Duke of a Gilded Age (13 page)

Mrs. Lombardi took Wesley’s face in her hands. “We’re going to miss you and your mama,” she said. “You’re
buono gente
, eh?” She let go, giving his cheek a final slap.

“
Grazie
, Mrs. Lombardi,” Wesley said. “You and Mr. Lombardi are good people too.”

Officer Hannigan, who was wearing his street clothes, gave Wesley a playful cuff on the jaw. “Stay out of trouble lad, you hear?”

“I’ll do my best, Officer. Thanks for all those occasions you could’ve arrested me but took me home instead.”

The policeman waved away Wesley’s thanks. “Your father always had a kind word for me, Wesley. Maybe it was my way of returning the favor.”

“When I realized I had a future duke living in my apartment building all this while, I could
die!”
Mrs. Thackeray said. “I’m so proud of you, Wesley.”

Sergio pressed a Saint Christopher’s medal into his hand. “
Per viaggiare in sicurezza
,” he said. “For safe travel.”

The medal was hung on a ribbon, to be worn around the neck. Wesley slipped it over his head and patted it as it rested on his chest. “
Grazie, amico mio
.”

He suddenly found tears stinging the backs of his eyelids.

“Thank you for coming, all of you,” he said. “It really means a lot to me.”

Belle and Louise made their way to the promenade deck. Passengers and their guests crowded the walking track, situated underneath a series of girders supporting the large lifeboats. On the other side of a brass railing, next to the deck cabins, were lounge chairs reserved for the first class passengers.

“My brother is here somewhere…or more likely in the bar having a drink,” Louise said. “He graduated from Harvard with honors, so Papa decided to send him on a European tour as a reward. At the last minute, Mama and I decided to go too. Poor Mama is miffed because some crusty old duke got the last two deck cabins. Even though we’re still in first class, Stephen and I had to go a bit lower.”

Belle winced. “As it so happens, I’m traveling with a duke. The Duke of Mansbury is neither crusty nor old, but he and his mother may indeed have booked the last two deck cabins. I hope you won’t hold it against him for long.”

“Is he young and handsome? My mother would like nothing better than for me to marry royalty.”

“Well, I—”

“Are
you
royalty? Oh, tell me that you are! With your manners and looks you absolutely
must
be royalty. Mama will love it that we’ve made friends.”

Louise’s pretty face was almost childlike in its earnestness, and Belle found she wished to please her.

“My grandfather on my mother’s side is a baronet as a matter of fact.”

It was completely outlandish for Belle to pretend an intimate acquaintance with her grandfather, who was no more a baronet than he was a giraffe. In addition, baronets were only slightly above the knighthood in terms of rank, and considered commoners as compared to the peerage.
Louise won’t know the difference. Americans are hopelessly ignorant about titles anyway
, she reasoned.
It’s a harmless deception, after all, only meant to last for the duration of the voyage. When we land in Liverpool, Louise and I will part company, and she’ll forget everything I’ve told her.

“I knew it!” Louise exclaimed. “Should I address you as Lady or something like that?”

“No, but I’m engaged to a knight. When I’m married, I’ll be Lady Blankenship. Presently, I’m just Miss Annabelle Oakhurst.”

“You’re engaged, then? You must tell me all about him.”

“Certainly, but there’s plenty of time. Shall we find my friend, the duke?”

“Oh yes, please!”

Belle forged a path through the throngs. She finally found Wesley and Lady Frederic, but they were talking and laughing with a small crowd of people who had evidently come to see them off.

“I think we should wait a bit to go over,” Belle said. “They’re visiting with friends at the moment.”

Louise gave a little squeak when she spotted Wesley. “Is
that
the duke…the one in the top hat? My heavens, I’m smitten already!”

A handsome young man came up behind Louise just then, wearing a blue blazer with brass buttons, a striped shirt with a bow tie, and a jaunty straw boater. Unlike the fashion of the day, he was clean-shaven. The lack of mustache and whiskers drew attention to his high cheekbones and rugged jaw.

“Sister, you have that scheming look about you,” he said. “Should I be worried?”

Louise wheeled around, curls flying. “Stephen! Did Mama send you to follow me?”

“Somebody has to make sure you stay on the straight and narrow.” Stephen gave Belle a slow, lazy smile and a wink. “If I’m not around, I’m afraid the task will fall to you, Miss…”

“Oakwood,” Louise supplied.

“Oak
hurst
,” Belle said.

“Yes, that’s right,” Louise said. “Annabelle, this is my brother Mr. Van Eyck. Stephen, this is my new friend, Miss Oakhurst.”

“Delighted to make your acquaintance,” Stephen said with a little bow.

Belle curtsied. “Thank you. Your sister and I met in the elevator of the Fifth Avenue Hotel the other day.”

“Really? Between the two of us, Louise has always had the better luck.”

Stephen’s straight blond hair shone in the sunshine like a halo, giving him the appearance of an angel. But the gleam in his eye was anything but seraphic. Heat rushed to Belle’s face.

“Annabelle is engaged to a knight, Stephen,” Louise said.

“Engaged?” Stephen’s mouth turned down in a charming pout. “My heart is broken.”

“And her grandfather is a baronet,” Louise added, to Belle’s dismay.

“How very royal,” Stephen said. “Have you been presented at court, Miss Oakhurst?”

“Er…yes, my grandfather sponsored me this past season.”
Oh, Belle, stop lying!

The sudden noise of a clanging bell made her flinch. Stewards could be heard calling out, “All ashore who are going ashore!”

