Chapter Twenty

‘So we went to the back room and had a drink with Hart – Sir John Hartlebury – and Tallant, and Lord Myers, and, uh. Everyone.'

It was the next afternoon. Cassian's head hurt and his stomach was still uneasy: Lady Wintour's brandy might be drinkable, but not in the quantities he'd imbibed. At least he'd been more abstemious than either Daizell or Leo, who both looked very much the worse for wear. As well they might: there had been a great deal of excitement and the evening had become correspondingly raucous. It was the kind of night he had heard a great deal about, and never attended in his life.

‘Did they believe you?' Eliza demanded.

‘About the cheating? Entirely. Well, it was clear, and Sir John had already made Vier look bad.'

‘How did he come to be there?' Louisa asked.

‘Evangeline, Lady Wintour, whistled him up when I told her what we were about,' Daizell said, grinning. ‘Bless her. I don't really know the man, but we were both in her party that night at Vauxhall, although she left early. He let it be known he was with me at the time, but he was in rather bad odour himself then, some family affair, and he doesn't spend much time in London anyway. Otherwise I've no doubt he'd have fought my corner before now. Excellent fellow.'

‘Yes, I liked him very much,' Cassian agreed. ‘He had all sorts of interesting things to say about brewing, which I should like to learn more of.'

‘Nobody else would be in the middle of the greatest scandal of the Season and talk about brewing,' Louisa said. ‘Good heavens, Sev.'

It was the kind of remark that had all too often made the Duke cringe with awareness of his social ineptitude. He considered that now, and found it wanting. ‘On the contrary. I had a very pleasant conversation with an interesting man, while Daizell and Leo did all the gossiping that anyone could require. I had spoken my piece.'

‘And wonderfully,' Daizell said. ‘I don't know if it will entirely revive my reputation, but you could not have done more.'

‘Oh, blast your reputation,' Leo said. ‘Nobody cares. If you ask me you could have brazened it out at the time.'

‘Do shut up, Leo. But it is possible fewer people believed it than you feared,' Louisa remarked. ‘People will happily repeat stories they know to be lies as long as they are entertaining. Now, however, the entertaining story is all on our side. I do wish I'd been there.'

‘So do I,' said Eliza, with feeling. ‘ Did Sir James cheat your father? Was that why he robbed him?'

‘I think so. I can't prove it, but then, Sir James can't prove he didn't.'

‘Only give his word, and that is no longer worth much. On which note, I must go and see your trustee, Eliza.' Kentridge rose. ‘I dare say he may be more amenable to a conversation once I have advised him of the news. I will have you free soon, my dear.'

Eliza clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. She was very pretty indeed in a state of enthusiasm, and Leo regarded her with an expression that the Duke might have called imbecilic admiration if he hadn't suspected he might himself sometimes look at Daizell like that. Louisa glanced between her brother and her very rich friend, and beamed.

Daizell cleared his throat. ‘While we're here, on the topic of bets, Leo?'

‘Eh? Oh yes. Sev, you should know I made a wager with Daizell.'

Louisa's benevolent expression fled on the instant. ‘Oh good God, what now?'

‘Nothing to concern you. Just, Daizell bet me that we'd pull it off, and the stakes were your greys returning to their rightful owner. Thank you, Sev.' Leo held out a hand, with no less sincerity because he didn't actually leave his chair and the Duke had to get up to take it. ‘I would say I'm sorry for the wager in the first place, but it seems to have done you a power of good, so really you should be thanking me for making it.'

‘I stand in your debt,' Cassian assured him. ‘Daizell, could I have a word with you?'

They retired to his room, which, Cassian had earlier noted with annoyance, had no bolt to the door. Martin was in there with Waters, so deep in conversation about the intricacies of caring for buckskin that they didn't notice their master's arrival. He coughed.

‘I beg your pardon, Your Grace,' the older valet said. ‘You were not expected.'

‘Sorry to intrude,' Cassian said, earning a look of dignified rebuke for that bit of cheek. ‘What are you up to?'

‘I am acquainting Mr Martin with your wardrobe, Your Grace. As your London valet, he requires a great deal of education.'

