Chapter Twenty-Three

A week later, Alice was pleased to arrive at Clarity’s home on Grosvenor square upon Adam’s arm. The Hollidges did have a ballroom, and there would be fine musicians. She couldn’t wait to dance with Adam again after so long.

Not that she hadn’t been in his arms nearly every moment they were alone, but there was something magical about being dressed in fancy clothes. And she had learned that her eldest sister-in-law loved a masquerade, so there would be many opportunities in the years to come.

Dressed as a Roman citizen, Alice entered proudly next to Adam, who was dressed as King Bladud, the supposed founder of Bath. He held a fake stuffed pig under his arm and had a bag of acorns tied to his belt. She thought mayhap they ought to have better coordinated their costumes. Even more so when she saw Clarity dressed as a female toreador and her husband, Lord Hollidge, wearing a bull costume.

Having already spent two afternoons with the Diamond women, mother and four daughters, since her return, all bridges had been mended. They’d scolded her gently for leaving them, but also hugged her and told her if anything ever ailed her, she should go to them. She had never felt more treasured and safer.

When the dancing began, Alice thought her slippered feet hardly touched the floor as she sailed around the room with Adam.

“You ought to be a goddess, not a peasant,” he said.

“My costume would hardly differ. I would still be draped in fabric. But instead of flowers in my hair, I suppose I would have gold leaves.” She wore a crown of delicate blue phlox and white mums.

“Something like that,” he agreed. “Can we go to bed now?”

She laughed and couldn’t stop. He asked that same question nearly every day, wherever they were, even if they were at home in their own dining room or parlor.

It occurred to her that while his family was nearby, it was as good a time as any to tell him their news. That morning, counting and recounting, she had finally let herself feel certain and had waited for the right moment.

“If you wish to bed me to create an heir, my lord, it is too late. The deed is done.”

Adam’s affable smile slipped, and his mouth dropped open. Momentarily, he halted in the middle of the dance floor, his blue gaze flickering across her face. And then he grinned. His fingers tightened, both at her waist and where he clasped her hand. Without further comment, they commenced the dance again.

“I believe we missed a few steps,” she said as someone almost bumped into her, forcing them to speed up.

“I want to shout it aloud,” Adam confessed, “but Purity would descend upon me and quite possibly grab my ear to haul me from the room.”

“I wouldn’t risk it,” Alice agreed. “She is rather fierce.” That night, Purity was portraying Catherine of Aragon, who had purportedly ridden with troops in full armor.

“Probably a good thing her husband didn’t come as a fox tonight,” Alice added, thinking he would be easy prey for his wife. Instead, Lord Foxford was a well-padded King Henry VIII.

Adam shook his head. “My sister is no good at all with archery or a sword. But I would receive a severe tongue-lashing were I to make an embarrassing scene at Clarity’s party. Do you think we could at least embrace after we leave the dance floor?”

Alice was, for once, happy when the music stopped. Adam immediately drew her aside. Despite propriety, he pulled her close and kissed her on the lips in front of anyone who might be looking.

“Inappropriate,” Purity muttered, coming close as if to intervene. “Save such intimacy for home, please.”

“We are celebrating,” he retorted. Before he could tell her more, they were surrounded by Bri, Ray, Clarity, and their parents.

Alice thought the family to be like a hive of bees for they seemed to know when to gather and when to spread out across the room.

“What’s going on?” Ray asked, her tone already filled with excitement from the party. She was dressed as a shepherd girl, complete with a hook. Bri, beside her, was a white swan with a fabulous headdress.

Alice let Adam tell his family, and soon, congratulations were being repeated.

“Champagne for everyone,” Lord Diamond called out to the guests in general. “I have an announcement.”

“Go ahead, Father,” Purity said, trying to keep the party in order for her sister. Clarity obviously didn’t mind the interruption, not even when the earl insisted upon waiting to speak further until servers roamed through the guests with trays of champagne.

Alice received a warm smile from the Countess Diamond, just as Lord Diamond raised his glass high.

“My only son is going to have a child,” the earl announced. A cheer went up from the throng. “I wish him and his lovely wife all good health.”

Alice thought it a surreal time to announce a baby, with the myriad and fantastical costumes all around her. She already seemed to be in another world, with unfamiliar masks and wigs around her. And now, she was a mother-to-be, an adored wife, and cherished by her in-laws.

