The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding (Millworth Manor) (11 page)

“I’d be delighted,” Teddy said cautiously.

“Excellent.” Lady Briston beamed. “Because I have had a brilliant idea.”

Even to a newcomer, the faces around the table said it all. Delilah and Teddy shared a vague but distinct look of apprehension. His father and Uncle Nigel traded glances. Apparently, this was not Aunt Bernadette’s first brilliant idea.

Delilah smiled weakly. “What kind of brilliant idea?”

“Oh, don’t look at me like that.” Aunt Bernadette cast her daughter a chiding look. “It’s not the least bit odd, simply brilliant.” She glanced at the door. “I had hoped to bring this up with Camille and Beryl here but who knows when we’ll see the newlyweds. Lionel returned to London this morning and Beryl has always run on her own clock.”

“So tell us, what is this latest brilliant idea?” his uncle said.

“I think we should have a grand ball here at Millworth to introduce Jack to, well, to the world.” Aunt Bernadette beamed. “What do you think, Teddy?”

“It certainly is brilliant,” Teddy said with somewhat less enthusiasm. Although Jack might have been the only one to notice as he was probably the only one watching her.

He thought he and Teddy had gotten along quite well last night. In fact, there had been a moment . . . But of course that was absurd.

“Mother.” Delilah’s tone was similar to what one might use for a small child. “We just had a grand ball.”

“I know that, dear.” Aunt Bernadette waved off the objection. “But that was to celebrate Camille’s wedding. This is a different matter entirely.”

“I must say, my dear.” Uncle Nigel grinned at his wife. “I quite agree. That is brilliant.”

Still, Jack had thought she at least liked him. He had certainly liked her.

“Not a bad idea,” his father said slowly. “But I had planned to take Jack to London in a few days, and begin introductions there.”

“There’s no reason why we can’t do both,” his aunt said firmly. “But I would like it to be as soon as possible.” She turned to Teddy. “How quickly can you arrange it?”

“I don’t know.” Teddy shook her head. “I have a number of engagements already scheduled in London. I shall have to look at my book. And we will need to discuss exactly what you have in mind.”

Today, Jack had the distinct impression she didn’t like him at all.

“I’m not thinking of anything outrageous, mind you.”

“Simply, oh, grand?” Teddy said weakly.

“Exactly.” The older woman nodded. “Although a masked ball might be nice.”

How could she not like him? Granted, he wasn’t as, well, exciting as some other men might be. He was a banker after all.

“And we could play a guessing game and have guests try to pick out which among them is the new heir?” An innocent note sounded in Delilah’s voice.

Sam coughed, obviously to hide a laugh.

Aunt Bernadette narrowed her eyes at her daughter. “That was not amusing, dear.”

But people generally liked him. Women in particular had always liked him. He was a very likable kind of man.

“And I thought it was.” Delilah smiled sweetly and sipped her tea. “Whatever you do, it will have to be soon.”

“My thoughts exactly.” His aunt nodded. “I would hate for word of Jack’s existence to become fodder for gossip although a certain amount can’t be helped I suppose, unless we hid him under a rock or something of that nature.”

“I’d prefer not to hide under a rock, if it’s all the same to you, Aunt Bernadette,” Jack said.

Really, how could the woman know if she liked him or didn’t like him?

“And I’m not going to delay introducing my son around London until you have yet another social spectacle,” his father said in a firm tone.

“Nor do I expect you to, Basil.” Aunt Bernadette huffed. “This is simply on the order of, oh, a coming-out party one might say.”

His father had described Teddy as brilliant and efficient. It didn’t seem especially
brilliant
or
efficient
to dismiss someone on the basis of one brief conversation and a single dance.

“Still . . .” His father shook his head. “I’m not sure—”

“Let me put it to you this way, Basil.” Aunt Bernadette pinned his father with an unyielding look. “Word of your son is not going to be secret for long—”

“Nor do I wish it to be,” Father said staunchly. “I have no desire to hide him from the world.”

“And certainly not under a rock,” Delilah murmured.

“And,” Aunt Bernadette continued, “as the circumstances of his joining this family are unusual to say the least, gossips will have a field day. Why, they will say all sorts of things. At the very least they’ll question his legitimacy.”