That was the agreement: Waters would hold on to valeting rights at Staplow for now, and pass on his wealth of experience to his new junior, in order to mould him in his own image. That was a terrifying prospect, but Daizell had a great deal of faith in Martin's stubbornness.

‘Excellent,' Cassian said. ‘Nevertheless, I want you to leave for Staplow tomorrow, to keep an eye on things there. Martin will manage, I'm sure.'

‘Your Grace.' Waters bowed and withdrew. As Martin followed, Cassian added, ‘Make sure I'm not disturbed, will you? I have business to attend to.'

‘Your Grace,' Martin said, with a bow so respectful that Cassian wasn't sure if he imagined the wink accompanying it.

He shut the door behind him. Cassian said, ‘Do you know, I think this will work. Waters seems quite—'

‘Oh, damn the valets,' Daizell said, and Cassian found himself hauled bodily into a ferocious embrace. ‘You utter wonder. You glory, Cass. You did it.'

‘ We did it. You organised everything with Evangeline, and thought of how to hand out the papers without Vier suspecting a thing—'

‘And you picked a fight, and played cards to the manner born. Despite Leo's help. I can't believe I was sacked from Eton for cleaning him out at cards: a child could do it.'

‘He didn't return half of my leads,' Cassian said, with some resentment. ‘Honestly. Thank goodness Vier cheated, or I'd have owed him a fortune.'

‘But he did. You set him up, and he took the bait, hook and all. I hope this soothes the sting that you didn't get to bamboozle the vicar in Stratford.'

‘Somewhat. Not entirely. But there are always other vicars.'

‘I will take you on a vicar-bothering tour of the English countryside,' Daizell promised. ‘And if my head didn't feel like someone used it as a jakes last night, I'd carry you to the bed and ravish you into blancmange.'

Cassian was quietly grateful for Daizell's head: his stomach roiled at the very mention of food, or indeed ravishment. ‘Yes please, but definitely later,' he said. ‘Good God, how do people have the constitution to drink like that regularly?'

‘I don't remember: I'm too old. Still, what a night. You enjoyed it?'

‘I did, actually, more than I would have thought.' He had spoken to a dozen people, all of them too flown on excitement or brandy or both to care excessively for his title. He'd retold a couple of the best stories that he'd heard at the Green Lion in Coventry, and got proper laughs, and seen his own pride reflected in Daizell's eyes as he did it. Mr Tallant had even slapped him on the arm and called him a dog, a bit of manly informality about which he was probably writhing with belated mortification. Cassian made a mental note to be affable when they next met. ‘Myers is much more pleasant than I recalled, and Loxleigh is charming, and if I were to play regularly, I should do it at Evangeline's hell.' Lord Hugo would probably call it far too vulgar a place for the Duke. ‘In fact, I should like to visit again even if we don't play. Can we?'

‘Of course.' Daizell kissed his ear.

‘And Hart invited me to see around his brewery, although he may not remember doing so, but I should like to arrange it. But first we need to bring you back into Society, don't we?'

Daizell was officially one of his party at Wotton House now. He would stay while they were in London, and they would travel together afterwards – including an anonymous trip to the Green Lion, he thought. And whenever they were in a Severn property, he'd fill it around them with guests and visitors and people who needed a place. Daizell would be one of a crowd until everyone was so used to his presence they wouldn't think to question it. Cassian had absolute faith in the Crosse family gift for not paying attention; it would be satisfying to have it work in his favour.

‘The invitation cards are already arriving,' he went on. ‘Many of them will want to meet you and hear the story. And I dare say Louisa and Eliza will like to go out as much as they can, so we will all surround one another. She would like Eliza to have the entertainment of which she has been deprived all these years.'

‘It seems to me Eliza made her own entertainment,' Daizell remarked drily. ‘Yes, it will be a social whirl. Do you mind?'

‘No,' Cassian said, a touch surprised that it was true. ‘No, I don't mind at all. As long as you come back here with me, and I have time not to be in Society too, I shall do very well indeed.'

Daizell smiled at him. ‘Perfect.'

‘Yes.' Daizell was warm and comfortable, the two of them in each other's grasp and leaning on one another, and there was nowhere else in the world that Cassian Crosse, Duke of Severn should be, and nobody else he should be with. ‘Yes,' he repeated. ‘It truly is.'