Chapter 18

When Alden awokethe next morning, the bed beside him was empty. It came as a complete shock to him. He'd expected to greet the new, momentous day with Bernadette tucked against him, their naked bodies entwined. He'd hoped for kisses, giggling, and sweet words exchanged while trying to remain still and hide from the maid who came to light the fire in the grate. He'd partially planned what he would say to Bernadette, how the ball that evening should be made into a celebration of life and love rather than culminating in him choosing a bride from among his guests.

It was silly to think that he could decide upon a partner for the rest of his life after little more than a day of knowing a young lady. He hadn't encountered a single one that could come anywhere close to the affection he felt for Bernadette. He had thought that he would spend the early morning hours plotting with Bernadette ways to bring other young couples together, like Lady Gladys intended, but for different reasons.

Instead, he sat up, reaching into the cool sheets beside him, fighting to keep himself from jumping to conclusions and panicking needlessly.

"Be reasonable," he told himself, glancing around the room.

The fire had gone out and the room had a chill to it, but his banyan was hung by the wardrobe. That meant the maid hadn't yet come to light the fire, so it must have been Bernadette who plucked his banyan from the floor and hung it. If his beloved had fled his bedroom with the intent of running away entirely, she would not have taken the time to tidy his room.

It was weak logic, but enough to propel Alden out of his bed. He headed to the chamber pot behind a screen in the corner of his room, and once that was taken care of, he bathed with a sponge in the cool water of his washstand before dressing. All the while, he told himself that Bernadette was a reasonable woman with a sterling reputation; she would have wanted to return to her own bedchamber before dawn so as to avoid gossip. She would not leave him entirely without saying goodbye.

Alden was nearly finished dressing when there was a quiet scratch at the door, followed by a tired-looking maid creeping into his chamber with a bucket of kindling and wood over her arm.

"Oh! My lord, I am terribly sorry," she said, shrinking in on herself and flushing. "I did not expect you to be up, and with all the guests, I've fallen behind."

"Not to worry, Ivy," Alden said in his most cheerful and forgiving voice. "I understand entirely. Please do proceed with your work."

As Ivy dropped a curtsy, then scuttled to the grate to make his fire, Alden hurried to finish dressing. He hated making his servants feel uncomfortable, since they were so dear and loyal to him. At the last minute, however, as he started for the door, it occurred to him that Ivy might be able to put his mind at rest.

"Ivy," he began, wincing slightly at the guilt in his tone. "Have you been to Lady Bernadette's room yet this morning?"

"Oh, yes, my lord," Ivy said, glancing over her shoulder at him with a smile. "She's ever so kind is Lady Bernadette. She was already awake as well. Already packing her things too," Ivy added with a wistful sigh.

Alden had begun to smile with relief that Bernadette had returned to her room, but at Ivy's statement that she was packing, his stomach twisted. "Did she say why?" he asked.

He cursed himself a moment later. Gentlemen did not ask their maids about the actions of fine ladies.

Ivy didn't seem to mind the question. "I suppose because the whole thing will be over after tonight," she said. "Which is sad, if you ask me."

Immediately, Ivy hunched her shoulders, as if she knew she'd overstepped her place.

Alden was glad she had. "I am asking you," he said, taking a step closer to her. "I suppose I should ask the opinion of everyone belowstairs, since you all put up with my eccentricities."

"Oh, we don't mind 'em at all, my lord," Ivy said with a smile. "We all enjoy working for you. You're so kind and fair, and there's never a dull moment at Lyndhurst Grove, if you don't mind my saying so."

"I don't mind at all," Alden said, smiling. He liked the fact that his servants were happy.

He wondered if they would be so happy with Lady Gladys as the mistress of the house.

No sooner did that thought come to him than Ivy pressed her lips together, then squared her shoulders and said, "To be honest, my lord, we have all grown very fond of Lady Bernadette. And not many of the young ladies, your guests, have come close to our admiration for her. There's many belowstairs who would have you send the young ladies packing and keep Lady Bernadette instead. Begging your pardon."

She finished with the fire, then stood, keeping her eyes downcast.

"Thank you for your honesty, Ivy," Alden said, smiling again to set her at ease. "I truly do appreciate it. I strive to deserve your good opinion."

"That's a sweet thing to say, my lord," Ivy said, grinning and blushing. She hesitated, then whispered, "I've two pennies wagered on you choosing Lady Bernadette in the end."

Alden had started for the door, but nearly missed a step. The servants were betting on who he'd end up with? He let out a laugh and nodded to Ivy before continuing out to the hallway.

If all else failed, he must act to win Bernadette for the sake of the servants. Two pennies was nothing to him, but to Ivy, it must have felt like a massive wager.

Alden's mood was improved further when he entered the surprisingly crowded breakfast room to find Bernadette already there, looking radiant as always, though devilishly busy. She seemed to be brokering some sort of discussion between two of the meddling mamas while their embarrassed daughters looked on. Alden had every intention of rescuing his beloved from whatever nonsense she had to endure and started across the room in her direction.

