Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

In the past, the climb up the front steps of the Earl of Daventry’s residence would signal a woman’s complete fall from grace. Today, a month after the scandalous earl’s marriage to Miss Lillian Winter, her oldest friend, Agatha’s call would be viewed with considerable envy.

Everyone was talking about the earl’s unexpected marriage, but since Agatha had a past acquaintance with the lady in question, she was filled with foreboding. The last time she had lain eyes on Lillian, Agatha had cried for a week. Lilly had been in such agony, writhing upon the bed, whimpering as leaches were removed from her arms and legs. The remembrance chilled her still.

How would Lillian survive marriage and all it entailed?

The broad doors clicked shut behind her back, dimming the sounds of the world outside. She handed off her bonnet, cloak, and gloves then stepped after the butler. Ahead of them, Agatha could hear giggling and deep, rumbling laughter. The butler knocked on a door and waited, flicking a complex glance over his shoulder, one that conveyed amusement and resignation. The sounds of rushed movement ceased behind the door, and after a moment, Lord Daventry bade them enter.

“Miss Birkenstock!” Daventry exclaimed. “Thank you for agreeing to visit on such short notice.”

“It is my pleasure, my lord.” Agatha’s gaze drifted to her friend.

Gone was the writhing, tormented body. The blonde before her was still familiar, her features a little changed with the passage into womanhood. The pretty, smiling woman was held in place by her husband, however, and she couldn’t move an inch from his arms. Agatha had never seen the earl behave with such familiarity.

“Lady Daventry, a pleasure to see you in such good health.” Uncertain of what to do next, Agatha dropped a curtsey.

Lilly burst into laughter. “Oh, how could you know Agatha would do that? You are a beast, Giles. Go off and leave us in peace.” She swatted at her husband’s clutching arms, and he released her with obvious reluctance.

Daventry smiled and set his hands to his hips. “Already displaced by old friends. Whatever shall I do without you?”

The little blonde scowled after him until he fled the room. “Agatha, don’t you dare do that again. Giles said you would curtsey, but I just couldn’t believe him.”

Agatha grinned. “Things change. You’re a countess now. Certain courtesies are due to you.”

Lilly moved forward. “Between us, my dear, such courtesy is evil. I’ve missed you so much.” The little woman caught Agatha in a hug and held her close for an age. When Lilly released her, they both had tears in their eyes.

Agatha cupped her friend’s face gently. “I was so astounded to receive your letter last month. What is to account for your swift recovery?”

Lilly’s grin grew broad. “My husband, actually. Apparently, there was quite a lot of benefit to be found in the debauched life Giles led prior to our marriage. His hands cured me of my ills. But he must reapply his treatments frequently. Marriage seemed necessary to fit his schedule.”

Agatha’s face flamed with heat. “I think perhaps this is more information than the earl would care for me to know.”

“Nonsense.” Daventry reappeared, and then a tea-tray-bearing maid followed. “The art should have been tried before to save my wife so much pain and suffering, but I can selfishly say I am glad no one else touched her.” Daventry smiled impishly at his wife and Agatha glanced between them .

They were speaking in riddles and behaving improperly again. The earl drew Lilly into an embrace, pressing kisses to her brow. Agatha looked away, hoping Daventry would remember they had company sooner rather than later.

“Forgive me, Miss Birkenstock. My wife has quite changed me.”

Agatha looked at him, saw the same wicked glint in his eye that she had glimpsed during previous encounters with him in society, and doubted the change was very significant.

The earl’s eyes sparkled with amusement and his hands stroked over his wife’s exposed skin. “You may be completely honest, Miss Birkenstock.”

“Forgive me but you seem entirely the same, my lord.”

His expression sobered. “Ah, but the difference is that my eye, and every other part of me, is firmly attuned to my wife’s happiness. There is not another woman like her.”

Lilly turned in his arms, swiping at her cheeks. “You are about to get ridiculously sentimental again, aren’t you?” At the earl’s nod, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips and pushed him away. “Go and check the value of your investments or something equally complicated, Giles. I’d rather not spend Agatha’s visit weeping at your declarations.”

