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“Never say such things! You are perfect!” Ralph declared, gripping her hands once more with a quick look over his shoulder. “I shall always think it, and never for a moment must you consider yourself stained with the sin of your parents!”
Conscious of the risks they ran, he dropped her hands, which, he was pleased to note, had returned the fond pressure. “I wonder what Jem will have to say for himself,” he mused. “I’ve seen him only briefly once or twice when I’ve gone to Lord Debenham’s house to deliver messages or to have documents signed. He is a handsome, confident young man, who I imagine would be quick to seize an opportunity. So he wants money for it, then?”
Miss Hazlett shrugged. “I gather Jem can’t read. Anyway, he’s keen to profit from the letter and I daresay hopes to blacken your employer’s name.”
The little girls were returning from their foray to look for pixies at the far end of the park. Ralph saw the worried glance Miss Hazlett flicked first at them and then in the direction of the house. Although Ralph was confident they could not be observed from its windows the danger remained that one of the Lamonts might walk around the corner.
“You feel spied upon?” he asked.
“Always,” she replied. “You must leave now, I think. If Cosmo or Mrs. Lamont saw you, I could be dismissed upon the spot if it pleased them. Though Cosmo needs me too much.”
“Have you done more work for him?”
“I managed another sketch, which was received with apparent enthusiasm yesterday. Not that Cosmo would tell me that, though he’s quite happy to tell me of the flurry of commissions he’s received, which he expects me to execute.”
She looked suddenly excited. “Perhaps I’ll become rich. I negotiated with him to receive a third.” Daringly, she touched Ralph’s sleeve for the briefest moment. “Yes, perhaps I’ll become rich, Mr. Tunley, and then...” She blushed before dropping her eyes but her sentiment was clear—and it flooded him with desire and determination.
“Somehow, Miss Hazlett, we shall find a way to proceed beyond mere words we know carry no weight when there is no possibility of deepening our acquaintance.” He didn’t like to dwell on the thought of Miss Hazlett providing for them and changed the subject back to the matter at hand. “Before you go, tell me the details of this assignation between you and your sister, and where you are to meet Jem. I shall keep a watchful eye over you, if it is at all within my power, for to be truthful, the notion of what you’re about to risk fills me with dread.”
Chapter Six
Araminta felt very pleased with herself as she made her way down a narrow cobbled road to her assignation.
Lately, she’d been feeling more than just concerned that Hetty seemed to be increasingly well received amongst the circles that had hitherto been her domain. In the past, no one had seemed to notice her silly little peahen of a sister. Now, when Araminta observed the way some of these handsome, rich and titled gentlemen looked at Hetty, she no longer saw pity in their faces.
No, she saw interest.
Of course, yesterday’s carriage ride with Sir Aubrey had cemented her precedence over her sister. Sir Aubrey had positively glowered at Hetty, just as he had when the entire Partington family had met him during that terrible walk her father had proposed the day before, during which he’d told them of his dire financial straits.
Perhaps Sir Aubrey suspected Hetty was sweet on him and was using bad temper to convey to her that he could have no interest in one so beneath his notice.
That’s what Araminta had to believe.
But then she’d learned about the letter, which apparently Hetty was planning to secure from Lord Debenham’s valet. Good Lord, what was the girl about? How on earth had Hetty learned such a thing but, more concerningly, why should she want to do anything about it?
Araminta’s first impulse was to tell their Papa but when she gave the matter greater consideration she realized there were far greater potential advantages if she matched Hetty’s cunning.
In the first instance, if such a letter existed, why did Debenham not pay his manservant what it was worth? Then Araminta got to wondering if in fact the letter was this manservant’s insurance. If that were the case, then the letter must not paint a very complimentary picture of Lord Debenham. But if that were so, it must somehow exonerate Sir Aubrey, and why would Hetty want a letter that would do that? Oh yes, Araminta had seen the occasional longing look or remark that suggested her sister had an interest in Sir Aubrey but surely she’d never truly imagined her interest could be returned? Especially, after yesterday’s carriage ride? Besides, Hetty knew Araminta had set her sights on him?
What was more concerning was the realization that if Hetty did, in fact, discover the means to exonerate Sir Aubrey—for apparently all this nonsense about the Castlereagh affair was quite important—her little sister would have very good reason for attracting Sir Aubrey’s attention. And even though it would be due entirely to gratitude on his part for her helping him out of a sticky situation of his own making, Hetty would be the one getting all the glory.
Sir Aubrey had been foolish to have married a woman who had taken her own life. Furthermore, all this talk of his being part of a Spencean club sounded very havey-cavey, and Araminta didn’t quite understand it, but if the letter was something he did or didn’t want in the public domain, then it must be Araminta who did the clever work required to hand it back to him.
Fortunately, Jane, the lady’s maid Araminta shared with Hetty, had been very forthcoming as she’d brushed Araminta’s hair this morning. Especially after Araminta had told her that Hetty had confessed to Araminta all the details concerning the letter and had asked Araminta to see Jem on her account, as she was frightened.
So now, instead of Jane accompanying Hetty to an assignation with the lowly valet, Jem, to fetch the letter, Araminta had located that creature to whom she was related and resembled mildly: Miss Hazlett. For who else could she get to accompany her for the necessary chaperonage on such a forbidden mission?
Delicious tingles of excitement curled their way through Araminta as she thought of the happy conclusion to this adventure. Sir Aubrey was more than likely to ask Araminta to do him the honor of becoming his wife on the spot. He’d already made clear his interest during a tender encounter in the corridor of Lady Knox’s townhouse, after Araminta had been returning from the mending room during the ball.
Of course, Sir Aubrey was a mere baronet at the moment, but only a sickly cousin stood in the way of Sir Aubrey becoming a viscount, and there was even a doddering earl in the wings who’d neglected to secure the family line to whom he was related. Araminta was nothing if not a betting girl.
“No need to look so downcast, Miss Hazlett, no one will take the slightest bit of interest in you, the way you’re dressed,” Araminta reassured her as they waited in a dim booth in a tavern, a place no respectable lady would be seen. It was very exciting. Araminta had dressed herself for the part in a veiled bonnet. She’d chosen a flattering gown, for she wanted people to admire her without being able to recognize her. And she was not disappointed. Men of all stations positively leered at her.
Miss Hazlett, veiled too, did not seem to be reveling in the attention nearly as much but then, she was probably uncomfortable at being shown up by Araminta’s superior manner of dress and carriage.
When Araminta demanded that she tell her why she was looking like a frightened rabbit, the girl replied, “If I’m recognized I’ll lose my position, and then what will become of me?”
“Your father will take you in.” Araminta wasn’t in the mood to pander to such lily-livered whining. It rankled that her papa chose to spend so much time with his forbidden family. For now, she realized, that was why he was absent so often from home.
