A Proposal to Risk Their Friendship
Author
Louise Allen
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16.7K
Chapters
25
Chapter 1
Lord Henry Cary leant on the balustrade above the lower terrace of Lady Pernell’s garden and contemplated the strange whims of London’s society hostesses. Not content with holding one of the first balls of the Season, she had decided to throw open the doors on to the gardens, despite a fall of snow that was still lying on the hills around Highgate.
He had recently returned from Vienna, so was not finding the temperature particularly chilly, but then, he was not one of the female guests, clad in flimsy silks and muslins. Very few people were braving the night air, despite braziers set out on the terrace and lanterns dotted all along the pathways to make a relatively modest garden resemble Vauxhall en fête.
But some guests were out and he watched the path five feet below him, feigning a casual interest.
‘I’m freezing. You coming in, old chap?’ Reggie Pomfret sent the glowing end of his cigarillo arching across the path and into the shrubbery beyond.
‘In a moment. I will see you inside, no doubt.’
And here came his target, strolling towards him on the lower level, as Reggie walked away briskly on the upper. Graf Klaus von Arten was deep in conversation with one of the attachés from the French embassy. Pierre Laverne, if he was not mistaken. How very, very interesting.
It might be that Graf Klaus was exactly what he said he was. Certainly, according to Almanach de Gotha, a Thuringian nobleman with that title did exist. But in the absence of any Thuringians to confirm it, who could tell? The man had drifted around at the Congress, amiably present at every social occasion and without any apparent reason for being there.
He had attracted the vague interest of Henry’s superiors as an unsolved puzzle, but when he appeared in England that attention sharpened. The Congress was over, the final treaties signed. France, its colonies, client kingdoms and possessions had been organised and distributed in the aftermath of the collapse of Napoleon’s empire—and now here was the amiable Count in intimate discussion with a junior French diplomat. It could be nothing, but it might be the first ripple of water over a hidden reef, waiting to hole the freshly constructed structure of treaty and alliance that was holding a new Europe together after years of war.
The Frenchman stopped, bowed abruptly and vanished into the shrubbery that filled the centre of the garden, leaving von Arten to walk on towards the ballroom alone. He slowed, hesitated, and Henry glanced left to see what had attracted his attention. An elegant blond man was strolling along, a young woman on his arm. The Graf speeded up and passed them with a nod, just before they reached Henry’s lookout.
Henry almost turned away to follow Reggie, but something about the couple below gave him pause.
‘I am cold.’ The young woman sounded more than chilled, she sounded thoroughly uncomfortable, her voice a little shrill.
‘There is a delightful little summer house just inside the shrubbery,’ the man said. ‘We can converse in comfort there.’
‘But I should not be alone with you. I should go back.’ Her voice had an edge of panic now and she pulled back against the very firm grip that the man seemed to have on her arm. ‘Ow! You are hurting me.’
‘Don’t be a little goose.’ His voice was caressing, teasing, but Henry saw something else in the set of his shoulders, the way he was forcing her towards the darkness of the shrubs.
He put one hand on the balustrade and vaulted over, landing solidly on both feet on the gravel path below.
‘What the—?’
As the blond man took a step back, another young woman, tall and dark-haired, emerged from one of the paths through the bushes.
‘Oh, there you are, Belinda darling,’ she said brightly. ‘I thought we had lost you. You must be frozen and the dancing is about to begin again.’ She shot Henry a questioning look as she took the other woman’s free arm, as though to link it through hers.
‘Miss Forrest is with me,’ the man said, his smile tight with anger.
‘Goodness, that would be silly of her, wouldn’t it?’ the tall woman said. ‘One step into the shrubbery would be so bad for dear Belinda’s reputation, don’t you think, Mr Harlby?’
She gave Miss Forrest’s arm a little tug. Harlby stood his ground.
Henry sauntered up, put one arm companionably around the other man’s shoulders and beamed at him, the very picture of slightly tipsy amiability. ‘Come on, old man, back to the dancing, eh?’ His thumb and forefinger closed together at the angle where Harlby’s collarbone and shoulder joint met and tightened suddenly.
Harlby gave a gasp of pain and released Miss Forrest. ‘You bast—’
The tall woman turned so rapidly they might have choreographed the move. She linked arms with Miss Forrest and set off back towards the ballroom. Her voice, clear and assertive, drifted back. ‘Such a good orchestra, don’t you think?’
