A Match for Mother

by Mona Gedney, Kathryn Kirkwood, Regina Scott

  They had just assumed their respective positions when Jennings knocked upon the door once again. Claire favored John with a conspiratorial smile and then she called out in a loud voice. “Come in, Jennings. We are unable to reach the door.”

  The door opened with great dispatch and John watched with no little amusement as Claire balanced her stack of books against a shelf. She swiveled her head in Jennings’s direction and gave him a guileless smile. “Place the tray on the table, Jennings, and then you may leave us. I shall pour when we have finished with the placement of these books.”

  “Yes, my lady.” Jennings nodded and placed the tray on the table. “Have you need of my assistance?”

  “No, Jennings. We have the situation well in hand. But do close the door as you leave. These volumes are dusty and the hall was cleaned only this morning. I should not like to be the cause of more work for the staff.”

  “Very good, my lady.” The butler’s disgruntled expression thawed considerably at this thoughtful comment from his mistress. “Do not hesitate to ring if you have further need of me.”

  “Thank you, Jennings.”

  John barely managed to maintain his composure as Jennings took his leave, sliding the door tightly closed behind him. Then, shaking with suppressed laughter, he turned to Claire. “You are brilliant, Lady Radcliffe.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Claire grinned at him impishly, struggling to maintain her balance under her heavy load. “And now that you have concluded your congratulations, would you please come down off that ladder and relieve me of these massive tomes?”

  John laughed and hopped down from the ladder, taking her stack of volumes. He glanced down at one title and raised his brows. “The Care and Perpetuation of Prime Cattle?”

  “My husband’s books.” Claire shrugged. “I had thought to give them to Philip to augment the library at his country estate, but now I am not so certain I should like to part with them.”

  “You have recently developed an interest in animal husbandry?”

  “Yes, indeed.” Claire favored him with another impish smile. “I have found these volumes to be of great value.”

  A smile twitched up the corners of John’s lips as he regarded this delightful minx. “How so, Lady Radcliffe?”

  “They are the perfect size to hide a lady’s dishabille when she is nearly compromised in her sitting room. If this should reoccur, I should not like to be caught without them.”

  John threw back his head and laughed. And then he sobered quickly as he realized precisely what she had said. “Do you wish it to reoccur, my dear?”

  “No gentleman should ask that question of a lady.” Claire dropped her eyes to the carpet and a heated blush rose to stain her cheeks.

  “You forget that I am not a gentleman. We must be honest with each other if our ruse is to succeed. Please tell me, Claire. I wish to know your answer.”

  John waited as she considered the question. His heart was pounding rapidly and his ardor rose, even though he tried his utmost to control it. After long moments of perfect silence, she finally raised her trusting eyes to his.

  “Yes, John. I know it is most improper, but I should most definitely wish it to occur again.”

  The morning callers had come and gone and the favorite subject had been Claire’s engagement. Willow and Philip had handled all of the queries with polite and appropriate responses, agreeing that Claire’s engagement was most unexpected, but not divulging any further information. When the last caller had departed, Willow excused the servants, informed Jennings that they should not be accepting any further guests, and gave a deep sigh of relief as she sank down upon the cushions of the sofa.

  “You must be exhausted, my dear.” Philip poured a celebratory glass of sherry for Willow and a snifter of brandy for himself.

  “I am, but I am also delighted.” Willow accepted the glass and sipped gratefully. “Is it not delicious that they have so easily fallen into our scheme?”

  Philip nodded and raised his glass to Willow’s in a salute. “I am as delighted as you are, my darling. And I must say that you expressed just the right amount of restraint regarding your mother’s match, without expressing your open disapproval.”

  “It was most difficult, dear Philip. I was required to pretend that I objected to the match without actually stating it to our guests. If I had done that, I should have been accused of disloyalty.”

  “Just so.” Philip nodded. “I found it much easier to deal with your mother in private when we could openly voice our discontent.”

  “You are quite right, Philip. It was much easier, and I am almost certain Mama believes that we do not approve of Lord Sommerset.”