After another dance with Adam, a man in a classic Venetian domino costume asked for the next one.

As soon as they were on the dance floor, despite the bahoo hood and black mask, she realized it was Gerald Fairclough. A quick and familiar jolt of fear coursed through her, but she let it pass swiftly. She had nothing to be afraid of from this man or his family ever again. Certainly not while in a ballroom in Lady Clarity’s home.

“Good evening, Lord Fairclough.”

“Good evening, Lady Alice,” he said as impertinent as ever. “And congratulations if it’s true. I am astounded.”

“You shouldn’t be, and it is. I told you before that your brother was the problem and not me.”

He stiffened. The mask only covered his eyes, but his lower face twisted in a sneer. Regardless, his next words were benign.

“I am glad to see you have returned.”

“I cannot imagine my comings and goings could be of any interest to you, certainly not enough to evoke gladness.”

“When you are in London, it is easier to remind you of the money you owe,” Gerald said, “not to mention easier to direct the good men of the Metropolitan police to your door. Thus, I am glad,” Fairclough insisted. “We cannot conclude our business if you are not in Town.”

Alice didn’t even falter in her dance steps. Amazingly, the words that once filled her with dread now barely registered. Just so much nonsense from an inconsequential man.

“On the contrary,” she said as calmly as possible, “we have no business. Every connection between us ended the moment my former husband fell down the stairs in a drunken stupor. It was a sad and sorry end to someone who could have had a fine, productive life had he not given himself over to vile drink.”

Gerald’s face, what she could see of it, grew redder as she spoke.

“No one knows for sure how my brother died,” he said.

“Again, you are incorrect. After all, I saw it happen.”

Despite how they continued to dance as if they were on amiable terms, Alice had had enough. Where previously, she would have suffered in silence, she glanced around for Adam. Luckily, he wasn’t dancing, and he had his gaze upon her.

“Help,” she mouthed the word, thrilled to have his dependability and strength on her side.

Quicker than she would have imagined possible, her husband was beside her and simmering with fury. Despite the music continuing, he halted them midturn, and Gerald was forced to release her.

“Is there a problem?” Adam asked, stepping half in front of her.

She nearly sighed with the romantic notion of her personal knight coming to her rescue.

“Lord Fairclough is still mistaken in his assumptions regarding his brother’s death,” she said into Adam’s ear, “and I know I can count on you to help him see the truth.”

Gerald crossed his arms. “Your wife thinks she can wish away what she did.”

“My wife wishes she had never met your sorry brother,” Adam said, “but what is your point? You do know the whore he was with that night backs up everything Lady Diamond says.”

Gerald’s eyes widened. “You are bluffing. You don’t know anything about her.”

Adam ignored his retort. “My solicitor thinks we should bring charges against you for stealing the furnishings of Stonely Grange. We could at least get a good accounting of how much was your brother’s debt and how much is your own.”

Gerald’s face shifted to deep purple. “I will have your wife dragged before the magistrate for my brother’s murder. Do you think anyone will believe she went there only to talk to my brother?”

Alice waited to feel alarm and didn’t, not with Adam beside her.

And to her amazement her husband laughed in Gerald’s face.

“You are like a child trying to blow down a tall oak,” Adam said. “Save your breath, Fairclough. We have a solicitor in the family who already sent you a letter on this matter. Did you receive it?”

For the first time, Gerald looked doubtful. “I receive many pieces of correspondence.”

“You thought it was another request for money, didn’t you?” Adam surmised. “I suggest you go home and read it. You have no case. Miss Janey backs up my wife’s every word. Thus, the magistrate says Lady Diamond cannot be charged, nor would they even bother opening an investigation.”

Gerald tried to ignore Adam and stare Alice into cowering as he used to, not only since his brother’s death but during her marriage, too. He had ever been a bully.

Lifting her chin, she looked Gerald directly in the eyes, empowered not only by her husband, but by the might of all the Diamond family in attendance.

“Lord Diamond is correct. I wish to God I had never met your brother. He was a terrible human being. You ought to try to disassociate yourself with him as I have done. But at the very least, try to behave with a measure of integrity, which he never had.”

“And I suggest you start by not showing up at a party to which you weren’t invited,” Adam said.

“I assumed my invitation had been lost in the post,” Gerald said, bristling.

