“Perhaps we should cease wallowing in our misery and be grateful that the Regent has taken up Miss Knightsbridge’s cause,” Edwin said.
“She hardly needs it at this point,” Cabot said. “She’s been proved an innocent victim, we are condemned and, if that were not enough, suddenly she’s a heroine!”
“That’s right,” Grayson said. “One minute she’s to be censured for wielding a shotgun and the next it seems the height of good sense!”
“Shedidrescue my grandmother with that gun,” Edwin said drily.
“I’m all for supporting Miss Knightsbridge and taking upon me any condemnation,” Dalton said, “but this crosses a line.”
“Perhaps,” Edwin said. “But we will do as we have been commanded. There’s no escaping it. Have you seen the real invitation? The one sent to everybody else? Our father’s names are on them.”
“They are all in league!” Lockwood said.
“Apparently,” Edwin said. “Though we all must have known that the silence from our fathers must portend some incoming disaster.”
“I, for one,” Cabot said, “plan on drinking a vast quantity of wine.”
“That will not be wise,” Edwin said. “We will have much work to do.”
“I still say we should consider burning down White’s,” Lockwood said.
As nobody concurred with that daring plan, Lord Lockwood drained his brandy.
*
The viscount hadbeen out on the estate, making his rounds to various tenants, and so it had been some hours before he arrived back to the Hall and was apprised of the remarkable invitation that had arrived from the Prince Regent.
Now, Maidencraft oversaw the footmen serving dinner, as the viscount said, “I’d rather shoot them all, but I suppose a ball will have to do.”
“I think it will do very well,” the dowager said. “Though, my dear viscount, I pray you will not let on your views of our Regent?”
“That he is a fat fool?” the viscount said.
There was a clatter of a serving spoon, but Jimmy quickly recovered.
“I’ll say nothing about it,” the viscount said. “In any case, it appears he finally does something useful.”
“You will return to town victorious,” the dowager said to Cassandra. “Though I know you are not particularly enthusiastic over the idea.”
Cassandra had used the day to think over going back to face theton.While she could not say she was enthusiastic, her opinion had somewhat shifted.
“It is true I do not relish the idea,” Cassandra said, “but it occurs to me that I have been hiding here. To be hiding means I must be frightened.Thatis an idea that does not suit. Cassandra Knightsbridge is not to be frightened off by wagging tongues. I can ride like the devil and shoot better than most men, I will not be cowed by words.”
The viscount smiled with pride. Maidencraft was so struck by the speech that he stood motionless holding a bowl of peas.
The dowager said, “Brava, Miss Knightsbridge.”
*
The following morning,Cassandra received a letter from Sybil. She curled up on the sofa with May on one side and George on the other.
My dear Cass—
In my prior letters I was careful not to write anything alluding to your misfortune as I did not wish to cause you further distress. Now, though, I may speak freely. You are the toast of the town! All anybody talks of is how Miss Knightsbridge was wronged, how bravely she faced it, how she saved the dowager duchess and how the Prince Regent and six dukes throw her a ball. An invitation to the ball is much sought after and much discussed. Some that have received it mention it everywhere as if it were a badge of honor. It is said that Lady Montague fumes in Yorkshire as she has received no such invitation. I have even heard that the Dowager Duchess of Carlisle has scolded the lady severely via a terse and condemning letter and many suspect Lady Montague of distributing that awful print that was thrown through your window. One wonders if she hired the urchin to throw it, though I suspect we will never know.
I and my mother and father will be in attendance at the ball and ready to support you through it, as I imagine you must be in a state of nerves over it. My mother likens it to the Battle of Bosworth—it will be the decisive victory. For myself, I wonder if the six gentlemen of the pact will attend. Nobody seems to know, and there have been hints that they may have been snubbed. On the one hand, that would be quite right. On the other, I would be interested to see how Lord Hampton would conduct himself. Of all the gentlemen, he has been the most industrious in claiming fault. Further, he has seemed to go out of his way to speak to me about you—have I heard from you, how does Miss Knightsbridge do? I do not know whose very stupid idea this rumor was, and those things always do start with one before they are taken up by others, but he certainly appears the most sorry over it.
Lord Lockwood has twice attempted to explain himself to me, but I will have none of it. I told him, most emphatically, that if I were a man I would meet him at dawn. I apprised my mother and father of this and they were most amused—my mother said she would provide the dueling pistols and my father said he’d load them. So that is an indication of their solid support for Miss Knightsbridge. Lord Lockwood may try all he likes to make himself pleasant, but I cannot overlook what he has been a part of.
