Chapter Fifteen

R arely were the entertainments Bernadette was called upon to organize as physically and emotionally exhausting as those surrounding Alden's ball. Her moment with Alden in the terrarium, where the rest of the world and the circumstances the two of them found themselves in dropped away until it was just them and love in all the universe, was a brief, shining high point in the afternoon.

The rest of the day was spent keeping fickle and flighty young women from becoming bored, or from bursting into tears and running to their mamas, begging to be taken home. It seemed that every time Bernadette settled one group of ladies, whether it be in lessons in paper folding in the library from a clever and handsome former sailor who had spent time in the Orient or instruction in the latest dances with a charming couple from London who were highly sought after during the season for exactly that sort of instruction in the conservatory, another catastrophe struck.

"I would just as soon spend my days chasing escaped reptiles through the house than shepherd this particular lot of ladies," Bernadette sighed to her friends as the afternoon was wearing out when they all met in the garden, where the last of the day's refreshments were being taken away by the worn-looking Lyndhurst staff.

"I believe there is plenty of that for you to do as well," Minerva said with a sly grin over her teacup. "I must confess, I laughed heartily at the snake which made a stunning appearance in the middle of Lady Avril's singing in the conservatory earlier."

Bernadette nearly choked on her tea as she suddenly laughed. Poor Lady Avril had just reached a high note in her lively song when she'd spotted a snake slithering along the wall toward her. The high note had turned into a scream, the musical entertainment had been abruptly ended, and poor Smythe had been forced to console the ladies with humorous tales of his rather large and rowdy family while Bernadette retrieved the snake, handing it off to one of the footmen to take back to the terrarium.

"If Alden's guests would only stop opening the doors to the terrarium out of curiosity, and then leaving them open instead of keeping the room sealed tight, we would not be encountering these difficulties," Bernadette said, finishing her tea and placing the cup on the tray one of the maids was using to gather dishes that had been left behind.

"Napoleon is certainly enjoying the entertainments," Kat said, reaching into the basket slung over her arm to stroke Napoleon's head. "He's nearly worn out with all the enjoyment he's had chasing lizards today."

"Yes, well, mind he does not feast on any of the lizards," Bernadette said, one eyebrow raised. "Aside from the fact that Alden is quite attached to even the smallest of his specimens, I cannot say that none of them are poisonous. The tree frogs certainly are."

"Poisonous frogs?" Muriel asked incredulously. "That seems like something that would be found in a fairy story."

"I can assure you, it is true," Bernadette said, helping the maid gather a few remaining cups for her tray. "And that reminds me that I wanted to check one last time that the doors to the terrarium have been secured and as many of Alden's creatures as can be have been returned to their homes before I go up to dress for supper."

"You would do best to nap for a moment before supper and come down refreshed later rather than dressed like any one of the peacocks we've been subject to today," Minerva said, her voice showing her disapproval of the other guests.

"Female peacocks are referred to as peahens," Bernadette corrected her before turning to head back to the house.

"I was referring to the young male guests," Minerva called after her.

Her friends laughed, and while Bernadette regretted that she could not forego her duties to spend the rest of the day with them alone, she had to admit that Minerva had a point. As she walked up to the house, heading for the door to the terrarium, she conceded to herself that the young bucks Lady Gladys had invited of her own accord were a surprise godsend. They were all marriage-minded young men from reasonably good families, and they'd been enough to keep most of the mothers of the distressed young ladies from bowing to their wishes and leaving. Chances were that more than a few matches would be made that weekend, even if Alden –

Bernadette stopped her thoughts with a weary sigh. Her heart was torn to pieces and far too exhausted from the whirlwind of her ill-fated romance with Alden to know how to finish that thought. Hethersett had not written with any indication that he would set her free, and he was unlikely to appear out of nowhere to resolve matters. Alden would inevitably choose a bride at the ball on the morrow. That was the purpose of the whole weekend. But after the passion the two of them had shared that afternoon, Bernadette was beginning to think her beloved would choose to risk disaster at the hands of his family's curse in order to love her. That begged the question of whether she was willing to throw her reputation to the wolves in order to be with him.

