Beyond Rubies (Daughters of Sin Book 4) (12 page)

“A few.”

“Well, tell me about them. Do they send you flowers?”

“I receive about half a dozen bouquets at the end of each show. And notes and letters.”

Araminta tried not to let the admission make her feel any worse. “So you could have any lover you choose, by the sounds of it.” She smiled to herself at the girl’s gasp. So coy. Covertly, she studied her in the dim light of the single candle. She was lovely, she’d have to grant her that, if one liked pale, insipid beauties who pretended they were so innocent, when they were the worst of all with their pretended lack of guile to disguise the fact they were plotting all the while. Araminta had once been regarded as London’s most beautiful debutante, but it had been a few months since she’d received any accolades worth mentioning. She was bored and disgruntled, and talking to this creature was mildly amusing. She therefore decided she’d need to change tack when Miss La Bijou took offense to her words and stood up decisively.

“No, you’re lovely, and I’m jealous. I want to know more,” Araminta said before she could think of something more artful to say.

“Jealous? But you’re married to...”

“A knave, though if that ever gets back to him, I’ll have your hair shorn off because I’ll know it was you.” Araminta laughed to show she’d meant it as a little joke. “No, the fact is, I once regularly received notes and flowers, too. I was going to be married, in fact, to the man of my dreams—Lord Tunbridge—before Debenham forcefully compromised me and ensured I had no choice but to marry him.”

The girl’s gasp of shock jerked Araminta back to the present. She hadn’t meant to be so forthcoming. A combination of brandy and boredom had made her lips a little loose. Still, maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Miss La Bijou really did look a gullible little goose, for she’d taken Araminta’s hand and was stroking it in a most sympathetic manner as she’d reseated herself.

“I had no idea. And of course, no one can ever know. The two of you are bound in marriage. Forever.”

Araminta nodded. “A prisoner. What opportunities for love will I ever have now?” To her surprise, she gave a little sob, which was actually quite real, then slanted her gaze across at the girl’s large-eyed dismay. In those dark, dismal hours near midnight, a tiny sliver of hope had presented itself. Perhaps Miss La Bijou really could help Araminta achieve what she so desired. Desires that were so simple, really, and no more than any woman aspired to...to bask in the embrace of the man she loved, while not jeopardizing her place in society.

Ever since their encounter at the theater, she’d been dreaming about darling Teddy, thrilling at her memory of the horror in his eyes when she’d told him of the responsibility he bore in her terrible plight.

Dreaming of how pleasant it would be to be adored and revered by a man over whom she exercised complete power. Teddy had been so angry with her when he’d first confronted her the other night in Debenham’s box, but that was only an indication of how much he loved her. Once he’d heard the true story from Araminta’s lips, he’d quickly changed his tune.

She returned the pressure of Miss La Bijou’s hand. “Have you ever met Lord Tunbridge?” she asked.

A
n hour later, in front of a banked-up fire and feeling far more comfortable than she had with Araminta, Kitty stretched her legs out and smiled tearily at Lord Silverton.

“You’ve been awfully good to me, rescuing me, and then offering me a bed for the night. I really would have been sleeping amid the vermin on Mrs. Mobbs’s floor.”

“I’m sure you have more options than you imagine, Kitty, if you think about it. And that’s what we must do. Hit upon what to do with you, eh?”

“You really want to spend your time helping me when I’m completely responsible for my own disaster? I don’t know anyone else who would.” It was true. Her father had probably disowned her already; she had no intention of slinking back home to Mama, in any case, and she still had no address for Lissa. “I’m not going back to Nash yet. I can’t. I need to make him realize how terribly he’s betrayed me.”

“Will you forgive him?”

Kitty nibbled the top of her brandy glass and stared into the fire. Quietly, she said, “He is my destiny. I’m sure of it. Everything the fortune-teller told me—”

Silverton chuckled. “Coincidence and smoke and mirrors, Kitty. A gypsy who’s never laid eyes on you before cannot accurately foretell your future. You believed only what you wanted to believe. And yes, Nash may be your destiny, but he is a philanderer, albeit a charming one who is,
perhaps
, madly in love with you. But that aside, he won’t stay true, and he won’t marry you.”

