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She couldn’t blame poor Denny, who’d initially tried to wheedle her out of it. He’d never been able to refuse her challenges, going back when they were children in Ireland. Unlike Helen, Kathleen’s mother had never kicked up a fuss over their antics. Mamma had simply urged them not to hurt themselves before sending them back out to play in the woods and fields of Greystone Court, the Gorey family seat.
“I am fully aware of your actions,” Helen said, “since I received an unfortunately precise description from Mrs. Carling—who received an equally precise description from her son.”
Kathleen’s downfall had been the obnoxious Philip Carling and his equally obnoxious friend, Archibald Fenton. Those pair of idiots had been returning from a late night carouse somewhere out past the Heath. His mouth agape, Philip had pulled up his horse and taken a long look at Kathleen as she’d brought her phaeton to a halt. Then he’d promptly set heels to his unfortunate mare and galloped off, Archie drunkenly lurching along in his wake.
Cad that he was, Carling had immediately tattled to his mother. Mrs. Carling, one of the worst gossips in theton, had promptly shot off a deliciously horrified note to her dear friend Lady Gorey. Kathleen had barely managed to sneak back into the house before the hounds of hell were unleashed.
Stupid Philip and his stupid big mouth.
And stupid her, obviously.
“Philip Carling is no gentleman for carrying tales,” Papa said, surprising Kathleen. “A grown man gossiping to his silly mother. Ridiculous.”
Helen pressed a hand to the lace-trimmed bodice of her fashionable morning gown. “Olivia Carling is one of mydearestfriends, my love. I share your opinion of Philip, naturally, but his deficiencies are hardly his mother’s fault. Philip’s father is far too indulgent of him. You, on the other hand, would never allow Richard to act in so disgraceful a fashion.”
Richard, Kathleen’s older brother and heir to the Gorey title, was spared this meeting by virtue of the fact that he was currently in Wiltshire, enjoying the hospitality of the Marquess of Bevington.
Lucky him.
“Well, tut-tut, my dear,” Papa said.
“And Olivia was simply warning me,” Helen plaintively added. “This sort of incident always gets out, you know—”
“Thanks to her,” Kathleen interjected.
The fire from Helen’s gaze almost singed Kathleen’s side curls. But then her stepmother quickly regrouped and adopted an attitude both wounded and stoic, as if she were the one about to be socially martyred, not Kathleen.
“If you feel Olivia has overstepped, dear sir, I will convey that message. It will be vastly uncomfortable, but far be it from me to go against your wishes.”
Alarm flashed in Papa’s eyes. “I say, I don’t know a thing about managing society scandals. I leave that entirely in your hands, my love.”
As usual, Kathleen’s father had quickly capitulated to his wife.
No point in fretting about it.
“Well then, Papa, what must I do to atone for my crime?” she asked.
He tut-tutted again. “No need for dramatics, my dear. After all, it’s not as if our friends don’t realize you’re a bit . . .”
“Eccentric?” Kathleen wryly finished.
“Let’s say dashing,” he kindly replied.
Helen huffed an exasperated breath. “Kathleen’s conduct has gone beyond both dashingoreccentric. The impact of her behavior, particularly on Richard, could be disastrous.”
Papa frowned. “I do not follow, my dear.”
“We all have great hopes that Richard and Lord Bevington’s daughter will make a match of it,” Helen explained. “That is the reason for his trip, as you will recall.”
“There’s not much doubt of that,” said Kathleen. “Richard and Melinda have been making sheep’s eyes at each other for weeks. Denny said there’s even a bet at White’s about the impending betrothal.”
Helen looked like she’d swallowed a peach pit. “How distressing. May I remind you all that Lord Bevington has yet to give his approval to the match? He has extremely high standards, and the marchioness even more so. It is entirely possible that his lordship would refuse Richard’s offer if any scandal involving our family should surface.”
“Surely not,” Papa protested. “Richard and Melinda are extremely well-suited.”
“Melinda is not the sort to gainsay her parents.” Helen cast an ironic glance at Kathleen. “She is a good, obedient girl, and would never consent to marry a man without her father’s approval.”
Kathleen rolled her eyes. “That sounds rather chickenhearted of her.”
