To Catch a Rake (6 page)

“No, Father.” She took his cool palm and held it. “I’m Meta, your eldest.”

Short silver wisps of once dark whiskers framed his smile. “Meta, you really must take care of our home. The ceiling is making noises, very odd noises. Something must be done.”

Since she had never heard these noises, she attributed his concerns to a mind muddled by age. Nevertheless, she assured him that their butler would investigate the situation. “Thank you, dearest. I’ll have Sampson take care of the matter. He’ll likely send a boy up to the roof.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m busy this afternoon helping Lily, so I am afraid I cannot read Scott to you, but I’ll send Susanna up with your tea. Afterwards, she can start reading
The Talisman
where I left off. Remember? On a whim, the Queen stole Edith’s ring right off her finger.” She lowered her voice and spoke in a conspiratorial tone. “I bet trouble is ahead.”

A twinkle danced in his eyes. “Oh, there will be mayhem. You may take my word for it.”

“I agree. The world succumbs to mayhem in all novels, and that is why we enjoy them so.” She followed him upstairs to his room, then once he was settled, she knocked on the door to Lily’s room.

“I know it’s you, Meta. But you cannot help me in this situation. I don’t need your assistance.”

Meta entered her sister’s room and found her sitting in front of her vanity, reading Mr. Drexel’s brief note. “Are you fretting that the letter will fail and James will not change his mind and resume his addresses?” She sat in the window seat and attempted to read Lily’s expression, but her sister must have realized her intent and turned her head to hide her face. Meta waited, unsure if Lily needed the time to formulate her words.

Minutes later, Lily finally faced her, her eyes red and swollen with tears. “Please, Meta, let’s forget this whole incident. I’ll put Mr. Drexel’s letter in my drawer with my other personal correspondence and that will be an end to it.”

“I don’t understand. You cannot hide your true feelings from me. I know in my heart you love James. You always have, for years and years. Why do you not want to send this note immediately? It should clear up something that was nothing more than a little misunderstanding.” Meta knew Lily and James belonged together. They seemed happiest in each other’s company and even on occasion they finished each other’s sentences—a perfect match.

A tear finally fell, and Lily brushed it away. “That is my point. The note is useless, a false exercise. I mean, if James truly loved me, he should have known in his heart that it was not my name in that field guide.”

Meta silently agreed, then leaned over to hug her sister around the shoulders. “Please, let’s pay a brief call on James to show him the note. What harm could there be in that?”

“You were not present, Meta, when he called off. You didn’t see his…face. He couldn’t even look me in the eye. There will be no reconciliation; you must take my word for it.” She arranged her woolen, straw-colored shawl even tighter around her shoulders.

“I know you have been hurt—”

“Hurt!” Her eyes dried, and she jumped slightly in her seat. “Hurt is not the right word. Betrayed is more like it. I was eighteen when the guide was published. Eighteen! Oh the insult.”

“If we just speak—”

“I have nothing to say to him. It seems to me he has something he wishes to say to
me
.” Lily straightened in her chair. “I feel truly jilted and fear society will hear of it. Everyone anticipated our wedding, but it will never come to be.” A few seconds passed, and her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, Meta. I no longer trust him. How could I?”

Meta rose and stood behind her sister. She then caught Lily’s gaze in the looking glass. “You and I will speak of this again sometime in the future, maybe a year or two after your marriage. By then you will realize that gentlemen are sometimes unpredictable, and it is sometimes difficult to understand their position on a subject. That is why you must speak to him. Give him a chance to clarify his objections. You owe him that.”

“No.” Lily pursed her lips. “He can pay me a call to apologize, and I will hear him out. I can give him nothing more.”

“This is not like you—you have a kind heart. Are you telling me you no longer love James?”

“No, I am not saying that…exactly. I’m saying he must apologize to me first, on principle.”

She recognized the appearance of her sister’s innate stubbornness, mixed with the mortification of rejection. “Well, come and join me then. Together we will pay a call at Codlington House, and you and James can have a word in private. Show him the letter, and all will be forgotten. We can then celebrate together.”

