A Countess of Convenience

by Sarah Winn

  Malvern and Pru were not getting on and it was imperative to Neil's plan that they do so. His creditors were hounding him so unmercifully that he would have to approach Malvern for assistance as soon after the wedding as possible. Malvern would surely refuse unless he had developed tender feelings for his new wife and would want to protect her brother.

  Telling himself the earl would never cause a scene in the club, Neil squared his shoulders and approached his quarry. Malvern glanced his way, and his expression hardened.

  Neil tried to project the proper mix of confidence and humility as he nodded to Foster and Harry and then fixed his gaze on the earl. “I hate to disturb you fellows, but I wonder if I might have a private word with Malvern?”

  Foster muttered and shifted in his chair as though about to rise. Harry remained rock steady, apparently determined to see what transpired.

  “No need for you two to bestir yourselves,” Malvern said to his friends. He snubbed out his cigar and pointed toward the corner of the room with his brandy glass. “There are a couple of free chairs, Weathersby.”

  Neil followed him to the indicated spot. Malvern's icy demeanor made him wonder if he'd done the right thing in coming here. “I know you have reason to be angry with me. You think I betrayed our friendship.”

  “Think?” Malvern's sneer became rock hard.

  “I did take advantage of the situation, but only because I wanted to help Pru—I'd promised our mother—”

  Malvern waved him to silence. “I don't want to hear anymore about your devotion to your mother. You damn well showed little of it while she was still alive.”

  Neil felt his cheeks burning. “You're right. I wasn't a good son, and now that the dear woman is gone I'm racked with guilt. That's why I'm so determined to see Pru safely settled.”

  “If her safety was all you were worried about you could have honestly married her off to someone of her own class. She's pretty enough to get a decent offer. But no, you had to trick a wealthy, titled friend.”

  The mention of Malvern's damn title revived Neil's spirit. “Her mother was the daughter of a duke. Half of her blood is bluer than yours, a fact you didn't waste any time taking advantage of from what I hear.”

  Malvern crashed his brandy glass down on the table so sharply that the base broke, the glass tipped over, and the contents flowed onto the table.

  “You cheeky bastard.” Malvern leaned across the table and spoke through gritted teeth. “I had to accept that invitation from Litton to save what little reputation your sister has left. You two think you can go about in the world doing whatever you like and get away with it. Well, by God, if she's to be my countess, she'll keep her skirt tails clean.”

  “Surely you don't still believe Prudence deliberately set out to seduce you into marriage. She's far too ingenuous to engage in such a plot. That's why I can't stand by and let you hurt her.”

  An angry flush colored Malvern's cheeks, but he still managed to keep his voice low. “What in the hell are you talking about? I've promised to marry her and have installed her in my mother's home. How does that hurt her?”

  At last Neil had turned the conversation in the direction he wanted it. He looked his opponent in the eye. “I went to see her today. She said you've only paid two brief visits to your mother's during the week and barely spoke to Prudence during those visits.”

  Malvern drew his head back as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. “I'm not a besotted bridegroom, and she's not a blushing bride-to-be, as you very well know.”

  Neil shook his head and tried to look angry. “It's all very well to blame Pru and me for this situation, but if you'd talked to my sister like a gentleman, rather than grabbing and mauling her, none of this would have happened. You mustn't be angry with her. She had no idea I hoped to make a match between you two. I swear it...on my mother's grave.”

  Malvern leaned back in his chair as he stared at Neil with a speculative gaze. Then he looked away and noticed a waiter hovering nearby. Apparently the man wanted to clean up the mess on the table but hesitated to interrupt such an intense conversation. Malvern's fists slowly relaxed, and he waved the waiter over.

  While the table was being cleared, Malvern opened his cigar case and selected a rod of tightly wrapped tobacco, conspicuously not offering one to his tablemate. When the waiter had finished clearing away the mess, Malvern ordered a fresh brandy, again ignoring his companion.

  The waiter glanced nervously at Neil, who shook his head, not wanting anything to disrupt this last chance at softening Malvern's stance against Prudence.

  “So,” Malvern said after the waiter left, “what else does your sister want from me?”

  “She hasn't told me that she wants anything, but I can tell she's intimidated by you. Is it too much to ask for you to be, at least, pleasant to her?”

  “Pleasant? Huh! That's something I've had trouble being ever since our evening at the theater.”

  “You've always been able to charm women, even those you intended to never see again. Doesn't it make sense to expend a little of that charm on the woman you're going to be tied to for life?”

  Malvern bit down on his cigar, and for a moment, Neil feared he'd gone too far. “I only accept advice on my personal life from close friends, and you and I ceased to be friends five days ago.”

  Neil gave a curt nod. “Thank you for hearing me out.” He got up and walked out of the room, keeping his back straight and avoiding eye contact with anyone else.

  Despite Malvern's brusque dismissal, Neil had seen the way the skin tightened around his eyes, a sign Neil's words had caused Malvern to think about his treatment of Pru. This humiliating interview might prove worthwhile after all.