Her heart and mind battled over that point as she let herself into the terrarium, then checked that the door was secure behind her. She had every intention of making certain all the terrarium doors were sealed, then going up to her room, but as she walked along the winding flagstone path to the other end of the room, Lady Gladys rose from the table where Bernadette had spent so much time organizing the party.

"I was certain you would come this way," Lady Gladys said, her voice cool and her eyes narrowed as she stepped into Bernadette's path.

Bernadette was too tired to show any outward sign of surprise, which she was grateful for.

"Lady Gladys," she said, forcing a smile. "What a surprise to find you in a place I know you despise."

Bernadette stopped herself from wincing once the words were out, even though she wanted to. Exhaustion often made her sharp-tongued instead of soft and amiable, like she had been raised to be.

Lady Gladys tilted her chin up haughtily and smiled at Bernadette as if Bernadette had revealed her true nature. Strangely, it was the first time the bitter woman had looked at her as an equal.

"I do despise this place, but it will not survive long," she said.

Bernadette stared at Lady Gladys, trying to determine whether she meant her hatred would not survive or the terrarium itself was doomed.

"What do you want from me, Lady Gladys," Bernadette said. "I was on my way to my room to refresh myself before supper tonight, and I am afraid I am no fit company for social niceties at the moment."

"Good," Lady Gladys said, sidling closer. "I have no wish for niceties. I wish only to make everything perfectly clear between us."

A shiver passed down Bernadette's spine of the sort she'd had when first introduced to Alden's snakes. Only this time, she did not think she would overcome the sickly feeling the creature in front of her provoked.

"Go on, then," Bernadette said. "Say your piece. Tell me all about how Alden is yours and you will be the one to marry him, and how I am a glorified servant who should not look above her circumstances."

Lady Gladys's expression went wide with surprise. "I did not think you were as intelligent as all that," she said. "I believed I would have to explain what is obvious to you."

"What is obvious to me is that you regret choosing the wrong man years ago, and you believe you can change the past and win Alden's heart again," Bernadette said.

Lady Gladys burst into sharp, cruel laughter. "Good God, no," she said. "If you believe love has anything to do with this, then perhaps you are as silly and stupid as I first believed."

Bernadette simply frowned, not wishing to give Lady Gladys an inch by asking what she meant.

Fortunately for her, Lady Gladys was not finished reveling in the sound of her own voice.

"I do not love Alden and I never did," she said, pacing around Bernadette like one of the jaguars from the Amazon Alden had told her stories about. "I chose Edward because I loved him. Well, I liked him. Better than Alden." She stopped her pacing and lowered her head. "No, I did love Edward. Dearly. Fate was cruel to rip him away from me just as I discovered that truth."

Against her better judgement, Bernadette felt sorry for Lady Gladys. "I am very sorry for your loss," she said quietly.

Lady Gladys reacted as though Bernadette had insulted her. "I do not need your pity," she said, walking back until she faced Bernadette again. "What I do need is Alden's fortune and the benefits of this estate."

Bernadette blinked, surprised once again that Lady Gladys would be so open with her. "Edward was the love of my life, but he did not manage his money well. I've lived on the very edge of solvency these last many years, and I am tired of it. When Alden returned from his ridiculous excursions, I was certain I could rekindle whatever flame he had for me. But he was only interested in this monstrosity we stand in."

She gestured to the beautiful terrarium, her lip curled in disgust. That alone reduced Bernadette's opinion of her even more.

"Alden is a weak-minded fool," she went on. "That is why I never thought to return his affections before."

"But you still wish to marry him?" Bernadette asked. She wanted to argue that Alden was brilliant and clever, but there would be a time for that later.

"Of course I still wish to marry him," Lady Gladys said. "And as soon as I do, I shall encourage him to embark upon another expedition to South America, leaving Lyndhurst Grove in my care."

Bernadette frowned, but she was not surprised. Everything Lady Gladys said made perfect sense, given her character.

"Once Alden has left, I will restore the house to what it should be," Lady Gladys went on, looking around her. "This will all be torn down and the creatures within it disposed of."

