An Heiress at Heart (24 page)

She met Martha’s eyes in the mirror. “I’m afraid, Martha. Afraid of disappointing everyone.”

“Why, bless me. I never know’d my Ria to be afraid of anything.”

“Never?”

“Just look at all the things you’ve done. Didn’t you go all the way to the other side of the world,
and
bring yourself back again? Not many women have that kind of courage.”

All the way to the other side of the world. And back again. What good had she gained from either journey? She’d tried to leave her old life behind, only to be brought face-to-face with it again. There was no distance large enough to separate her from her lies.

This led her to the terrible realization of what she must do. She must confess everything. Until she did, she would live in terror of Freddie and in agony over what she had done.

But first, she would get to Rosewood and find the letters that proved who she really was. Thus armed, she would go directly to Lady Thornborough, tell her about the plan she and Ria had devised, and throw herself on the old woman’s mercy. She would make sure that Lady Thornborough knew, first and foremost, that Lizzie was her granddaughter. Lizzie clung to the hope that this would give her something to stand on, even after Lady Thornborough discovered she was also Freddie’s castoff paramour. Freddie may have changed her plans, but Lizzie would do all she could to ensure that he would never again have the upper hand. Lizzie would reveal herself on her own terms.

Geoffrey would hate her for what she had done, but he would not be able to deny that she had done the right thing by becoming utterly truthful. If she could gain even the smallest measure of his respect for that, she would gladly face whatever else should come.

                                                          
Chapter 23

A
unt, you are giving a dinner party next week, are you not?” James looked over the sandwiches on the tea tray while he awaited Lady Thornborough’s answer.

“I am. And you cannot back out this time. I promised Lady Shaw you would be there.”

James turned his eyes heavenward and said, “Please do not tell me that she will have her daughter in tow.”

“For some reason I cannot fathom, Miss Shaw has taken a fancy to you. Even more wondrously, her parents do not object.”

James sighed theatrically. “Miss Shaw is unforgivably bland and dull and—”

“
And
she has a very large dowry,” Lady Thornborough interrupted. “She has good breeding and all the right connections. You must start thinking seriously of settling down, James. You cannot live your whole life between here and the club.”

James did his best to look contrite. “Very well, Aunt. I shall do my utmost to entertain Miss Shaw. I merely
meant to enquire whether you might invite Mr. Freddie Hightower to the dinner.”

Lizzie’s teacup paused halfway to her lips. Her mood was dark, despite the sunlight pouring through the parlor windows. The course of action she’d decided on last night seemed utterly impossible today. Here was the first proof of it. She had planned to avoid Freddie as much as she could—but he would push just as hard to get into her presence.

“Why would I invite Mr. Hightower?” Lady Thornborough asked.

“Because he wants to know Ria better.”

“Me?” Lizzie did her best to act surprised.

“He has taken an enormous interest in you. In fact, after you left last night, he questioned me about you in such detail that—forgive me, dear cousin—I grew deadly bored with the subject.”

Lady Thornborough’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, he questioned you
in detail
?”

James shrugged. “He wanted to know the precise date Ria and Edward eloped and how long she’s been away.” His eyes shone with merriment. “He even asked if I was certain you had really been to Australia!”

“Indeed?” Lizzie did her best to look as though she was as amused as James. “And how did you respond?”

“I told him you declared yourself to have been in Australia, and we have every reason to believe you.” He dropped another sugar cube into his tea. “However, I did ask myself why he should concern himself so closely with your history. There is only one answer, of course.”

“And what, pray tell, would that be?” Lady Thornborough asked.

“Why, he plans to court Ria, of course.”

Lizzie set down her cup with shaking hands.
Courting
was far too polite a term for what Freddie planned to do.
Courting
was something Geoffrey might do, she thought, as he had in that extraordinary moment when he had kissed her hand. What woman could resist such a powerful combination of ardor and respect? Lizzie had no doubts that Freddie had something quite different in mind. Freddie was going to court her the way a cat courts a mouse.

She had no need to voice an objection, however. Lady Thornborough was already doing it. “Mr. Hightower is a dissolute young man, even if he is a widower. How can you think Ria would return his interest?”

“I believe he has changed,” James said. “He wants to put some of the more unsavory things of his past behind him. He told me he is ready to settle down, and he needs a good wife.”

“I would not be a good wife for him,” Lizzie said flatly. Her words drew a quizzical look from James.

“The greater question,” Lady Thornborough said crisply, “is whether
he
would be a proper husband for Ria.”

“You mean, does he meet the stated criteria? Let’s see…” James lifted up a hand to tick off points on his fingers. “He has good breeding, he’s well connected,
and
he’s rich.” He grinned as he repeated his aunt’s words back to her.

But Lady Thornborough was not about to be cornered by her own argument. “James, even
you
cannot honestly be so flippant about a man who has been accused of murdering his own wife.”

“He was never officially charged with anything,” James pointed out. “It was only gossip and speculation, and you know how vicious the rumor mill can be. He has proven his innocence to the authorities. Shouldn’t we therefore give him the benefit of the doubt?”

James spoke earnestly, and his argument seemed to be having an effect. A tiny hint of uncertainty flickered in Lady Thornborough’s face. Lizzie wished James was not quite so adept at winning over his aunt.

Lady Thornborough rose from her chair. “Very well, I will invite him to dinner.”

James hastily stood up also. “Thank you, Aunt.”

Lady Thornborough paused at the door. “But I will be keeping a close eye on him. And you. See that you give Miss Shaw the attention she deserves.”

