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“Then what have you instead, dearie? That little one takes a fair bit of feeding. Reckon he’s chewed up more than a diamond and ruby necklace is worth.
Kitty could not stay here and look that awful woman in the face. Equally, she wasn’t at all sure she could stomach what she was hearing. A baby? What did she mean? Had this anything to do with Araminta’s first season which had ended under a cloud?
She needed to answer, but the words caught in her throat. She shook her head, distressed, and suddenly Mrs. Montgomery whisked her veil away from her face.
“Kitty La Bijou!”
“Mrs. Montgomery!” Kitty didn’t know what else to say, which didn’t matter as Mrs. Montgomery let out a tirade. “What are you doing here? Do you have the money I’m after to keep my silence?”
Kitty cast around for Araminta, and suddenly she was there, breathless, and obviously more courageous for having Kitty’s presence.
“So you’re the woman who’s been trying to blackmail me!” she shrieked. “And you know Miss Bijou? Well, let me tell you, Mrs.…Montgomery, I have friends in high places, and you will not succeed in your evil schemes. I’ve heard whispers about you, and I could ensure your entire business is ruined with a few words from me. So desist from your claims now, and all will be well. But if I hear a whisper that you’ve broken your silence, I will see you destroyed.”
Araminta, whose icy, controlled anger had been whipped up like that of a fiery, avenging Valkyrie, was most impressive, Kitty thought. Though perhaps if Araminta had been subjected to Mrs. Montgomery’s merciless wardenship like Dorcas had, she wouldn’t have ventured so much. Still, the effect on Mrs. Montgomery was most surprising. Kitty had thought she’d be about to witness a battle of momentous proportions as Mrs. Montgomery gave as good as she got. But instead, the woman drew herself up, her body rigid, her face immobile, giving nothing away.
Araminta took a menacing step forward. “If my reputation is besmirched, Mrs. Montgomery—thank you, Kitty, for the name—I will know you’re responsible, and I promise you that I will see you destroyed, in turn. Now, is that the last of your threats?”
Kitty couldn’t believe it. She left the scene with Araminta clearly in the ascendant, a vanquished Mrs. Montgomery pledging to keep her silence. As they hurried through the trees, Kitty dwelt on the unanswered questions that needed satisfying, but as soon as they reached the hired equipage, Araminta turned and said, “I suppose I can’t leave you here. I’ll take you where you need to go, but if I hear that a word of what’s transpired tonight has been made public, I’ll know it was you.”
“Or Mrs. Montgomery,” Kitty added, climbing into the carriage.
“Well, she told you why she was blackmailing me so now you know, and if you tell a soul I’ll—”
Kitty wasn’t often spurred to anger, but indignation flared, and she ground out as the carriage lurched forward, “Don’t threaten me, Lady Debenham. There’s more I know about you than you think, but because we are also closer than you think, I’ve held my tongue, and I’ve been your ally tonight when it could have gone so badly.”
Araminata’s mouth dropped open. “Well, I thank you for coming along. But it’s very strange that you know that woman, don’t you think? Considering…well, what she is.”
“What are you insinuating?” Kitty had never been closer to striking anyone. “What kind of person do you think I am? I’m in love with a man who can never be my husband because I am not respectable, but I gave him up so he could be with the bride his mother would have him wed, whereas you…” She shook her head. “You gave away your baby, didn’t you?”
Araminta was clearly rattled and not nearly as robust in spirit as Kitty had assumed, for she immediately burst into tears. “
“So you guessed? Or did that awful woman you took me to that night—your landlady—tell you?”
At first, Kitty had no idea what she was talking about. Then the terrible realization struck her. She had heard a baby mewling that night. And it had been her half-sister’s. Kitty had helped Araminta. Aided and abetted her in this terrible deed. The carriage was rattling along at a sedate pace through a disreputable part of town, and she could hear the sounds of street brawling and fighting cats. But nothing so sordid or terrible as what she was hearing now. “No! Surely it can’t be possible. Your baby was born that night? While I was there?”
Araminta dropped her hands. Her eyes were luminous and glistening with tears. A mortal terror crept into them. “I thought I heard Mrs. Montgomery tell you so.”
“She mentioned a baby. I assumed…perhaps it was the reason your first season had been cut short. I’d heard rumors…”
“Rumors about that?” Araminta’s cry was strangled.
Kitty shook her head, incredulous. “You…gave away Lord Debenham’s heir? But…why?”
“Oh Lord, are you so stupid! Why did I assume you knew everything? I chose you to be my proxy tonight because I thought you harbored suspicions, and I decided it was better to keep you close and find out what you know while I was at it. Well, I’m not going to say another word.” She hunkered down with her hands covering her face, but Kitty persisted.
“You’ve told me too much now not to tell me the rest. You are clearly in great danger if Mrs. Montgomery knows that you gave away Lord Debenham’s heir…for a diamond necklace.”
Araminta dropped her hands and, in the first physical gesture ever between the two sisters, gripped Kitty’s wrists. Her fingers were surprisingly strong, and Kitty wondered if she’d been in the habit of pinching her younger sister. She’d not seen much of Hetty but remembered when she’d spied at The Grange that the younger sister often looked sad, or as if she’d recently been in tears, however at Araminta’s birthday she’d looked radiant. Now, when she chanced to see Lady Banks as she was now out in public, she looked the picture of newlywed bliss, and Kitty had heard remarks whispered about the uncommon fondness of Sir Aubrey for his unlikely wife.
Clearly, Araminta did not enjoy such marital felicity. Giving Kitty a final vengeful squeeze, she dropped her wrists and leaned back into the squabs. “You have no idea about it! The child was early and clearly not Lord Debenham’s. Can you imagine what would have happened to it, or to me, if he’d learned the truth? His pride would not have borne being publicly cuckolded, yet as the child was born within wedlock, he’d have legally had to accept it. But he’d have had his revenge. Both on me and the child. What option did I have other than to ensure it went to a good home? One that your landlady found, and for which I paid handsomely. I can’t tell you what trouble that diamond and ruby necklace has caused.”
“Indeed,” Kitty remarked, wryly, her thoughts nevertheless mostly consumed by the shock at learning this news. “But…but you have a child. One that Lord Debenham is happy to consider his heir.”
“Yes, and I shall answer no questions about that. Suffice to say that Lord Debenham is satisfied.”
“He’s not kind to you?”
Araminta rolled her eyes. “No, he’s not kind. In fact, I wish he were dead.”