Henry kept his arm where it was and steered Harlby in their wake. ‘Got cramp, old man? A stiff brandy will sort you out.’ He kept his hand poised, waiting for retaliation, but the other man came meekly enough until half a dozen steps from the glass doors on to the terrace.
Harlby twisted away. ‘I’ll not forget you, you interfering devil.’ He pushed through the door and vanished into the ballroom.
Henry followed. ‘I won’t forget you either, friend,’ he murmured, looking round for Miss Forrest and her rescuer. They were on the far side of the room and the dark woman was talking animatedly to—of all people—the Duke of Aylsham, otherwise known as the Perfect Duke. As Henry watched he smiled at her warmly, bowed to Miss Forrest and led her on to the dance floor.
The rescuer moved along to a group that included two men he didn’t recognise and one that he most certainly did—The East End Aristocrat, the Privateer Marquis—otherwise known as the Marquis of Cranford. All three men smiled, glanced to where the Duke was turning Miss Forrest in the midst of a complex country dance, and nodded.
Clever. She was placing the young woman with two powerful men and possibly others. Harlby would think twice before accosting Miss Forrest again. The dark woman had an air of authority and he wondered who she was. The wife of one of the men he did not know? Or Cranford, possibly? He had heard that the scarred Marquis had married recently.
Driven by sheer curiosity, Henry began to move around the edge of the ballroom to intercept her.
There, that should make foolish Miss Forrest secure. Not only would Harlby see that Belinda had friends with influence but, if he tried to spread stories about her wandering off with him, there she was, in full view of everyone, dancing with a duke. Melissa mentally dusted her hands together and set off to look for her friends.
‘Ma’am. May I congratulate you on your tactics? I hope the other young lady is not suffering any distress.’
It was the blue-eyed man who had vaulted over the balustrade to help Belinda Forrest. Melissa smiled warmly, instantly inclined to like him. ‘No, she will be perfectly all right, I believe. Will would calm anyone’s nerves. I must thank you for your help.’ It had been rather impressive the way he had acted—athletic, instant and effective.
She studied him frankly. Tall, dark blond with darker brows and lashes, slender but with shoulders that promised strength, and amused blue eyes. Really very decorative and Melissa had an appreciative eye for decorative men.
‘Melissa Taverner,’ she said, holding out her hand. ‘Miss Taverner. So stuffy to have to find someone to introduce us, don’t you think?’
‘I quite agree—after all, we have already carried out manoeuvres together. Lord Henry Cary at your service, Miss Taverner.’
‘You must be the son of the Duke of...of Walton?’
‘Son number four,’ he admitted, somewhat ruefully.
‘Let me guess. Not the army, not the navy. That leaves the church?’ He did not look like a clergyman, but it was the most likely occupation for a younger son who wasn’t a soldier or sailor and he wore no uniform.
‘Goodness, no.’ His smile was disarming. ‘I would probably bring about another Reformation, if not total theological chaos, if I were to be let loose in a pulpit. No, I am with the diplomatic corps. May I fetch you some refreshments?’
‘Thank you, but I am just on my way to join my friends to report on the success of our tactics against Harlby, the slimy little beast.’
‘May I call on you? I confess I would be happier if reassured that Harlby does not make a nuisance of himself.’
‘Of course. Here, do take one of my new cards.’ She found one in her reticule and then, on impulse, she tucked her hand under his elbow and began to walk again. ‘Come and meet my friends and be thanked all over again.’
The others were still sitting where she had left them, clustered around a little table in a small alcove. ‘Here we are.’ She indicated her catch with a wave of her hand. ‘Behold my accomplice in the routing of the ghastly Charles. This is Lord Henry Cary who is the fourth son of the Duke of Walton, although I expect you all know that, being so much more exalted than I am. Lord Henry, this is the Duchess of Aylsham, the Marchioness of Cranford, Lady Kendall and Lady Burnham. You can sit there.’ She pointed to a free chair between Verity, the Duchess, and Lucy, who was just becoming used to being the Countess of Burnham.
‘Your Grace...ladies.’ He sat down.
‘Lord Henry is a diplomat, as you can tell,’ Melissa added, taking her own seat. ‘Smooth.’
‘Melissa, honestly,’ Verity chided, sending Lord Henry an apologetic smile.
