“What is it?” Hal asked, pouring for them all and not bothering with small talk.
Darius succinctly told them about their stepmother’s visit.
“What in the name of Hades is she playing at?” Rob asked, draining his glass and reaching for a refill.
“That’s what I’d give much to know,” Darius responded.
“Do you believe her?” Hal asked.
Darius had been asking himself the same question. “Strangely enough, I do. In my line of work I’ve become accustomed to people telling me untruths and usually know when they are.” He looked Hal squarely in the eye. “She’s either the best liar on God’s earth or is actually putting her daughter’s reputation ahead of her monetary concerns.”
“Or there is a third possibility,” Hal said, a cynical twist to his lips. “She knew you’d come to me with this, and hopes I’ll be grateful enough to clear her debts.”
“Yes, that thought did occur to me,” Darius said. “Even so, you needed to be aware.”
“What will you do about it?” Rob asked.
Hal rubbed the back of his neck. “Talk to her, I suppose. I would prefer Julia’s parentage not to become a matter for public debate. No good will done for the family name if that happens.”
“She’s staying in Brook Street.”
“Thanks for letting me know.” Hal shook Darius’s hand. “Damned woman is a thorn in my side and probably always will be.”
“Will you come back and dine with us?” Rob asked. “We’re at home tonight and Flick would love to see you, I’m sure.”
“Thank you, but I have to prepare for a trial first thing tomorrow. Tell her I’ll see her at the Dannett ball, as promised.”
Darius took his leave and sauntered the length of St. James’s Street, deep in thought. It had been a prime opportunity to tell Hal about Pallister’s other, more serious, threat against the Forster Dynasty. He pretended he hadn’t done so because Rob was there, and because he’d already landed Hal with his stepmother’s problems.
But in his heart he knew it was nothing more than cowardice.
* * *
“Of course I’ll be fine.” Flick smiled at Leah. “It’s merely a headache. Besides, it’s you and Beth who need to be there for the fittings, not me.”
“Yes, of course.” Leah looked at Flick with concern. “You survived all this rigmarole last year, so I’m sure Beth and I will come through it relatively unscathed. I would have liked you to give your opinion on our gowns before they’re complete, that’s all.”
“There will be more fittings yet and ample opportunity for me to have my say. However, I’m persuaded that you’ll both look lovely.”
“We’ll leave you in peace and see you later then.”
As soon as the door closed behind Leah, Flick breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t really have a headache. She simply needed a little time to herself. They’d been back in London for five days and it had been an endless round of appointments, parties and almost continuous shopping. She was already exhausted. All she wanted was to be with Darius, and she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him, wretched man.
She gathered up the book she was enjoying and ensconced herself in the small sunny sitting room with a view over the back garden. It was seldom used, especially at this time of day when no sun had reached this side of the house yet. That meant she wouldn’t be found in here. No one knew she was at home anyway, which was just the way she wished it to remain. She could pretend to read, and dream about Darius. He worked so hard that he had no time for her. She tried not to feel neglected but couldn’t help being just a little sorry for herself. He could have made time to see her if he’d really wanted to, the rules of society be damned.
She heard Hal moving about in his study, which adjoined this room. The door was slightly ajar but she didn’t get up to close it for fear of him seeing her.
A short time later the doorbell jangled. Thank goodness Potter didn’t know she was at home. Whoever it was would leave a card and be gone again. Except she heard the tap of heels approaching Hal’s study. The visitor must be for him. Strange, it sounded like the light tread of a woman. Flick shrugged. It was none of her concern.
“Thank you for seeing me, Hal.”
Flick sat bolt upright, a tremor of anger passing through her. That was her stepmother’s voice, she would know it anywhere. How did she get past the front door? Potter had strict instructions not to admit her. But more to the point, why was Hal receiving her? Flick crept closer to the open door and eavesdropped shamelessly.
“You knew when you approached Darius that he would tell me of your visit,” she heard Hal say in a quelling tone.
Darius? What business did she have with him and how did it involve Hal?
“Yes, I thought he might.”
“Pallister holds your vowels and will tear them up if you publicly state that Julia is not my father’s daughter. Have I got that right?”
Flick clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from exclaiming aloud.
“Yes, but you should be aware that whatever else I am, I’m not an adulteress. Julia is your father’s daughter. It’s true that he was impotent for a time after his illness but he fully recovered from that.”
“Yet my father’s doctor is apparently prepared to swear otherwise. What hold does Pallister have over him?”
“I couldn’t begin to speculate. Suffice it to say that he wields enough power to make most people do as he asks. But you don’t need me to tell you that.”
“My father knew you were a gamester, didn’t he?”
“It’s no great crime.”
“Unless you can’t afford to lose.”
“Everyone in society plays.”
“Not everyone.”
Flick could hear Hal pacing round his room. She hoped he didn’t come near the open door and see her there since she desperately wanted to hear more.