The smallest of smiles finally broke across Lily’s face. “Thank you, I really mean it, but I must refuse. James must come to me.”

Meta sometimes failed to understand her father or her siblings, leaving her anxious, unable to sleep, and even ill from too much worry. Unfortunately, these feelings proved to have little effect upon the final outcome. Now her mind only registered the fact that Lily needed her. Not only that, but she had great affection for James and worried that he too might be unhappy.

They both needed her to facilitate a reconciliation
.

An hour later, Meta found herself standing in front of the home of Lady Codlington and her only son, James. The Codlingtons’ town house was at least twice the size of their home, and it possessed a lovely view of the park from the front rooms. While the size and situation of the house matched the elevated status of the Codlington family, it stood merely three dozen houses away from the more modest home of the Broadshams. Indeed, the two families frequently met during evening walks in the park. As a result, the Codlingtons’ butler greeted her warmly and showed her to the large library overlooking the private side garden. A climbing old rose grew next to the open window. The day was a warm one, so the scent of roses overwhelmed the normal smell of old books.

Meta hurried over to examine her favorite object in the room, the jovilabe orrery—a mechanical device the size of a tabletop that showed Jupiter and its four Galilean moons. The clocklike mechanism controlled the slow orbit of the four moons around a stationary Jupiter. Both the planet and its moons were made of polished semiprecious stones. The pretty green color of little Io’s malachite was her favorite, so she stroked the cool green stone. Upon her touch, she realized a desire to show the orrery’s gears to Mr. Drexel. Because of his obvious admiration of all things mechanical, he would delight in watching the tiny gears advance ever so slowly, causing the moons to dance around the great marble Jupiter.

The moment she saw Io move a fraction, Lady Codlington entered the library and greeted her. “Well, my dear, I do not know what to say to you about this business.” The older woman slowly moved to sit in her favorite chair by the fire and spread her black bombazine skirt out in front of her.

“Good afternoon, your ladyship.”

“I imagine you have called to change my son’s mind about his broken engagement. But I will speak plainly, since I am well-known for my frankness. The situation will not change. I insist you drop the matter. Thanks to that field guide, my son has come to his senses at last. In the future, he’ll make a match that will prove useful to a young man destined to have the highest office in the Court of Common Pleas—not become shackled for life with a young lady who blushes every time someone speaks a sentence in her direction. No, to advance his calling, he needs a spouse with social skills, like myself, to further his ambitions.”

“Mother, enough.”

Meta turned to find James entering the cavernous library. A short, broad-shouldered gentleman of twenty-two, James wore a lovely velvet jacket the color of the strongest claret. He strolled over and greeted Meta warmly. “I’m sorry I was not here to greet you upon your arrival.”

His mother interrupted. “I was just explaining to Mrs. Russell that the engagement between you and her sister is rightly called off. I mean—”

“Thank you.” He moved to stand in front of her and held out his hand. “I know your intentions are good; however, I must insist upon speaking with Mrs. Russell in private.”

Lady Codlington dropped her jaw before narrowing her eyes. “Now, son—”

“Please, dear.” Beaming affably, James picked up his mother’s hand and exerted gentle pressure to pull her to her feet.

She frowned, pulled her hand away, and rose without assistance. “Very well. Although I do not expect any change in the situation. I think—”

“I really must insist this interview be private,” he said.

Her ladyship shook her head and said her farewells. Her spirits remained benevolent enough to express her best wishes to Meta and her family.

Meta curtsied, and the older woman left the library.

James paused and watched his mother slowly leave the room, her gait revealing the effects of her age. “I apologize, Meta. She means well, truly.” He smiled, then held his hand out in a motion for her to sit. “It is difficult for any young man to convince his mother of his independence. I should’ve left this house and set up a residence of my own upon my coming of age. I am quite capable of independent living, but I reside here now solely to give her company and comfort, since she took to her sickbed for so many months after my father’s death. Unfortunately, there are consequences of remaining in your childhood home. And you just witnessed an example: the well-intentioned, but odorous interference in a grown man’s affairs.”

