‘Your Grace, may I have a dance?’
She turned, surprised to see her brother-in-law. ‘Of course, Will.’ She stammered on the familiarity, and felt her confidence begin to fade.
He smiled, and she searched his face for some shred of duplicity or contempt. ‘Penelope?’ He gestured to the floor. Since she was rooted to the spot, he took her hand, leading her to the head of the set.
She watched him as they danced, comparing him to his older brother. He was not unattractive, certainly, and moved with grace and confidence. But he lacked his brother’s easy sense of command. When they reached the bottom of the set and had to stand out, he leaned closer and spoke into her ear. ‘I owe you an apology.’
She looked at him without speaking.
‘When I found that my brother had married in haste, I told him to get an annulment. I was convinced that you would both regret the decision.’
‘I had no idea,’ she replied blandly.
He smiled. ‘I suspected you had, for I saw the look in your eyes when you left us that night. I am sorry I caused you pain. Or that I meddled in something that was none of my affair to begin with. It is just that …’ he shook his head ‘… Adam has always had an excellent head for politics, and I cannot fault him for his dedication to responsibilities as Bellston. But in his personal life, he has always been somewhat reckless. He thinks last of what would be best for himself in the distant future, and seems to see only what is directly in front of him.’
She shrugged. ‘I cannot fault him for that. I, too, have been known to act in haste.’
‘Well, perhaps your tendencies have cancelled each other. You appear to be a most successful match.’
She looked sharply at her new brother. ‘We do?’
‘You are just what my brother needs: a stable source of good advice. He speaks well of you, and he appears happier than I have seen him in a long time.’
‘He does?’ She tried to hide her surprise.
‘Indeed. He is at peace. Not something I am accustomed to seeing, in one so full of motion as Adam is. But his activity in society brings him near to people that are not as good as they could be. Compared to the foolish women that normally flock to his side, you are a great relief to a worried brother. And I can assure you, and your family, if they are concerned, that in my brother you have found a loyal protector and a true friend. I am glad of your union, and wish you well in it.’
‘Thank you. That is good to know.’ Impulsively, she reached out and clasped Will’s hand, and he returned the grip with a smile.
Her eyes sought her husband on the other side of the room, and she smiled at him as well.
He returned a look that indicated none of the affection that Will had described. Perhaps her new brother was mistaken.
The music ended. ‘I will leave you to your other guests, then. I suspect we will have ample time in the future to speak.’ And Will took his leave of her.
Another guest asked her to dance. And then another. At last she excused herself from the floor to check on the refreshments. And found Clarissa, standing in her way.
‘Penelope, darling. What a charming party.’
There was no way to cut the woman, no matter how much she deserved it. Penny pasted a false smile on her face and responded, ‘Thank you,’ then went to step around her.
Clarissa reached out to her, in what no doubt appeared to the room as a sisterly gesture of warmth, catching both hands in hers. Then she pulled her close, to whisper what would look to observers like a girlish confidence. ‘But if you think it makes any difference to your standing in society, you are wrong.’
Penny summoned her newfound bravery. ‘My position in society is secure. I am Duchess of Bellston.’
‘In name, perhaps. But in reality, you are a trumped-up shop girl. People know the truth, and they can talk of little else this evening.’
She had heard nothing, and she had been to every corner of the room. It must be a lie, intended to wound her.
But there was no way to be sure.
Then she thought of what Will had said, and tossed her head in her best imitation of someone who did not give a jot for what people ‘said’. ‘Let them talk, then. They are most unaccountably rude to be doing so in my home while drinking my wine and eating my food.’
‘They are saying nothing more than what your husband has said.’
It was her worst fear, was it not? That he felt she was beneath him. And she feared it because it was based in truth. Clarissa must have guessed as much or she would not speak so.
But there was nothing she could do about it now. So she favoured Clarissa with her coldest look, and said nothing.
‘He is taking you to Wales, is he? Very good. I heartily approve. You must go home and complete your work which is, no doubt, noble and of much scholarly import.’ The last words were sarcastic, as though Penny’s life goal was so much nonsense.
‘But no matter what you mean to do, I doubt that Adam means to stay with you in isolation, if there are other more entertaining opportunities open to him. He will come back to London, or find a reason to go to Bath, or somewhere else.
‘And the minute he does, you will know that he is coming to me. He was happy enough before you arrived on the scene. And he is even happier, now that he has your money. He has told us as much. He simply needs to get you out of the way, so that he may spend it in peace.’
Penny controlled the flinch, for the last words struck as hard as any blow.
Clarissa continued, ‘Adam is happy. And I am happy with Adam. You have promised to be happy with your books. You have nothing further to add to the discussion, other than regular infusions of gold.’
Penny struggled to speak. ‘And is Timothy happy?’
‘Timothy?’ Clarissa laughed again.
‘Yes. Timothy. Your husband.’
‘He is glad to see Adam back, for they are great friends.’
‘And it must be very handy for you to share such affection for Adam. They are good comrades, are they not? And if you seek to be unfaithful, how handy that it be with your husband’s best friend.’
Clarissa was unaffected. ‘Why, yes. It is most convenient.’
‘Until you get caught at it. And then there will be the devil to pay, Clarissa. The scandal will be enormous.’
‘Caught? Caught by whom exactly? Dear me, Penelope. You make it sound as though we are likely to be run down with a pack of hounds. How diverting.’
‘Your husband,’ Penelope hissed. ‘You must be mad to think that you can carry on in front of him and remain undiscovered. And if you believe, for one minute, that I will allow you to drag my name, and the name of my husband, through the muck with this public display,
