“I do not wonder at it,” Lady Marksworth said. “Here is Lord Hampton taking Miss Knightsbridge into dinner for the second time.”
Cassandra wrinkled her brow. “But surely nobody who was not in attendance would know that Lord Hampton took me in at the Sedways’.”
“Everybodywho was not in attendance would know it. Little remains unknown in this town, my dear.”
“Well, if they did know it, they would certainly know that at a dinner it is the hostess who directs such things.”
“I suspect that fact has been conveniently put aside,” Lady Marksworth said. “The looks you received last evening were too marked to be ignored. In any case, it was entirely the lord’s choice last night, and he choseyou. Of course, it will be remarked on.”
Cassandrahadwondered why Lord Hampton had taken her in, but she had decided the lord wished to secure himself a dinner partner who was not in the least a danger in regard to the pact. Whatever the reason, she could not be comfortable in the idea that her name was mentioned in somebody’s drawing room, and certainly not in any conversation to do with the pact.
“Do not look so grieved, Cassandra. Many a girl would welcome the idea that she has been noticed.”
Many a girl might, but Cassandra Knightsbridge did not. Her cheeks were pink just thinking of it.
Or, perhaps her cheeks were pink because she realized she had not been suitably unhappy to be escorted into dinner by Lord Hampton. He was inscrutable, and not the easiest gentleman to converse with, and they had far too many awkward moments. And yet, she had not been entirely unhappy.
She found it was becoming hard to resist gazing upon that handsome face when it did not condemn her. When he spoke at ease, he was interesting and interested. She very much would have wished to have such a brother.
Cassandra paused her runaway thoughts. It would not do to lie to herself. A gentle fib, perhaps, but not an outright lie. When she looked upon Lord Hampton, she did not see a brother. When she heard the timbre of his voice, she did not hear a brother. He did not, on occasion, stare into her eyes like a brother.
Chapter Seven
The gentlemen ofthe pact had convened at Lord Dalton’s house once more, by the urgent request of Lord Hampton. Aside from Dalton, the rest of the men looked uncomfortable. Sheepish, even.
Edwin had no trouble divining why—they all would have heard the circulating rumors by now, and how wildly those rumors had grown. Worse, he’d been sent a copy of a satirical print by his sister. She’d thought it amusing, but would like to know who it was about, as she remained in Derbyshire and was not privy to all the London talk.
The print depicted a young lady on a rearing horse, aiming a fowling piece at three gentlemen flying overhead.
Edwin laid the print on the table and said, “We have done this. It will not be a week before the lady’s initials are in print too.”
Cabot tented his fingers and said, “Nobody ever knows the meaning of the initials. At least, not usually.”
“Ah, yes,” Ashworth said. “That is true.”
“There might be no end of ladies with the same initials,” Grayson said.
Edwin had thought the men would attempt to rationalize their crime. It was the way of men and their deeds—an awful thing must be bargained down to manageable proportions. They had done it in the war, they had done it as children telling a lie to avoid trouble. He’d done it himself when first this blasted idea had been discussed. There was only one way round such an inclination, and the only idea he’d had so far—appeal to their finer natures and their care for their own necks.
“Before we enumerate all the reasons we havenotinjured Miss Knightsbridge,” Edwin said, “let me point out the obvious. We have, and there is further damage yet to come. I do not believe the lady or her friends are even aware of the rumors, but they will be.”
He noticed some squirming around the table and that was well. A gentleman who could not help shifting in his chair had just heard an idea that stung with the uncomfortable ring of truth.
Now, he would roll the dice on a gamble. “Further, gentlemen,” he said, “we have unknowingly caused a far greater danger to ourselves in going on with this scheme.”
“To us?” Grayson asked.
“What danger can there be to us?” Ashworth asked. “Even if we are known to have taken the shot, it was Miss Knightsbridge herself who provided the gun.”
“That sworn statement from Longbottom or Longmoore or whatever name he calls himself is absolute rubbish and you all know it,” Edwin said.
“Still,” Cabot muttered, “it is sworn. That is on his head, not ours.”
“And that is where you have gone so far wrong in your thinking,” Edwin said. “You believe your rank protects you, but it does nothing of the sort—it exposes you. Think of how the common people will consider it when they hear of six men to be dukes of England who have sunk so low as to malign a young lady for their own amusement. Six gentlemen who have paid off a scoundrel to swear to a lie.”
“It wasn’t amusement,” Ashworth said. “We wanted people to turn from talking of us to somebody else.Yousuggested her.”
Dalton laughed. “Come now, Hampton,” he said. “The thing won’t be traced back to us.”
