A Season for Scandal

by Golden Angel

  Josie thought the setup was rather inspired since she was not the type who enjoyed sitting and chatting for hours at a time. She would much rather get up and move. She appreciated Lady Chesterham’s foresight, especially since it gave her the opportunity to speak with her friends without the gossips listening in.

  There was plenty of gossip flying, as there usually was at the teas. Josie thought the ladies needed the tea to keep their throats from drying out after all the flapping their tongues did. Thankfully, there were no gentlemen about, so Lily’s mother and godmother did not protest when Josie wanted to speak with Lily privately.

  Parasols up to protect their skin from the sun, which was shining very brightly today, Josie led Mary and Lily to a corner at the edge of the garden, their backs against the hedges so they could see anyone coming upon them. Josie quickly revealed the events of the night before. Well, some of them.

  The thought occurred, she could pay Elijah back by revealing his injuries to them, but she had decided against it. It might bring momentary satisfaction but nothing else. She would take the high road and demonstrate to Elijah what it meant to be a true partner, keeping his trust and his secrets.

  She did tell Mary and Lily about her discovery there had been a threat against his life in the note from their wedding day. It made her feel better when both of them were aghast; they had forgotten about it as well.

  “There has been a great deal going on, and nothing came of it,” Mary said comfortingly. Out of the three of them, Lily seemed the most upset such an important detail had completely slipped her mind. She had always considered herself a keeper of information.

  “Nothing that we know of,” Josie replied darkly. Of course, something had come of it, with Elijah being attacked last night, but it was always possible there had been other attempts he had hidden from her. Something she would have to ask him about. Maybe she should not bother if he was going to hide things from her. He might not even tell the truth.

  She wanted to be the person he did not hide anything from.

  “I still cannot believe we completely forgot,” Lily muttered balefully. She brushed some of the dark strands of hair back from her face, a little wrinkle forming on her brow, and Josie knew she was committing today’s conversation to memory to make up for forgetting the note the last time. “I will need to update my notes.”

  “See? That was the problem. You were not able to do so right away because you were at my wedding brunch.” Josie grinned as Lily glared at her, not at all soothed. That was Lily, though. She really was a bit lost without her notes. Josie sighed. “I do not know what to do. I am not even sure how Elijah feels about me or what he thinks about me, considering I wanted to marry Joseph not even a month ago.”

  “And how do you feel about Elijah?” Mary asked softly, a knowing smile curving the edges of her lips.

  “I am falling in love with him, fickle creature that I am.” Josie twirled her parasol above her head, avoiding her friends’ gazes. They had begun to speak of such things during her last conversation with them, but she had not been ready to confess that truth then… she was now. She had been too hurt this morning by his actions to believe her feelings for him were anything else.

  Lily scoffed.

  “We have already been over this. You are not fickle. You have discovered the man you thought you wanted was not as suited to you as the man you married. There is nothing wrong with that.”

  The assertion dismissed so firmly in Lily’s brusque, sensible voice made Josie smile, although it did not entirely banish her own concerns.

  “Then why does it feel like I should have realized all of this a long time ago?”

  “You were too close to the situation to properly analyze it,” Lily said immediately. “And a bit too sentimental.”

  Josie scowled at her friend. She loved Lily like a sister, but like sisters, they sometimes fought. Lily said Josie was too emotional, whereas Josie felt Lily could be rather cold when it came to empathizing with others.

  One day, Lily was going to meet someone who made her feel deeply, and Josie was going to be there to witness it and rub her nose in it… just a little.

  “Yes, well. It has also made me aware I have been remiss in my investigative duties.” She made a face. “Not that the gentlemen ever talk about anything important when I am about. Since I joined the household, they have become far more careful about what they say in private.” That and they were doubtless saving their conversations for when she was out of the house, like now. Newly wed to a future Marquess, there were certain social obligations she could not ignore.

  “You should try starting a conversation with them about what we want to know,” Mary suggested. She twirled her parasol thoughtfully. “Ask Elijah about Talbot and Captain Jones. That should be innocuous enough, especially if he does not suspect Captain Jones.”

  True. Josie had already meant to, but she had become distracted.

  “Have the two of you learned anything further?” she asked and felt relieved, then guilty when both Mary and Josie shook their heads.

  “Only that Collins did not have any close friends in the Society,” Mary said, making a little face. “Which I already knew from Rex, but I did want to make sure he had not missed anything. He had no reason to pay attention to Collins before all of this. Unfortunately, Carlisle has departed from London, and I do not think he will be back. I cannot blame him, but there are some questions I wish I could ask him. Rex and I will be touring his estates for our honeymoon as soon as the Season is over. We will find a reason to visit Carlisle’s estates.”

  Something else Josie had not thought about—her honeymoon with Elijah. They were taking one, were they not? Probably round to his estates as well. That seemed like the dutiful thing to do. She would rather go to France, but since he had not asked, she would end up doing whatever he decided.