  Philip laughed. “I wager to say she will never suspect that we arranged it all in the first place.”

  “I pray she will not!” An anxious expression crossed Willow’s face. “If Mama learns that we deliberately chose Lord Sommerset to be her husband, and that we had a hand in the events that took place in the garden last evening, she will cry off before she tumbles into love with him.”

  “You must not concern yourself, for that will not happen. I paid careful attention to your mother’s demeanor when Sommerset arrived, and I would bet a monkey that her heart is already engaged.”

  “Do you truly think so?” Willow looked hopeful.

  “I do. There was a light in her eyes that I had not seen there before and she blushed quite charmingly when he took her hand. And I also believe that he harbors a similar affection for her. He could not tear his eyes from her face, even when we were addressing him.”

  Willow clapped her hands in excitement. “It shall be the match of the Season! If not for us, Lord Sommerset and Mama should never have exchanged more than a few polite words.”

  “Yes, indeed. Miss Fellows must have played her part to perfection. I had not thought the engagement should take place so rapidly as it did.”

  Willow laughed as she nodded. “I had the opportunity to exchange a quick word with Dorinda, and she said that Mama tumbled into her trap without the slightest hesitation. I truly believe that dear Dorinda could have made her fortune on the boards.”

  “I imagine that Winslow might have something to say about that.” Philip chuckled at the thought.

  “Do not say that, Philip!” Willow glanced around for fear that the servants might hear his comment, but none of the staff was about. “You must take care not to mention Dorinda and Winslow in the same breath. We are the only ones who know that they are secretly engaged.”

  Philip smiled and pulled his fiancée into his arms. “You are right, my dear, and I shall take care not to give their secret away. But I had thought that Winslow might have some objection to Miss Fellows’s part in our scheme. How did you come to secure his approval?”

  “It was child’s play.” Willow looked inordinately pleased with herself. “I simply persuaded the dear man that any suspicion of an alliance between Dorinda and himself should be thoroughly quashed by rumors that she must marry a wealthy nobleman.”

  Philip gave a chuckle of amusement. “You have a devious bent, my love. Winslow will not receive his inheritance until the beginning of the next Season. And if one believes the gossip that abounds about Miss Fellows, she must make her match immediately to cover her father’s gambling losses.”

  “That part is true, Philip. Lord Fellows has signed markers in every gambling hell in London, and he will lose his estate if they are not redeemed by the conclusion of the Season. Dorinda told me that, herself. She should have been forced to marry a gentleman with enough money to save father, if not for our intervention.”

  “Our intervention?” Philip raised his brows.

  “Yes. Dorinda has promised me that she shall personally redeem father’s markers and see to it that he does not gamble again.”

  “But Miss Fellows has no means to redeem her father’s markers.” Philip began to frown slightly. “It is only through her grandmother’s charity that she is able to take part in the Season. Ha
s this same grandmother agreed to cover Lord Fellows’s losses?”

  “No, indeed. Her purse is not that large. But Dorinda shall come into quite a tidy sum at the conclusion of the Season and she will use every penny to pay her father’s debts.”

  Philip stared long and hard at his fiancée, a suspicious glint in his eye. “Tell me the truth, my love. What, precisely, did you promise Miss Fellows for her part in our scheme?”

  “Why ... nothing of significance, surely!” A telling blush rose to stain Willow’s cheeks. “I ... I merely offered her the use of my bridal inheritance.”

  “Your bridal inheritance?”

  “Yes.” Willow nodded quickly. “My father set aside a sum for me to inherit on my wedding day. He believed that a wife should not be completely reliant upon her husband’s charity and should possess some money of her own. I agreed to make Dorinda a loan of this sum, and Winslow has promised to repay it promptly when he comes into his own inheritance next Season.”

  Philip’s lips twitched and he struggled to maintain a stern expression. “I have no doubt that Winslow shall repay you. He is an honorable gentleman. But have you considered the full results of your rash action, my dear?”

