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When their conversation turned to the matter of the letter, though, things had grown somber.
“James seems to think it is.” Marina looked down at the wine glass in her hand, finding she didn’t wish to drink much of it. If there was a threat against her, she wanted to keep her wits about her. “You should have heard him on the carriage ride here. He would not stop speaking of it. He insists I cannot leave the house alone or with just a maid. He must come with me or another man must assist. Is that not madness?”
“Madness? Why?” Caroline asked, frowning.
“Because it is making me a prisoner.” Marina shook her head. “Yes, I am not so great a fool as to not see the sense in what he says. I am more likely to be protected, but what if he never discovers who this letter writer is?” She could see her point connected with Caroline who nodded slowly and knocked back what remained in her wine glass.
“Then you could be escorted like a prisoner for the rest of your life,” Caroline summarized for her.
“Exactly.” Marina nodded. “I do not think I could bear that. James should not ask that of me.”
“We shall have to see what he does ask.” Caroline shuffled closer to Marina in their chairs, whispering to her. The action urged Marina to look around the assembly rooms, scanning who was in attendance that night.
It struck her that her parents had not come though she supposed they were avoiding such busy events of the ton at present. Most ladies who had gathered were dressed in the latest fashion with turbans in their hair, the silks shining brightly in the candlelight. It was with some chagrin Marina noticed a lot of these turban-clad heads were turned in her direction, staring at her.
The realization made her look down and fidget with her silver gown, trying to rid herself of any of the creases.
“I see you have noticed what I was about to whisper to you,” Caroline murmured softly. “This threat aside, it is hardly your only problem. Despite your hurried marriage to save your reputation, people are still gossiping. I fear they will not stop for some time.”
“I daresay you’re right.” Marina accepted the truth as her eyes flicked up to the ladies who were staring their way. She felt small under their gaze. The mere idea had her sitting taller, not wanting to be cowed by them. “Caroline, I fear the answer to my next question, but please, do tell me nevertheless.”
Caroline nodded, waiting for her to go on.
“What was the reaction when James and I walked in tonight? Were there many whispers?”
Caroline seemed to swallow and fuss with her empty glass before she answered.
“There were some who talked a lot about it. There were some who were pleased to see the Duke had done the right thing and married you, yet others were more suspicious of the arrangement. Rumors run wild at these sorts of events; you know that.”
“I do.” Marina looked back at the ladies who stared her way. Gradually, they lost interest and looked elsewhere for their gossip though some snapped their gazes away as if Marina’s challenging stare had burned them.
“Do not think of that now.” Caroline laid a hand over Marina’s. “In time, people will find someone new to gossip about; they always do.”
“Yes, you are right.” Marina tried to force a smile though it didn’t last long. All she could think of was how her parents had not deigned to come this evening. She had even written to her mother, asking if she would attend in advance, but the reply had come back rather late that afternoon, saying that Marina’s father had decided against it.
In her mother’s words, they wished to ‘hide from the condemnation of the ton until a new scandal should arise.’ Marina felt quite abandoned by her parents at that moment. They could have stood with her and bore the whispers together. They could have shown strength by being there tonight as she was, refusing to be browbeaten by the gossip. Instead, her father was hiding at home like a frightened child.
“This letter worries me, Marina.” Caroline’s words shifted Marina’s focus back to her friend. Caroline could barely sit still in her seat, for she fidgeted so much and pulled at the sleeves of her pastel pink gown. “To think someone would hurt you.”
“It could be just an empty threat.” Marina had been thinking a lot about it on her carriage ride. “Despite James’ fear, we must look at it with a reasoned mind. What person who intends to hurt another forewarns them in advance? They do not! It’s common sense not to warn your victim you’re coming, isn’t it?” Her words prompted Caroline to smile a little.
“Yes, I suppose it is.”
“My conclusion is that the letter was sent to scare James. It was addressed to him after all, it spoke of hurting him as the letter writer had been hurt, and it bid him to curtail his business.” Marina nodded, certain of her thoughts. “The letter must have come from someone associated with the gambling hall; that is the only thing that makes sense.”
“What? A rival business, perhaps? Trying to put him out of business?”
“Maybe.” Marina shrugged, uncertain what more to think on this matter. “All I can say is that I am certain the intention was to make James afraid, to urge him to keep me at home. Well, not many things frighten me, and even when they do, I’m not willing to cow down to them.”
She was reminded of Baron Rutherford and to what lengths she’d gone to in order to escape that fear. “Whoever wrote that letter will be sorely disappointed to find me not a fearful lady, determined to hide at home.”
“I pray you are right about the writer of that letter.” Caroline held tightly to her hand. “Where has your husband gone, by the way?”
“Oh, he’s…” Marina looked across the room, searching for James, startled by the warmth that had spread through her when Caroline had called him ‘her husband.’ She had known since they were married that she was attracted to James, but the warmth was a new feeling. It seemed to be growing each day that she learned something more about him, perhaps a secret, such as the one he had revealed to her that evening about his relationship with his brother.
“He’s there.” Caroline found him before Marina could. “It seems he is with his brother.”
Marina swallowed nervously, worried for James as she saw Lord Frampton approach.