Lady Thornborough swept from the room, and James smiled at Lizzie as he dropped back into his chair. “With you and Freddie for company, I shall at least manage to survive the dinner, even if I do have to entertain Miss Shaw.”

Lizzie stirred more sugar into her tea, primarily to give herself something to do and cover her agitation. Freddie had taken advantage of James’s good nature and had used it to gain his own ends. “If you think Mr. Hightower is such a good match for me, I need to know more about him. How long have you known him?”

James looked at her in surprise. “We met years ago, at school. Surely you remember me talking about him?”

Lizzie and Ria had discussed Freddie, of course, but the name had meant nothing to Ria. Lizzie raised a hand in a gesture of pretended exasperation. “Really, James,
you have so many acquaintances. How can I be expected to keep track of them all?”

James laughed in amusement. “I cannot be faulted for having too many friends. Therefore, I blame this lapse on your flighty memory.”

“Geoffrey told me Mr. Hightower spent time in Europe before his marriage, and that he took a woman with him.”

“The effrontery,” James said with mock severity. “I’m sure the Reverend Lord Somerville did not approve of that.”

“No one did,” Lizzie replied. On that point, she was dead certain.

To her surprise, James nodded in agreement. “To be honest, I felt that taking the woman to Europe was a terrible lapse in judgment, and I told him so at the time. But he could not be dissuaded. He told me he was
in love
.” James put a hand over his heart to emphasize the words.

“Did he?” Lizzie was astonished. “Do you think he truly was in love?”

“I have no doubt that he fancied himself so. However, he returned to England in the end.”

When his mother informed him she would cut him off unless he married Helena and her millions,
Lizzie thought darkly.

James looked at her quizzically. “Are you upset about something?”

Lizzie realized too late that she had been letting her anger show. She scrunched her face, as she had often seen Ria do when perturbed. If Freddie thought he was the only one skilled at deception, he was very wrong. “I’ve been thinking that Mr. Hightower seems rather too
fond of dancing. I do hope there will not be dancing at Grandmamma’s party. I always trip, and then how shall I make a good impression?”

James laughed. “Do not be uneasy about that, cousin. You already have.”

*

Miss Lucinda Cardington was blushing. Her face was such a bright beet red that Geoffrey was beginning to fear for her health.

Their discussion of his work with the Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes touched upon nothing that should have brought on such a strong reaction. Had it been his mention of working with Prince Albert? Some people were so taken with the importance of royalty that the thought of personal interaction with a prince could send them into raptures. But Geoffrey thought Miss Cardington was unlikely to indulge in such silliness.

Her flush could not have been caused by overexertion. As they strolled in Hyde Park, they moved slowly so that Lord and Lady Cardington, who were walking a discreet distance behind, could keep them in sight. The elder Cardingtons were short and portly, and seemed unaccustomed to long walks.

Fortunately, Miss Cardington had not taken after her parents. She was reasonably tall and very slender. Perhaps too slender. Her hand felt sharp and bony as she gripped his arm. Geoffrey’s thoughts went irresistibly to a comparison of how soft and pleasing Ria’s touch had been as they had walked together along that same path. Also, Miss Cardington’s clean scent with a hint of
lavender did not seem to excite him as much as the scent of roses…

“Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Somerville?”

He started. Memories of Ria had so filled his mind that he had not been listening to Miss Cardington. Her voice tended to be meek, not really commanding attention. Even so, it was rude of him to allow his thoughts to wander. He gave her an apologetic smile. “I beg your pardon?”

She lifted her free hand and indicated the Crystal Palace. “You were staring at it so fixedly. I was saying that England’s status as a world leader is certainly proven by the quality of items on display there. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Her thin face was peering up at him now, her eyes a muddy mixture of hazel and brown. So different from Ria’s. He could not forget how Ria’s violet-blue eyes had sparkled in the light of the chandeliers, how they had danced when she laughed, how they had grown misty when she was pensive. Endlessly intriguing.

He had not seen Ria since the night of the Beauchamps’ ball. He’d been constrained by the duties of several parliamentary committees and by the opening of the new housing project. And in truth, he’d been worried by what had passed between them during the carriage ride home. Their attraction had been powerful and undeniable, but he had bared far too much of his heart to her. He could not allow it to happen again. She was his sister-in-law. Edward’s widow. Geoffrey told himself that keeping his distance for a time would be a good thing. He needed to clear his head.

Forcing his mind back to Miss Cardington, he said, “Yes, England should be very proud of the Exhibition.”

“I find your work extremely interesting,” she remarked as they resumed walking. “How rewarding it must be to provide housing for honest and hardworking people. The investors get a solid return on their investment, and so it is a good situation for all parties.”

This was not the first time Miss Cardington had shown a knowledge of the Society’s work. Geoffrey was grateful for this, since it at least gave them something to talk about. “I see you take a genuine interest in it.”

“Oh, yes. I believe it is important for those of us who have been blessed with abundance to reach out and help those who are less fortunate.”

“That is true,” Geoffrey agreed. “It would be a better world if more people felt—and acted—as you do.”

“Thank you, Lord Somerville. I take that as a great compliment.”

She blushed again, and Geoffrey finally had to accept that he was the cause of it. He had known for weeks that the Cardingtons hoped to marry her to him. Lady Cardington, in particular, had been none too subtle about it. The charity ball she had organized was a blatant attempt to win him over, but at least it allowed him to raise money for a good cause.

During the time he had spent with Miss Cardington, he noted how shy and awkward she was at social events. More than once she had spilled something on herself—or someone else. Fortunately, she was more relaxed when she was not in a group setting. She was also fairly young. God willing, her awkwardness would lessen with time.