Page 55 of A Hint of Scandal

Max nodded. “He did. Not now of course. But my mother has always said how alike we are. That I remind her of Julian when he was my age.”

She turned back to old George. “Did you know the gentleman’s name?” Perhaps she still didn’t quite trust his memory.

George frowned again, as though this question annoyed him. “’Course I did. He was getting married, weren’t he? You have to give your name when you gets married or you ain’t married. But I can’t rightly recollect it now, I’m afraid.” He paused. “But what I do know is that he weren’t one of the regular students what comes in here. He was a young lord of some kind. Don’t ask me what though.”

“A viscount,” Max said. “He would have been Viscount Lavington then, as my father was still living.”

“Thass it,” George said with relish. “That were his name.”

So it looked indeed as if the young man who had married back then had been Julian. But what about the woman?

Serafina nodded to George. “And what about the young lady he was marrying? Do you remember anything about her?”

Again George grinned. “Not likely to have forgotten her, neither. She were a sight to behold. Prettiest girl I ever did see. All golden ringlets and frills and furbelows for her gown what she was wearing.” The grin became a puzzled frown. “But I don’t think she was no lady. He’d not have been marrying her in such a hurry with me and old Robert as witnesses if it hadn’t been a bit dodgy. I reckon she were a bit below him, so to speak, and he didn’t want his family to know. Not till it was done and dusted, that is.”

“Can you recall exactly what she looked like?” Serafina asked. “What color were her eyes, for example? Anything distinctive about her?”

The old man frowned in concentration. “You don’t often see a girl that pretty, I can tell you. Like I said, prettiest thing that ever come in here, if you don’t mind me saying so. I’m pretty sure as her eyes was blue. Matched the dress she were wearing, I remember noticing. The dress were blue like you see on them flowers out in the cornfields—cornflowers, they’re called, and I remember thinking as how everything matched on her, from her blue bonnet and shoes and gloves, to her bonny blue eyes. Yes, I’m certain sure they were blue now I thinks about it.”

“Do you remember how tall she was? Her build, perhaps?”

The old man looked up at Max again and Max straightened. Although he was taller than Julian now, before his brother had succumbed to illness, they’d been of a height. “Up to your shoulder, sir, I’d say. Maybe a bit above. Tall for a leddy.”

About the same size as Serafina then, who, for a woman, was on the tall side.

Max put his hand on her shoulder. “We have a good description now, and I think Mr. Paynter guessed rightly when he said she was from a lower social order to Julian. An actress would be. Ladies do not take to the stage.”

Serafina nodded. “Thank you so much, Mr. Paynter.” That smile came out again. It rendered her face beautiful in a different way to the beauty of girls like Letty and Arabella. As though her inner core of goodness had manifested itself on her face. She looked back up at Max. “I think my friend will stand you another drink for your useful information.”

Obedient, Max nodded to the landlord who brought another generous tot of whisky to the old man’s corner. Max handed over some more coins, drained his cider, and leaving the old man to his tot, they left the inn.

The sun shone down on the narrow cobbled street. “Food,” Max said, with determination. “But not in The Malt Shovel I fear. A more salubrious establishment on the main street, I think. You must be hungry and tired. I know I am.”

Serafina slipped her hand into his arm as though it had always been meant to be there. “An admirable idea. I have never fainted in my life, but if I go much longer without sustenance, I fear I might join the ranks of the young ladies I’ve always despised. Lead on.”

And so they repaired to the main street and went in search of the not too distant Star Inn, where Badger had already stabled the horses and a fine dinner and their rooms must be awaiting them.