“And your sure the Lord Desmond is alright with your plan, Lady Catherine?” She looked up and bit her lip. “I would hate if…”
“You needn’t worry about the secret,” Lady Catherine said soothingly. “The only people to know of it are you, Lord Desmond, myself, and Sarah. Sarah is most loyal, and aided me in escaping my father’s house last year on a nightly basis. She is trustworthy, and is glad to finally make your acquaintance. I spoke highly of your friendship.”
Claire nodded and looked down at her shaggy bag. She almost didn’t want to open it for fear of the shame it would make her feel, being in the midst of such fine people and things.
“You look exhausted, Lady Claire.” Lady Catherine chuckled. “Yes, you need to get used to being called Lady Claire. That is who you are now.”
Claire nodded, and Lady Catherine walked to the door. “I will have Sarah wake you for mid afternoon tea. You can take it with me in the parlor, and we can review the basic place settings of a table for dinner tonight.”
Claire nodded again as Lady Catherine shut the door. When she turned back to the bath, she almost ran to it to sink in. In only a few short hours, she would be up again, exploring her new way of life. She had never felt so luxurious as she did when she finally sank into the rose water. Sarah shook her awake after she had climbed out, dried off, and found a simple silk shift to pull on and crawl under the covers of the bed. The sheets were so soft; she slept better then she had in years. She shared a bed with Rose at Madam Kingston’s. There was one blanket betwixt the two of them, and the bed itself was hard and lumpy. On this day, she felt like she was sleeping on a cloud plucked from the sky.
Chapter 3
It would take a while for Claire to become accustomed to the fineries of her new lifestyle. Rather, her old life renewed once more. Two week flew by and before she knew it, they were on their way back to the ton. She had yet to meet the Baron Desmond, although she was told he was aware of her presence. He had accepted her story of being a distant cousin. But perhaps he thought too lowly of her, given her destitute state of arrival to give her much thought. Even ill, he was a busy man. Mr. Martin Leonard, the Baron’s aid, was a kind man who stayed by the side of the Baron and ran errands. Claire had seen Mr. Leonard briefly through the house, and he was always cordial. Claire learned all about Lord Thomas Desmond’s grown sisters, who were since married and beginning families of their own. She was to meet his brothers in the ton when they stayed in the Baron’s townhouse.
Claire felt like a changed woman as she and Lady Catherine took a carriage that was not only warm on the inside, but had enough legroom to each stretch out on their respective benches. Lord Desmond and the Baron Desmond were in the coach in front of them. Mr. Leonard had graciously agreed to ride with the coachman of their carriage so that they were chaperoned, but had a bit of privacy as well. The trip took a day and well into the night because they had to make frequent stops for the Baron. Lady Catherine indicated she was to remain in the carriage until such a time as the Baron beckoned her presence, which he refrained from doing throughout the trip.
When they arrived at the townhouse, the Baron was instantly whisked away in a chair by some servants to his private chambers. Claire caught a brief glimpse of the grizzled old man, who looked far too pained to have made the journey they just endured. Claire was escorted by Lady Catherine to her impressive, ornate bedchamber.
“Lady Sophia of Bradford, formerly known as Lady Sophia Balfour, daughter of Lord Balfour, will be coming for morning call and to have tea,” Lady Catherine announced. “She has written that she has a surprise for us, and I am so excited for you to meet her. She is a dear friend and I am so grateful to have reconciled with her. We had a falling out, but now she seeks my companionship quite often in order to have a respite from her two children. I think the two of you will get along splendidly.”
Claire nodded, feeling a nervous lump form in her throat. This was to be it, her first exposure to the socialites of the ton. What if Lady Catherine was wrong? What if the Lady Sophia didn’t like her, or saw right through her? Claire went to bed and sank into the fluffy pillows with worries on her mind. They nagged her the better part of the night, despite how tired she was from the trip. She didn’t even stop to untie her laces and change into a shift. She felt the mild discomfort of the pinched stays digging into her skin. She closed her eyes to the irritation and reminded herself that it could be worse. She could be slaving away at the cookstove at Madame Kingston’s house. Or worse, confined to one of the tiny bedrooms above stairs at the establishment, prepared to entertain a socially anxious Lord or young master.
