Page 100 of Evie and Louis: The Story so Far

Gasps and exclamations followed as the gossip mill blazed to life at once, the promise of another scandal carrying through the room like a spark chasing gunpowder.

“Get out of my way, you little slut. Haven’t you done enough?”

Price pushed her aside savagely. Miss Morcombe stumbled, and Sebastian lunged forward, grabbing hold of her before she could fall.

“You swine,” he growled at Price, and Rosamund’s breath caught as she saw the fury in his eyes.

“What? You going to murder me now?” Mr Price shouted back, sneering at Sebastian. “Or is it only helpless women you terrorise?”

The room was deadly quiet. The only sound Rosamund could hear was the thudding of her own heart. No, oh no, repeated a panicked voice in her head as she struggled to think of something to do or say to stop this awful moment.

“I never laid a hand on my wife,” Sebastian said, advancing on Mr Price with such a look in his eyes all the hairs on the back of Rosamund’s neck stood on end.

“Murderer!” Mr Price shouted, pointing at him. “He’s a murderer!”

Voices murmured among the crowd, some vehemently against Mr Price, but others… others agreeing, shouts of shame, and villain echoing through the room.

Rosamund felt sick. She turned to Miss Morcombe, knowing she was their only hope.

“Hannah,” she said, pleading in her eyes. “Hannah, I think you know Lord Hargreaves is innocent. If… If there is anything you can say to help him….”

Rosamund’s voice broke. Hannah stared at her, fear in her eyes, her skin so white the veins shone blue at her throat. Tears rolled down her cheeks, her breath coming in short little gasps, and Rosamund knew it was hopeless. She turned back to go to Sebastian, to stand beside him so he was not alone amid this awful scene, but Hannah’s voice cut through the melee.

“He’s no murderer!”

Everyone turned to stare at her, this fragile young girl, trembling with terror as the eyes of the ton turned towards her.

“He’s no murderer,” she said again, putting up her chin. “Nor an adulterer. He never had an affair with Lady Rosamund. Lady Hargreaves—Adelia Hargreaves—ruined her on purpose.”

“Shut your mouth, you little bitch!” Mr Price shouted, advancing on her. “Don’t you dare speak her name, you weren’t fit to kiss her feet, you cheap who—”

He did not finish the sentence as Sebastian hit him, knocking him onto his backside so that he sprawled on the floor, clutching at his bloody nose.

“I’d stay there, if I were you,” Montagu drawled, looking down at Mr Price with distaste. “The lady is speaking and does not wish to be interrupted. Please carry on, Miss Morcombe.”

Miss Morcombe nodded, two spots of colour burning high on her cheeks. “Lady Hargreaves set the whole thing up. She got Mr Price to gossip about some poor girl who was alone with the Marquess of Kilbane in the library. Mr Price whispered this nonsense in front of Lord Hargreaves. She knew he was too decent to let any woman face ruin in such a way, and so he walked into a trap. Mr Price had told her Lady Rosamund was there alone, and it was the work of moments to get Lord Hargreaves there too. Then she told everyone there was a scandal about to reveal itself, and ran to watch the scene unfold.”

“That’s a filthy—”

Mr Price let out a squawk of indignation as Bainbridge hauled him up by his mangled cravat.

“Shut it, or I’ll make it permanent,” he said, before dropping him again. Mr Price subsided in a heap on the floor and Bainbridge wiped his hands with a show of revulsion. “Apologies, Miss Morcombe. He’s rather an arse, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” she said, a faint smile at her lips. “I wish I’d seen that sooner, my lord. Sadly, I did not. I believed his promises of love and marriage and now… and now….”

Her voice quavered and more tears streamed down her face.

“Oh, my dear,” Rosamund said, her heart breaking. She ran to Miss Morcombe and put an arm about her. “You’re very brave,” she said, feeling the way the poor woman was trembling, but Rosamund’s words seemed to give her courage.

“I’m carrying his child.”

The whispers and exclamations reached a fever pitch, and two young ladies fainted, much to Rosamund’s disgust.

“I believe he did care for me, at first, until Lady Hargreaves got her claws into him,” Miss Morcombe said, fighting for control. “But she dazzled him until he convinced himself he was in love with her. She never cared for him, any fool could see that, but Humphrey believed he had a chance with her, the numbskull. I thought… I thought if I could only speak to her in private, if I could explain my situation, perhaps she… she might take pity on me. She might….”

“Oh, no,” Sebastian whispered, as Hannah began to shake uncontrollably.

Rosamund held onto her, trying to lend her strength, and suddenly Mama and Matilda were there too.