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“You, the Duchess of Sandhurst, will be sponsoring this ball, while I, one of your low-born subjects will provide the entertainment in the form King George IV, who happens to owe me twenty thousand pounds and I’ve agreed to forgive half of it for his promised attendance.You see, I do know him!”
His voice continued to rise in anger.“Furthermore, I’ve wallowed in London’s dirt learning to account for every contingency all my life.Do you think a house party will intimidate me?”
“We need to return to London.To Islington.”
“My dear, the invitations were sent yesterday morning.”
Rose was shaking when they arrived at Sturry Park.The argument was about more than a grand house party, but the house party was urgent.The wheel could not be stopped from rolling down this man-made hill, so Rose had to do what she knew best: be a fabulous hostess.
Highwood had a magnificent ballroom and promenade.The gardens were much more spacious than any mansion in London.What about food, china, silver, tables, chairs, festoons, plants, ice sculptures, dancers as entertainment?What about two orchestras instead of one?
“While you are considering that this is a disaster—”
A groom was there to help her from the horse.She still held her riding crop and tapped it against her thigh in agitation.“It’s a disaster, true, and it’s a slap in the face considering that I know more about balls and parties than anyone in your household.I am your wife, and this should have been the humblest thing in the world to have me arrange.”
“And this is what I do—pay professionals to deliver to exacting standards.”
“Do you know the other reason I’m upset?It is because I take great joy in such entertainments.Wives of dukes must exist in a very small frame, with very little room for error.A ball can be a time for freedom and whimsy and delight.And now, I will just end up being a spoil of whatever war you are fighting.But rest assured, I will wear the most fabulous dress I own so that I don’t embarrass the name of Hardy.”
And this was notat allwhat Rose had planned, as she stormed into the house and requested hot water.Maybe she would keep her head underwater just long enough to miss the Highwood cataclysm.The king?Oh, dear God, what a turn.She would be forgotten as the Duchess of Sandhurst and ridiculed as the common Mrs.Hardy.What was she going to do?
“Oh, Your Grace?”Matthew said when she reached the top of the steps.“You will be wearing the Isis Diamonds that night.”
It was the way he said it: full of pride and daring her to disagree.
“You invited Sandhurst!”she accused, fist braced against her hip.His brows rose, acknowledging the worst.“You absolute bloody clod.”
* * * * *
The measure of a wife’sdispleasure could be weighed several ways, but Matthew’s scale had tilted off its axis.Rose Elliston Hardy had never locked her door in the weeks since they’d been married.She slept in the adjoining room.The door was locked now.
Why was she so angry?It wasn’t as if he knew the entire story regarding Sandhurst when the invitations were sent, but damn it, he did know enough and should have been more careful.More thoughtful.
Naturally, an apology was in order, but Sandhurst’s invitation was part of a larger plan.Matthew wanted to prove to the reprobate it was Rose who had bettered herself by leaving.
Rose knew that most of the services for a large party were hired, from the extra chairs to the servants needed to accommodate such a crowd.And he’d hired the redoubtable Mrs.Beecham to navigate the great intricacies of throwing a marveloustonparty, even within the proposed deadline.
Mrs.Beecham had also asked that his wife be kept from inserting her opinion as that tended to delay decisions.And Matthew rarely delayed decisions, so he approved the measure.
The next morning at breakfast and throughout the day, Rose had been charming, friendly and humorous.And had completely ignored him unless he asked her a question directly.And he had been relegated to the formal Mr.Hardy with a slight emphasis that only he could hear.Mister.
Matthew allowed, yes, he was allowing, her tantrum.He knew he was right.
The morning they left for Dover, the children cried, and the adults hugged.Rose tried to ride in the carriage with the children, but Matthew kept a firm grip at her elbow and escorted her to the lead carriage with him.
After two miles, he could bear it no further.“Why are you angry now?”
“For the same reasons I mentioned two days ago.”
“There is nothing to be done about it.The party planning is well underway.”
“You have said nothing about uninviting Sandhurst, which I insist upon.And I expect you to do it personally.And you can tell him why without mentioning I carry his child.Good Lord, Matthew!What were you thinking?I shouldn’t have to make such a request.You should have known from the single interaction we had in your front drawing room it was an inconvenient and bad idea.”
Rose hadn’t gone so far as to forget the Isis Diamonds or her marriage papers, which confirmed she was outraged but not irreparably so.
“I don’t know what you have planned for him or why you would be so casual to ignore my feelings toward Sandhurst, but it is shameful, especially considering the depth of humiliation he has caused me.”
“Rose, I understand that, and you must acknowledge that—”