The earl grinned again and ducked out the doorway.

“I take it back,” Agatha murmured.

Lilly laughed heartily. “He is the most devoted man. So patient with me when I don’t understand the significance of the commonest of news.” Lilly caught up her fingers and led her to the couch. “He has become such a dear friend to me.”

Curiosity ate at Agatha. “What did he do to cure you?”

Lilly passed over a teacup. “Have you any understanding of treatments applied to horse limbs after exertion? Rubbing them down, warming muscles or cooling them off?”

Agatha nodded. Her grandfather was always berating the grooms for inattention to his horses in the cold.

“Giles said my limbs were stiff with tension so he tried to soften them. It worked startlingly well, but I need regular treatments to remain pain-free.”

“That was terribly clever of him. Had no one ever tried that before? I thought your father had taken you to every medical man he could find?”

Lilly leaned back in to a chair filled with cushions. “No one even suggested it, as far as he could remember. Anyway, I wouldn’t care to have a complete stranger touch me.”

“And Lord Daventry determined this treatment after you married?”

Lilly bit her lip over a smile. “Between us? Before.”

Agatha pressed her hand over her face. She should have known there might be some wickedness involved, but Lord Daventry was famous for his rules. No virgins or married women. It was a shock to discover that he’d broken them.

“I was always his, you know.”

Agatha forced a smile to her lips, remembering Lilly’s aborted betrothal. “That’s right. I had not forgotten you were betrothed once. Did he offer to honor it after all these years?”

“Yes, he did eventually,” Lilly admitted. “But I did my best to refuse him. I thought he shouldn’t have to deal with my troubles for the rest of his life. He disagreed.”

Moved, Agatha caught up her friend’s hand. “Well, however it happened, I am very glad to see you well and happy.”

“I have been more fortunate than I know. He loves me, Agatha. How is that possible?”

“Because you are you?” Agatha caught her friend in a gentle hug and squeezed carefully. “He had no chance of escaping you.”

“Indeed I didn’t.” Lord Daventry laughed as he approached. “I am going to step out, my dear. Is there anything you need?”

“You have spoiled me enough as it is. Have a nice time.”

Lord Daventry swooped to capture his wife and pressed a long, possessive kiss to her lips. Eventually, he let her come up for air. “I won’t be long.”

Lord Daventry hurried out again.

“Goodness.”

Lilly fanned herself. “Exactly.”

They burst into giggles and spent a very pleasant hour discussing the change in Lilly’s life.

“Now, what about you?” Lilly asked as she stretched out on a couch.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. What wonders fill Agatha Birkenstock’s days? ”

Agatha smiled. “The children from the Grafton Street Orphanage occupy most of my time.”

Lilly frowned, and shuffled around to get comfortable. “Is that all?”

“Yes, that is all. I spend my days there, and I manage my grandfather’s house for him.”

Lilly eased to one side, resting her body against the side of the chair. “You’ve never married? But you are so pretty.”

Agatha laid a light blanket over her friend’s legs when she stretched for one, fighting a blush at the compliment. “No, I’ve never been asked.”

Lilly caught her fingers and squeezed. “I’m so sorry. I remember you were looking forward to managing your own house as I once did.”

Agatha forced a smile to her lips. Such days seemed so long ago now. “Perhaps it is for the best. I manage my grandfather’s home and do not have to please a husband’s demands.”

A secretive smile flitted over Lilly’s face. “The demands can be very pleasant.”

Agatha sank into her chair, attempting to hide her understanding of Lilly’s words. She did know the joy a lover could bring a woman, but for all Oscar’s skills, he was quite undependable. When she glanced at Lilly, there was a question hovering in her gaze. One she didn’t want asked because she would never answer it honestly.

Lilly fussed with her blanket. “Giles is determined to show me off soon, and I was wondering if you would accompany me as my companion. I am anxious that Giles not be forced to stay by my side all night.”