Kitty put down her glass and sent Silverton a beseeching look. “He may and he may not. He wants me to forgive him, but you caution me against taking him back.”

“Only to spare your poor heart. You
will
find happiness, but I don’t believe it will be with him.”

“Then what should I do?”

He stood up, crossed the room to sit down on the arm of her chair and stroked her hair. “I’ve told you what I think, but only you can make the final decision on how you act. Nor do I think that is a question that can be decided until you’ve had a refreshing long sleep, which you will need if you are to remember your lines for tomorrow. Now, come with me and I will personally show you to a chamber where the bed is made up, and you will be undisturbed until noon if you so wish.”

Kitty took the hand he offered and, like a child, allowed herself to be led to bed. Lord Silverton even returned, as he’d promised, with a night-shift and some tooth powder, courtesy of another female guest he’d once had staying with him, he told her.

Kitty was too tired to wonder about Lord Silverton’s female associations. She was soon fast asleep, dreaming about the ghastly scene she’d witnessed between Nash and Jennie before the whole was neatly wrapped up in a cloud of blue smoke, and she lost consciousness.

***

I
n the morning, she felt a little better, though still subdued. Soon she’d have to leave for the theater, but now Lord Silverton was pouring her coffee and advising her not to go rushing off to make up to Lord Nash “as you are right, he needs to be taught a lesson.”

“I had no intention of going back to him, just yet,” she bridled. “I was going to ask Mrs. Mobbs for my old room back.”

“Amid the vermin? You’re welcome to be my houseguest for a few days.” He raised an eyebrow. “Make him jealous, if you like.”

She hadn’t thought of that, but now she smiled her first real smile. “How could I resist your kind offer? It answers everything.”

A tumult of mixed feelings beset Kitty after the following evening’s performance when Nash arrived with six dozen red roses, an artfully delivered apology, and a tantalizing little velvet box, which he opened to reveal a ruby and diamond bracelet nestled on a bed of black velvet. There was some consolation to be had by the fact he raised the lid when they were still in public, by Kitty’s dressing table, and Jennie happened to be passing by. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the flare of feeling in the girl’s eye and, briefly, Kitty exulted in her triumph. But despite the offer of such riches, she was not going to give in so easily. If he could do it once, he could do it again, as Lord Silverton had warned. She had to accept that. No, she could not let Nash assume she’d be so easily mollified each time he strayed.

Dressing herself the day after, in the comfortably furnished spare bedchamber Lord Silverton had offered her, she sadly acknowledged the truth of her host’s prophecy, yet in the very next breath, while twisting her hair into a fetching cluster of curls, she qualified the unpalatable truth with the fact that he’d only strayed once. Surely, there was every chance he might have an epiphany and decide to make her his wife?

By the time she’d threaded a ribbon through her curls, Kitty had decided she would take him back. Despite what Silverton said, he
was
her destiny. Perhaps she’d been just a green girl wanting to believe everything the gypsy woman had foretold, but Kitty didn’t have much else to cling to. As a child growing up, she’d believed in destiny; as an adult, it was becoming clear there was sometimes a rocky road to navigate to achieve it. Yes, she would take him back.

Though not yet. The dewy-eyed look she caught sight of in the mirror reminded her that she’d always been susceptible to a soft heart. Lord Nash needed to suffer. He needed to know there were consequences to betraying her, and that jewels and roses and pleading words were not always going to gain him forgiveness.

As usual, Kitty slept in past noon, dressed, and appeared languidly at breakfast. She was dismayed to be greeted by Lord Silverton laughing at her. He’d just finished, and appeared to be about to leave.

“You really do need a maid to ensure you are respectable when you venture out in public,” he said, pointing to the mismatched buttons that fastened the front of her dress.

“A maid is a luxury I can’t afford, although Nash promised me I’d have one to attend to me and one to attend to the house.” Kitty sighed as she sat down. “He’s been at the theater every evening for the past five days, on his knees. Begging.”

“But you’re not ready to forgive him?” Lord Silverton’s tone was conversational, but he was at her side now, leaning to help her with the fastening, and Kitty was acutely aware of the faint whisper of his breath upon her cheek and the feel of his fingers deftly correcting her morning’s oversight.

