Chapter Nine

Matthew was beginning to believe in the fates, and he was beginning to think they did not like him.

This evening was to be so straightforward! He would sit through Lady Thurston's latest complaint and then hurry to Lady Constance to escort her into dinner.

But no, that was not to be. First, the lady had been in a box with Lady Juniper and Miss Semper. Precisely where he did not wish her to be.

He'd gone over anyway. But then, Lady Juniper's temperament seemed to have done some kind of about face. He'd been certain she could not stand the sight of him, but she'd claimed her earlier disdain had been caused by her distress over a sick relative.

That would have been perfectly fine, he really did not care one way or the other. But no! She'd had to insist on him taking her into supper.

Why? She'd said she wanted to make further amends. He did not need any further amends.

While Lady Thurston, or Lady Thursby as she claimed to represent herself, blathered on from the stage about new dresses and jewels, Matthew's mind raced furiously on how to get out of taking Lady Juniper into the dining room.

He'd finally concluded he could not weasel out of it, but had the idea that he could offer to take all three ladies in. He could maneuver Lady Constance to one side and Lady Juniper on the other. He did not know what he would do with Miss Semper.

Once more, the fates stuck their foot out to trip him up. Rather than waiting to be collected, Lady Juniper had come to him. Then, as he was suggesting collecting the other two ladies, he'd watched them stroll off with Ludwig.

What was Lady Constance doing with that fellow?

Matthew did not know the man very well; Ludwig was often in New York on some business or other. He was not a member of any clubs and seemed not to have any interests that distinguished him.

As far as Matthew knew, Ludwig did not shoot or fence or gamble. He'd never even seen Ludwig atop a horse. He was not an intellectual, nor did he have a scientific bent. There was not much to say about the gentleman at all, but for what he wasn't. The only thing that could be said of him was that he was one of those people who could garner an instant dislike for no particular reason.

Matthew's friend Donovan said Ludwig's manner was "as greasy as a pig at a village wake" because one could not quite get their hands round it.

Whatever Mr. Ludwig was, the fates seemed to like him better than Matthew at this moment.

As Matthew led Lady Juniper into the dining room, she said, "Who is that gentleman who escorts Lady Constance and Miss Semper?"

"Mr. Ludwig, eldest son of a baron."

"What do you think of him?" Lady Juniper asked.

"Think of him? I do not ever think of him."

"I see," Lady Juniper said. "I only thought, he might be suitable for Lady Constance? After all, with her small dowry, she cannot afford to reach too high."

"What?"

Matthew asked what, but he was not sure he wished to hear what. Did she imply that Lady Constance should shoot low because of her dowry? That lovely lady would not have a need to shoot low if she came with nothing at all!

"I only say," Lady Juniper said softly, "practicalities. It is the way of the world, Lord Bramley."

The way of the world? Had she been talking to his mother?

The dining room was crowding up and Matthew made a determined effort to lead Lady Juniper in the direction of Lady Constance.

However, it seemed the fates were determined to knock him flat this evening.

"This will do, Lord Bramley," Lady Juniper said, indicating two chairs.

It would not do at all, but he did not have much choice. He did find that gentlemanly manners could be enraging sometimes. It would be pleasant if one could just say what one thought, rather than always deferring to the lady in the pursuit of being a gentleman.

If he could say what he thought just now, he'd say, "Lady Juniper, I need no further amends from you. Ever. What I would like to do now is saunter over to Mr. Ludwig, knock him out of his chair, take his place, and have a conversation with Lady Constance."

Of course, he could not say any of that. Rather, he found himself forcing a smile under the gaze of his father, who was directly across the table.

Lady Thurston sat at the head of the table, having somehow got rid of the rags she'd been dressed in and wearing a perfectly respectable dress. Matthew would not have pegged it as outdated, but considering Lady Thurston's performance, he supposed she did. Lady Thurston stared diabolically at Lord Thurston, who sat at the bottom of the table and glared back at his lady.

Lady Constance was further up the table, and Ludwig sat between the lady and Miss Semper. Though, if Matthew was not mistaken, Ludwig paid all of his attention to Lady Constance while Miss Semper was left to fend for herself.

A footman arrived and filled their glasses. Matthew drank gratefully from his and then signaled the footman to refill it.

"Do you have a drinking problem, Lord Bramley?" Lady Juniper asked.

"Drinking? No," he said. What was she on about? It was only wine, not brandy.

"It is not insurmountable, I suppose," Lady Juniper said thoughtfully. "After all, if one were to rule out every gentleman who drank too much of the spirits, one might be left with a predictably small selection."

What on earth was she talking about? Was this somehow part of the amends she'd been so determined to make? It seemed to him that if one wished to make amends, one did not start by inquiring if that person had a drinking problem.