"Yes, I understand that you find it unfair to be seated at the far end of the table for a second time, Lady Ingred," Bernadette was saying to one of the mamas, "but I can assure you, I do not know which part of the table Lord Alden will choose for his breakfast."

Bernadette glanced Alden's way at just that moment. Their eyes met, and for Alden, it was as if everyone else in the room ceased to exist.

Bernadette was so lovely and pure. She was far more competent and commanding than her sweet visage would lead anyone to believe as well. And a slight flash of green under her fichu where Egbert had concealed himself against her person was a delightful reminder that she had grown as comfortable with the things that were important to him as he was.

What arrested Alden halfway across the room was the strained, almost melancholy expression in Bernadette's eyes. It caused Alden to lose his smile at once. His beloved had the look of someone who had lain awake fretting all night and who had come to an unhappy conclusion about her situation.

Alden absolutely was not having that.

Two seconds later, as he moved determinedly closer to Bernadette, a hand caught his elbow, pulling him back.

"Lord Alden. Aren't you looking handsome this morning."

Alden grimaced as he turned to find Lady Gladys anchoring him to his spot and keeping him from approaching the woman he loved.

"Lady Gladys," he greeted her with a curt not, then faced Bernadette once more, as if he would pull away from her and walk on.

Lady Gladys's grip was as firm as ever, and Alden could not break away from her. Particularly when she asked, "Might I have a word with you, my lord?" Alden turned back to her, and she added, "Alone?"

Alden wanted to sigh and throw up his hands. He would never be free from Lady Gladys's machinations until she either got what she wanted or had a greater reason to give up her chase. Neither of those things would transpire unless he faced the problem she presented head-on.

"Yes," he said, shifting direction and heading out of the breakfast room once more. "This way."

Lady Gladys smiled with a level of self-satisfaction and gloating that made Alden lose his appetite for breakfast. The anxious yet resigned look Bernadette sent after them as they left the room did not help the gnawing feeling in Alden's gut.

Alden drew Lady Gladys across the hall to one of the empty parlors, then turned abruptly to her. "Say your piece, madam," he told her. "And then we will consider the matter done."

"Well," Lady Gladys said, striking a coquettish pose and making eyes at Alden. "Is that the way one speaks to a lady?"

Alden huffed a breath of annoyance. "Please, Gladys," he said, hoping that using her given name would cut through the nonsense. "I've no interest in playing this game with you for a moment longer. I know your aim. The least you could do would be to speak openly with me about it."

"Do you know my aim?" Lady Gladys asked, a sharp edge appearing in her flirting.

"You wish to marry me yourself instead of having me choose one of my young lady guests this weekend," Alden said.

Lady Gladys narrowed her eyes at him, seeming to assess not only him, but the entire situation. Alden could see the cogs turning in her mind as she weighed her best course of action.

At last, she said, "You are right. I do wish to marry you."

Alden let out a breath of relief. Finally, they were speaking openly.

"I wish to marry Lady Bernadette," he said, as frank with her as she was being with him.

"You cannot," she said with a half shrug. "Lady Bernadette is already married to Lord Harold Hethersett."

"I am aware," Alden said, hoping to surprise her with his knowledge about the situation. "Bernadette has already written to the man to ask for an annulment or some other solution to the bind she finds herself in."

Alden could tell at once that information came as a surprise to Lady Gladys. She drew in a breath and her eyes went wide. She did not let her shock remain for long, however.

"And how did Lord Hethersett take that request?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

Alden deflated somewhat. "He has not responded."

Lady Gladys's lips twitched and her eyes filled with hope and avarice once more. "Lord Hethersett is a proud man," she said. "And a jealous one. It is very likely that whatever Lady Bernadette requested of him has enraged the man. He is known to have a violent temper."

Alden had clasped his hands behind his back as Lady Gladys spoke, but he released them and let them hang at his sides at her revelation. He had not accounted for jealousy and anger from the man who was legally bound to Bernadette. The two had not seen each other for a decade, which had led him to assume that Hethersett would not care whether Bernadette wanted to be free.

Then again, Bernadette had said the two of them had corresponded frequently over the years.

"I will protect Bernadette with my life, should it come to it," he told Lady Gladys stalwartly.

Lady Gladys hummed. "But what will you do if he refuses to grant the woman any sort of annulment or divorce?" she asked. "What will you do if he causes a confrontation?"

"I will defend the woman I love," Alden said without hesitation.

Lady Gladys smiled slyly at him. "Of course you will. And might I suggest that you could defend her more effectively from abroad?"

Alden clenched his jaw, trying to stay a step ahead of Lady Gladys. "What are you suggesting?" he asked.

Lady Gladys walked away from him, to a small table at the end of a sofa. She picked up a book that someone had left there and pretended to be more interested in it than in Alden.

