Price of Desire (12 page)

“Matson, actually
–
” Rose tried to interject.

“Doesn’t really matter, my point is that although one must retain a cordial relationship with the staff, particularly those of long duration and trusted position, it is most important
– a
re you listening, Minerva
?
I’ve seen you make the same error.
”
Lady Smythe-Burke turned to address Lady Minerva Moreland, Countess of Clarington,
the
only other guest brave enough to sit
near her
.

Lady Clarington, looked up with heavy eyes
.
She fluttered a scarf over her ample bosom
.
“Oh, I am sorry
.
I fear my mind must have drifted
.
No reflection on you, I fear I am always distracted after a carriage ride
.
Leaves one most exhausted, doesn’t it
?
I may just retire early, even before the gentlemen join us
.
I know if my husband has any say they can spend hours with their cigars
.
He’d much rather discuss horses and hounds than partake of any civilized conversation
.
He doesn’t understand a woman’s desire for interesting discussion
.
He never takes any interest in my correspondence
– and you know how hard I work
at it
.
And, i
f I try to discuss important matters like bonnets and floral arrangements he coughs and says he
’s
due at his club.
”

“Oh, Minerva, I don’t know that that’s true
.
He’s no worse than any of them
.
Now, back to butlers and housekeepers
.
As
I was saying
,
if a lady wants to maintain decorum in her home
,
she should never encourage any familiarity
in her servants.
”
Lady Smythe-Burke stared at Rose, brow raised, as if daring her to object
.
“She should never inquire after health or well-being unless it directly relates to the running of the house
.
Of course
,
any malady which would effect how things run must be dealt with promptly
.
A
footman with a sore tooth should merely be discouraged from moaning
;
however
,
if his cheek is swollen and unsightly then he had best be kept below stairs.”

How much longer could the woman talk
?
She’d been the greatest help in choosing guests and making arrangements, but Rose hadn’t realized there’d be such a price to pay
.
The whole point of this venture was to become acquainted with the gentlem
e
n, not to learn how better
to
order in her home
.
She was very satisfied with the way things ran
.
If she wanted to make a poultice for her footman’s tooth, then she would
.
No matter what Lady Smyth-Burke said
–
to do ot
herwise was foolish
.
H
ow could you expect
good service from a man in pain
?
Not to mention the basic ten
e
ts of Christian charity
.
Rose couldn’t imagine leaving anybody to suffer if the pain could be helped.

The stir of deep voices from the hallway drew her back into the moment
.
Lady Clarington shifted on the couch, drawing attention to her low neckline
.
As the door opened and the gentleman entered, a wide smile lit her face
.

“Oh
,
there you are
!
  I was just thinking of going up
.
These country evenings can be so slow
.
I am always looking for entertainment.
”
Her eyes skipped over her husband
,
and unmistakably devoured Wulf, pausing for a long moment on his hips before moving up to settle on his lips
.
Irritation curled in Rose’s chest
.
It was so unseemly.

Clarington strutted over to stand before his wife, puffing his chest out like a guinea hen
.
“Minerva, my dear, you know we gentlemen need time to discuss the important details of life
.
We wouldn’t want to bother your lovely heads
.
Wear you right out, it would
.
M
ajor
Huntington, here, was just explaining why Napoleon would stay put this time
.
Not at all
a subject
for feminine conversation
.”

“Oh,
I wouldn’t be too certain of that, my dear
.
I am sure whatever M
ajor
Huntington has to share
with the ladies would be
just fascinating
.
You know I’ve always been interested in soldiers.
”

“I am af
rai
d your husband is right, my lady
.
T
he destruction left in the wake of battle
is
not at all the fodder for a delicate mind.
”
Wulf addressed Lady Clarington, but his gaze focused on Rose
.
She
sought to ignore
the warmth she felt rise within her; the room was overheated.

“I must beg to disagree,” Rose stated
.
“M
ajor
Huntington, how is a lady to understand the world if she is sheltered from its rougher side
?
”

“Why would a lady want to understand the world when she could put her time to
so much better
use selecting bonnets?”

Rose was about to bite out some suitable setdown, but Lady Clarington responded first.

“I daresay you are right
.
It is the responsibility of ladies to provide a restful haven from the harsh realities of the world
.
We must constantly seek to provide distraction from unpleasantness
.
Don’t you agree, M
ajor
Huntington?”