  “N-no, not precisely.”

  “If you have no coin, you shall be unable to order a new gown or spend a single coin at the bazaar. You shall not have the means to give vails to our friends’ servants, and you shall be unable to purchase the books that you desire to read. Your purse shall be quite empty until Winslow is able to repay you. And that shall be a full twelve months from now.”

  Willow thought about it for a long moment and then she shrugged prettily. “It does not signify, Philip. I have enough new gowns to last me for the next several years and I shall not require any trinkets from the bazaar. If I cannot pay vails, I shall not make country visits and I shall be quite content to reread the books I already possess.”

  “Are you certain, Willow?”

  “Yes, Philip. I pledged my inheritance for a worthy purpose. I am quite convinced of that. I should pledge my life itself if it should insure my mother’s future happiness.”

  “And so should I.” Philip smiled and gathered her tightly into his arms. “You must not be concerned about your expenses, Willow. I shall be glad to settle a generous sum on you, to do with as you wish. And I shall be happy to assume any expenses that you might incur.”

  “That is exceedingly kind of you, Philip.” Willow’s voice quavered slightly and she gazed up at the gentleman she loved with a hopeful expression on her face. “Then you do not think that I was wrong to make a loan of my inheritance to Dorinda?”

  “No, my darling. In this particular case, you were entirely correct. And I should have done it, if you had not. I should desire, however, that you first discuss with me any financial arrangements that you are tempted to make in future.”

  “Oh, I shall! I should have asked you before I agreed to give Dorinda my bridal inheritance. Are you dreadfully disappointed in me, Philip?”

  “Not in the slightest.” Philip bent over to place a chaste kiss on her cheek. Then he glanced round the room and began to smile. “Do you expect the servants to refresh the tea tray at this late hour?”

  “I should not think so, Philip. The time is long past for social calls.”

  Philip rose to his feet and walked to the door to close it. Then he smiled and gestured to Willow to join him on the most comfortable sofa in the drawing room. “Come and kiss me, my darling, and we shall truly celebrate your dear mother’s engagement.”

  FIVE

  The sun was hovering low on the horizon as Claire presented her card to Lady Bollinger’s footman. She was not anticipating this audience with pleasure, but one did not send excuses when one was invited to take tea with a lady of Lady Bollinger’s standing.

  “How lovely you look, my dear Lady Radcliffe.” Lady Bollinger rose to greet her as Claire was ushered into a charming salon done in shades of deep green and silver. “They say that a lady is even more beautiful when her heart is engaged and this is certainly borne out in your case. I do not believe that I have ever seen you appear so radiant.”

  “Thank you, Lady Bollinger.” Claire felt the heat rise to her cheeks, certain that her hostess was merely being kind. She had tarried so long with John in her sitting room that her toilette had been made in great haste. Claire had barely had time to change her gown and give a quick pat to her curls. Perhaps Lady Bollinger had mistaken the high color of her complexion for radiance, rather than the result of her frantic rush to arrive on time.

  Once Claire was seated in the chair that her hostess indicated, a footman dressed in splendid livery arrived with champagne. He filled their glasses and then Lady Bollinger gestured for the room to be cleared. Once they were completely alone, she lifted her glass and turned to Claire with a smile. “To you, my dear Lady Radcliffe. And to your most surprising engagement. I take great pleasure in welcoming you into our family.”

  “Thank you, Lady Bollinger.” Claire took a small sip of her champagne and waited for the inevitable questions that should be asked of her.

  “As we soon shall be related by marriage, you must call me Marcella. And I shall call you Claire. It that acceptable to you?”

  “Most acceptable.” Claire nodded quickly. “I am aware that my engagement to your nephew is sudden, Lady Bollinger, and no doubt you have...”

  “Marcella,” Lady Bollinger interrupted to correct her.

  “Marcella.” Claire repeated the name obediently. “No doubt you have questions and I shall do my best to answer them.”