“Can’t have that,” Uncle Nigel muttered.

“Don’t you think it’s better if we, as a family, publicly and formally embrace him?” Aunt Bernadette tapped her finger on the table to emphasize her words. “Show the world that he is not some sort of American usurper but that he is an accepted and welcome part of the family? That we aren’t the least bit upset at discovering this new heir but rather thrilled and delighted?” Challenge shone in his aunt’s eyes. “Well, Basil, tell me I’m wrong. Go on.”

“I would love to say exactly that,” his father said sharply, then sighed. “But I can’t. You may be right.”

“I know I’m right.” Satisfaction curved his aunt’s lips.

At the very least it wasn’t at all fair of Teddy.

“What about you, Jack?” His uncle studied him. “Are you ready to be introduced to the world as a future Earl of Briston.”

Was he going to allow her to dismiss him out of hand?

“Jack?”

“Absolutely not,” Jack said without thinking, then realized his mistake. His father threw him a sharp look. “What I mean is that this has all happened so fast.” Jack shook his head. “A mere two weeks ago, there were absolutely no questions in my life. My father was dead and my future was laid out for me. I was—
I am—
a vice-president of Graham, Merryweather and Lockwood Banking and Trust.”

“Youngest in the history of the bank,” his father said in an aside to his brother.

“I would expect nothing less,” Uncle Nigel said.

“I appreciate how warmly you’ve welcomed me.” The last thing he wanted was a grand announcement at a grand ball. “But I don’t know that I’m prepared to face the world, your world, as a member of this family yet. I can barely remember your names as it is. The last thing I want is to make some sort of embarrassing mistake. I can’t imagine society here is any more forgiving of that kind of thing than it is in New York. I think I’d like to feel more a member of this family before I’m presented as one. There’s a lot to consider here and well . . .” He wasn’t sure what else to say without coming straight out and telling them all that he didn’t know that this life they were expecting him to step right into was what he wanted. “I just don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“Of course not, dear. Perfectly understandable.” Aunt Bernadette smiled brightly. “When do you think you will be ready?”

“It will be at least a month before I manage something like this,” Teddy said quickly. “Possibly six weeks and then we’re perilously close to Christmas and I have several events already scheduled and—”

“Why not welcome the New Year and introduce Jack at the same time?” Delilah looked at him. “That gives you a little more than two months to accustom yourself to, well, everything.”

“That’s not a bad idea, dear.” Aunt Bernadette thought for a moment. “But as we have discarded the suggestion of hiding him under a rock, word will trickle out. It isn’t everyday a family discovers a new member, you know. There will certainly be rumor, speculation, innuendo, and more than a little gossip.”

“Goodness, Mother.” Beryl sauntered into the room and gestured for the men to stay seated. “I should think you would know how to handle gossip by now. Lord knows we’ve been the subject of enough of it. But never fear.” She leaned over and plucked a piece of toast from a rack on the table. “I shall take care of that part of it.”

Delilah’s eyes narrowed. “How?”

“The best way to handle gossip is to control it. And the best way to control it is to start it yourself.” Beryl took a bite of her toast. “I’ll come up with something.”

Delilah stared in horror. “What?”

“I don’t know yet.” Beryl took another bite of toast and chewed thoughtfully. “Perhaps something along the lines of long-lost lovers, separated by fate and distance and misunderstanding. That sort of thing.” She glanced at Jack. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to let people think your mother has been in an asylum for the past thirty years?”

“Most certainly not.” Jack stared at his cousin. “My mother may be many things but she’s not mad.”

“Are you sure?” Aunt Bernadette asked hopefully.

“Yes,” Jack said firmly, although mad was one of the kinder things he had thought about his mother’s actions since he had learned the truth about his father.

“I don’t like that either.” His father’s hard gaze pinned Beryl’s. “Should I hear so much as a mention of madness—”

“Goodness, Uncle Basil, it was only the first thing that came to mind.” Beryl huffed. “I shall certainly think of something better. The last thing we need is anyone suspecting actual lunacy runs in the family.” She thought for a moment. “Amnesia is always nice though.”

