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The Duke of Somewhere turned out to be Hastings. His London residence was an opulent house within sight of St Paul’s. Within the towering edifice, set back from the road behind an expanse of meticulously controlled lawn were regimented plantings of hydrangea, jasmine, and rose that should have filled the air with exotic fragrances. But the downpour of rain that had begun as the Hathway’s traveled by coach to the house, drove those scents to earth.
Servants stood before the imposing entrance to the house, where four stone pillars supported a triangular pediment. A white awning had been erected before the pillars, providing a dry avenue for guests to alight from their carriages and walk to the tall, black-painted doors. The Hathway’s walked under the canvas awning, upon which the rain thundered, with more guests ahead of them and more arriving behind.
A servant bowed his head as Simon gave their names. Viscount Lindley, Lady Alice Hathway of Lindley, the Earl of Mattingley and Lady Mattingley which was Ruth and her husband Gordon. Alice waited, holding Simon’s arm, as the servant stepped through the doors and loudly proclaimed them. Then they stepped through. The hall was tiled in black and white marble with amber and white panels on the walls and elaborate plaster molding on the ceiling high overhead.
Servants circulated with trays of food and drink and the room was filled with a pleasant hubbub of conversation.
“Ah, there is Bath,” Simon said, nodding in the direction of the Viscount of Bath.
Alice saw a tall man with a Roman nose and dark hair peppered with silver. A woman in a gold and silver dress with precious stones about her neck and through her hair stood next to him. The man saw Simon and raised his glass in salute. Simon patted Alice’s hand.
“A dignified man and with immense wealth courtesy of shipping through Bristol. I do not see his son, Rafe. But, I have no doubt he is here. Come, let us pass some time in conversation.”
He steered them towards the Viscount.
“Does it matter so much that he is wealthy?” Alice asked, quietly.
“Of course. I would not see you married to a man of no means.”
“That is hardly likely. But you seem to place a great store in his business acumen specifically. From that and other snippets of conversation, I am becoming suspicious that you and Ruth are withholding some bad news about the state of our family finances.”
Simon looked at her sharply, which confirmed her worst fears. “Nonsense,” he said.
“Pride comes before a fall, Simon. How can I help if I am kept in the dark.”
“There is nothing for you to help with. I am merely trying to secure our family’s future. Redwood callously sabotaged what would have been a most lucrative venture with the Duke of Norfolk. Now, I must look elsewhere.”
Alice said no more but put on a smile as they reached the Viscount. As she was introduced she tried to remember if she had met them before, or just their son. It was so difficult to remember. As Simon and Bath began to talk, she found herself scanning the crowd, looking for Harold.
“The conversation of men is so tedious for us women. Is it not?” the Viscountess said, drawing Alice slightly away from the two men.
“Simon is obsessed with business it seems. He talks of little else,” Alice said.
“My Henry is much the same. The acquisition of money has quite a hold on men.”
“Not all men. There are some who care for other things,” Alice replied.
“Indeed. My son, Rafe for example. He has a profound interest in art and quite a talent for it. He has just returned from a tour of Italy.”
Alice realized that the Viscountess was presenting her son in the same way that a street vendor would cry out the quality of their wares.
I’m afraid I am not buying, Viscountess Bath. At least not your son. But I must show willingness, on the surface at least. Otherwise, Simon will be deeply unhappy with me.
“How exciting,” Alice replied. “I would love to visit Italy. Among other places of course. I would like to see the world, in fact.”
“The civilized parts of it, of course. Italy has been the seat of civilization for a long time. It is a fitting place for gentle ladies such as us. Rafe could show you the galleries of Florence and Rome.”
“How lovely. I find myself greatly interested in Egypt just at the moment. Does Rafe possess much knowledge of that country?”
The Viscountess blanched. “Oh dear me, no. Such a place is not for refined people. Too much dust, dirt, and chaos. No, Italy is the only place I would care to visit. You will see. The ideas of the young and inexperienced can be fanciful. Rafe will explain it to you. He is very well traveled.”
“In Italy?” Alice asked.
“Yes, of course.”
There was a pause in the conversation.
“Are you looking for someone in particular, my dear?” the Viscountess asked.
