Rupert kissed Vivian’s hand. “Until we meet again.”
Thirty minutes later, Miss Punt scurried out the gate to the gardens. “What did you do to her ladyship?”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Not me. There was a different type of wine at the gathering, and I think she might have imbibed too much.”
“She did at that.” The maid shook her head. “I hope she doesn’t have a headache.”
“As do I.” He handed her the parcel that had arrived from Madame Lisette while he was out. “This is for your mistress.”
Miss Punt nodded. “How long do you think your plan will take? Her father wrote her this morning and said he’d made a new match for her.”
Rupert bit off an oath. “When?”
“He’ll be here in a week.”
“Before then.” Of all the bad luck. Vivian deserved to be courted and wooed, not badgered into another bad marriage. “What can you tell me about her husband?”
“Dead is a good place for him to be.” Miss Punt’s lips firmed into a straight line. “I don’t know what exactly happened, but my poor mistress cried herself to sleep while that whore he kept acted like she hadn’t a care in the world. Everyone, except her ladyship, knew how things were. None of the servants took her orders unless they verified them with his lordship. Like as not, he’d change them, and do something his mistress wanted.”
By the time she’d finished, the maid’s bosom was heaving with indignation, and Rupert didn’t blame her at all. No lady, no wife, should be treated the way Vivian had been, but he still didn’t know if the late Lord Beresford had physically hurt her. “Did she ever have bruises?”
“Never on the outside, but there are plenty on the inside. Not that she would ever say anything to me, she keeps her own counsel, but whatever he did left her thinking no man would ever want her.”
Bloody hell. “Did she confide in anyone?”
“Maybe Miss Silvia. When we were at Beresford, I’d find her in her ladyship’s room late at night.”
Past tense. At Beresford, but not here? “Why do they no longer converse?”
“Lady Telford put Miss Silvia next to her and my lady is in the other wing, and she met you.”
Interesting. Rupert made a mental note to find out more about Lady Telford. “If you cannot bring her to Hill Street this evening, I’ll understand.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Punt turned to leave and stopped. “I’m that glad you came into her life.”
Rupert nodded. “Thank you for your help. She’s fortunate to have such loyalty.”
When he arrived home, Nick Beresford was pacing Rupert’s study. “This looks serious. What can I do for you?”
His friend scowled. “You’ve got more problems than you think.”
He poured two glasses of brandy, handing one to Nick. “Have a seat and tell me about it.”
Nick took a long pull on his brandy. “For one thing, Miss Banks is after you. Miss Corbet and I heard her talking with a friend last night. She plans to get you alone and compromise you into marrying her.”
That news was nothing more than Rupert had expected. In order to remain on Lord Banks’s good side, Rupert had asked to be warned of which parties to stay away from. “One of the reasons I’ve been avoiding events where young ladies are present. Go on.”
“This next piece isn’t much better. Lady Telford told Miss Corbet that Lady Beresford’s father wrote about a match he’s already arranged. The old man even had the settlement agreements drawn up.”
Thatwas far worse than Rupert had thought. He moved his jaw that had clenched painfully. Punt had said Vivian was leaving. Running away was more like it. Had any of the men in her life treated her well? He was almost afraid to ask, but... “Anything else?”
Nick suddenly had a cat-who’s-eaten-a-canary grin. “You may wish me happy. I’m to be married in two days.”
“Thatisgood news. Congratulations.” Rupert poured Beresford another glass of brandy. “Am I invited?”
“If you’re not on your wedding trip, you are.”
Rupert rubbed his chin thoughtfully. If he and Vivian were to wed in a few days, he must obtain a special license. “I will not run away. It never helps, and always creates a false impression. I do need to secure my lady’s hand immediately. I see a trip to Doctors’ Commons in my secretary’s future.”