“Your father lost his wits towards the end of his illness, but until then we were on the very best of terms and, whatever other faults I had, I wasn’t unfaithful. I can only surmise that he left me such a small estate, and a relatively small stipend which you control, because he was no longer in his right mind.”
“Or because he knew that you would gamble it away, just as you gamble with everything I give you now.”
“That isn’t true.”
“Besides, your establishment is more than large enough for your small family.”
“But not for a lady of my standing. It’s insulting. I did my very best to be a good wife to Sebastian but I was never likely to live up to the memory of your precious mother.”
“Don’t compound your mistakes by hurling insults at those who are no longer here to defend themselves.”
“I only speak the truth.”
“I see nothing has changed with your attitude so there’s little point in continuing with this interview.”
“Will you discharge my debts if I promise faithfully not to gamble again?” Flick could hear the desperation in her voice. “If not for my sake, then for the sake of the Forster name. Julia doesn’t deserve to suffer for my mistakes.”
“As to not playing again, I suggest you don’t make promises you will be unable to keep. You’re addicted and well you know it.”
“I can change.”
“Unlikely.” The study door opened, presumably because Hal had rung the bell. “I’ll consider your request and let you know my decision as soon as I reach it. Lady Denby is leaving, Potter, please show her out.”
As soon as she heard the door close again, Flick burst into Hal’s study.
“Good heavens! How long have you been there?”
“I heard it all.”
“Then I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have.”
Flick glowered at her brother, leaning her head back and craning her neck in order to do so. “I hope you’re not planning to pay her debts.”
“It might be for the best, to protect the family name.”
“Why on earth
didn’t Darius tell me about Pallister’s threats?”
“He would have had me to contend with if he had. You don’t need to hear such unpleasant gossip.”
Flick shook her head. “For the love of God, Hal, stop treating me like a child.”
“Very well.” Hal stayed infuriatingly calm when all Flick wanted to do was fight with him. “I don’t like our stepmother any more than you do, but I suspect that on this occasion she might have spoken the truth, at least about Julia’s birth.”
“What?” Flick’s mouth dropped open. “Have you taken complete leave of your senses? You can’t believe a word she says.”
“Flick, you don’t understand—”
“No, it’s you who doesn’t understand.” Why was he being so obtuse? “When I was eight years old I walked in on our beloved step-mama in bed with a footman.”
It was Hal’s turn to gape. “Perdition, Flick, do you know what you’re saying?”
“Of course I do.”
He guided her to a sofa and sat next to her on it. “Tell me it all.”
“Do you remember my reaction when she married Papa?”
“Much like the rest of us, you were glad to see Papa smile again.” Hal smiled. “You were only four at the time but were quite excited to have a new mama.”
She made an unladylike scoffing sound at the back of her throat’s t”. “True, but the feeling didn’t last for long.”
“I often wondered what she did to you when us lads were away at school.”
Flick shrugged. “She mostly ignored me, or else found reasons to criticize because she knew Papa was so fond of me. I didn’t realize it at the time, but she couldn’t stand the competition for his affections, not even from a small child.”
“I’m so sorry, Flick. You should have said.”
“What would have been the point? There was nothing you could have done. She wielded a lot of power over Papa, at least in the early days.”
“True enough.” Hal stared off into the distance. “But I believe he saw through her in the end, which explains the provisions he made for her.”
“He never discussed that with you?”
“He would have considered it disloyal to voice dissatisfaction about his wife.”
“Yes, I suppose that would have made for a rather awkward conversation.”
Hal squeezed her hand. “Tell me more about your time with her.”
Flick pulled a face. “She instigated all sorts of silly rules regarding my education and upbringing. If she even suspected any were broken, she used it as an excuse to punish me and told Papa that I was becoming quite wild.”
Hal scoffed. “I’m sure he didn’t believe a word of it.”
“I was too young to know whether he did or not. He certainly never mentioned it and, if anything, his affection for me increased.”
“Well, there you are then.”
“Papa had given me a gold necklace for my eighth birthday. It had belonged to Mama and was my prized possession.”
“I remember you both wearing it,” Hal said, smiling. “You and our mama.”
“I think our stepmother imagined it ought to be hers, even though it probably wasn’t nearly grand enough for her, and took it away from me, for safekeeping she said. Well, I was outraged, and when I thought she was out of the house, I went into her room to look for it, which is when—”
“Which is when you found them together.” Hal covered both her hands with one of his own. “Did you realize what they were doing?”
“No, obviously not. I was just confused, that’s all. It didn’t seem right that she would be naked with a footman.”
“How did she persuade you to keep silent?”
“She went berserk, slapped my legs hard enough to leave a mark and said I shouldn’t have been in her room without her permission.”
Hal ground his jaw but didn’t speak.
“She told me if I ever breathed a word of what I’d seen, she’d make me pay.” Flick shivered. “I believed her and so I never did.”
Hal pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Well, you’ve made up my mind for me.” He smiled at her. “I most certainly won’t settle her debts now. It’s the first time I’ve almost weakened and I only did so because she approached Darius and told him she would refute Lord Pallister’s account.” He scowled. “That was clever.”
