When Thomas came home, he told her the news.
“I was visiting Mother when Father arrived. I warrant he wasn’t too unhappy to learn that Aberdeen had to resign. You were right, Thomas. That day when I visited Parliament, you told me that Uncle John and Lord Palmerston were trying to bring Aberdeen down.”
“Palmerston has ambitions to be the next prime minister.”
“How do you know him so well?”
“I’ve known him for many years.”
“Father said the queen doesn’t care for him. What do you know about him?”
Thomas hesitated. “This is confidential, Harry. Members of Parliament have a gentleman’s agreement not to divulge secrets about each other’s private lives. Palmerston is an inveterate gambler. I met him years ago when he frequented Ranton, my father’s sporting estate.”
“That explains why Victoria doesn’t care for him.”
“I doubt she knows. These things are kept private.”
I warrant she knows more than you think. Women thrive on gossip.
“Mother says they are going to Ireland for March and April, so before I forget, will you invite Will Montagu for dinner one night next week? I promised Jane an evening with an eligible bachelor, and it goes without saying that Jane assumes I meant the braw Scots laddie.”
“I shall willingly aid and abet you in your matchmaking. I wouldn’t mind having Will for a brother-in-law.”
On Friday evening, Trixy arrived early to take Harry to the women’s meeting in Langham Place. When Thomas greeted Trixy and kissed her brow, she never mentioned the baby to him, so Harry kept her mouth closed.
“Harry, you wouldn’t believe it, but last night at Spencer House, the subject of centaurs came up and Jane Frances, the young Duchess of Marlborough, said they had a pair at Blenheim Palace.”
“Oh, what a coincidence.” Harry looked at Thomas. “I wonder if they could be the ones from Shugborough.”
“It’s a possibility.” His brows drew together. “I know Marlborough. I’ll check into it.” He kissed Harry. “Don’t wait up for me, darling.”
When the two sisters left the house, it had started to rain again and they hurried into the carriage. Before they got to Piccadilly, Trixy experienced a wave of nausea.
“Oh dear, I feel sick again. I felt wretched this morning, but it passed off.”
“Having a baby and nausea go hand in hand, Trixy. You need something to settle your stomach. There’s an apothecary shop in Shepherd Market. We’ll stop and I’ll get you something.”
Harry signaled the driver and told him to go left to Shepherd Market instead of right to Regent Street. When the carriage stopped, she hurried across to the apothecary shop. Farther down the street, she noticed a striking woman leave a house and climb into a carriage. For a fleeting moment, Harry thought it looked like Thomas’s carriage. She dismissed the notion. In the rain all black carriages look alike. A trickle of rain ran down inside her collar, and she hurried into the shop. A few minutes later she was back with Trixy.
“I asked the apothecary’s advice. He assured me that powdered bistort and mint would take away your nausea. He recommended it for morning sickness.”
“I suppose it is morning sickness, even though it’s evening.”
“Trixy, I don’t think you should go to Langham Place tonight.”
Trixy sighed. “I was looking forward to announcing my news to the ladies, but you are right. I’m feeling quite poorly.”
“Why don’t we go back to my house and I’ll mix you some bistort and mint?”
“Can I stay with you tonight, Harry? I don’t want to be alone, and D’Arcy will be out until all hours.”
“Of course you can stay with me.” She stepped out of the carriage and spoke to the driver. “We’ve changed our minds. Please take us back to St. James’s Square. Then you can take the carriage home. Lady Durham is staying with me tonight.”
The sisters went upstairs and Harry mixed the powdered bistort. Within a half hour of drinking it, Trixy’s nausea began to abate. Rose plenished the guest room, and Harry provided her sister with a nightgown. They helped Trixy undress and get into bed.
“I don’t want to be alone. Won’t you share the guest room with me?”
“Of course. I’ll leave a note for Thomas, and be right back.”
In the morning, Harry arose and drew back the curtains. “The sun is out. Thank heaven it’s stopped raining. How do you feel, Trixy?”
“My nausea has gone. I feel quite normal. That stomach powder did the trick.”
“If you feel up to breakfast, I can bring you a tray.”
“Nonsense. We’ll go down to the breakfast room.”
“Good. You know where the bathroom is. I’ll send Rose to help you dress.”
Harry went to her room to get dressed. Thomas had left her a note, and she was disappointed that he’d already gone out.
At breakfast Trixy talked about her visit to Spencer House.
“What’s George Churchill like? Mother said he was avaricious.”
“She’s probably right. After dinner, he and D’Arcy went off to play cards, while the young duchess and I talked. She has a baby not quite two. I quite like Jane Frances. I feel sorry for her, married to a man in his sixties. I warrant she’s lonely.”
“I can’t stop thinking about the centaurs at Blenheim. I wonder if they are the ones that were sold from Shugborough.”
“I have an idea. Why don’t we pay Jane Frances a morning visit? I know you’ll like her, and you can ask her about them. We can walk over to Spencer House.”
“We could—it’s only five minutes away, but I’ve never met her.”
“Now is your chance, while I’m here to make the introductions.”
Harry thought about the centaurs, and on impulse agreed.