  “Do you feel like this Season is slipping by us too fast, and you cannot keep up?” When she had thought of coming to London for her Season, she had dreamed of balls, of Joseph falling in love with her, of gentlemen thronging about her. Well, some of that had happened, but it did seem as though events moved so much faster here than in the country, and she could scarcely keep up. What she really needed was a good, long gallop on a horse. That was how she always did her best thinking.

  City living had stuffed her head full of wool. The hours were exhausting, the pace draining, and though she loved the social aspects, she craved some time to herself to sit and think. No wonder she was forgetting so many things—she hardly had time to take a moment for herself.

  “Absolutely,” Mary said with a sigh. “I think my Uncle Henry has the right of it, only coming to London every other Season. If Rex is amenable, perhaps we shall follow that example in the future.”

  “Trust me, I am very glad this is my one and only season.” Lily turned her head, casting her gaze among the other guests at the tea. Although she appeared to fit in, with her lacy lavender gown and flowered bonnet, parasol at exactly the proper angle held in her dainty gloved hands, Josie knew Lily had been miserable with the constant socializing the Season required. “I will not be returning, no matter what Momma and my godmother want.”

  “Perhaps you should hurry and find a husband before the end of this Season,” Josie teased. “That way, you will be able to do as you please.”

  Lily made a face. “I will do as I please once I am home and without having a husband to manage. Both you and Mary have been extremely distracted since your marriages. Such a union seems more of a burden, despite the pleasurable compensation you have derived.”

  Much as Josie would have liked to argue, there really was too much truth in Lily’s words. She had been distracted, but from here on, she was determined to fix it. Elijah had done her a favor this morning. She was certain she would find him far less distracting from now on.

  Chapter 26

  Elijah

  Venturing into Hyde Park atop Maximus, a glossy chestnut steed purchased last year at Newmarket,
Elijah ignored the admiring looks from the carriages lined up along Rotten Row. The grande dames of the ton watched and gossiped from their barouches with debutantes and their mommas wedged between them.

  The sandy path along the row was packed today, probably because everyone wanted to take full advantage of the pleasant weather. The riding paths through the park were equally congested. Elijah frowned as he made his way, looking this way and that for Josie’s apple-red riding gown and matching hat. She should stand out, even in this crowd, but he did not see her as of yet.

  She must have been desperate to come here—whether for a ride, to be out of Stuart House, or both.

  Hyde Park was not a place one could really ride, especially at the fashionable hour, and Josie was the type to want to gallop. Coming here, now, would be more of an exercise in frustration for her than anything else.

  It was for him as well, mostly because it was so difficult to find the blasted woman. How was he supposed to sufficiently apologize if she would not even speak to him? Tonight, they had dinner at the Carstairs, followed by a ball at the Rochesters. Possibly, he could pull her aside for a conversation, but that was hardly ideal.

  The door between their rooms was still locked. Unless he was of a mind to forcibly enter her room—an idea he immediately discounted—he would likely remain locked out tonight unless he could satisfactorily apologize beforehand.

  A flash of red caught his eye. Maximus whinnied a small protest when Elijah pulled a little too hard on the reins when his head whipped around. There she was, riding sedately and discontented on one of the bridal paths by the hedges. Elijah’s groom trailed just behind Calpurnia, her spirited filly, who looked nearly as miserable as her rider.

  Neither of them was meant to be plodding along. Josie had owned Calpurnia for three years, and Elijah had seen how the two of them moved together through the fields at home. They were even more in tune than he and Maximus, who immediately whickered when Elijah turned his head, and the horse caught sight of Calpurnia.

  Sometimes, Elijah would swear his horse had a crush on Josie’s mare, if such a thing was possible. Without his prompting, Maximus picked up the pace to a fast walk and headed straight for Josie and Calpurnia, causing a small stir as he moved a little faster than the rest of the crowd around him.

  Josie looked up, their eyes met, and something inside his chest twinged. There was a sadness to her gaze, one he had never seen before, and he knew it was his fault. Before he could truly process it, she had already pushed a smile onto her lips, but it was not a real smile. Her lips had curved, but her eyes did not sparkle, and her cheeks did not lift.

  “My lady,” he said, maneuvering Maximus when he reached her, so they were next to each other rather than facing one another. “I came to join you for your ride.”

  “I was just finishing.” Josie avoided looking at him directly, keeping her gaze on his chest. To passersby, it would appear to be a congenial conversation between newly wedded husband and wife, but Elijah could feel the tension coming off her. Yes, she was still upset with him.

  “Then I shall escort you,” he replied, rather than taking the hint that she preferred to be left alone. Nose in the air, affecting a haughty demeanor, Josie nodded begrudgingly. They rode in silence, Elijah casting glances at her while she did her best to ignore him. He could only imagine what the groom behind them made of their interactions.

  Part of him thought any gossip from his household about a rift between the two of them might be helpful to counteract anything Devon or Daisy might let slip. He had a private word with them this morning about not discussing his and Josie’s sleeping arrangements, and both swore, of course, they would not.

  Elijah wanted to believe them, but he also knew it was possible the traitor had someone watching them from inside their own household. Paranoia? Perhaps. But after Josie had been set up by a letter from the false Joseph, Elijah felt it was justified.

