Chapter Seventeen
Leland had meantto go and see St. John in the late afternoon and then return home to change into his domino. However, it seemed whenever the dowager was nearby, all plans must be upended.
The dowager was determined to attend the masque and then remembered she had nothing to wear to it. Leland had counseled that nobody would mind it if she wore her regular clothes, but she became a regular badger about it. She must have something.
Miss Price had named for her several shops that might have something that would suit. Miss Price had claimed those shopkeepers would all lock their doors by six.
Time was suddenly of the essence and he was sent halfway across London to dig something up. The first shop had stared at him uncomprehendingly and had nothing but bolts of cloth, ladies’ gloves, and hats. The second had gone up into their attics and, after an interminable time, returned with a moth-eaten beaver coat and matching hat.
Leland had inquired what his grandmother was meant to portray dressed in that ensemble. The shopkeeper had shrugged and said he understood that trackers and hunters in the American West dressed in such a manner.
So, the dowager was going to the masque as a moth-eaten pioneer.
It was no surprise to him whatsoever to find the dowager waiting for him at the door, flanked by the ever-nosy Miss Price. Theyexamined his offering and declared it preposterous. He’d declared back that it was the only thing going and if the two of them had been more organized they would not be in this fix.
Miss Price had sniffed and claimed they could do something with it, before carrying it up the stairs. His grandmother lingered. “I will look a madwoman, but I’ve got to attend the masque. Important to be on hand, I think.”
“I really do not imagine so,” Leland said, hoping very much that she would choose to stay home rather than drape herself in moth-eaten beaver fur.
“We’ve got to broaden the search for a wife,” the dowager said. “I found out that Lady Edith is betrothed to Lord Landry, so that’s out. Good hips on that one, I still say.”
Leland ignored yet another reference to Lady Edith’s hips. “I am aware of the engagement and, as you are well aware, it means nothing to me more than good wishes for Landry. I am set on Lady Winsome.”
“Un-set yourself! Her reputation is in tatters! First she is compromised by Landry and then that fellow leaves her to face it and instead engages himself to Lady Edith. It is one humiliation after the next.”
“None of it is true, though,” Leland pointed out.
“I do not think what is true and what is not true matters at this late date. What matters is what people think is true. Now, I am in no way against Lady Winsome. When two people make a mistake of that variety, it is always the woman who will pay the price and I recognize the unfairness of it. That does not change the situation.”
“There is no situation.”
“Manderbey, do see sense. Now, the best thing for Lady Winsome is to be far away for a long time. Then she might return and it is all forgotten about. Remember? Lady Wilhemena did just that after her indiscretion with Lord Moresby. She went off to the Netherlands for two years. One sees her everywhere now.”
“Lady Winsome is not going to the Netherlands, Grandmama. Iam tiring of this going round in circles.”
“Who said anything about the Netherlands?”
“You did.”
“Not for Lady Winsome,” the dowager said, shaking her head at him as if he were a dolt. “I’m thinking of Brazil. St. John was here this afternoon and he’s got the ambassadorship. He has graciously offered to step into this situation and rescue us all.”
Leland had his back to his grandmother as he sorted through letters laying on the table in the hall. He whipped round to her. “He offers to graciously step in?”
“Well why not? He likes her well enough and she’s got enough money. It will be good for her and good for him. Everybody wins.”
“Do not be absurd.”
“He is going to pose the question this very night, and if Lady Winsome has a sensible bone in her body she will accept. Furthermore, if you really had a care for the lady you would wish to do right by her. She must take herself out of view for an extended period if she is ever to recover her place in society.”
“Richards!” he shouted toward the stairs. “I will be in my domino and off in the next quarter hour. Somebody get a horse saddled.”
“Do not tell me you go to see her,” the dowager said. “Have some control over yourself.”
“I am going to see St. John. And as for control, perhaps look inward, Madam.”
Leland took the stairs two at a time. His valet had the domino laying on the bed at the ready and he was quickly changed. The dowager made one last effort to stop him from going to St. John, with the ever-present Miss Price fanning herself as if the sky was falling. He paid them no mind and set off.
He trotted through the dark streets and thought of what he would say to St. John. He’d like to pound him, but would rather not end up on a green over it. He was by far the superior shot and equally skilledwith a sword, but St. John could be impetuous and might throw all caution to the wind. If he did, St. John would not survive the encounter.