Claire only drifted to sleep when she focused her mind on the one person that made her feel wanted and worthwhile during her years living in disgrace. One of her frequent visitors, who always requested her company upon arrival at Madame Kingston’s, was Christopher, the Marquess of Briarwood. She had grown fond of his companionship. Something she would never tell another soul was that they had never once laid with one another. He came to Madame Kingston’s and paid for an entire night with her. They spent time talking and holding each other close. Claire could only speculate about Christopher’s motivations. He had confided in her about six months after he began to frequent the establishment that he was the Marquess. He always arrived in disguise so no one would know he was a high-born lord. Claire asked him once why he came to a place such as Madame Kingston’s. He only smiled, kissed her forehead, and told her he preferred her genuine nature to that of the women of the ton. Claire didn’t pressure him for further details,. She was content in their bizarre friendship, as she had come to call it. The Marquess insisted she call him Christopher, although her nature was to call him by his proper title. Christopher wanted anonymity from the ton when he was with her, so she had trained herself to be on terms of familiarity with him. Then one day, he disappeared without a trace.
Christopher usually visited on the full moon of every month, claiming he felt restless when the light of the moon spilled into his chambers and kept him awake. She began to wait patiently for the full moon each month, watching the night sky. One month, he didn’t show up. Then the next month went by without word, and then the month after. Claire never stopped watching the phases of the moon, wishing she could feel the heat of his body next to hers as they chatted about life and the happenings of the ton. They discussed current affairs, politics, and memories. His manor house in Briarwood near the border of Scotland was one of Claire’s favorite topics; he talked about his summer home for hours. She had a clear vision of it in her mind. She missed discussing all the little nuances of architecture with him, or the patches of grass where he might sit to read in the summer months. She felt as if she would be right there with him, peering over his shoulder as he read. He visited Claire consistently for two years, even making special trips in the summer for his one night with her. Then it ended, and she never saw him again.
Claire spent hours wondering what she might have done or said that made him decide not to come back. She worried he might have found her boring, or not worldly enough. He never asked her about the men she was with. He asked once if she was healthy, and she explained Madame Kingston had been kind. The Madame left the upper class patrons to her attention and therefore, she didn’t contract any diseases. He grew quiet at that, but never pressured her to stop doing what she must to survive. She wondered what had become of him now. Claire could spend hours remembering the warm embrace of his arms and the deep quiet lilt of his words. She fell asleep hugging herself, pretending that someday, when she was established as a proper Lady, she would find him again at a fancy ball or a social dinner. She would show him she was a woman of status, worthy of his attention. Claire drifted off to sleep in the comfort of her own embrace, in the warm confines of such a private, intimate dream.
The next morning, she awoke and dressed in a simple gown. Even though she knew Lady Catherine would declare it plain and drab, Claire chose the butternut dress with the simple frill at the cu
ffs and collars. Regarding her complexion in the looking glass on her bureau, she thought it made the brilliance of her blue eyes stand out. It was the one feature of herself that she thought was becoming. She had straight, reddish blond hair that she pulled back in a coil at the back of her nape. Lady Catherine complained over the last couple of weeks that even that her hairstyle was far too simple a style for a Lady to adorn herself with. Claire wrinkled her nose at Lady Catherine’s collection of pastel dyed wigs.
“If I want to look like I’ve grown a nest atop my head and dyed it robin's egg blue, I might as well go to the forest and find the real thing,” she told Lady Catherine. Lady Catherine tsked disapprovingly at her and put the wigs back.
“I’m afraid, my dear, you might be hopeless,” she teased. “A lady you have become, but without embracing the fashion trends, I fear you will remain a spinster with no prospects in your future.”
“Do men really desire a woman with that much horse hair atop their heads?” Claire inquired.
Lady Catherine laughed at her beguiling question. “I’m afraid not. Lord Desmond can’t stand them. I think men pay little regard to our fashion. In truth, it is the ladies of the ton who dictate the rules. The men just supply the purse with which to buy the many assets to add to the wardrobe.” She closed her own wardrobe and Claire giggled.
