Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Oscar hurried up the front steps of his townhouse, anxious to greet his unexpected visitors. He’d spent the last few days in Agatha’s home, mostly holding her when she cried, and had thought little of the outside world. But he should have completed his assessment of the orphanage by now and felt slightly guilty for being summoned. He would have to apologize for failing to deliver his findings to the trustees sooner.

As he crossed the threshold of his drawing room, he drew to a sudden halt at the unsmiling faces of the trustees from the Grafton Street Orphanage. Each gentleman curled their lip at his arrival. Were they that angry with him over the delay? He’d have to think quickly to appease them and maybe they would grant him a little more time. “Gentlemen, so very good to see you. To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?”

They glanced between themselves then Lord Carter stepped forward. “Never in all my years have I had to engage in conversation with a gentleman of such depravity. If it were not for our pressing business, I should have no cause to call on you at all.”

Oscar blinked at the startling statement. He glanced around those present, seeing varying degrees of violence in their expressions. All this because he was late? Perhaps they hadn’t come for the accounts, after all. “How have I offended you? ”

Lord Carter set his hands to his hips. “By taking up with that…that…oh, I can scarcely say the words. Her own grandfather, a man ever conscious of his place in the world, still lies at rest within the house, and yet you frolic with the girl, no doubt on his very death bed, too.”

The gentlemen closest to Lord Carter looked everywhere but at him. Oscar was shocked to his core. “There has been no frolicking, as you put it. Miss Birkenstock is a very good friend and is deeply distressed by her grandfather’s death. I am giving comfort, not debauching her. But you may set your minds at rest. It is my intention to marry her and restore her reputation.”

“We couldn’t give a fig for the girl. If she hasn’t the sense to boot you from the house, then she deserves every ill that comes to her. We, my colleagues and I, are concerned with more important matters.”

“And what exactly would matter more than your mistaken assumptions about me and Agatha Birkenstock?”

Lord Carter held out his hand. Mr. Manning, his dear newly discovered papa, stepped from the rear of the group where Oscar hadn’t spied him before with a paper in his hand. Manning didn’t meet his eye. Carter took the paper, gave it a little shake, and then handed it to Oscar.

He unfolded the note and read.

“You will find everything in order. You are not now, nor have you ever been, intimately involved with the Grafton Street Orphanage. We thank you for your interest, but are unable to accept your contribution to the scheme.”

Oscar raised his head from the ridiculous bit of paper. “But this is a lie. It is a well-known fact that my family has been intimately involved. You would not have Lord Ettington’s financial support if not for our association.”

Carter glared. “I hardly think you can claim credit for that. Lord Ettington is a marquess, a benefactor to many charitable causes, and a superior gentleman not given to associating with rabble. We would never desire an acquaintance with a fellow of your low moral character. We must think of our reputations. They could be irreparably harmed by the taint of your association. It pains me to give the cut direct to any woman, but I shall cross the road to avoid Lady Carrington from this moment on. So should any good woman in society, if I had my way.”

“Don’t you dare!” Their decision and accusations stunned him. Oh, he’d known he’d endure a loss of status by marrying Agatha, but this was so far beyond what he’d imagined. He was appalled that they would turn against his mother too.

“You are hardly in a position to tell us what we may or may not do.” Carter snapped his fingers imperiously until Lord Brooke held out another paper for him to take. “This concludes our business. Good day.”

Oscar opened the note. A one-thousand-pound promissory note stared back at him. Was that how much his family had contributed? Surely not. The sum was astonishingly smaller than his accounts would show. They meant to scold him and swindle him too. He folded the note carefully and tucked it into his pocket as the trustees filed out. He didn’t bother to look at them.

They were right, of course. His actions with Agatha had placed him in an indefensible position to be involved with the orphans. He had not behaved as a gentleman should and would be seen as a bad influence. But Mother?

He looked up. His father stood opposite him.

“I should, by rights, have something scathing to say about your behavior. However, as it is, I’ve a mind to call them out for the slight they intend to cast upon your mother. Unfortunately, if I say a word, they, and she, may never speak to me again. There is too much at stake to have that happen yet.”

Oscar raked his fingers through his hair. This was a catastrophe of the worst proportions. “They are right, Father. I am completely in the wrong.”

Manning’s breath hissed out. “Your mother told you?”

“Of course she didn’t. Would Mother ever admit to any scandal?”

Manning chuckled suddenly. “No. No, she wouldn’t.”

The older man looked Oscar over. He returned the intense scrutiny, recognizing the familiar angles that had puzzled him before. How had he missed connecting the similarities?

He’d missed them because his mother had never given him cause to suspect her of infidelity while his father lived. Behind closed doors, she had always been scathing of women who turned away from their husbands. The man he’d called Papa had agreed right along with her. Only now Oscar knew that his papa had been weak and easily led astray by other women. How chagrined Mother must be now. Especially since she’d unwittingly done the same as her unfaithful husband had.

Oscar smiled at his real father. “I hardly know what name to call you.”

“Lynton will suffice.” His eyes glittered with unshed tears, and he quickly looked away. “Did I hear correctly that you plan to marry Miss Birkenstock?”

Quite choked up, Oscar took a moment to collect himself before he answered. “As soon as possible. However, if I cannot obtain a special license, we will be traveling to the border without delay after the funeral. I have done far too much damage to both Agatha and now my mother to wait for the banns to be called.”