Her heart rate sped up and she swallowed. “I have nowhere else to go.” She was glad when he’d returned to his chair, enabling her temperature to return to normal. She slumped over her hot chocolate. “Of course, I love him,” she added hastily. “And of course, I must yield soon otherwise he’ll slip through my fingers.” She tried to smile. “You’ve been so kind, my Lord.” It was true. She’d enjoyed their evenings playing cribbage in front of the fire and chatting about all sorts of silly things more than she cared to say. “Besides, what would your prospective bride have to say about you having a female under your roof?”

“Well, the servants have put it about that you’re my father’s ward, and we grew up together.”

“Imaginative,” Kitty agreed.

“As for my prospective wife, well, she’s found herself another prospective groom. Miss Bunting would not care, either way.”

“Do you love her very much?”

“I thought it was love at first sight when our eyes met across a crowded ballroom at the beginning of the season. I was mighty put out to learn that she’d been contemplating several offers and that she didn’t choose me after all.”

Kitty suspected his forced irony covered up a broken heart. She reached across the table and patted his hand. “Well, she’s not married yet. She could change her mind.”

“She could.”

“And then you’d have your wife, and you’d live happily ever after.” She sighed again. “That’s what I want. To live happily ever after.” Glancing about the room to ensure no servants were listening, she confided, “My parents were not married, though they’ve always lived together. Well, I should say that Papa prefers to live with us, but—”

“He has another family?” This time, Lord Silverton was the one bestowing the sympathy.

Kitty nodded sadly. “And an estate to manage, though his nephew helps him now.”

“An estate, eh?”

Kitty wasn’t surprised that he sounded skeptical. She speared a piece of delicious-looking bacon and put it on her plate. “He left my mother at the altar to marry the suitable bride chosen for him by his parents, and regretted it ever since. It’s why I set such store by following what I feel here.” She tapped her heart.

“Very romantic, Miss La Bijou, but I believe it is wisest to follow one’s head, if there is indeed a competition.” He looked at her over the top of his cup. “That’s why I’m so disappointed I failed to secure Miss Bunting as a bride. She had the credentials to please my family; the grace, breeding and sensibility required to become my hostess, and I liked her very much.”

Kitty gave a relieved little laugh. “Well, if you only liked her very much, then your heart is not broken, and I am glad for it, Lord Silverton.” She clasped her breast and said earnestly, “A broken heart is not to be recommended at all.”

“My poor Kitty. You’ve done a fine job of being entertaining for my benefit, in that case. Tell me, what does your family think of you gallivanting down to London to take the stage?”

“Well, my half-sisters are in London. They move in society circles. And my sister—who, like me, was born out of wedlock—is a governess.”

“Good lord! You really are the tearaway of the family. If I’d known your story earlier, I’d have taken you back to your father myself. Why Kitty, you chose a very bold and dangerous path for a young lady brought up—”

“Respectably. Yes, but destined for what?” she asked, dejectedly. “The truth is that the stain on my birth makes it all but impossible for me to contract a decent match. I watch my half-sisters find ideal husbands, and I feel resentment. To tell you the truth, my father’s position made me believe I might have a chance enticing Lord Nash to marry me if I could make him love me enough. I’m not sure about anything now.” She sighed again. “Except that I will go back to him.”

“You
will
?” She was surprised at the energy in his tone. “Why? You don’t sound passionately committed.”

“He’s my destiny. This is a test.” Kitty stared resolutely at him. “He’ll change. Yes, I’m sure of it. I’ll return to him in a few days, and then I’ll move into the little house he’s leased. Then I’ll find my friend, Dorcas, who I met in London when we were both staying with Mrs. Mobbs, and I’ll ask her to be my lady’s maid. It’ll be like the dreams we both talked about that night will have come true.”

“Poor Kitty.” Lord Silverton clicked his tongue. “I’m not used to having conversations like this with young ladies who’ve just disclosed their links to  fashionable society. I may know your father. He could be after me with a pistol if he saw me alone with you.”

“He never comes to London.”

“Cheer up, Kitty; you have a day off from the theater. What are you going to do? Plot and plan or shall I take you somewhere?”