Jack drew his brows together. “Amnesia?”

“There is nothing like amnesia to make even the most absurd story sound legitimate.” Delilah nodded. “The best part is that when anyone questions a detail the answer is always, “Oh, but she didn’t remember, you see.”

Aunt Bernadette nodded in agreement. Teddy seemed to be the only one among the women who didn’t appreciate the idea of amnesia. Perhaps lunacy did run in the family after all.

“I’m not sure I like the idea of people thinking my mother has had a faulty memory for thirty years.” Indignation sounded in Jack’s voice. “And I don’t like the idea of gossip at all.”

“Come now, Jack.” Beryl cast him a pitying look. “Unless you’re prepared to let the entire world know your mother deceived your father about your very existence, which I must say casts her in an even worse light than if she were truly mad, we do need to come up with some sort of story.”

“Perhaps something closer to the truth?” his father murmured.

“I shall think of something plausible.” Beryl’s gaze shifted to Jack. “I know all this is awkward for you, I heard your comments from the door. But I must say I was pleased to hear you finally speak out. You scarcely said more than a few words last night. I was beginning to think, in spite of your resemblance to Uncle Basil, that you weren’t related after all. No one in this family ever hesitates to speak their mind.”

“It was difficult to get a word in last night,” Jack said wryly. “But I will try to do better.”

Beryl smiled in a thoughtful manner. “Yes, I suspect you will.”

“Teddy, dear, why don’t you go look in that book of yours and see if a New Year’s Eve ball is a possibility,” Aunt Bernadette said. “It is silly to even consider if Teddy can’t manage it. Of course, we could do it without her . . .”

“I’ll check on the date,” Teddy said quickly and stood. “It should only take a few minutes.” She turned and took her leave.

“I know we are more than capable of arranging this ourselves, Mother,” Delilah said in a quiet voice. “But Teddy is my dearest friend and an event like this will only strengthen her reputation and increase demand for her and—”

“I know, dear,” Aunt Bernadette met her daughter’s gaze.

Delilah’s eyes widened. “You do?”

“I know far more than you give me credit for.” Aunt Bernadette reached over and put her hand on Delilah’s. “I have always thought of Teddy as another daughter and I will do all that I can, whenever I can, to assist her.”

Jack had no idea what they were talking about but then his father and uncle’s puzzled expressions said neither did they. It struck him that it would be quite some time before he knew the histories and backgrounds of the various players in this new world. The secrets and mysteries that were common knowledge in this family.

Still, there was one mystery he could solve right now.

“If you will excuse me,” he said and got to his feet. “I’ll be right back.” He turned and started after Teddy.

“Where on earth is he going?” his aunt’s voice trailed after him.

“I suspect, Mother, the answer to . . .”

He caught up with Teddy at the main stairway. She was already halfway up the stairs. “May I speak with you for a minute?”

Her eyes widened. “I really don’t have time right now. I do need to check my schedule if your aunt’s brilliant idea has any chance of coming to fruition.”

“I understand that but I promise, I’ll be brief.”

She paused, then sighed. “Very well then.” She came back down the steps to his level. “What is it?”

“Why don’t you like me?” he said, then cringed to himself. He hadn’t meant to sound quite so, well, pathetic.

“I don’t dislike you.”

“But you don’t like me either.”

“Nonsense.” She scoffed but her objection didn’t ring true. Not to him anyway and, given the uncomfortable look in her eyes, not to her either.

“Have I done something to offend you?”

“No, of course not.” She waved off his question.

“If so,” he continued, “it was unintentional on my part and you have my sincere apologies.”

She hesitated, then sighed again. “You really have nothing to apologize for.”

“If my behavior in some way—”

“Not at all. You were quite . . . charming.”

“I was?” She thought he was charming? And wasn’t that unexpected.

“Yes.” She nodded. “If that’s all—”

“It’s not.” He studied her closely. “I thought that last night, well . . .”

“Last night?” Her brow arched upward. “Are you referring to our
minor
adventure?”

“Well, yes, to our dance and our talk.”

“One and the same, aren’t they?”