“How could she tell you with such sincerity that she was no adulteress?”
“She’s convinced herself that it’s true because it’s what she wants to believe. She was taking a big risk, of course, because you know the truth.”
“She probably thinks I’ve forgotten about the incident. Or, more likely, she imagined that you and Darius would never discuss the matter with me.” She slanted a censorious glance his way. “And she would be in the right of it.”
“Sorry, squirt, old habits die hard. It’s difficult enough to think of you as grown up but downright embarrassing to discuss such things with my own sister.”
“Yes, well, I suppose I forgive you, but I shall have a few choice words to say to Darius when next I see him.” She glowered at the opposite wall. “If I ever see him.”
Hal chuckled. “He sent you his regards and said he would see you at the Dannett ball, as arranged.”
“Will Pallister carry out his threat, do you suppose?”
Hal nodded. “We must assume that it will.”
“Will it hurt us so very much?”
“It will hurt our stepmother and Julia more. People will say they always thought Lady Denby wasn’t quite up to scratch.”
“It seems unfair.” Flick canted her head and frowned, wondering why she felt the need to defend her hated stepmother. “I mean, if every nobleman in the land was asked if he were sure all his children were his own, many would be hard pressed to answer in the affirmative.”
“That’s undoubtedly true.”
“I can’t abide our spoiled half-sister, but she’ll be the one to suffer the most.”
“If Julia’s behaviour improves I’ll sponsor her come-out, if it comes to that. At the moment her situation within society is tenuous, to say the least, which seems unfair. She’s only a child. None of this is her fault.”
“If Lady Denby were to remarry, it would resolve her problems.”
“She wouldn’t settle for anyone unless they possess a fortune, and single gentlemen with fortunes wouldn’t want a widow with two children. Besides, the estate Papa left her is for her lifetime only, or until she remarries.”
“Ah, so she enjoys her independence and can behave as she pleases.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“Poor Papa. How he must have regretted marrying her.”
“Probably, but he had us, especially you, to compensate for his mistake.” Hal stood and pulled Flick to her feet. “Now off you go. I have things to do. Thank you for setting me straight about our stepmother, and don’t let it worry you. I shall deal with her.”
Flick didn’t doubt it. She only wished she could be there to witness the event.
Chapter Twelve
“What do you think?”
Flick stood with Leah and Beth in Harding Howell & Co, linen-drapers of Pall Mall. She studied the fabric sample Beth held up for her inspection and tried to find some enthusiasm for a subject that had once gripped her.
“I think it a little too insipid for your colouring,” she said.
“Perhaps you’re right.” Beth furrowed her brow. “What do you think, Leah?”
“I agree with Flick.”
“Oh, well, in that case...”
Leah and Beth fell into animated conversation on alternative colours. Flick made encouraging noises whenever applied to but otherwise allowed her mind to wander, still dwelling on her stepmother’s perfidious behaviour, furious that Darius had failed to tell her about it himself.
“We need to go to the shawl and linen warehouse next,” Leah said, consulting a list as the Forster carriage collected them outside the drapers.
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Flick went along, feeling older than her companions, even though Leah was a year her senior. She could understand their anxiety at the prospect of presentation. She had felt the same way herself last year. But she was far removed from the naïve creature who’d made her curtsey to the queen, euphoric because she managed to back away without tripping over her train. Society seemed almost frivolous, and rather pointless to her now, especially when viewed against the problems that Darius had to struggle with.
“Ah, home at last!” Leah handed her outdoor things to a footman and headed for the drawing room. “I feel in urgent need of a restorative cup of tea.”
“You’ve been overdoing it again.” Hal appeared from nowhere and kissed her brow. “You should have let Flick and Beth go alone.”
“Hal, how many times must I tell you? I am not physically unwell.”
“Even so.” He sat beside her and took her hand. “You look pale.”
“The prices in Waithman’s shawl emporium are enough to make anyone pale,” Flick said, flashing an impish smile at her brother.
Hal finally turned his attention to her. “Since when did you notice the prices of anything?”
“It was merely an observation, Hal. It didn’t prevent me from ordering everything I need.”
Hal rolled his eyes. “I dare say it did not.”
“What will you wear to Lady Dannett’s ball this evening, Flick?” Leah asked. “Have you decided?”
As soon as the conversation turned to ball gowns, Hal kissed his wife again and made a hasty exit. Flick chatted with her sisters until it was time for luncheon. The afternoon dragged, as had all the days that had preceded it. She would see Darius that evening—finally. When the time came to dress, she did so with special care. Her deep rose ball gown had been made especially with Darius in mind. It was trimmed with cream ribbon immediately beneath her breasts, helping to push them up higher, and rings of Flemish cream lace adorned the hem and décolletage. The short sleeves were fashioned from the same lace, making the gown different enough to project her personality, or so she hoped.
Anxious to be on their way, she went down early. Rob was already there.
Beguiling the Barrister Page 15