At Spencer House, a footman took their cloaks and showed them to the young duchess’s private sitting room, where Jane Frances greeted Trixy warmly.
“Your Grace, I brought my sister the Countess of Lichfield to meet you. Harriet is a neighbor of yours from St. James’s Square.”
“I’m delighted to meet you, Lady Lichfield.”
“Please, my friends call me Harry.”
“My sister is curious about the centaurs you were telling me about.”
Harry bit her lip. Trixy got straight to the point with no subtlety whatsoever. She smiled at Jane Frances. “Could you describe them? Centaurs are unusual and I wondered if they came from my husband’s Shugborough estate.”
“They are a pair—black marble, about six feet tall.”
Bugger and balls, you’ve described them to a T.
“The late Duke of Marlborough must have acquired them for Blenheim, so I have no idea where they came from.”
“I thought I heard voices.” A florid-faced man strode into the sitting room. “Lady Durham, how nice to see you again.” He glanced with curiosity at Harriet, boldly assessing her figure.
“Your Grace, this is my sister Lady Lichfield.”
Harry held out her hand and he took it to fleshy lips. “I know your husband very well.” He lowered an eyelid. “Very well indeed.”
Marlborough made Harry feel uncomfortable. She stood up. “We really must be going. My sister and I were just out for a walk and dropped in to say hello.” She bade good-bye to Jane Frances and politely invited her to drop in for a visit.
On the way back to St. James’s Square, Harry remarked, “There’s something about Marlborough I don’t like. I don’t envy Jane Frances being married to him. It’s not his age; it is his manner that offends.”
“We are particularly fortunate in our husbands, Harry. We are very lucky.”
She thought about Thomas and smiled. “Exceptionally lucky.”
Harry was bubbling with excitement. She was almost certain that the centaurs at Blenheim were from Shugborough. She wanted to share the news with Thomas, but at the same time, she didn’t want him to think she had interfered. After all, he had pr
omised that he would look into the matter.
When they were eating dinner, she broached the subject in a roundabout way. “Trixy had a bout of nausea last night because she’s having a baby.”
“Yes, I know. D’Arcy told me. He was like a dog with two tails.”
“This morning she was feeling so well that we went for a walk. When we got to Spencer House, she insisted we pay a visit on the young duchess. While I was there, I asked her to describe the centaurs at Blenheim. Thomas, I think they are ours!”
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said sharply.
“I’m sorry. I know it was impulsive, but I couldn’t resist.”
“When I heard there were centaurs at Blenheim, I was pretty certain they were the ones from Shugborough. The late Duke of Marlborough gambled away half his fortune at Ranton. If George Churchill knows I’m interested in them, the price will go sky-high.”
“I didn’t say we were interested in buying them. I just asked her to describe them.”
“Is that all?” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice. He saw the look of dismay on her face. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll handle Marlborough. It won’t be the first time we’ve dealt together.”
“Of course . . . you know him from the Lords.”
“The Lords and elsewhere,” he said cryptically.
On Thursday, the following week, Harry was expecting Jane. Will Montagu had accepted the dinner invitation, and she’d told her sister to come early so they could spend the afternoon together.
When she heard Norton answer the door, she came to the top of the stairs. Instead of Jane, Harry was surprised to see the Duke of Marlborough in the reception hall. “It’s all right, Norton.” She hurried down the stairs. Thomas must have contacted him about the centaurs. “I’m sorry, Your Grace. My husband isn’t at home this afternoon.”
Marlborough looked annoyed. “I gave Solange the price I had in mind for the centaurs, and expected Lichfield to contact me.”
“Solange?”
His mouth quirked. “Solange is Lichfield’s . . . associate.”
She hesitated only a moment. “Yes, of course. I’ll tell my husband you dropped by. I’m sure he will be in touch with you, Lord Marlborough.”
“I’ll no doubt see him tomorrow night.” He put his hat back on and departed.
Harry walked toward the stairs. Solange must be connected with Whitfield Cox. The way Marlborough spoke of her was positively suggestive. What a vile man. It’s too bad he owns our magnificent centaurs.
Harry was halfway up the stairs when she heard the door knocker. This must be Jane. She hurried back down and greeted her sister eagerly. “I’m very happy to see you.”
“I’m so excited, I can hardly breathe!”
“You’ll have lots of time to compose yourself. He won’t be here for hours.” She took Jane’s cloak and led her upstairs to her private sitting room. “Shall we have some tea, or would you rather have sherry?”
“Perhaps I will have a little.”
Harry laughed. “I’d better get Rose to bring us some biscuits if we are going to start drinking this early.”
The sisters chatted about everything from courtship to marriage and babies. When the conversation turned to fashion, Jane voiced her frustration. “My clothes are all so childish. I don’t even own a dinner gown.” She smoothed the collar of her cream dress, and said wistfully, “I wish I had something more sophisticated to wear tonight.”
“You are welcome to choose something from my wardrobe, if you like.”
“Oh, Harry, that’s a wonderful suggestion. You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not. Let’s go and take a look.”
Harry took Jane into her dressing room and refrained from making suggestions.
“I love this sapphire blue. Do you think I dare wear such a vivid shade?”
