Thad reached for his mug of coffee, turning it around several times, his eyes on the table. “Are they threatening me?”
“I took it as more an assurance than a threat. And one to come sooner rather than later.”
“What do you think I should do?”
George reached for his mug again. “I am too shagged to be inventive at the moment, but the first thing that comes to mind is to marry your fallen angel as quickly as possible and either convince the duke to part with a goodly portion of his income or to take you both with them to India. Or perhaps you could convince the Lyon to buy your debts. I’m sure she would relish having a duke’s brother-in-law in her eternal debt. Because that’s about how long it will take you to pay this off.”
“Ludicrous—” Thad’s word broke off in a choke as two of George’s words hit hard. “What did you call—”
George nodded. “Heard that part, did you?”
“George . . .”
“My spies came through. Those rumors are true. Your fallen angel is not with child. She already has one.”
Chapter Eight
Friday, 28 April 1826
The Serpentine, Hyde Park
Three in the afternoon
Mary sat ona blanket under a tree near the Serpentine, reading Mrs. Burney’sThe Wandererand occasionally watching the sun’s rays create shining dapples of light on the water. Near the edge of the blanket, Joshua and Mina snoozed in the unusual warmth of the late April afternoon, their empty prams parked just behind Mary. On the path near the water, Mattie scampered back and forth, tossing scraps to the ducks, geese, and swans that gathered near the shore, awaiting their treats. Nanny followed the child closely, ready to snatch an arm or collar should Mattie wander too close to the edge.
Nanny had surprised them all. Mary, Kit, and Beth had expected the woman to resign upon hearing Mary’s pronouncement. To remain employed in a house with a by-blow could damage the woman’s reputation. But Nanny had explained that she, too, had a sister who had found herself in Mary’s predicament but without the kindness and help Maryhad received. She would stay. She would keep their secret for now.
For now.
Mary had been grateful to the woman, but it was one more sword of Damocles over her head. Their heads. And Mary knew that sooner or later, one of those swords would fall.
She could not continue to do this.
Kit and Beth had assured her that taking the children to India would alleviate the rumors, as would her marriage. Thetonis a fickle beast, Beth had said. Without fuel, without feeding it, the rumors would fade, as they had with her and her family. Almost a year after their own scandals had broken, in Society’s eyes, all was right with the Kennet clan once again.
While Mary appreciated Beth’s words, she did not quite believe them. And she knew in the deepest part of her soul that she could not continue the charade, especially if it meant surrendering her child and marrying under the veil of a lie.
More than that, shewouldnot.
“So which one of these little by-blows is yours? Because I know neither belong to Lady Elizabeth.”
Mary looked up, shading her eyes against the sun, to see the two women from yesterday glaring down at her. The one who had spoken continued to look smug, her mouth twisted into a smirk. Lady Elspeth... something. A low fire began to burn in Mary’s gut as she pushed to her feet.
“And you sprawled out here on a rug like servant.” The woman’s tone continued to sound like a wire brush on a steel pan.
“First,” Mary said, forcing her voice to stay even but firm, “that would be Lady Kirkstone to you, as she is the Duchess of Kirkstone and your superior in every way possible.” Mary took a step closer to the two, her words growing in volume. “Second, she is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kennet, who areso close to the king and queen that the royals regularly call on them for advice. Implying that either of those good families is perpetrating a fraud on the public would be unwise in the best of circumstances.” Mary took another step.
Lady Elspeth backed up. “Perpetr—what? Now you are making things up.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Mary saw Nanny and Mattie—and several other people—drawing closer, and she raised her voice even further. “So if you plan to continue thisfeloniouscampaign of accusing two dukes and two duchesses of the realm oflying, then I recommend you have your facts straight. The Duke and Duchess of Kirkstone, out of the goodness and kindness of their hearts—something which you would knownothingabout—have taken into their home two children who had no other place to go, adding them to their own little family. And unlike some members of Society, for us, family is more than whose blood is whose. So before you start disparaging two of the finest people I have ever known, you might check under your own sheets. Now walk away and leave us alone!”
The small cluster of people around them had gone dead silent. Lady Elspeth’s eyes widened, and her mouth gaped as if she struggled to find both breath and words.
Then a lone male voice sounded from behind the rows of people. “You might want to close your mouth, Lady Elspeth, before a beetle wanders in.”
The people parted and Lord Thaddeus Bolton stepped forward. Lady Elspeth’s mouth snapped shut a moment, then she looked from Mary to Lord Thaddeus and back. “I cannot believe she spoke to me like that! It’s scandal—”
“I can. I witnessed the two of you harassing my betrothed from up the path. What you said was rude, vulgar, and completely uncalled for. I thought her response rather mild.” He leaned a little closer to the women, his words a stage whisper.“Mine would have much harsher and infinitely sneakier.” He cleared his throat. “Starting with ‘forty pounds.’”
