“So you are not dying?” a voice called near the front.
“No, I am not. Though if you continue interrupting me, I may yet pass on from this world due to irritation or old age or both.” The Dowager Duchess narrowed her eyes at the speaker, and Dominic suspected that whoever it was would be slinking away with their tail between their legs.
“My apologies, Grandmama,” the voice replied.
“Your grandmother has lost none of her edge in this last month,” Charlotte whispered, her breath tickling his face as she did.
“I doubt she will ever lose it,” Dominic whispered back.
“Now, as I was saying, I have finally decided on the prizes, and I wished for you all to be here at the inaugural prize giving ceremony.” His grandmother made an expansive gesture, and two servants appeared, carrying trays laden with envelopes.
More muttering broke out amongst the crowd as his grandmother procured a fencing rapier and surveyed everyone.
“What was the final count on the name by the way?” Thomas murmured, reminding Dominic of the wager they had all made.
“Seventeen,” Cecily answered, surveying the rapier in her grandmother’s hand warily. “What on Earth do you think she plans on doing with that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Dominic shrugged. “With the count being seventeen, that means none of us won.”
“Actually, your fiancée did. You owe her six guineas.” Cecily nodded to Charlotte, who was a delicate shade of red. “I paid her when we met for tea two weeks ago.”
“When did you enter the wager?” Dominic asked, his surprise making his voice louder than he had anticipated.
“If you continue talking Dominic, I shall ask you to leave.” His grandmother’s voice cut across the room, and he glanced up at her, finding her pointing the rapier at him ominously.
“Sorry, Grandmother. It will not happen again.” His cheeks reddened.
“See that it does not.” His grandmother lowered her rapier and looked at Charlotte. “Honestly, Lady Charlotte, I thought you would have better control of my errant grandson.”
Dominic noticed the corners of Charlotte’s mouth quirk upwards though she managed to reply somewhat solemnly, “He is rather stubborn, Your Grace, but I will do my best to see that my Sweetkins behaves himself.”
“Good. Now, for the first prize, I gift the sum of £7,549 — the amount of points the winner received over the course of the event,” his grandmother announced.
There were gasps from the crowd, and everyone looked around, wondering who the grand prize winner would be.
“Lady Andrea Cowper, kindly present yourself so that you might receive your prize.” The Dowager Duchess gestured to a space on the dais beside her.
Dominic followed the ripples in the crowd as Lady Andrea made her careful way towards the stage. Her eyes were wide with shock, but she carried herself with grim determination and composure.
“Your Grace, this… this means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you.” He heard Lady Andrea’s words as she reached his grandmother.
“Think nothing of it, you were an exemplary competitor, and a little bird told me that of everyone here, you had done him a good turn. And so, in turn, I will do you one.” His grandmother gave Lady Andrea a kind smile.
“Was that little bird you by any chance?” Charlotte murmured so quietly he almost could not hear her.
“It was,” Dominic answered just as quietly.
“Now, I must ask that you kneel down so that you might receive your prize.” The Dowager Duchess gestured to Lady Andrea, who did as she was told.
His grandmother brought the rapier up and gently touched each of Lady Andrea’s shoulders as she proclaimed, “I, Agatha Felton, Dowager Duchess of Caverton, pronounce you, Lady Andrea Cowper, daughter of the Earl of Stratton, the winner of the grand prize of my Dabbles. Rise, and claim your prize.”
Lady Andrea took a small envelope from one of the servants and made her way back into the crowd. As she did, their eyes met, and she mouthed the words, ‘Thank you.’
The money would allow her some level of independence, and Dominic hoped it would spare her from a marriage to the awful Viscount.
The applause died down as the Dowager Duchess raised her hands, signalling that she was once again ready to speak. “My next prize goes to a contestant who has been unfailingly kind, compassionate, and above all, has furthered the cause of love amongst us. To my darling Beatrice, I gift a house in London and a sum of £3000 so that she and her terriers might live independently.”
“Oh, I shall have to tell them all that we are moving, but at least we will be close to Hyde Park.”