"Marry me," she said, dragging her eyes away from the book belatedly to meet his. "Make me your wife in name only. I will stay here and manage your affairs while you take the woman you love and run away to South America."

Alden clasped his hands behind his back once more. He was not surprised by Lady Gladys's offer. Running away had occurred to him as well. Having a paper wife who would remain in Wessex to manage things in his absence was not a terrible idea.

"And what do you get out of it?" he asked, frowning.

"Your fortune," Lady Gladys said with a careless shrug, putting the book down again. "The respect of being your wife. I stand to benefit in a great many ways."

Alden's frown deepened. She was correct. The fact that she made no secret of her aims had him strangely more compelled to consider her plan. Lady Gladys was ruthless and conniving, but at least she was honest.

"And that is all you wish?" he asked.

"That is everything," Lady Gladys said, stepping closer to him. "It is an agreeable arrangement for both of us. You can keep your lady love and I will have the financial security I have lacked these many years."

Prickles raced down Alden's spine. Lady Gladys's offer was not a bad one. By marrying, he would free himself from the Curse of Godwin Castle, and by taking Bernadette away to South America, as he'd hoped to do in any case, he would be removing her from the potential rage of a jealous husband.

If Lady Gladys was telling the truth about Hethersett's personality.

"I must think on this," Alden said, rubbing a hand over his face. "I cannot make any sort of decision like this without consulting with Bernadette first."

Lady Gladys's expression hardened for a moment before softening into a sweet smile. "Take all the time you like, my dear," she said, moving forward enough to rest a hand on Alden's chest for a moment. "Though do remember that you have promised everyone an engagement announcement at the ball this evening."

Alden winced. The ball. If not for the ball, they would all have more time to sort the frustrating situation in front of them. But nearly a hundred guests were eager for the ball, if not to make a match with him, then to find other matches, and simply to enjoy themselves.

Lady Gladys turned to leave him with those words. Alden was more than happy to let her have the last word and to appear to have the upper hand as she left the room. He turned away before she had fully departed, rubbing his chin and wracking his brain to discover a way out of the conundrum.

Everything hinged on the opinion and personality of a man he'd never met, a man who lived in another country, miles away, and had not been heard from for weeks. If only he knew Hethersett's thoughts on the whole thing, he could know better what to do himself.

"Ah, Alden. There you are."

Alden glanced to the doorway just as Waldorf strode into the room. Immediately, Alden's heart expanded with ideas and possibilities.

"That damn woman and her cat are a nuisance to all good society and should be tossed out at once," Waldorf began, marching over to him.

Alden ignored the complaint, grasping his cousin's arm when he came near enough. "Waldorf, I need you to do something for me."

Waldorf snapped his mouth closed over whatever remained of his complaint against Lady Katherine. "What do you need now?" he asked in his usual, curt manner.

"I need you to find out what has become of Lord Hethersett," Alden said, squeezing Waldorf's arm.

"I've already discovered everything I can about the man," Waldorf said with a frown.

"Yes, but do you know where he is?" Alden asked. When Waldorf did not immediately answer, he went on with, "Bernadette wrote to him weeks ago, and he has not replied. She says that is unusual. I need to know where the man is and what his opinion about granting Bernadette an annulment is. I need to know before the ball tonight, if that is possible."

Waldorf laughed without humor. "You do not ask much, do you."

Alden sighed impatiently. "Please, cuz. This is a matter of life and death. Lady Gladys swears to me that Hethersett has a violent temper and that he will not take kindly to his wife loving another. I need to be certain that Bernadette is not in danger. If necessary, I will take her away to South America to avoid Hethersett's wrath."

Waldorf fixed Alden with a long, disapproving stare. "I swear to God. Father's dictate that we marry of face the curse has done far more harm than good. It has created rush where there is none and has turned you and Cedric into absolute buffoons." He paused, then said, "I would say it has turned Lawrence into a buffoon as well, considering how he's been following that dreadful Welsh woman around since he arrived, but Lawrence was already a buffoon."

"Waldorf, please," Alden said, trying to ground his cousin in the urgent problem before them.

Waldorf sighed and rubbed a hand over his face and his ridiculous whiskers. "Fine," he said. "I'll see what I can discover in the impossibly short time you have given me."

"Thank you," Alden breathed out, more relieved than he expected to be. He loved and trusted his cousin. If anyone could save him and Bernadette, it was Waldorf. "I will owe you a favor after this."

"Yes, you will," Waldorf said before turning to leave.

Alden left just behind him, returning to the breakfast room, where the morning meal was well under way. Bernadette appeared to be holding court in some way at one end of the table, looking like the perfect hostess, the perfect lady of the house. She glanced up at Alden and smiled freely for a moment, as if all were right with the world and they were assured happiness and peace.

Then her expression fell, just as the mamas noticed his arrival and began jockeying for him to sit near their daughters. Alden hated to see anything but joy in Bernadette's eyes. One way or another, before the end of the day, he intended to resolve things so that the two of them could have the happy ending they deserved.