  Once they reached the stables, Elijah swiftly dismounted and came over to help Josie down. She pursed her lips in annoyance but did not protest. Both of them knew she did not need his help, even in her riding skirts while seated sidesaddle, but to make a fuss about something most ladies would require and enjoy would disturb the grooms. Josie would never do that.

  Instead, she would hold it all inside until she could unload her ire... if it got to that.

  The moment they exited the stables, leaving the grooms and horses behind, and Elijah could see there was a clear path with no one about to the house, he escorted Josie far enough they were between the two structures and away from prying ears, then halted.

  Josie

  Simmering with frustration and resentment over Elijah’s continued high-handedness, the last thing she expected when he brought them to a halt was for him to turn to her and apologize.

  “I am sorry.”

  There they were—the words she very much wanted to hear yet had not expected to. She blinked in surprise, taken aback, then frowned suspiciously.

  “What are you sorry for?” For all she knew, he was apologizing for interrupting her ride. The little smile that curved his lips did not make her heart beat faster, ignoring that her pulse had sped up.

  “I am sorry for not telling you about the danger I was in. I should have.”

  Josie waited, but he did not add an addendum. It was nothing more than a simple apology, with no excuses, and it took her by surprise.

  However, it did not contain everything she wanted, which was a reassurance she would not be so left out in the future. Only partly mollified, Josie crossed her arms, giving him her best gimlet stare. Not that she expected it to have much effect on his hardheadedness.

  “And you will make sure you keep me fully informed in the future,” she said, prompting him.

  Elijah hesitated, but only for a moment, before nodding.

  “I will keep you fully informed in the future.”

  “And will answer the questions I have right now.”

  This time he laughed outright, but he nodded again, offering her his arm, and she took it. She could not help smiling as well, though the caution remained. He had already broken her trust once, and it would take some time to build it back up. She would be a fool to think it was this easy but would take advantage of what he was offering. Whether he could be trusted not to keep her out of things in the future, well… time would tell.

  “Are you taking precautions for your safety?” If he was not, they were going to have another fight right now, and she would not hesitate to tell Uncle Oliver everything. Trust extended only so far as sensible behavior, and with a threat against his life and him wandering about the streets of London alone after dark… well, that was hardly sensible.

  Elijah heaved a sigh.

  “I can take care of myself, despite what you and my father think,” he said grumpily. Josie was relieved to hear she was not the only one so concerned. “Anthony and Nathan are supposed to serve as my guards most of the time, and my father was going to put a man on me whenever they were unavailable.”

  “Then where were they last night?” The question came out a bit more sharply than intended, her hackles rising at Nathan’s name. If Lily’s correspondents were correct, and the Talbot estate was involved in some kind of nefarious activity, was the brother of the Earl of Talbot the best choice for a guard?

  “I did not tell anyone I was leaving the house.” If he had, someone would have been sure to accompany him.

  Josie pulled away, whirling to face him as he opened the side door to the house for her.

  “That. Will. Not. Do.” She jabbed him in the chest with her finger, one jab for each word. She glared up at him when he grabbed her hand, keeping her from poking him again. “Next time you decide to go ‘thinking’ about the streets of London at night, you will inform me, and you will take a guard with you, so I do not have to worry the whole time.”

  Elijah lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles, and Josie eyed him suspiciously.

  “As you wish, m
y lady,” he said before turning to escort her indoors.

  Elijah

  There was something freeing about telling Josie everything, and he finally understood what his father had said about marriage being a partnership. Of course, he did not want Josie rushing into danger or joining him in his investigations, but he felt a great sense of relief at no longer having to hide anything from her. Hearing her worry over him warmed him from the inside out.

  Not that he thought she would be uncaring, especially after her upset about his injuries, but it seemed her emotions were far more in line with his own than he might have guessed. Did he dare hope he had already fully supplanted his brother in her affections? Or at least carved out his own place at least equal to Joseph’s in her heart?

  “Tell me about Anthony and Nathan.” Though she was allowing him to lead her into the house, she was clearly not ready to let go of their conversation just yet, and Elijah had no qualms about that. Talking about his friends was something he could do without worrying about who was listening. Still, in case the conversation turned, he directed her down the hall to his study. The servants were moving about the household, cleaning and tending to their duties, preparing for supper and the end of the day.

  “I met both of them through my father.” He knew she would understand they were already working for his father when he met them. Their friendships had grown from there. “They were both captains in the Army and served together in France. Anthony is half-French, so he was particularly well-suited to the assignment.”

  As operatives of White Hall, neither of them had actually served with a battalion but had performed their duties in a far more dangerous manner, often alone. They had both saved many lives by risking their own for the information they obtained and even foiled more than one plot to put England and France at odds with each other yet again. Elijah was convinced they had prevented outright war, though they would never know for certain.

  “Is he a second son?” The question was natural, as many of the ton’s second sons entered the service. Joseph had not, but that was because he was serving England in a different manner, the same as Elijah and Adam.