“Can you imagine the woman who sat about her morning tea one day and thought: I know what will impress the other ladies. Horse hair atop of my head, but I ought to dye it to ensure it is acceptably fashionable.”
“Ah!” Lady Catherine exclaimed. “I know just the lady. The Duchess of Cambridge. She’s a dreadful woman with a disposition as sour as a grape. She and the Baron have a constant exchange of bitter loathing for one another. Only she would come up with something so outlandish as horse hair wigs.”
“Really?” Claire asked.
“It is a thought, but probably not,” Lady Catherine shrugged. “The Duchess is one to avoid though, if possible.”
Claire stored these words in her memory and sincerely hoped she wouldn’t come face to face with this woman when she was introduced to society.
Later, Claire found Lady Catherine with a strange woman in the parlor. Sarah escorted her to join them. When she entered, the woman rose. She was young and very pretty.
“Lady Sophia of Bradford, I am pleased to introduce you to Lady Claire Bonnefant of Wales.” Claire curtseyed, as Lady Sophia was of a higher status. Lady Sophia came over, gave her a slight nod, and then air kissed either cheek.
“Lady Claire, Lady Catherine has told me so much about you! I am pleased to finally meet you. How have you found your reception at Clearwater Manor?” The women moved to the sofas, sitting across from each other over a mahogany tea table.
“Most enjoyable,” Claire replied. “Lord and Lady Desmond have been most gracious in receiving me. I have not met the Lord of the house as of yet, but I am appreciative of his hospitality.” Claire picked up her teacup and tried to keep her hands from shaking.
“Lady Claire, breathe. I’ve told Lady Sophia everything. She has my utmost confidence, and she has agreed to help us win over the ton on your behalf.” Claire looked up abruptly and was worried at the look of judgement she might find in Lady Sophia’s eyes. She was perplexed when she found none.
“I can’t imagine going to ruin at the hand of your own brother!” Lady Sophia exclaimed. “What you were forced to endure is truly dreadful, Lady Claire. I am only grateful Lady Catherine has saved you from the ravages of the ton so that we might reinstate you to your rightful place. You have my utmost faith and sworn secrecy. What you have had to do to survive shall never be parted from my lips.”
Claire’s lips trembled as she looked between the women. She often heard of the disdain that the high-born women of the ton felt for the lower classes. But she had experienced nothing but compassion since meeting Lady Catherine, and now Lady Sophia.
“Truly? I can’t...I don’t know how to thank you. I assure you, had I any other recourse when my brother…I wouldn’t have…” Claire couldn’t finish the thought. Reflecting on her fallen reputation was too much to bear. Now that she was back living comfortably, she wondered how she hadn’t missed it dreadfully. Perhaps she had built a wall in her mind during her time at Madame Kingston’s, and refused to look over that wall at the past and the fine things she had in life before she lost everything. Claire wondered if this made her selfish. She was living so luxuriously while Madame Kingston and the other women were still working night after night. Every night, Claire thought about each of them, and missed them desperately. Both Lady Catherine and Madame Kingston warned her about visiting once she was reintroduced to society, but Claire had a hard time accepting the idea that she should just turn her back on the only family she had come to know in the last few years.
“There’s no thanks necessary, Lady Claire,” Lady Sophia assured her. “You are incredibly brave, to say the least. You are an inspiration to women who have been forced to find themselves independent of men in a society that doesn’t permit them to do so. I think you have learned to survive admirably.” Claire sipped from her teacup, blinking back the tears that welled up in her eyes. “We were just discussing this evening’s first engagement of the Season. Lord Balfour is unable to accompany me to the theater tonight, so one of his business partners has agreed to go as my chaperone. But that frees up a seat for you, Lady Claire. Lady Catherine and Lord Desmond are already planning to attend, so I thought perhaps you would like to join us. It would be the perfect opportunity to present you. It requires minimal interaction, but the members of the ton will catch a glimpse of your beauty.”