"And then, it would be my preference to stay in the country most seasons, so I suppose with that much time apart, the gentleman's habits do not much signify."

Matthew was confounded by Lady Juniper's conversation. Who was spending time apart? What gentleman's habits? Certainly, she did not suggest that he was anywhere in the picture.

He glanced at Lady Constance. Mr. Ludwig had leaned over and was speaking to her intently. What was he saying?

"Now, what I said about the raising of children when we danced at Almack's," Lady Juniper said. "I was in the throes of nervous exhaustion on account of my great aunt. In truth, I am far more liberal than I had described."

"I am sorry, what?" Matthew asked.

"My attitudes on children," Lady Juniper said. "Have no fears on that front."

"Why would I have fears on that front?" Matthew asked, beginning to get alarmed at the direction the conversation was taking.

Lady Juniper waved her hands and laughed. "Quite right. It is too soon to be discussing children."

Too soon? The end of time would be too soon. What on earth did this lady imagine? What could he say to it without being ungentlemanly?

Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned to find his father. The earl had just been across the table, how did he get over here? The old man was like a cat, forever turning up places he was not expected.

"There you are, son," the earl said. "And here is the charming Lady Juniper."

"Earl," Lady Juniper said.

"Bramley was just saying yesterday, I do hope Lady Juniper will attend the poetical tableau."

Matthew stared at his father. He'd said no such thing, nor would he ever.

"I see," Lady Juniper said. "We were thinking along the same lines then."

"Were you, indeed?" the earl said, delighted.

Matthew felt as if he were trapped. He had to get out of this. But how?

"I hope I am not too bold, Lady Juniper," the earl said, "but I was hoping to issue you and your parents an invitation to dine."

To dine? In his house? With her parents?

"I am sure they would be pleased, Lord Wisterley," Lady Juniper said.

Pleased? Matthew felt a growing sickness in his stomach. If was as if these two people had made decisions about his inclinations without consulting him. He had to get out of this conversation. Immediately.

"Oh no," he said. "I feel the fever coming on, Father. The one I picked up on the continent."

"Is it a Roman Fever?" Lady Juniper asked, seeming not overly concerned that he might be coming down with a life-threatening illness.

"I'm afraid so," he said.

"Fever?" the earl said. "But you have not had a recurrence since—"

"My luck has run out, apparently," Matthew said, attempting to look feverish. "However, if I go home and treat it with tincture of fever tree bark it should not lay me low for long."

The earl's eyes narrowed and Matthew could see he did not believe a word of it.

"You had best go, then," Lady Juniper advised. "Fevers are nothing to toy with, in my view."

It was the first welcome thing the lady had said all night.

"I can call my carriage and escort you there," Lady Juniper said.

Blast it.

Matthew leapt to his feet, which might have been a tad energetic for a sick person. "Thank you, no, I can ride my horse. As long as I leave now. Before the fever overtakes me."

He bowed and strode from the room, leaving his father behind with the mercurial and exceedingly odd Lady Juniper.

What a ridiculous night.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Constance had been trying to attend to Mr. Ludwig, as he did have an awful lot to say for himself. Though, her eyes kept drifting toward Lord Bramley and Lady Juniper.

What were they talking about?

The plan was that Lady Juniper would drop some heavy hints that she would be amenable to a match. If Lord Bramley were a fortune hunter, he would show his hand.

She did not know if he were showing his hand or not. Mostly, he looked very scowly and Constance found herself hopeful about it.

But then he'd got up abruptly and left. His father and Lady Juniper had been left watching his seemingly rushed departure.

Constance did not know why he left, but she did think that a fortune hunter would not abandon his quarry. It must be a good sign.

"If there is one thing I prefer about New York," Mr. Ludwig said, "it is there is not as much money-grubbing."

At the mention of money, Constance put her attention back on Mr. Ludwig. What did he mean by it?

"Money grubbing, Mr. Ludwig?" she said.

"Yes, you see, over there men are self-made. If a man is in society, he's got funds. Here, gentlemen inherit what they've got and don't do a lick of work to get it. They just expect they'll wed and a dowry will haul them out of any difficulties they've got themselves into."

Constance worked to keep her expression neutral. "Do you speak of any gentleman in particular?"

Mr. Ludwig glanced round the table. "They all do it, of course. Look, there is Lord Leland moving his chair over to Lady Juniper. Everybody knows she comes with a heavy purse. She clearly looks at him as if he is a toad, but that will not put him off."

Constance followed his gaze. Indeed, Lady Juniper had reacquired her pinched look, a sure sign she was attempting to drive off Lord Leland.

What poor Lady Juniper put up with was the very thing she feared. Word would get out that Lady Constance Condower had inherited a pile of money from a distant cousin and then she would be followed round by those gentlemen trying to get their hands on it.