  Prudence murmured, “No, thank you,” to the footman offering her a serving of roast duck. Lady Carolina had announced earlier that this would be a simple meal, since there would only be three dining, but they were already up to the fourth course. It seemed silly to Prudence for three people to sit at a table that could hold twenty and be served by four footmen and a wine steward, but then no one had asked for her opinion, and she wasn't about to volunteer it.

  “Don't you like roast duck, Prudence?” Lady Caroline never missed anything that happened at her table.

  “Yes, ma'am, but I want to save room for dessert,” Prudence replied.

  Lady Caroline turned back to her son. “She eats like a bird.”

  “Good,” he replied. “I can save money on groceries.”

  “What a thing to say.” Lady Caroline looked as if his remark offended her. “I hardly think you need worry about the expense of feeding a wife.” Then she smiled slyly. “But you might worry about what we've spent in the shops this week.”

  Malvern looked at Prudence over the top of his wine glass. “I do hope you bought something that isn't black.”

  “Yes, now that she's into the second phase of mourning, some color is allowed, although I had to convince Prudence it was proper. She's very conservative.”

  He smirked. “About some things.”

  Prudence fastened her attention on her plate, determined not to let the fact she was being talked about as if she weren't in the room disturb her.

  “Don't be tedious,” his mother chastised. Although Lady Caroline did not hesitate to point out Prudence's faults, she jumped to her defense whenever Malvern said anything critical. Prudence wished Lady Caroline would just ignore his surly attitude, because her defense only increased Malvern's anger, as shown by the way he now glowered.

  Perhaps Lady Caroline came to the same conclusion, for she suddenly changed the topic. “So tell me more about your dinner with the Duke of Litton. Who else attended?”

  “The usual crowd. I was the youngest man there.”

  “I hope you behaved yourself and made a good impression on them. I'm sure Litton is positioning himself to lead the charge against Peel. This is a perfect opportunity for you to gain influence. If Litton and his friends manage to form a new government, you could ea
sily win a cabinet position.”

  Lord Malvern delayed putting a fork full of roast duck in his mouth long enough to say, “They may bring down Sir Robert, but I doubt they can form a government themselves.”

  “Nevertheless, with Peel gone, control of the party will undoubtedly return to House of Lords, where it should be.”

  Prudence had never seen a woman argue politics with a man.

  Lord Malvern paused to swallow his food. “Sir Robert created the Conservative Party, Mother. If they remove him, they'll wreck it.”

  Lady Caroline shook her head impatiently. “No man is indispensable. Peel has destroyed himself by ignoring traditional Tory beliefs. Someone else will rise to fill the space he currently occupies.”

  The earl chuckled indulgently. “Certainly not Litton.”

  She pointed her knife at Lord Malvern. “Start now and you could position yourself for future greatness.”

  He smiled indulgently.

  She made a hissing sound and turned toward Prudence as if she'd just remembered her presence. “He does not take his opportunities in the Lords seriously. I hope you can influence him more successfully than I've been able to.”

  Prudence gaped at Lady Caroline in consternation. “But I know nothing of politics, ma'am. Is that something else I must learn?”

  “No!” Lord Malvern said adamantly. “Please stay uninformed and perhaps I'll be able to eat my dinners with you in peace.”

  Prudence looked back and forth between mother and son, not knowing what to believe.

  Lord Malvern's expression softened a bit. “Mother was weaned on politics, Prudence. Her father and grandfather were both quite active. You can hardly hope to equal her in that area. And most men are glad the topic fails to interest most women.”

  No doubt he thought her too stupid to equal his mother. Besides, he wanted her tucked away in the country, out of his way.

  After the pineapple cream ices had been consumed, the countess suggested moving to the salon for coffee. She had taken no more than two sips from her cup when she turned to her son. “Do you know Prudence plays the piano beautifully?”

  He looked surprised, but before he could reply, the countess added, “Please play for us, dear.”

  Prudence had become accustomed to the countess putting her on display for her friends but found being thrust under her future husband's nose disconcerting. She mumbled excuses that the countess ignored. The earl, looking amused, added his insistence, so she finally walked reluctantly to the piano. After a moment's hesitation she decided to play the simple folk tune “Green Sleeves.” It had been her father's favorite. The familiarity of the music relieved some of her nervousness and she finished with no obvious mistakes.

  “Wasn't that lovely?” the countess said.

  Lord Malvern nodded. “Very nice.”

  “Now come and finish your coffee, dear,” the countess ordered.

  Prudence had barely reseated herself when the countess said, “I hope you two don't mind, but since we're traveling to Malvern Manor tomorrow, I need to retire early tonight.” She stood and started for the doorway. “Don't keep Prudence up too late, Anthony; we need to leave at a ridiculously early hour.” After she left, Malvern, his voice dripping with sarcasm, said, “Wasn't that sweet of the old girl?”

  “I beg your pardon?” Prudence asked.

  “Mother is giving us time alone to say our goodbyes.”

  “Oh.” She couldn't think of anything else to say.

  “Don't look so miserable, Prudence. I won't force my attentions on you in my mother's salon, unless, of course, you want me to.”

  How dare he speak so crudely to her? “You seem in a particularly bad mood tonight, Lord Malvern. Have I done something to offend you?”

  “Would you like for me to recite the full list?”