“I think it’s a fine idea. Also, because you are being presented as family, you are not required to have an additional chaperone. Lord Desmond will suffice for that role.” Lady Catherine’s face was flushed in excitement. Claire knew she had been anxious to return to the ton and interact with her peers. She was not the kind of woman who thrived while stuck in one place. Being home also afforded Lady Catherine the opportunity to make further amends with her father, Lord Chancellor Haddington. They had fallen out a year ago when he had betrothed her not to Lord Desmond, but to his father. Lady Catherine had refused to see the betrothal. That was how she and Lord Desmond were brought together. Since relocating to live with the Baron, Lady Catherine consistently wrote to the Lord Chancellor to try to remedy their relationship. He was the only family she had left, after all.
“I suppose that would be alright,” Claire said.
“It’s going to be wonderful; you’ll enjoy the theater. It’s dark and loud, and we can spend time reviewing all the people in the audience whom you might become acquainted with.” Lady Catherine smoothed her dress.
“It’s nice to see you are up to your old shenanigans, Lady Catherine,” Lady Sophia teased. Lady Catherine giggled, and Claire smiled in return.
“What fun would the Season be without a little mischief?” Lady Catherine leaned forward and plucked a biscuit from the plate on the table. Claire wasn’t used to the rich foods. The first week she had lived with Lady Catherine, her stomach had been upset as she grew accustomed to the food. She eyed the biscuits on the plate, but decided against it. She did not want to add anything else to her stomach, which already felt leaden from anxiety.
“It will do to have an evening out. The children have just come out of a bout of sickness, so I feel alright leaving them with the nursemaid.” Lady Sophia grabbed a biscuit as well and nibbled on it. “Now, what are you going to wear? Any word on the latest fashion? I’m afraid I have been out of touch this summer. I have not kept up with the newest styles.”
The women talked about the different styles of dresses. They decided Claire would wear the pale ivory with little blue flowers that Lady Sophia had procured a year and a half ago. The women thought it would bring out the blue in Claire’s eyes, and Lady Sophia got up to request the dress be pressed and sent over immediately. Claire continued to thank her profusely, and as she
left, she kissed her on either cheek and clasped her hands.
“We’re going to make sure you are taken care of. For too long you have suffered because of the actions of others. We will make sure it doesn’t happen again.” She squeezed Claire’s hands. For a moment, Claire felt as if maybe she was going to pull the ruse off. That was, until that night when she, Lord Desmond, and Lady Catherine met Lady Sophia and her chaperone. She smiled and gestured to the man with his back to them and said, “Lady Claire, I am pleased to introduce you to my chaperone, the Lord Bradford’s business partner, the Marquess of Briarwood.”
Claire felt her heart skip a beat and her stomach dropped as Christopher turned around. His smile faltered as he recognized who she was.
“Marquess of Briarwood, I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” She curtseyed and prayed he would play along with the ruse. Although she kept his secret for two years, she wasn’t sure if he would be willing to keep hers.
Chapter 4
“Lady Bonnefant.” Christopher’s voice was as low and gentle as she remembered. Claire felt a shiver run up her spine. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He gave her a light bow and Claire straightened up.
“Lady Bonnefant comes to us from Wales,” Lady Catherine told him. Claire couldn’t meet his eyes. He knew exactly where she came from.
“Is that so? Whereabouts?” he murmured.
“Near Cardiff,” Lady Catherine supplied. “In the south.” Christopher didn’t say another word, just nodded and smiled politely. Claire kept her head ducked down as they entered the theater box. She was hoping to sit at the far end of the large velvet chairs, but she ended up beside Christopher on her left with Lord Desmond on her right. She stared fixedly at the stage, praying the night would be over soon.
“It’s good to see you again.” His voice was so low near her ear that she barely registered it. She tilted her chin slightly in acknowledgement, but didn’t dare respond. Claire had never been so uncomfortable in her entire life. Although the dress she was borrowing from Lady Sophia fit perfectly, she suddenly felt suffocated within the confines of the material and the theater box.
Fated by the Marquess: Clean Regency Romance (A Rogue's Courtship Book 3) Page 2