“Absolutely! It will emphasize the blue of your eyes, and your pearls will go beautifully with it.” Harry carried it from the dressing room and put it on the bed.
“Why don’t we put up your hair? It will transform you from a girl into a lady of fashion.”
Harry called in Rose and they spent the next hour with the hot tongs, fashioning Jane’s brunette tresses into large curls that they pinned on top of her head. Then they sat her down at the dressing table and applied powder and lip rouge to her face.
While Harry changed into a dinner gown, Jane sat before the mirror, mesmerized by her own reflection. When Harry was ready, she took her sister’s hand. “We will await the gentlemen in the drawing room. Thomas is bringing Will home with him.”
“Lady Jane, is it really you?” Montagu looked at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. “You’ve grown up since the last time we met.” He took possession of her hand and gallantly raised it to his lips.
From behind him, Thomas looked at Harry and waggled his eyebrows.
She smiled innocently. “Darling, why don’t you pour us some wine?”
The conversation flowed effortlessly as they discussed the political situation and then moved on to the new inventions on display at the Crystal Palace. During dinner they talked about Scotland, Ireland, and Harry’s favorite subject, Shugborough Hall.
After dinner they reminisced about various entertainments they’d attended together, and had a good laugh about Mademoiselle Rachelle’s Mystical Tarot Card Reading.
“Jane is off to Ireland for the next two months. The family will be visiting Rachel before they go to Barons Court. When Father took Mother there for her honeymoon, he had a stage built for her so she could dance for him. Jane has inherited Mother’s talent.”
Will Montagu’s attention was focused on Jane, and Harry was delighted with her matchmaking efforts.
When the hour grew late, Will offered to escort Jane home.
“I planned to take Jane home.” Thomas felt his wife kick him, so he added, “But I know you’ll give her safe escort to Hampden House.”
They bade their guests good night, and Will and Jane departed. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have permitted Jane to be alone with Will in his carriage. Whatever will Mother say?”
“Your mother will thoroughly approve. She would like nothing better than a match between her daughter and the Montagu family.” He touched her cheek. “Will was in love with you, you know.”
She looked up into her husband’s eyes. “My heart was already taken.”
Thomas slipped his arm around her and they went upstairs together.
It had been such a happy evening that Harry was reluctant to bring up Marlborough. She slipped off her shoes and began to undress. “George Churchill came to see you this afternoon.”
“Marlborough came here?” he asked sharply.
“Yes. He seemed annoyed that you were not at home.” For some inexplicable reason Harry could not bring herself to say the name Solange. “He said he’d given your associate a price for the centaurs, and had expected you to contact him by now.”
His eyes searched her face. “I’m not so gullible. He’s asking the ridiculous price of two thousand apiece for them, so I’m ignoring him.” He closed the distance between them. “Let me do that.” He unfastened the back of her gown and dropped a kiss on the nape of her neck. When she stepped out of her gown, he untied her corset strings.
“That price is outrageous! He said he’d likely see you tomorrow night.”
He swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. “Promise me you won’t even think about the rapacious swine.”
She watched him undress. “I promise.”
He slipped into bed and enfolded her against his heart. Once the kissing began, it was easy for Harry to forget everything else.
In the middle of the night, however, as she lay awake against her sleeping husband, it was not so easy to keep her promise. In her mind’s eye, she relived Marlborough’s visit, and examined every word he had said. Like a silent whisper, she heard the name Solange.
When morning arrived, it completely banish
ed the darklings, and Harry laughed at her foolish fancies. She made a decision to keep the unsavory Duke of Marlborough out of her thoughts. From now on she would trust Thomas to deal with him, and was confident that her husband would find a way to acquire the beloved centaurs.
After breakfast, she got a note from Trixy letting her know that she’d had no more bouts of nausea and would pick her up and take her to Langham Place this evening. Harry looked forward to the meeting. The topic of conversation would be politics, and she would be able to voice her opinions on who would be the next prime minister. If it was her uncle Lord John Russell, she was sure he would present their petitions to Parliament regarding married women’s property rights.
At the end of the month the Abercorns held a family dinner at Hampden House before they left for Ireland. Trixy and D’Arcy, who were returning to Durham shortly, arrived at the same time as Harry and Thomas. John Russell and his wife, Fanny, were also invited.
At the dinner table the primary conversation was politics. “I understand that the queen asked the leader of the opposition, Lord Derby, to become her prime minister and form a government.” Abercorn looked at John for confirmation.
“True, but when Derby asked Palmerston to become secretary at war, he politely declined, making it impossible for Derby to form a government.”
Harry’s eyes lit with excitement. “Then did the queen invite you to become her prime minister?”
“As a matter of fact, she did. However, when I asked Palmerston to become my secretary at war, he once more respectfully declined. So I thanked Her Majesty profusely for the great honor, and told her it was impossible for me to become the next prime minister.”
Harry’s face fell. “Why didn’t Palmerston cooperate?”
“My dear, we had a gentleman’s agreement. Lord Palmerston deserves to be prime minister, and I back him wholeheartedly. This morning the queen asked him to form a government. Though reluctant, she had no choice.”
The Dark Earl Page 31