What she really wished to know, though, was had Lord Bramley somehow discovered it? Was he trying to get his hands on it?

All she hoped for was that he knew nothing about it and would just like to get his hands on her person.

"Self-serving, is what it is," Mr. Ludwig said.

"So you do not include yourself among the self-serving, I presume," Constance said.

"I do not. Though I will, in the fullness of time, inherit the barony," Mr. Ludwig said, "in all other respects my family is self-made. We do not put the burden of financial security on the backs of our wives. We find the notion distasteful."

Constance supposed she found the notion distasteful too. It was how things were, how they had always been, but it would be nice if it were not so.

She'd not given it a thought when she'd only had three thousand to offer. It was not enough to tempt a gentleman to override his own inclinations. But what she had now was more than enough.

"Do give up your chair, Mr. Ludwig."

Constance turned to see a well-dressed lady of middle age staring down at them.

Mr. Ludwig fairly leapt from his seat. "Your Grace," he said, bowing. He pulled the chair further out for the lady to seat herself.

Constance had no idea who this lady was nor why she'd just ejected Mr. Ludwig from his seat, though there were other open seats available.

The lady settled herself, then glanced up at Mr. Ludwig. "Well? I'm much obliged. There is nothing further I require."

Mr. Ludwig bowed and took himself off. If Constance had not already met Lady Juniper's mother, she would have guessed this lady to be her.

"I suppose that was startling," the lady said. "I am the Duchess of Ralston. I believe you are DeWitton's girl." Turning to Miss Semper, she said, "And of course I know who you are—Miss Semper of the large dowry."

Miss Semper nodded sadly.

The duchess looked Miss Semper up and down and said, "You've done something to improve your mode of dress, if I am not mistaken. I applaud the effort."

"It was all to Lady Juniper, Your Grace," Miss Semper said. "She took me in hand."

The duchess laughed. "Ah, Lady Juniper, I understand she does like to take things in hand. Now, I have thrown Mr. Ludwig from his place for a reason, and that reason is Mr. Ludwig. I do not like him."

Constance was rather startled. She did not particularly like Mr. Ludwig either, but then she did not downright dislike him. Aside from his alarming comments about money, she'd found him neither here nor there.

"I suppose you'll like to know why I do not like him," the duchess continued. "I'd like to know it myself."

"If I understand you, Your Grace," Constance said, "you do not like him but do not know why?"

"Precisely."

"We had a housemaid like that once," Miss Semper said. "Then we caught her greasing the top stair. It turned out, she hoped my mother would fall down the stairs. She wished my father a widower so she could trap him into marriage. We think she imagined herself a witch, but my mother says she was just a housemaid with some idiotic ideas."

"Gracious, Miss Semper," the duchess said. "In what county does such skullduggery go on?"

"Norfolk, Your Grace."

"That explains it," the duchess said. "I have a cousin in Norfolk, he's as eccentric as the day is long. He once told me the wind whispers to him about what he ought to have for dinner. I told him my own wind in Devon would not be so presumptuous."

Constance was silent during this exchange. There was nothing at all to say regarding a murderous housemaid or a cousin talking to the wind.

"Now," the duchess said, "I cannot say what I have against Mr. Ludwig, but I can say I have very good instincts. I also take an interest in the doings of young people. I would advise you both to be cautious of him. Especially you, Miss Semper, in case he is after your dowry."

"But Your Grace," Miss Semper said, "Mr. Ludwig all but ignored me. He was far more interested in speaking with Lady Constance."

"Really? Odd, I would not have guessed it," the duchess said. "Nevertheless, my instincts usually run true so have a care."

Constance attempted not to gulp or otherwise display her thoughts just now. If Mr. Ludwig could not be trusted and he might be after a dowry…did he somehow know of her money too? Miss Semper was right—Mr. Ludwig had been verging on rude to her.

"Well, you two seem like charming girls and I did see you seated in a box with Lady Juniper so I presume you are all friends?"

Constance and Miss Semper nodded.

"We are, Your Grace," Constance said.

"Look out for one another, then," the duchess said. She motioned for a footman. When the young man hurried over, she said, "Do be so kind as to rescue Lady Juniper from Lord Leland. Bring her over here and she may take my seat."

"Yes, Your Grace," the footman said.

"There now, the three friends will be back together and Mr. Ludwig will have no opportunity to reinsert himself, for this evening at least."

The duchess took her leave. Constance stared at Miss Semper. What had happened this evening? All she'd wished to know was if Lord Bramley knew about her money. Was he interested in her for her money? Instead, she'd discovered that Mr. Ludwig might be interested in it, and that the Duchess of Ralston was intent on driving him off.

Did anybody know about the money? Or was it that somehow, everybody knew of it…

She'd never in her life worried so much about what other people did or did not know!