Bernadette boiled with indignation at that. "You would destroy something Alden loves and has worked so tirelessly on?"

Lady Gladys sniffed. "It is an abomination. If a man must have a pet, let him have a dog, not this … this – " She gestured as she failed to think of an adequate word. "Who keeps lizards and frogs in the ballroom?"

"Alden does," Bernadette insisted. "They are his passion. If you truly loved him, you would respect that."

"I thought you understood that I do not love him," Lady Gladys said, her voice thin and sharp.

"I love him," Bernadette countered her.

"But you are already wed," Lady Gladys said with a vicious smile. "So what you think and feel is irrelevant."

Bernadette fought the feeling that Lady Gladys was right. She would not be defeated so easily.

"I may not be able to marry Alden, but I can still be his friend," she said. "And as his friend, I will fight to protect him from your machinations."

"By throwing another bride at him?" Lady Gladys asked, one eyebrow arched and a look of victory in her eyes.

Bernadette huffed out a breath. She did not see any possible way that she could bring a satisfactory outcome to the situation they were all in. But then, she had known it was doomed from the beginning.

"If you will excuse me, Lady Gladys, I must go up and change for supper," she said, straightening her back and pretending she had the upper hand when she was certain she did not. "If you would kindly vacate the terrarium, I believe it will soon be declared out of bounds for guests."

"I would gladly leave this place," Lady Gladys said, accompanying Bernadette to the door that led into the rest of the house, though Bernadette would rather the two of them had parted ways entirely. "I would gladly destroy this place, and I will, once it is mine."

Bernadette did not deign to reply. Lady Gladys was so certain of her victory … and Bernadette was increasingly certain of her own defeat. The only thing she could think to do was to prevent Lady Gladys from sinking her talons into Alden.

Unfortunately, the only way to do that was to ensure that Alden found one of the other female guests pleasing enough to marry. As she changed for supper, washing away the dirt and sweat of the day, she considered advising Alden to return to the Americas of his own will, without marrying Lady Gladys first. But she did not think Alden had any interest in traveling again at his age, and she could not bear the thought of parting with him.

There was nothing for it but to wait out the situation to see if an alternative solution would present itself.

She searched for that situation at once, as soon as Alden and his guests went in for supper. Bernadette had arranged nearly all the details for the grand meal, from consulting with Cook over the menu to instructing Mrs. Pettigrew on which flowers should be brought in to decorate the table and how they should be arranged. The footmen had outdone themselves when it came to the placement of silverware and crystal goblets for drinking, and as Bernadette took her seat near the head of the table, where Alden had the place of honor, even Egbert was there to do his part.

"Egbert," Bernadette whispered to the bright lizard as he sat tucked under the foliage of the flower display in front of her. "What are you doing here?"

Egbert, of course, could not answer. He merely turned his head slightly and blinked at her.

Bernadette could not worry about Egbert with so many other things hanging in the balance. She promised herself that if Egbert became a nuisance, she would discreetly tuck him into her lap under the table, hoping no one else noticed. For the time being, the most important task in front of her was to find someone who could rescue Alden from Lady Gladys's machinations.

"Lady Wendine," she addressed the woman, who had been seated next to her. "What do you think about the potential unification of Britannia?"

Lady Wendine glanced up from her soup in shock, looking from Bernadette to Alden, two places away from her, as if any answer would reflect badly on her. "I … I do not know," she said.

Bernadette tried to hold onto her patience. "I believe unification is a subject Lord Alden is quite passionate about," she said, glancing across the table to Lady Alyce as well. She had arranged for several of the young ladies who had shown a bit more intelligence to sit closer to Alden, at the end of the table.

"Yes," Alden said, smiling, though Bernadette caught confusion in his expression as well. "It is my sincerest hope that the kingdoms of the New Heptarchy will join together in a single nation within my lifetime."

"Is that what you wish?" Lady Wendine said, smiling slightly.

"It is," Alden said.

"Then that is what I wish as well," Lady Wendine said, then glanced down the table a bit to her mother, who had taken an immediate interest in the conversation.