Meta gave him a wistful smile. “Mothers believe their children are always in need of their advice and assistance. I’ll probably treat my siblings like children for as long as they live. Fitzy will be old and toothless, but I’ll still believe I might be able to help him. Oh, that sounds just terrible, doesn’t it?” Her cheeks warmed. “I really don’t mean to interfere, but I want to be present if they need me in any way. I would hate to see any one of them suffer or be unhappy.”

“Don’t distress yourself. I have noticed you sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of your siblings. You left your husband’s lovely house in Sussex and moved back here to care for the entire household. As an only child, I truly believe the attention from a sister must be a wonderful thing, even if it might tire”—he winked—“on occasion.”

“Oh, James, I do wish you will become my brother.” No gentleman had ever impressed her more by his kindness and amiability.

He reddened slightly.

“Please allow me to speak on the matter.”

He shook his head. “Nothing can be gained by it. My aspirations to become a justice and hold higher office means my wife’s character must be beyond reproach. Later this year my name will be put forward in consideration for an important appointment at court. I think you fail to understand the scandalous tittle-tattle the rumor of a second edition has caused. The members of my club plan to spend endless hours trying to guess the identity of each new lady, under the assumption that the names differ by a letter or two. Even if the public did not immediately relate the initials in the book to Lily’s, they might someday, and a scandal would arise. I’d be passed over for appointment and my judicial career ended.”

“You are expecting the worst that could happen, James. I truly believe your fears are unreasonable.” She glanced toward the door. “Did your mother come up with this…” She did not want to unjustly accuse his mother of interference or causing the situation in the first place. She faced him and implored. “Lily deserves better than being jilted.”

His eyes widened, then he let the silence stretch. He brushed his thinning hair across his forehead. “Yes, on principle I agree with you. I apologize and wish to make amends by any means other than marriage. But I have no wish to remain a junior lawyer. Gentlemen have a great desire to succeed, Meta—a strong ambition that women are not fully aware of.” He walked to the fireplace and stared at the ruby-like coals. “Tell me, how is Lily? What does she think of me?” His cinched fist rested on the mantel.

Meta rose and placed her palm on his back.

He turned and smiled at her.

“I do not wish to betray a sister’s confidences, but I am concerned about her welfare. Lily loves you dearly and is deeply hurt by your refusal. I hate to pain you, James, but you must be aware of that?”

He nodded, lips pursed. “It will be for the best. I
must
believe that.”

She pulled away and placed her hands on her hips. “Well I do not. The two of you are in love. And that is a rare thing, indeed, rare enough to celebrate and fight for. Right now I feel like a governess in charge of naughty children. So to set the situation to rights, I had a word with Mr. Drexel, the so-called author of the field guide you mentioned.”

“Meta! You did not mention my name, did you? Involve a stranger in my personal affairs?”

She blushed. “I-I do not remember what I said precisely. I did, however, call in the company of Lily and Fitzy. After requesting a private interview with Mr. Drexel, I discussed Lily’s happiness and the great injustice of his field guide. After some protestation of nonsense about men and feelings—”

“You didn’t.” Once again, wide-eyed horror graced his features.

She never realized before how touchy gentlemen could be on the subject of feelings. “Mr. Drexel was kind enough to give us this note.” She reached into her silver chain link reticule, pulled out the white paper folded into a small square, and held it out for him to take.

He snatched it out of her hand. “I would hate to falsely condemn you, Meta, but please do not concern yourself with my personal affairs in public.”

“You have no concerns on that score, James. Mr. Drexel is as reticent and sardonic as they come.” After yesterday’s excitement, she realized her interest in Mr. Drexel had not faded in the least. Even this morning during her ablutions, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing that very moment—an unsettling thought.

James unfolded the note and read, “
Mr. Codlington…Miss Lily Broadsham is not a female of my acquaintance…not in my field guide…mistake her initials for Lady Lynette Bearsham. Regards, Geo Drexel.
”