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“I said,Nicholas has committed bigamy,” she repeated every word slowly. A dull ringing began in Jenny's ears and she gasped, feeling as though the air had been completely knocked out of her.
Vanessa continued. "You see, I knew him back in France and we courted. To cut the long story short, he got a parson to marry us one night after dinner at my house in Versailles. That had been one of the best nights of our lives. Your marriage to him is nothing but a stain that needs to be washed off."
Her thoughts traveled back to that unfortunate night she had gone to seduce Nicholas and he told her about his recently discovering something about himself that would not allow him to give her what she wanted. Was this what he had been referring to?
Jenny sucked in her lip and steadied her breathing. Vanessa had her claws out and would pounce at any weakness.
"Have your lies no limit, Vanessa?" This outburst was from Daphne as Jenny tried to form her thoughts into a cohesive sentence without luck. The look of certainty in the woman’s cold gaze frightened Jenny more than the words she’d just said. Vanessa had told countless lies but this… For the first time since she’d known her, she seemed to be telling the truth and not only with her mouth.
"Oh, I don't need to lie about this, Miss Bexley. Not when I have proof." Vanessa grinned at a furious Daphne before turning back to Jenny. "When you return to your house, my dear, ask him for the proof of our marriage. I am sure he has it with him." She put on her bonnet as Madame Patricia and Libby were coming out of the storage room, dragging boxes of fabrics with them. "If you'll excuse me, ladies, I have somewhere very important I have to be.” She laughed.
"I shall have the waist measurements increased as you requested, Miss Whittaker. Libby will have the finished frocks delivered once they are ready," Trish called to Vanessa who paused at the door.
When she turned, it was to regard Daphne. "You have your father's eyes. At least they are beautiful."
With that final statement, she departed, leaving Jenny and Daphne in an astounded state.
* * *
Nicholas drummed his fingers on his thighs and stole a glance in Jenny’s direction. She had not said a word since they left the house and her eyes had been glued to the window. They were riding to the Seagrave ball and the tension between them was suffocating.
He had kept himself occupied since their return from the park that night. On the occasions that they had met, Jenny had treated him coolly but cordially. In the last two days, however, she had grown too distant. If he didn’t know better, he would say he no longer existed in her world. He understood, though. It was her right to be angry with him. He cleared his throat to get her attention but she did not even spare him a glance. It was like he was not there at all.
Thankfully, they arrived and the silent torture was brought to an end. He climbed down and held his hand out to help her. She took it and she spoke: "Thank you, Nicholas." Her voice had never sounded this indifferent.
They made their way to the ballroom and after the customary exchange of greetings with their hostess, Nicholas's attention was immediately sought by the Earl of Hanover.
“Forgive me, darling,” Adolf said to Jenny, “but I must steal your husband for a moment.”
“Yes, Papa.” She slipped her arm from his and began to turn.
"I shall have him back to you before the first waltz. There is a matter that His Grace simplymustsee to at once."
She nodded. The former Jenny would have been curious but this one merely glanced about the room, seemingly uninterested in everything that was happening. Reluctantly, Nicholas allowed Adolf to draw him away. At the door, his gaze swept across the room one final time in the hopes that a certain garish dandy was not in the vicinity. He saw Daphne take Jenny’s arm and he was glad of it.
"What is this emergency that I must see to, Lord Hanover?" he asked as they strode down the hall.
"We were discussing the economic climate as usual, then got to playing this little game where we place wagers on people's opinions on certain topics," his father-in-law began excitedly. "The one where you're involved is about whether or not the new trade laws will increase or decrease the rate of smuggling. The Marquess of Shellton insists that you will be for the decrease. And I said the increase, of course." Adolf seemed confident that Nicholas would side with him.
"And how much did you put into this wager?" His mood brightened at the Earl's misplaced confidence.
"Nothing of significance," he replied. "And rest assured I am not in the habit of gambling. As you already know, my losses in the past have nothing to do with unfortunate wagers."
Nicholas knew that gambling was an illness and both he and Lord Hanover were fortunate enough to escape its clutches. They entered the gentlemen's game room to the cheer of the waiting audience.
"Ah, Your Grace," Lord Shellton beamed, “We have been aching for your arrival since placing that wager on which side you would pick."
"Never say you placed the wager before I even arrived.” Nicholas’s brows rose. He welcomed the distraction this little game provided.
With bellies full of booze, and lack of better occupation, the Lords would welcome any game, it would seem. "Well, you decided to be fashionably late. We had to occupy ourselves in that time," Lord Shellton said with a chuckle before languidly drawing on his cigar. "So, what is it to be, Your Grace?"
"Five guineas say he is for the increase," his father-in-law's confident voice filled the room.
"Mere five guineas, Lord Hanover?" Lord Hambert called out from where he was sitting with a plate of assorted hors d'oeuvres.
"What? You would like to throw in more, Lord Hambert?" Lord Carlton, who was collecting the sums, asked now.
"Certainly not. I do not engage in such frivolous endeavors. Rather wasteful too, I declare," The portly earl replied.