Agatha was not keen to rejoin the earl’s circle of acquaintances. She didn’t feel comfortable there anymore. “Judging by his behavior today, you might have trouble getting him to leave you. Besides, his friends will not desert you when they return to Town.”

“Do you mean Lady Ettington and Lady Hallam?” Lilly’s fingers brushed harder over the blanket. “I haven’t met them yet.”

Sensing Lilly’s unease, she reached forward to still her hands. “They are both wonderful women, very kind, and without a hint of coldness about them. You will be in good company with them I promise. With all the earl’s friends, for that matter.”

Lilly sat up. “I’ve already met Lord Carrington. He tells me you are acquainted.”

Agatha’s heart stopped for a full minute. In all her pleasure at hearing of Lilly’s return to good health, she had forgotten the connections Lilly would now make due to her marriage.

Had Oscar been indiscreet about their association? She hoped not. If he had, Agatha would have to deny it and lie to her friend. “His London residence is next door to my grandfather’s,” she answered carefully. “We have had some conversation over the years.” Very little, really. Conversation didn’t feature heavily in their recent interactions, only mind-numbing, scandalous pleasure.

“He visited with Giles recently.” Lilly laughed. “Can you imagine we didn’t get along at first?”

“No, not really. He appears to be a universal favorite with the ladies.” Agatha quashed the bitter jealously filling her mouth with bile. Countless tonnish ladies threw themselves at Oscar. He had never been without his admirers.

“He came to Cottingstone Manor while I was there. He saved my life.”

Lilly’s words echoed around the room. “Saved your life?” Agatha swallowed. “What? How?”

Lilly’s lips twisted with distaste. “I shall say this in a rush, because the memory is still vastly unpleasant. My cousin, Bartholomew Barrette, was quite mad and meant to kill me, as he had tried to do many years before. To cut the story very short, Carrington saved me when I thought Barrette would either shoot me or shoot Giles. Lord Carrington’s accuracy with a pistol was quite deadly. One shot, and Barrette was no more.”

“He killed someone?” Agatha held a hand to her chest and pressed her fingers into her skin. “I don’t believe you.”

Lilly nodded. “Giles tells me we should keep it quiet, but since you are my friend, I cannot see the harm. You do hold some regard for the viscount, don’t you? I wouldn’t have the story gossiped about. The viscount and I, as you can imagine, have become the best of friends since.”

Agatha shook her head in confusion, then quickly nodded as Lilly’s expression turned grim. “Of course I will keep the secret.”

Oscar had shot someone dead. Could that explain the haunted look in his eyes, the sadness that lingered just below the surface? And the sleepless nights he’d mentioned. Agatha pressed her hand to her face, horrified that Oscar had been placed in a situation where a killing had been the only solution.

“This must come as a shock, to be living next door to a man capable of such an act, but you can understand that I am forever in his debt. I fear I must warn you that he will be here directly. Giles went personally to invite him to luncheon with us. We have much to be thankful to him for.”

Agatha surged to her feet. “Then I should go.”

Lilly swung her legs out from under the blanket and stood, too. “Are you certain? I am now considered a suitable chaperone. You may stay with no risk to your reputation, and besides, he is an engaged man.”

Agatha’s heart beat fast in her chest. “It is not that,” she lied. “I have duties at home that I have neglected. Thank you for the wonderful visit. I’d like to call again another day, if I may.”

Lilly came forward to embrace her. “Of course, I hope to see a lot of you, too. We’ve missed so much time.”

Agatha turned away, collected her bonnet and gloves, then hurried out the door, ignoring the butler’s protests that her conveyance wasn’t ready. She’d not wait for a carriage. The walk would cool her mind from its panic.

Oscar had killed to protect Lilly and had become her friend.

There would be no doubt that she’d be forever stumbling into him now. What to do? She couldn’t very well break off her connection to Lilly without explaining her dilemma and hurting her feelings. Yet their friendship had survived Lilly’s illness. Agatha would just have to try harder to ignore Oscar, should their paths cross while she was visiting with her friend.