn’t bring herself to speak because she wasn’t quite sure what to say.

When she didn’t reply, Charles said, “Stansbury looks cowed, Huntley looks furious, and Mother looks... well, oddly satisfied. I’m not sure which worries me most.”

Catherine just stared at him. Where to begin?

Mother was the first to recover her aplomb. “I believe we’ll be able to put the rumors to rest,” she assured her son. “There was a small misunderstanding, but, happily, it appears that we have an engagement to announce.”

Charles glanced from one man to the other, questioningly.

“Catherine and Lord Huntley are to be married.” Mother sounded triumphant.

“This is utterly ludicrous,” Catherine said. “I won’t be a party to this charade.”

Everyone’s jaws dropped.

Mother was the first to speak. “Don’t be ridiculous, Catherine. We have no choice. If you don’t walk out that door an engaged woman, our family will have to quit London. Are you so selfish that you’d ruin us all? Even Lord Huntley could face consequences for having been in this room tonight.”

She glanced at Huntley and read the truth of her mother’s words in his face. Then she glanced at Charles, trying to read his expression, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

What of her sister? Her brother? How could her family overcome this kind of scandal? She could hear the accusations already. A father besmirching himself by dabbling in “trade.” Catherine being molested at a ball. Would Charles be able to keep his problem in Oxford from being uncovered? Sarah’s chances for a future would be ruined. Her entire family would become social outcasts, despite Father’s title. And what of his business connections? What of his work for the queen? Could this put all of that in danger as well? And there was Stansbury to take into account. He’d already proven himself treacherous.

As much as she hated to admit it, Mother was right. She couldn’t leave this room without being engaged.

She bowed her head. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m being selfish. Of course I accept your generous offer, Lord Huntley.”

Everyone in the room relaxed, except for the odious earl.

Stansbury let out a “hrumph,” but a quelling look from Huntley made him hold his tongue.

“Excellent,” Mother said. “Now we just need to come up with an explanation as to what happened in here. Many people heard Catherine’s shriek.”

Grudgingly, Stansbury shrugged his shoulders. “Lady Catherine was frightened by a mouse,” he invented, “and when she screeched, Lord Huntley came in to investigate.”

“A mouse caused my sister to ‘screech’?” Charles asked, his disbelief apparent in his voice. “Did she also call it ‘vile’? Because several people in the hallway mentioned hearing that word quite distinctly.”

“Yes,” Mother and Huntley agreed, almost simultaneously. Catherine pressed her lips together.

Charles let out an exaggerated sigh. “Not the most likely story. A rat would be more believable given Catherine’s abhorrence of them, but I doubt Lord Norfolk’s staff would appreciate hearing such a tale bandied about. A mouse is bad enough. If all of you agree to it, then who am I to argue?” He looked closely at his sister. “Catherine, do you agree to this?”

Catherine gave a brief nod.

Mother took charge. “Charles, I’d like you to leave first with Lord Stansbury and see what you can do to deflect the worst suspicions of the crowd. You might hint that some wonderful news is forthcoming.”

She turned to Stansbury. “If pressed, you can repeat your mouse story. We will support it. And,” she added, “if anyone questions you regarding your abrupt departure from the dance floor, please inform them that Catherine was feeling faint,” she instructed. “Having the full support of her family and all parties involved should prevent any rumors from spreading.” She paused, looking evenly at Stansbury. “I believe that you are aware of the consequences should you deviate from this plan.”

He squirmed, his gaze fixing on the ornate letter opener with its green malachite handle as Huntley placed it on the desk, and nodded.

Charles and Stansbury left the room, leaving Catherine, Huntley, and Lady Kensington alone for the moment.

“I don’t pretend to know everything that happened here tonight, but I must admit that I’m content with the outcome,” Mother said. “You may not realize it now, but the two of you are well suited for one another. This may not have been the most auspicious way to begin your lives together, but ‘all’s well that ends well.’”