Page 35 of The Duke and the Spinster

The Duchess made a small sound, and he turned back to her.

“Then let us hope that you have made the right choice, Garrett. Love has been known to lead people into foolishness before now.” It was Isabelle’s turn to make a strangled noise, and, when Garrett glanced at her, she was flushed. He wondered what that was about. “So, tell me, is there any truth to any of the ludicrous sounding gossip about Lady Juliana? There’s been enough of it these last few days.”

Garrett released the breath he had been half holding. At least it seemed that his mother had not believed everything she’d heard. Still, his next words would be very important – he considered what it might be safe to say. Eugenia spoke softly.

“I, for one, could not discern any truth in it.”

He was immensely grateful for his sister’s sense.

“There is not. It is true that her first and only Season, a few years past, was a disaster – but not through any fault of hers. She was young, and unpolished, and a little unsure of herself in all ways. It was enough to make her a target for those of the ton who delight in destroying others, and their nastiness demolished the little confidence that she had. She has tried to forget it, and had succeeded, living quietly, until she came here. And someone here remembered, and chose to resurrect the gossip. Someone we all know.”

“Why would anyone do such a terrible thing?”

Eugenia looked genuinely puzzled by the concept – his sister always believed the best of everyone, no matter how obvious it might be that a person was not of a kind nature. His mother, however, appeared to have some inkling of his meaning.

“Jealousy, my dear sister. I would not normally speak ill of anyone, but I feel that I must make it clear what happened. Lady Prudence Baggington, who, as you know, had held a tendre for me for years, not only spread gossip about Lady Juliana, but actually threatened her person.”

The Duchess gasped, shaking her head, and Garrett wondered if he had made a mistake – but, even if his mother genuinely liked Lady Prudence, he needed her to know the truth.

“Well! The ungrateful little baggage! I’ve only put up with her this last few years out of courtesy, hoping that she would eventually realise that you simply weren’t interested. But this! I shall have to cut her. I can’t associate with a woman who would do such a thing.”

Relief coursed through Garrett. It was time, then, to deliver the last piece of startling information for the afternoon.

“You’ll not need to worry about her annoying presence for much longer, Mother. For this afternoon, at around the same time that I was asking Lady Juliana to marry me, Mrs Hardcastle happened to stumble upon Lady Prudence, in a most inappropriate embrace with Lord Fondleton, in the stables at the Inn. I believe that a betrothal was immediately agreed upon. So Lady Prudence will be leaving Upper Nettlefold soon, to marry.”

The Duchess was, for the second time that day, struck speechless. It was Isabelle who spoke.

“Fondleton?” she shuddered, “but he is just horrible! I know that Lady Prudence has deplorable taste in fashion, in most things, for that matter, but really, that she would voluntarily embrace a man like Fondleton! Revolting!”

The Duchess nodded.

“I must agree Isabelle. I cannot imagine why she would make such a choice. But she has, and she must live with it. I will not miss her company. This has been a most dramatic afternoon. I feel the need of a sherry – Garrett, please ring for some.”

Garrett did so, and dropped into his preferred seat near the unlit fireplace. A sense of peace descended over him. He still could not quite believe that Lady Juliana had accepted his proposal, but the idea of a life with her stretched ahead, deliciously enticing. The sherry arrived, and his mother sipped at her glass, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. He knew that look. His peace was about to be shattered, he was sure.

“So, we’ve a wedding to plan. How delightful. And Lady Juliana’s figure and colouring are perfect, she will make a beautiful bride. I must call upon her mother immediately, and get the planning under way.”

“Immediately? But Mother, it’s very late afternoon – hardly calling hours.”

“Oh pish, Garrett, this is a special occasion, I’m sure that she will forgive me for the unusual hour. We have so much to plan.”

That said, the Duchess swallowed the last of her sherry, dropped the glass onto the tray, and almost rushed from the room. Isabelle looked at Garrett, her eyes full of mischief, brighter than she had been since before her escapade to London.

“You, brother dear, are doomed. Our mother will conspire with Lady Juliana’s mother, and you will have absolutely no say, whatsoever, in your own wedding. And I shall make no attempt to save you. You deserve it all, for not giving us any warning – how could you keep such a thing secret until now?”

Garrett did not say what he thought, which was that he had kept it a secret from himself, too, until that very afternoon.