“Why
,
yes, I would say you have just aptly described the true function of a lady in our society.”

Lady Clarington sparkled up at him, unaware of the undercurrent of his words
.
Rose was not so oblivious
.
She felt his sting.

“I am afraid I must beg to disagree again,” Rose said
.
“While it is true that motherhood and ladylike accomplishments may somewhat soften the appearance of feminine strength
, i
t would be a dull man indeed, who misjudged our power.”

“Oh
,
Rose, you go too far.
”
For the first time Marguerite spoke up from her seat in the corner
.
“I don’t think women should be described as powerful
.
I know I wouldn’t care to be.”

Rose resisted the urge to call her sister a twit
.
Earlier
, she
had
called into doubt the suitability of the feminine mind
,
and now this
!
 
Rose
had to remember that Marguerite was fresh from the schoolroom
,
and had spent her
whole
life being squelched by her mother
.
It might be years before
she understood her own potential
.

“I think women can be very powerful
.
My late husband, Burberry, actually believed the feminine mind could be more cunning than a man’s
.
He believed that what women lacked in physical strength they could make up by planning
.
He was always citing examples.”

Lady Smythe-Burke looked over with interest
.
“Oh, do go on, my dear.”

“Well
,
look at our own Queen Elizabeth, or Cleopatra
.
Burberry used to tell the most wonderful stories of Helen of Troy.
”

“Fiction, surely,” Wulf mocked.

“According to most, yes, but Burberry was never so sure
.
He used to read from an account that had Helen the mastermind of the whole affair
.
He would read to our daughter for hours
,
as if he believed her baby mind would be expanded by his tales.
”
She smiled to herself at the memory, but then caught herself as she watched Wulf pale at her words
.

Mitter
,
who had slipped into the room to stand behind Wulf
,
started as if he, too, were in on her secrets
.
Rose was surprised to see him
.
He must need to consult with Wulf on some
bibliophilic question
.

Wulf, shaking off the effect of her words, bent down and whispered something in Mitter’s ear before turning back to Rose
.
Mitter looked
reluctant
, but eased back into the hall.

Wulf turned to Rose with studied ease, his tone sharp
.
“Helen, the mastermind of a war
?
I
couldn’t imagine
it
.
I must admit that I do believe a lady’s mind can be . . . cunning, that
was
your word, wasn’t it
?
Even devious at times, I daresay
.
Ladies will go to great lengths to get what they want
.
Don’t you agree, Lady Burberry?”

She felt like a swimmer being swept out to sea
in the undercurrent of his words
.
She fought the urge to fire back,
and
instead clenched her fist, but answered coolly, “Devious, M
ajor
Huntington
?
Don’t you consider that a little harsh?”

Lady Clarington giggled
.
“Yes, can you see anybody describing me as devious?
”
She fluttered the lace of her handkerchief over her neckline, her eyes never leaving Wulf
.
“I am sure any man would understand instantly what I want
.
I can’t imagine myself keeping secrets.”

“No, Lady Clarington, you are a master at making yourself very clear.
”
Wulf’s glance moved from Rose, to Lady Clarington, to her husband, the Earl of Clarington, who stood next to Marguerite
.
“No, you may even make yourself too clear
.
B
eing more devious might suit you better.”

“I am afraid I just don’t understand at all
.
It just goes to show that the masculine mind is too sharp for me after all.
”
She fluttered her lashes a
t
Wulf
.
Her husband, oblivious to the whole interplay, turned to Marguerite and addressed a low question to her
.
She flushed and stammered a reply, uncomfortable with the attention.

“No,
m
y
l
ord, I don’t care for riding
.
I am afraid that even though I grew up in the country, I never did like horses
.
They’re so large.”

Lord
Clarington coughed
.
Rose could see his mind whirling as he tried to comprehend a person who didn’t care for horses.

Sensing a chance to escape Wulf’s frozen gaze, Rose got to her feet and walked over to her sister and Clarington, ignoring the green eyes that traced her movement
.
“I believe what Marguerite is saying is that she has not had much exposure to horses.
”
She gave her sister a firm look
.
“Her mother has always been in delicate health and so
,
even though residing in the country
,
Marguerite has largely been housebound.”