‘Well, he is. He did not even blink when confronted by all of you. And he was positively heroic—jumping down from the top terrace to accost Harlby and then seizing him in some ferociously painful grip when he tried to be unpleasant.’
Lord Henry shrugged. ‘The man was making himself obnoxious. You are apparently well aware that he can be a nuisance.’
‘Yes,’ Lucy said, not looking at Prue. ‘He seems to have moved on from seducing young ladies for sport to attempting to find one with money in order to compromise her.’
‘In the hope of forcing a marriage, no doubt. Unpleasant.’
‘Very. But he will leave Belinda alone now,’ Verity said. ‘Have you recently returned to London, Lord Henry?’
‘Yes, I was in Vienna, at the Congress, and stayed on afterwards as things were winding down. There are always little details to clear up. It is a pleasure to be back in England in time for the start of the Season.’ He stood up. ‘Delightful to meet you, ladies. I can see my eldest brother and, as I have not encountered him since I arrived in London, I should go and speak with him, if you will excuse me.’ He stood up, bowed and made his way through the crowd to where a tall man with very blond hair was just walking off the dance floor.
‘Oh, yes, that’s Viscount Morfield, the heir,’ Verity remarked. ‘They are a good-looking family. You have found yourself a very handsome swain, Melissa.’
‘Goodness, he’s no swain of mine, merely a gallant gentleman. He really was exceedingly effective with the ghastly Charles. You should have heard the little swine yelp and all Lord Henry seemed to do was put his arm around his shoulders. It would have done your heart good, Prue.’
Prudence, now the Marchioness of Cranford, had been seduced by Harlby. She had then escaped disgrace by marrying the widowed Marquis, who needed a mother for his young son. The hastily arranged match had, wonderfully, turned into a romance. Now she darted a look across to where her husband stood talking to his friends. He did not know the identity of her seducer and they all knew that she very much wanted to keep it from him. Nobody wanted the formidable Marquis to have to go into exile for tearing Harlby apart with his bare hands.
‘I had hoped he had left London for good,’ Prue said with a sigh.
‘Anybody with any sense would have been terrified that you had told Ross about him. He must have realised that you haven’t, so he feels it is safe to come back,’ Jane, the Countess of Kendall, said. ‘But he seems to be keeping well clear of you.’
‘I suspect he is short of funds. Now he has the whole Season in front of him to find a victim he can force into marriage,’ Verity said grimly, ‘I find his choice of Belinda Forrest rather worrying, because she is so very wealthy. We are going to have to be on the alert constantly if we are to foil him. It only takes a few minutes and some bad luck and a reputation is ruined.’
Prue grimaced. ‘And it will not be bad luck because he will want to be caught. We need to find him out in a situation where the woman concerned isn’t revealed, but what he is becomes general knowledge.’
‘Tricky. I have been telling all the mothers and chaperons of my acquaintance to beware of him,’ Verity said. ‘But there are dozens of likely girls and so many opportunities.’
They sat, sunk in gloom until Melissa signalled to a passing footman. ‘We need cheering up. A bottle of champagne and five glasses, if you please.’
‘Tell us about your new house,’ Prue said, sitting up straight and finding a smile. ‘We would all have come to see you yesterday, only Verity couldn’t and we all wanted to come together.’
‘How is Thomas?’ Melissa wasn’t particularly interested in babies, but the six-month-old heir to the dukedom was an engaging child.
‘He is a very miserable little boy, but much better today than he was yesterday. Nurse says he will be well enough now until the next tooth starts.’
‘Come and see me tomorrow, then,’ Melissa said. ‘You know it is in Half Moon Street, of course. And I told you that Great-Aunt Melly died three months ago and left me a legacy because she was also my godmother? Well, she willed the house to Papa and he had no clear idea of exactly where it was and, of course, being Papa, didn’t like to admit it. So, I let him think it was really a very shabby genteel neighbourhood, although respectable, and unlikely to fetch a huge rental.’
She grinned, still amazed at how easy it had been. ‘When he had finished huffing and puffing and insisting that of course I must not leave home and come and live in London, I pointed out that I would be perfectly safe there if I had a chaperon as companion. And the poor man so hates anyone arguing with him—Mama never does, as you know—that he said yes, just for peace and quiet.’
‘He knows that now you have your legacy and you are twenty-four, there was no way he could stop you,’ Jane said cynically.