  “I mean something recent.”

  “I do not like you running to your brother with complaints about me.”

  “I don't know what you're talking about. In the first place, I did not run to him. Neil came to see me. And I certainly did not complain about you.”

  “So why did he accost me in my club last night and accuse me of ill-treating you?”

  She shook her head in confusion. “He asked how we were getting on, and I told him I had seen very little of you during the week.”

  “Did you explain that you were so busy shopping and being introduced to mother's friends that even if I'd been here every minute I would have had little opportunity to speak with you?”

  “I told him Lady Caroline and I had been busy.” Prudence didn't like being forced to defend herself when she'd done nothing wrong. But she didn't want to make him angrier than he already appeared to be.

  “Understand this.” His head bobbed up and down as he spoke. “Your brother is no longer my friend, and I do not want him privy to my private affairs. “

  “Are you telling me to cut him from my life?” Prudence wasn't all together sure how she felt about Neil's part in engineering this marriage, but the idea that Malvern would force her to turn her back on her nearest relative stirred her ire.

  Malvern stared at her with his lips pursed. That he would even consider the question was too much. Entirely over the top. Not to be born.

  She stood and glared down at him, all of her resolutions to get along at any cost forgotten. “He is the only member of my immediate family left. I will not cut him from my life.”

  “If I insist—”

  She braced her fists against her waistline and leaned toward him. “I will ignore your insistence.”

  He huffed angrily, and she felt a little tremor of fear. This man held so much power over her. He could marry her and make her life miserable or not marry her and destroy her reputation. But she had a strong feeling that if she bowed to him now, she would forever be on her knees.

  “What do you want?” he said through stiff lips.

  “I want my brother to be at my wedding.”

  Lord Malvern shrugged. “I've already given my permission for him to be there.”

  She took a deep breath to bolster her courage. “But he's having trouble arranging transportation.”

  Lines between his eyes relaxed a bit. “So that's why he came to see you, to beg a ride to the wedding?”

  “He came to inquire about my welfare,” she said indignantly. “When I asked, he promised to be at the wedding even if he had to walk. That's the reason I think he's having difficulty.”

  His lips flattened into a thin line, before he began to speak slowly and distinctly, as if he thought she would have trouble comprehending his words. “He was just manipulating you once again, Prudence. He obviously hopes to worm his way back into my good graces and wants to use you to do it. Don't get caught up in any more of his scheming.”

  She dropped her gaze to the floor, embarrassment burning her cheeks. What more could she say? Malvern was intractable. She wanted to slink off to bed, but he wasn't through yet.

  “I cannot bear to be shut up in a carriage with Neil for the hours it will take to journey from London. But I will ask one of my friends to bring him.”

  She looked up in surprise. “Oh, thank you.”

  “You're welcome.” He stood. “And now I'll take my leave.” He marched out of the room as straight-backed as one of the Queen's Guards on parade.

  She stared after him in shock. What had she done? Losing her temper and being obstinate was no way to win over a reluctant husband. But it seemed to have worked this time.

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  Chapter 5

  Late the next afternoon, the carriage finally turned through the stone gateposts of Malvern Manor. Prudence leaned toward the window to see her destination. The massive stone house built in the Palladian style stood at the head of a rolling park and seemed to sail serenely on a green sea.

  Would this be her new home? Would she be the mistress of this great house?

  Even before the carriage stopped, liveried footmen
magically appeared and formed a line up the steps to the entryway. Prudence entered the house a few steps behind the countess and stopped to stare at the long line of uniformed servants that stretched down the hallway.

  Lady Caroline introduced Prudence to the butler and the housekeeper, as “Miss Prudence Crump, the future Countess of Malvern.” Looking at the army of servants it took to run this castle of a house, Prudence hoped Lord Malvern didn't intend to place her in charge of it.

  Since Lady Caroline's rooms were in a different wing, the housekeeper personally led Prudence and her maid to her new apartment, a small sitting room and a much larger bedroom. Footmen brought her luggage. Thanks to the new wardrobe Lady Caroline had assembled for her, the two trunks, a valise, and three hatboxes made a respectable collection.

  By the time Prudence had familiarized herself with her rooms and told her maid, Janie, where to put her clothing and personal articles, it was time to dress for dinner. Prudence merely changed her long sleeved, high-necked, black bodice for a short-sleeved one with a more open neckline, but of course Janie insisted on re-doing her hair.

  Prudence had always worn the same hairstyle day or night, a couple of corkscrew curls on either side of her face and a bun in the back. Now, Janie wanted to dress her hair at least twice a day. Changing clothes and having her hair dressed seemed to be an aristocratic lady's main occupation. Prudence found it bothersome.

  On the way to dinner, she met Lady Caroline in the hallway. As they slowly descended the curved stairway, the older woman pointed at the gloomy portraits lining the wall. “These are some of the former earls. I like the second earl's portrait best. He included his hunting hounds, giving the picture a bit of life.”

  Reaching the last canvas, near the end of the stairs, Prudence asked, “Is this your husband?”

  “No. My father.”

  Prudence looked at her, dumbfounded. “But he's wearing the same coronet as the others.”