“Impossible,” Adam retorted. “Each one was delivered by hand. Thus, not only are you being disrespectful to my wife, you are an unwelcome intruder. Leave before I throw you out myself.”

While Alice didn’t want violence, she was relieved her husband was a tall, fit man who could easily do as he threatened and shove Gerald out the door.

Indeed, her former brother-in-law took a step back, knowing Adam’s was not an empty threat. Moreover, having noticed the quarrel in the middle of the dance floor, the Earl Diamond and his wife, along with Lord Hollidge and Lord Foxford had all approached.

In the next moment, as the music stopped due to the tense gathering on the dance floor, the four sisters also joined them. The entire family remained silent but solidly in support.

And then, Alice saw in Gerald’s eyes the exact moment he decided to end his persecution of her. After flaring his nostrils, he simply turned and walked away.

It was finally over. Sagging against Adam who put his arm around her, Alice didn’t think she could be any more content than she was that night. He had been entirely correct. She had needed to face her fears and stand up to Gerald, but she couldn’t have done it without her husband and her new family.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

“Thank you,” he returned.

Alice had no idea for what he was expressing gratitude, but when he took her in his arms again, even Purity’s tsking over public affection didn’t stop her from enjoying her husband’s kiss.

When the party was near its conclusion, and Alice’s gaze scanned the room to take in all the merry partygoers, she realized one person was staring at her. Someone in an adorable honeybee costume, complete with a brown-and-gold dress and artfully crafted wings, was looking in her direction.

What’s more, now that Alice had made eye contact, the bee was coming her way.

“It is you, isn’t it? The former Lady Fairclough.”

Alice peered at the lady, and then it dawned on her — the bee was the former Miss Dumfrey, now Baroness McKennel.

Fearing a scene of epic scorn, Alice nearly didn’t respond. But she had suffered enough for her own bad behavior, not only through her horrendous marriage but the harassment of her former brother-in-law. Tonight, she was determined to put it all behind her, and that included making amends.

“I remarried,” Alice said, “to Lord Diamond.”

“As I learned tonight,” Lady McKennel said. “And you have a wee one on the way, so I offer my congratulations twofold.”

“Thank you.” Alice still waited for the wrathful comments to descend upon her head. The woman who had been Richard’s fiancée had every right to her anger and disdain. But Alice also would no longer run from it.

Lady McKennel reached out her gloved hand and touched Alice’s.

“I am dreadfully sorry for what you went through with your previous husband.”

It was the last thing Alice had expected, and she grew instantly tearful.

“I ought to have told you more of his nature,” Lady McKennel continued.

Shaking her head, Alice could barely speak. “I am the one who owes you an apology. I thoughtlessly wronged you. I did many thoughtless things back then.”

“If it hadn’t been you, it would have been another unfortunate female,” the lady said kindly. “I admit, at the time, I was bruised and even foolish enough to blame you. But you weren’t the first, and from what I understand, not the last.”

“Hardly,” Alice agreed. “From what you say, I can only conclude he didn’t get us caught on purpose in order to trap me in particular.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Lady McKennel said. “I believe he wanted to marry me for my fortune, but you are so lovely, he couldn’t keep his gaze from wandering.”

“In that case, our being caught by the party’s host was equally unfortunate for Richard as for me. He certainly burned through a great deal of money and needed quite a bit more, money which I couldn’t provide.”

“The incident was extremely lucky for me,” Lady McKennel agreed, “to have escaped him. But I should not have let you marry him, either. I ought to have warned you that he had a streak of irresponsibility and disrepute which my father had lately noticed. At the least, I could have gone to your parents to tell them my fears.”

Alice shook her head. “That wouldn’t have done any good.” She wouldn’t bother explaining her parents’ disinterest in the details, with their only thought being one of gratitude that Alice would be married and off their hands.

“It is all of no matter any longer. Everything worked out as it should have. And in the end, you have your fine Lord McKennel” — she nodded to the handsome Scot who stood nearby — “and I have my Lord Diamond, who was worth going through hell and back for.”

“I am glad you came back from it,” Lady McKennel said, again squeezing Alice’s hand.

Alice decided then and there she would make an effort to have a friendship with this gentle woman, even if it was long-distance through letters.

When she again found Adam, who welcomed her to his side with a wink as he held out his hand, her heart was lighter than it had been in years.