  Lady Bollinger laughed and leaned a bit closer. “I must admit that I did have questions when I asked you to call. I had thought to quiz you precisely about your engagement to my nephew. But now that I have seen you, I have no further need to know the particulars.”

  “Why is that, Lady Bollinger?”

  “Marcella.”

  “Why is that, Marcella?” Claire repeated her query with a smile.

  “It is apparent to me that you love my nephew, and that is all that matters. Perhaps he was a bit of a rogue and a scoundrel in the past, but I have never been able to stop off liking him. And your love for him, dear Claire, will surely suffice to make him a better man.”

  “Thank you, Marcella.” Claire winced inwardly as a wave of guilt washed over her. She was not certain how Lady Bollinger had reached the conclusion that she loved John, but she could not deny it without giving up their ruse.

  “I should like to host an engagement ball for the two of you.” Lady Bollinger’s eyes began to sparkle. “I shall invite all the luminaries and I believe it should go far to reclaim John’s standing with the ton. Will you indulge me in this effort, Claire?”

  Claire nodded quickly. An engagement ball, given by Lady Bollinger, would serve to throw a cloak of legitimacy over their ruse. “Of course I shall. It is most generous of you to offer, Marcella.”

  “Nonsense! You are doing me a kindness as I simply adore large parties! And your engagement to my nephew is the perfect opportunity to present a truly spectacular event. Shall we set the date in three weeks time?”

  Claire nodded quickly. “That is most acceptable, as it shall give me ample time to secure a new gown for the occasion.”

  “Would you prefer it to be a traditional affair?” Lady Bollinger favored Claire with a conspiratorial smile. “Or would you indulge me even further by consenting to something a bit more unconventional?”

  “Unconventional, most definitely.” Claire smiled, thoroughly charmed by Lady Bollinger’s candor. “After all, there is nothing in the least bit conventional about our engagement.”

  Lady Bollinger laughed appreciatively. “Splendid! What would you think of a costume ball?”

  “It should be delightful, Marcella, so long as John does dress as a rogue or a scoundrel.”

  “Well said!” Lady Bollinger laughed so heartily, she was forced to avail herself of a napkin with which to wipe her eyes. When she had comp
osed herself enough to speak again, she turned to Claire with a question. “Are there any guests, in particular, that you would have me invite?”

  Claire was about to shake her head and leave the arrangements in Lady Bollinger’s capable hands, when a radical thought popped into mind. “Yes, Marcella. I should like you to include the two young ladies who made accusations against John.”

  “My dear Claire! Why would you wish to issue invitations to the very young ladies who...” Lady Bollinger stopped speaking in mid-sentence and stared at Claire with an expression of dawning appreciation. “You have a reason for your request, do you not?”

  “I do. If you issue the invitations, will they accept?”

  “Most assuredly, my dear. It should be very bad ton to decline. And once arrived, they shall be on their very best behavior since all who know them will be in attendance. Do you have a plan to expose their trickery?”

  “No, indeed.” Claire shook her head. “It shall suffice if they are observed dancing with John.”

  Lady Bollinger began to laugh as she caught Claire’s meaning. “Of course it shall! You are most astute for having thought of it, dear Claire. All who see them will assume that they have apologized for their escapade and John has been kind enough to forgive them.”

  “That is precisely correct.” Claire nodded. “There is only one flaw in my plan and I must ask your assistance to overcome it.”

  “You have it, of course. What would you have me do, Claire?”

  “I cannot ask John to dance with every young lady at the ball to be certain that he has partnered them. Is there a way that you could discover which particular costumes they will wear?”

  “Of course.” Lady Bollinger nodded quickly. “You must leave that to me. I assure you that I shall possess a full description long before the date we have set. And I must say that your plan is both simple and brilliant. Indeed, it cannot fail.”

  Claire sighed and rose to her feet. “I hope that you are right, Marcella. I should like to see John’s good standing restored. Though he claims that it means nothing to him, I am certain that it does. And now I must take my leave. John is escorting us to the opera this evening and I must look my best.”