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But the upstanding, seemingly celibate Cranborne and Lady Julia? He pretended skepticism though it didn’t take much imagination to wholly believe Barston’s insinuations with regard to Lady Julia whose roving eye was well known.
“Speculating is one thing, but if you’re so sure, why not confront Sir Archie and make mileage out of it?”
Barston looked surprised. “Blackmail?” He shook his head. “Sir Archie’s too powerful in government circles for me to want to get my own head lopped off. Nevertheless, I stand by what I say.”
“On what basis? You sound as if you have proof. How could you if you had nothing to do with the business?”
Barston looked affronted. “I was a guest of Sir Archie and Lady Julia the night Cranborne stopped by on his way to answer Lord Partington’s summons to size up his new heir.” When he could see he had Debenham’s interest, he dropped his voice as he warmed to his theme. “That was before that knucklehead cousin Edgar or whatever his name pitched up.” He chuckled. “Lord, but that did set the cat among the pigeons. He was a deserter, did you know? The biggest coward who walked the earth, and now Lord Partington was landed with him as his heir. Thanks to Lady Julia, of course, he didn’t last long.”
He put his head on one side. “Anyway, going back a bit, this happened the night Cranborne was Ledger’s guest and hadn’t yet met Lord Partington. Well, Sir Archie and his good wife had hatched a wager whereby they planned to fleece young Cranborne of a tidy sum, knowing he was off to meet his rich and influential benefactor, Lord Partington, the next day. I should say it was Lady Julia’s plan, for Sir Archie was swimming in the River Tick. Sir Archie was easily led, too, and he set everything up, just as she instructed.”
“And what was the wager?” Debenham was becoming increasingly interested.
“It was over a pair of mating spiders. Sir Archie bet that the female wouldn’t devour the male, but Cranborne, being a keen zoologist or whatever you’d call ‘em, pooh-poohed the idea and bet a fortune on it. Course, he had to take a piss at some stage while the rest of us were waiting. That’s when he was detained by the lovely Lady Julia, coming back down the passage. Her role was to distract Cranborne so Sir Archie and I could swap the spiders and declare Cranborne’s theory had failed. Well, Lady Julia detained Cranborne for a very long time, I can tell you. Sir Archie sent me to find them, but I never reported back the true story.”
Debenham licked his lips. “And what was that?”
“They were in a storeroom. I could hear the panting and the full climactic glory, though I told Sir Archie they were having a conversation about his grandmother’s portrait.” He shrugged. “Anyway, Lady Julia’s next son was born nine months later.”
“The son you predict will become Sir Archie’s heir?”
“Did I hear you mention Sir Archie?”
Debenham glanced up at the new voice to discover it was Lord Beecham. He shrugged. “Ah Beecham, as you know, I have little liking for the fellow.” His gaze encompassed the room and alighted upon his wife’s cousin. “And, like you, even less liking for our es
teemed do-gooder, Cranborne.” He threw a speculative look at Barston but then shook his head upon a sigh. “Alas, if only it were possible to prove paternity.”
Chapter 9
Debenham leaned back against the windowsill and eyed his wife appraisingly after he’d shooed Jane from the room. It was a habit of his to lounge about in her dressing room while Araminta put the final touches to her toilette prior to an evening out. It also happened to be a habit she loathed. Now he brushed his hair back and muttered admiringly, “I’ve always admired you in red, darling.”
Araminta put her hands to her now slender waist and touched the expensive silk of the gown, for which she still needed funds to pay the dressmaker if she were to continue to enjoy her services. The woman was extremely deft and creative, and Araminta didn’t want the embarrassment of being dunned if Debenham balked at the bills she was going to have to ask him to pay, having exceeded her previous quarter’s pin money.
“No doubt that is why you gifted me such an exquisite pearl choker when William was born. It would have gone very well with this gown, don’t you think?” She raised an eyebrow to reinforce her meaningful look. “You told me you needed it only temporarily to settle a few accounts, and that it would soon be returned to me. But weeks have passed. When do you suppose you might follow through on your promise?”
Debenham chuckled. “So impatient, my love. And a scenario frighteningly similar to the strange disappearance of your ruby and diamond choker which has never been adequately explained. You’ll get your choker back, but I do have other priorities. Namely, protecting my good name. Some of those gentlemen with whom we conversed so amicably tonight would see me at the end of a noose, including your charming cousin, Stephen Cranborne, don’t you know?”
Araminta turned her head away. She knew her Cousin Stephen wanted to discredit her husband, and if the consequences weren’t likely to be so dire for her, she’d happily have helped him.
The unfortunate fact was that Cranborne’s mission to discover the letter she’d thought she’d burned was making life extremely difficult for Debenham and, in turn, for Araminta.
Well, if Ralph Tunley really knew where it was he should give it to her brother. Her darling Teddy would be only too pleased to hand it over. Many times, Araminta had toyed with the idea of telling Debenham that his secretary, Ralph Tunley, possessed the letter that had the power to severely handicap Debenham in public life. But it was too dangerous to put it so plainly. Debenham would punish Ralph; not that Araminta cared particularly for Ralph. In fact, it was highly distressing, if not horrifying that Teddy’s own brother should have allied himself with a governess, an illegitimate governess—Araminta’s own half-sister, Lissa. She really was going to have to do something to nip that little romance in the bud. Perhaps she could reveal Ralph’s suspected duplicity—though not if it threatened Teddy’s love for her.
“Cousin Stephen would never see harm come to his own brother-in-law. No, he’d never be so duplicitous,” she murmured.
“Ready to drive the knife in the moment I make a wrong move.” Debenham chuckled. “Ah, but that is the way of survival. Stephen Cranborne truly believes he will best me, but I assure you tonight was very profitable in ensuring that if anyone is bested, it won’t be me.”
Araminta made her voice light as she affected more interest in the fit of her gloves. “And how do you plan to effect that, my love?” It was important to discover her husband’s plans if she were to be successful in doing her part in the background. Poor Debenham truly thought he was clever, but the truth was that in addition to being a gambler and a womanizer with an overinflated sense of his gifts, Araminta was going to have to work hard to ensure he didn’t fall victim to hubris. Of the two of them, Araminta was the one who really knew how to manage people to best effect.
He stroked his whiskers. “How do I plan to effect that? In fact, this very evening the most extraordinary information has just come into my possession.”
“Information? You intend to blackmail someone?”
He looked mildly shocked before his facial features assumed their habitual sneer. “Blackmail is such a distasteful word, but as it’s unkind to speak in riddles, let me just say that the dangling before a personage of the strong suspicion of their past demeanors in order to extract something of value could be termed blackmail.”
“Debenham, speak plainly. What is this information you’ve discovered?” Lord, but her husband could be exasperating.
“So you can inadvertently reveal it to the world? No, dearest Araminta. I’m happy to speak in generalities but not specifics. Suffice to say that I have heard of a great scandal that could rock the entire foundations of society. Curious, eh?”