“Good man.” Manning clapped his hand on Oscar’s shoulder. “I may be able to help you with the special license. Staines can add pressure to my request if it becomes necessary.”

Oscar settled himself to a chair, quite done in by the events of the morning. But one thing still puzzled him. “Why did he visit my home the other day?”

“Staines? Isn’t it obvious?” Lynton laughed again. “He loves his family.”

Oscar squinted up at his father. “And the nephew needing a new house? What nephew?”

“He meant you .” Lynton pursed his lips. “Oscar, you will soon learn that my brother is a terrible force to turn once he has chosen to act. Although I cannot claim you openly as my son, he will ignore all of that to provide for you. He loves being the head of the family and lording his opinion over all of us. We have disagreed over my taking orders these last twenty years. I should suggest, for a peaceful life, that it is in your best interests to let him have his way. Or at least consider that you will likely lose. He’s probably considering properties to purchase for you even now. I do hope you like Oxfordshire. No doubt he’ll find a property close to home.”

Oscar took Lynton at his word about the property. He only knew of Staines by reputation, and by all accounts he was not a man to gainsay. But he could very well be against his marriage to Agatha. After all, her grandfather had been in trade; he held no title, as Lady Penelope’s father did. What would he say about Oscar marrying a woman with no elevating connections? Would he care that he loved her?

He paced the room, worried. Perhaps he’d have to flee to Scotland to marry after all. He would do well to make plans for it just in case. Yet, inspiration struck. “Lynton, I wanted to ask, and Agatha wanted this, too. Would you consent to marry us, should we obtain a special license?”

If Lynton agreed, it might influence the duke’s decision to support the marriage.

But Lynton remained silent. Dread churning his stomach into knots, Oscar turned around.

A single tear flowed down his father’s face before he brushed it away quickly.

“I should be honored.” He sighed. “I may even manage to persuade my brother to give away the bride. That should restore your reputations in societies eyes.”

Oscar sagged with relief. “Thank you.” He grinned. “Now, I should like to return to Agatha next door. Will you join us so we might share the good news about you officiating?”

“Ah, no. I’m afraid I shall not be able to see either you or Agatha until the funeral. I have some pressing business to attend to over the next day that cannot be delayed. Please pass along my regards and affections to your mother and Miss Birkenstock. I shall see you all very soon.”

When Lynton hurried out the door, he took Oscar’s optimism with him. It seemed that despite the fact that he would gladly make amends for ruining Agatha, some things were unforgivable—even to a father would not care to associate with him.

He strolled out his door, along the street, and climbed the stairs to Agatha’s house.

Agatha’s butler greeted him with a scowl. “Lady Carrington is waiting in the drawing room.”

Poor man. The butler was quite put out with him, too. Laying Birkenstock to rest and marrying Agatha couldn’t come soon enough. After that, someone besides Agatha might actually smile at him again.

“What did those old windbags want?”

Oscar grinned at his mother as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He hadn’t come up with a kind way of saying they had been shown the door because of his scandalous actions. He would break it to her gently after the funeral. “Nothing too serious, Mother. Just some paperwork to look over.”

“I expect they think I’ve deserted the enterprise. I’ll call there this afternoon.”

He sat beside her and took up her hand. “No need. They were quite adamant that you take all the time in the world. No point upsetting the children from their current routine.”

“Oh,” she whispered. The silence stretched. “They don’t want me to return, do they?”

He drew his wise, wise mother into his arms and gave her a hug. “Saying I’m sorry doesn’t seem enough, but I am. I had not anticipated they would condemn you, too, because of my actions.”

She sniffed. “I suppose if I had disowned you, as you gave me leave to do, they would have tolerated me. But I worry for Agatha. Being here so often lends her what little support I can.”

“She appreciates it, even if she has not shown how much. In time, her grief will lessen and she’ll be more herself around you.”

His mother gave him an amused glance. “Agatha and I are not such strangers that I would easily take offense. She is much caught up in her grief, and I would be a poor mama-in-law to deny her time to cry. Was Manning with the trustees?”

“Yes. Lynton was among them.”

“And?”

Oscar drew her into his arms again and squeezed. “Oh, Mother. Your love life is a bigger mess than mine. My father sends his affections and regards to you and Agatha. I did remember my manners and asked him to call on you here, but he had other business to tend. We will see him at Mr. Birkenstock’s funeral and after.”

“After?”

Oscar settled back in the chair and crossed his legs at the ankle. “Yes, of course. Agatha and I want him to marry us, and he has consented.”

A deep frown line creased her brow. “Then he hasn’t left the church yet.”

“No. He never said anything about it. He’s consented to obtain a special license for us, with the duke’s assistance if it is required. Once he has that, I expect to be wed as soon as possible.”

His mother huffed, a bitter sound. “Should have known he’d pretend to be leaving the church to get on my good side.” She stood. “I’m going upstairs to sit with Thomas.”

Before she reached the door, Oscar called out. “I say, Mother, does Lynton really have property in Oxfordshire?”

“He did once. Why?”

“Because he claims the duke will want me to live there. If that happens, will you come and live with us?”

His mother swayed, and then righted herself. “Two women under the same roof makes for a disharmonious household, Oscar. I shall be all right on my own. Excuse me.”