Lady Madeline nodded in approval of her daughter's answer, but Bernadette wanted to roll her eyes. No opinion was even worse than a conflicting opinion. In fact, a conflicting opinion would spark a discussion, and it was through discussion that people became closer.

"Would you wish for unification under any regime?" she asked Alden, careful to keep the young ladies engaged as well. "Or, like me, would you want unification under the Mercian plan only?"

A bit farther down the table, both Kat and Lord Waldorf, who had been seated across the table from each other, sat straighter and took some interest in the conversation.

"I … ," Lady Alyce began, glancing worriedly to Alden. "I would want whatever my husband wanted," she said, then glanced mournfully down at her place.

Bernadette cursed inwardly. She should not have selected a woman who still pined for another to be among her chosen few.

"I do not think the Mercian plan is a good one," Lady Collette put her opinion forward, batting her eyelashes at Alden. "Women should not be given so much power. They should bow to their husband's wishes in all things."

Like Lady Wendine had earlier, Lady Collette glanced to her mama, as if checking to make certain she'd given the right answer.

Bernadette was on the verge of huffing and shaking her head over the vapidness of young ladies, but she did understand. Whether those were the young ladies' opinions or not, they were all of a delicate age where marriage would define their lives, and where they were still beholden to the ideas of their parents. It was in their best interests to pretend they were sweet and obedient.

Bernadette understood that all too well. She had fallen prey to sweetness and obedience as well, and it had destroyed her life.

She was about to put forth another question that she hoped would provide a better demonstration of the wit and charm of the chosen ladies, but Lady Collette gasped as she turned her head to look at Alden again. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the arrangement of flowers in front of her.

Bernadette quickly checked for Egbert and found him missing. The naughty little lizard must have shifted around to the other side of the table to see what there was to see on that side. She could still see his tail pointing out to her side of the table.

"Lady Collette," Bernadette said, a bit too loudly, so that she might catch the young woman's attention. "Do you have plans to play or sing for us after supper?"

To her credit, Lady Collette did not scream or fuss, like some of the others would have. She snapped her mouth closed, looked across the table to Bernadette with wide eyes, and swallowed hard. She then forced herself to turn to Alden with a trembling smile and said, "If your lordship wishes for me to sing and play, I will."

"I would like that very much," Alden said, smiling back at Lady Collette as Bernadette discreetly grabbed hold of Egbert's tail and pulled him toward her.

Lady Wendine noticed Egbert at that point and gasped as if she would scream, but Bernadette reached out under the table and placed a hand on her thigh to stop her. She shook her head when Lady Wendine peeked at her, and Lady Wendine snapped her mouth shut.

While that was happening, Alden went on, speaking loud enough to draw the attention of the people seated at that end of the table. "I am very fond of music," he said. "And not only European music as well. The natives of the Americas have a charming variety of musical styles. I found them all to be exceptionally interesting. Their music is often accompanied by dancing, just as ours is."

He peeked at Bernadette a few times during his speech, telling her with his eyes that he knew what she was doing and he was grateful for her quick thinking.

When Bernadette had a firm grip on Egbert, but needed to momentarily pull him into the open in order to conceal him further, Alden pointed to a painting at the other end of the room and said loudly, "That painting was specially commissioned to show some of the landscape of the Amazon where I spent many years. If you look closely, you can see a depiction of some of the people who make the Amazon basin their home."

Blessedly, nearly everyone turned to look where Alden was pointing, even some of the guests farther down the table, who were having conversations of their own. Lady Gladys was one of those people.

When everyone was distracted, Bernadette pulled Egbert from the arrangement and quickly concealed him under the table, whispering, "Naughty lizard," as she did.

She nodded to Alden as soon as she was certain Egbert would not cause more trouble.

Alden met her eyes with a grin that was so warm and devilish that Bernadette could not help but smile and nearly laugh in response. Her heart seemed to swell within her, and if Lady Wendine had not been sitting between her and Alden, she would have ventured to move her leg under the table until she found his to make intimate contact.

Which was precisely what she should not be doing. The purpose of the supper arrangements was to help Alden choose someone else, but as with everything else, whatever she did, it only seemed to bring the two of them closer.