“What?” Lady Juliet said, clearly outraged over the suggestion.
“Come, now,” Lord Darden said. “This is important. You so rarely follow any of my orders, but I beg you to do so now.”
Lady Juliet’s face fell. Lady Cordelia said, “Very well, we will humor you this time, Darden. Our aunt can read to us fromThe Harrowing Homecoming of Harrowbridge Hall.” She turned to Roland and said, “It’s getting very exciting. There are two dukes, and one of them is not real. Who will the gentle governess choose?”
As Roland did not have a firm answer to that, he just said, “The right one, I hope?”
“I know what to do,” Miss Mayton said, “let us take the book into the library and read to your father. He does not like to miss a chapter and he could use some cheering up and…distraction.”
The sisters seemed very approving of the idea and made their curtsies. They left the room with their aunt, just as the butler and footmen came in with a tea tray.
“Murder?” the bird shouted.
“Oh dear, he means almonds,” Lady Viola said. She hurried to the tray as it was set down and took a small bowl of the nuts to the cage.
The arrival of the almonds seemed to capture the bird’s entire attention and Roland hoped there would be no more mention of murder.
The butler and footmen retreated. Roland said, “If I may speak plainly, Lady Viola. Lord Darden.”
“Please do,” Lady Viola said quietly. She looked rather shaken. That was to be expected, of course, considering what she was going through.
Roland had thought long about what he would reveal. He’d decided that he absolutely could not reveal the two duels he was engaged for on Wednesday. It would put Lady Viola, and Darden for that matter, in a terrible position.
He would relay the facts to Lady Viola afterward. Assuming he was alive.
On the other hand, he had also decided that he absolutelycouldtell her of boxing Chelderberry.
“Lord Darden, it is my duty to inform you that I have boxed Chelderberry in your coffee room. The encounter occurred last night. I know that sort of behavior is anathema to everything the YBC stands for, however, what Chelderberry had to say for himself couldnotbe stood for.”
Lord Darden nodded. “It looks like he boxed you back.”
Roland raised his chin in what he hoped was a very stalwart manner. “There was a minor scuffle.”
“I presume he had something to say about my sister?” Lord Darden said.
“He did, and I shut his mouth permanently on the subject. Harveston is sending his young cousin back to the countryside and we shall hear no more about it.”
“I trust you and Harveston have not had a falling out over it?” Darden said. “I know you have been longstanding friends.”
“We remain so,” Roland said.
Lord Darden said, “I cannot say I am sorry to see Chelderberry go. We accepted him as a courtesy to Harveston, but I got the feeling the club members never really liked him. I get the feeling that even Harveston doesn’t like him.”
“You boxed this Chelderberry on my account?” Lady Viola asked, looking rather pleased to hear it.
“I did,” Roland said. “Most violently.”
Here, this moment, was his opportunity to prove his loyalty.
“I will not countenance any man,” he continued, “who dares to repeat this ridiculous story making the rounds. I know it to be untrue and will not stand for it.”
“Good man,” Darden said, looking pleased as Punch.
“Howdo you know, Lord Baderston?” Viola asked. “How are you so sure it is not true?”
“I know because you are a lady of the highest caliber. Nobody will ever convince me otherwise. There is nothing I could ever hear that would have the slightest effect upon me.” He paused, then said, “I am right, though? Am I not? It is not true.”
“Of course it is not true,” Viola said. “I told a very innocent story to Lady Clara, about a tinker’s boy who once asked me to run off with him. I most certainly did not actually go anywhere. I should probably have clarified that I was only eight-years-old at the time, as was he.”