“We’re about to shove off,” Stephen said. “This is rather exciting.”

As Wesley’s guests filed past on their way off the ship, Belle caught Wesley’s eye and waved.

“Louise, are you ready to meet my friend now?” she asked.

“Yes, please. Stephen, you’re about to meet a duke, so behave.”

“I will if he does,” Stephen said.

Wesley hastened over with a broad smile. “Did you see that, Miss Oakhurst? My friends came all the way from Brooklyn to say good-bye. I didn’t think they would.”

“That was very kind of them, Your Grace,” Belle said. She noticed the medal glinting around his neck. “Is that a Saint Christopher’s medal? I didn’t realize you were Catholic.”

“I’m not, but I suppose a good luck medal can’t hurt, can it?”

Belle giggled. “I suppose not. Allow me to introduce two new acquaintances of mine, Miss Louise Van Eyck and her brother Mr. Stephen Van Eyck. Miss Van Eyck and Mr. Van Eyck, I present the Duke of Mansbury.”

Wesley bowed to Louise and stuck out his hand to Stephen. “Let’s not bother with my title, shall we? The name is Wesley Parker. I’m pleased to meet you both.”

Stephen had a mild look of surprise on his face as he shook Wesley’s hand. “You’re American.”

“Born and bred. The title is newly inherited and I’m not used to it. Miss Oakhurst has been very helpful in acclimating me.”

Stephen turned his blue eyes in Belle’s direction. “Is that so? Since I’m to rub elbows with the Brits, perhaps you can advise me how best to fit in.”

“I’d be delighted,” Belle said.

Wesley’s smile slipped slightly as he peered at Stephen.

“Say, would anyone like some champagne?” he asked, somewhat abruptly. “I’ve an open bottle in my sitting room that I can’t possibly finish by myself.”

“I
adore
champagne,” Louise said.

As they headed into Wesley’s deck cabin, Wesley maneuvered himself between Belle and Stephen.

“Who do you like for the World’s Championship Series, Mr. Van Eyck?” he asked.

“Call me Stephen. I’m from Philly, but I admit the Bridegrooms are the team to beat, no question.”

Wesley and Stephen fell into an animated conversation about baseball and sports while Cavendish poured out champagne and handed around the glasses. Louise cleared her throat. “I propose a toast. To new friends,” she said.

“To new friends,” Wesley, Belle, and Stephen echoed.

The steward, Mr. Finnegan, appeared in the open doorway with a stack of papers in the crook of his arm. “Excuse me if I’m interrupting, but I have the passenger list.” Mr. Finnegan handed one to each person in the room, including Cavendish.

“Hot off the press, it seems,” Louise said, reacting to the warmth of the paper.

“Yes, we have our own print shop on board. The ship’s newspaper is called the
City of New York Gazette
. If you have any bits of news or gossip, please let your steward or stewardess know.” Mr. Finnegan headed for the door. “Oh, and we’re weighing anchor in fifteen minutes.”

As the steward left, Stephen and Louise poured over the passenger lists with avid interest. Louise bit her lip. “I wish I knew who all these people are.”

“That’s part of the fun, not knowing right off,” Belle said. “It’s like a treasure hunt.”

“The deck chairs are marked with names, so that makes it easier,” Stephen said.

“They’ve been marked? How perceptive of you to notice that, Stephen,” Louise said.

Stephen’s deep masculine laugh filled the cabin. “Don’t act so astonished.”

Mrs. Van Eyck peeked through the open doorway with a passenger list clutched in her hand. “Louise and Stephen, what are you two doing in here? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Fortunately, I heard your voices just now.”

Uninvited, the woman swept inside the sitting room. Wesley got to his feet, but she ignored him and rounded on Cavendish instead. “I must say, Duke, it was horribly rude of you to take two entire deck cabins and discommode my children.”

Cavendish gave her a gracious smile as he bowed. “Madam, your charm is exceeded only by your beauty. We’re mortified if we’ve caused you any inconvenience whatsoever.”

A blush crept over Mrs. Van Eyck’s cheekbones, and she seemed unable to speak.

Louise giggled. “Mama,
this
is the Duke of Mansbury. Wesley, this is my mother, Mrs. Van Eyck.”

Wesley bowed. “It’s an honor.”

Mrs. Van Eyck stared at Wesley and then at Cavendish. “If
he’s
the Duke of Mansbury, then who are you?”

“Bartholomew Xavier Cavendish, at your service.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Van Eyck said, nonplussed. “Well…come along, children. We must wave good-bye to New York as we set sail.”

Stephen and Louise stood and followed their mother from the cabin.

“We’ll talk later,” Louise called over her shoulder.

Belle and Wesley exchanged an amused glance with Cavendish.

“You handled that well, Cavendish,” Wesley said.

“Thank you, sir.”

Belle rose from her chair. “Shall we also wave good-bye to New York?”

“Yes, let’s,” Wesley replied. “It seems the sensible thing to do.”

Chapter Nine

Knocked Flat

W
ESLEY
A
ND
B
ELLE
J
OINED
L
ADY
F
REDERIC
, Mr. Oakhurst, and their fellow passengers at the dockside railing as the
City of New York
weighed anchor and slipped from its berth in the North River. Wesley and Lady Frederic waved at their friends and neighbors who were cheering from the pier. Although Belle and her father knew no one in the crowd, they waved too for the sheer pleasure of it. After the huge ocean liner sailed down the river, into Upper Bay and past Liberty Island, the passengers on deck began to disperse.