Lady Melbourne settled herself down on the daffodil-colored settee, arranging her skirts carefully. She patted the cushion beside her. “Felicity, dear, do sit.”
With little choice, Felicity made her way over and sat. She folded her hands waiting for the interrogation.
“Now, however did you manage it?” Lady Melbourne beamed with pride. “I knew you’d be married and quickly, but to such a peer? The Marquess of Talbot is highly placed and owns half of England.”
She had heard the name once or twice before but beyond that she knew nothing of the marquess. Suddenly, she found herself eager to know more. “What is his reputation?”
“He is a gentleman, likes the ladies as many bachelors do, and is legend with a rapier or a pistol. He’s a favorite but has never seemed interested in matrimony, at least not in the near future. Man that he is, he can wait a good ten or more years before having to produce an heir.”
“So. . . He has a bit of a reputation?” Gus asked.
Lady Melbourne nodded. “Oh yes. Any decent fellow does. He fought a duel last month. Wounded the other man, of course. Talbot would never kill anyone. Too much of a good sport for that.”
“He sounds like Father,” said Georgiana.
That was so odd, because when she’d met the marquess, he hadn’t seemed anything like their father. Oh, he was beautiful like their father was, but there was no vanity to him. He was confident, strong, witty to be sure like their father, but he was kind. And while their father could do great acts of kindness, he was also likely to meet one with a sarcastic turn of phrase so cutting as to leave one bloodied for some days. She didn’t think the marquess contained a cruel bone in his very admirable body.
Lady Melbourne turned her gaze back to Felicity. “So, then. How did you manage it? Did you suggest to Lady Flanders you might go wandering about? Did you ensure you were seen following him?”
“Not at all!” Felicity retorted, indignant Lady Melbourne would suggest such a thing.
“My dear, you have little but your beauty to induce a man to marry you and lords do not marry women because they are good looking. They marry them for breeding and money. You have money, but right now you’re breeding is highly questionable.”
“Our family can be traced back to Henry II,” declared Gus imperiously.
“Yes, along with a great many bats in the family belfry,” Lady Melbourne drawled. “Your father is the latest. Lords do like to avoid such things in their future lineage if they can. Look at all that foreign blood in your line. Most won’t like it.”
“Then how are you so certain we will all marry?” demanded Georgiana.
“Because when I set my mind to something, it takes place,” Lady Melbourne retorted simply.
The door opened again and Bellweather entered, this time the tray laden down with two green bottles and several champagne flutes.
As the butler poured the bubbling liquid, Felicity frowned. “It feels so odd to be celebrating.”
“Your triumph?” Lady Melbourne inquired.
“His misfortune,” she replied, aghast.
“Dear girl, you could never be a misfortune,” stated Lady Melbourne.
“Here, here,” added Gus.
Felicity sighed as she took her champagne. “Lady Melbourne, you’ve just made it sound as if I’m certain only to produce mad children for him. How can he be fortunate?”
“Because while there are bats in the family belfry, they are none lunatic. They were all brilliant. So brilliant that society could not understand or withstand their shine. And quite frankly, the Talbot line has gotten very stuffy. His mother, for instance, is as boring as bricks.”
Georgiana guffawed and covered her mouth.
Felicity winced. “Oh dear. She won’t like me much, will she?”
“I can safely say that she’ll loathe you, though she’ll never say so to her son,” Lady Melbourne warned. “She’s a might too canny for that. But I’d keep my eye on her if I were you. The sisters? I’ve only met the one, Lady Mary, and she is a sweet, simple girl. Nothing too exciting, if you understand me.”
Lady Melbourne turned back to the topic at hand. “You’ve yet to tell me how it occurred,” Lady Melbourne pointed out.
Felicity took a sip of her wine. “Well, if you must know, it was all a coincidence. I’m quite lucky not to be betrothed to be Lord Trumbold this morning.”
“Trumbold?” Lady Melbourne’s eyes shone with horror. “That bag of pus?”
Felicity couldn’t help the laugh that issued from her. “Yes. And what an apt description. He managed to isolate me, or so he thought, in one of the rooms away from the ball.”
“My dear,” Lady Melbourne gasped, her hand going to her heart. “How terrible.”
“Yes,” Felicity agreed with no sense of melodrama. For it truly had been terrible. “He was very rude and then, if you must know, I hit him quite hard. He was drunk and collapsed. And there was the Marquess of Talbot, all set to rescue me even when I didn’t need rescuing.”
“But you did,” Lady Melbourne said simply, “and he did and it seems that he will.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Gossips descended upon you last night and he rescued you from them,” Lady Melbourne explained. “And now, it seems he will marry you, rescuing from Lord Trumbold. I think you must teach all your sisters how to defend themselves from old lechers. To think what might have happened!”
“Oh, Father taught us all the art of boxing,” piped Marianne. “Odd, I know, but Father was odd.”
“He used to take his instructor, Timmons, wherever he went,” Gus added. “And well, we all played with the salty fellow. We learned a great deal.”
“Not just boxing, I’ll warrant,” Lady Melbourne said with a hint of skepticism.
“What if he doesn’t come?” asked Felicity.
And as if the good lord had heard her rather pitiful question, a knock reverberated downstairs.
Lady Melbourne cocked her head to the side. “Ten pounds, my dear that’s him.”
“I haven’t got ten pounds,” Felicity said.
Lady Melbourne grinned. “Oh, but you will.”
Chapter 6
William was not entirely certain as to what he had expected, but five young women and Lady Melbourne drinking champagne just before lunch was not it.
He eyed the ladies, wondering what the devil he was supposed to say in the face of such blatant celebration of his downfall.
Lady Felicity had the good graces to blush. Which, he supposed, was something.
He frowned. “Lady Melbourne, might I have a moment alone with Lady Felicity?”
“It all depends, Lord Marksborough,” the dame of society said with an arched brow. “Are you going to marry her?”
The entire room seemed to hold its collective breath and he paused. It was very tempting at this moment to say no, but then he spotted it.
Terror.
Abject terror shone in Lady Felicity’s violet-blue eyes. And he hated it. The fear did surprise him. She’d seemed so bold last night, but apparently total ruination struck horror into her heart. Of course, her ruination would spell disaster for her sisters, too.
At last, he said, “Yes. I will not go back on my offer. I made it in earnest, not wishing to see the young lady in the power of Lord Trumbold. But with the champagne flowing, I now wonder if I haven’t been made a fool.”
Lady Melbourne, whom he had always liked and respected, shook her head. “Such a thing would be impossible. But in all events, though I certainly have encouraged her to have less than perfect means in acquiring a spouse, I can assure you, Lady Felicity is incapable of duplicity. . . To my disappointment, if you must know. Why just last week, she could have had the Duke of Trawlawney if she had just—“
“Lady Melbourne,” hissed Lady Felicity.
“Ah. A touch too much honesty?” Lady Melbourne queried as she lifted her glass. “I did think it wise we make it clear to your soon to be husband that you are not a scheming baggage.”