‘True.’ Melissa couldn’t help feeling smug. ‘And he knows he has a duty to look after Cousin Almeria after her investments failed, so he didn’t raise a murmur about her being my companion. In fact, he thinks it is all his own idea.’
‘Something tells me that your Cousin Almeria is either very lazy, or deaf as a post,’ said Prue.
‘Somewhat preoccupied with her own interests, shall we say,’ Melissa said vaguely, her attention on the dance floor. That nice Lord Henry had asked Miss Forrest to dance, which was kind of him. He appeared to be a very good dancer, light on his feet and able to converse at the same time—
‘Melissa!’
‘What? Sorry, I was just checking that Miss Forrest is all right.’
‘We were asking if we could visit before luncheon tomorrow? We will bring some ices and things from Gunter’s.’
‘That is an excellent idea. And I need advice about redecorating and new furniture. Great-Aunt was a sweetheart, but her taste was firmly in the seventeen nineties.’
Next day the ices and macarons from Gunter’s provided an indulgent end to a lengthy luncheon. It was eaten amid a pile of fabric patterns, two furniture warehouse catalogues, the latest copies of the most fashionable magazines and a small snowdrift of notes.
Lucy sprawled on the sofa, licking her fingers in a thoroughly unladylike manner. ‘There are masses of ideas, but can you afford it all?’
‘I shouldn’t think so for a minute,’ Melissa said, looking round with satisfaction at her friends at ease in her very own drawing room. ‘But I will work through the house in stages. Paint will perform wonders, there is a lot of fabric I may be able to reuse and I can send the worst of the furniture to the auction rooms. It will make space and there might be enough money from that for some new pieces.’
‘I really must go home. Look at the time—almost three.’ Verity began to look around for her belongings and the others, reluctantly, sat up straighter.
There was a knock at the front door and the sound of Gertrude, Melissa’s formidable new maid, marching down the hall.
‘Who can that be?’ Lucy wondered vaguely. ‘Have you left any cards? It is the right time for callers, I suppose.’
‘Lord Henry Cary, Miss Taverner.’
Melissa sat bolt upright. ‘Good grief. I mean, show him in, Gertrude, and fetch tea, if you please.’ She exchanged a look of exaggerated speculation with the others and stood up. ‘Lord Henry, good afternoon.’
‘Good afternoon, Miss Taverner. I ventured to hope you were receiving.’
‘Do take a seat. Tea will be here shortly.’ They had eaten all the macarons unfortunately. ‘You know my friends, of course.’
‘Your Grace...ladies.’ He sat in the nearest chair and crossed long legs in elegant biscuit-coloured pantaloons. ‘I called to enquire whether there were any...repercussions following last night’s incident.’
‘No, nothing at all. But I wouldn’t expect it,’ Melissa said. ‘Harlby seems to work by sliding around, not by stirring up a fuss. We have probably put him off Miss Forrest for good. Ah, the tea. Just put the tray there, Gertrude, thank you.’
‘Not for me, dear. I was just going.’ Verity stood up and he rose again. ‘Pray forgive me, Lord Henry, but I have left my young son too long already.’
‘I will walk with you.’ Jane was on her feet, too.
‘I must be away as well.’ Lucy managed a becoming blush. ‘I believe Max will be home by now.’
‘Not long married,’ Melissa heard Prue murmur to Lord Henry as the three of them sat down again. ‘You know, I did intend to go to Wilding and Kent for some embroidery wools. I had quite forgotten.’ She bounced up again. ‘You must excuse me, too, Lord Henry. Melissa, should I let Miss Staines know you have a visitor?’
Melissa sighed. They were all, curse them, tactfully removing themselves because Lord Henry was a gentleman and they thought she would wish to be alone with him. Five minutes’ contact with Cousin Almeria must have convinced Prue that she was a completely ineffectual chaperon and worth summoning just for the look of it. ‘If you would be so kind,’ she said between gritted teeth.
‘Goodbye, Lord Henry. Lovely luncheon, Melissa dear.’
Lord Henry stayed on his feet as she went out, leaving the door open behind her. ‘I should go.’
Yes, he should. Single young ladies did not entertain gentlemen alone for one moment and that gave her a perfect excuse for sending him on his way and settling down to some work.
She found herself smiling. ‘No need, my companion will be down in a moment.’
