The Training of a Marquess (25 page)

“I am well, Lady Claire.”

Rhonda took Claire’s hand and held onto it. It appeared at least one Fisherman wanted her to stay.

“Has your mother not arrived, Lord Derebourne? You must know you cannot continue to allow Lady Claire to remain in your home without a chaperone.”

Rhonda’s hand tightened on hers. “Sorry,” she mouthed.

She squeezed Rhonda’s fingers and turned to see Chase’s reaction to Mrs. Fisherman’s comment. If looks could melt a person out of existence, Mrs. Fisherman would be a puddle. Fortunately, Lady Anne entered the room before Chase could make a scathing response, which she feared he was about to do.

“Kensington, I didn’t know we had guests. You are a naughty son for not sending for me sooner. Although, I dare say, it is possible you did and the footman is still wandering the halls looking for me. There are over one hundred rooms here, you know. It may be days before we see him again. Well, never mind that, I am here now. Introduce me please.”

Chase stood. She knew damn well he had sent for her as soon as Smithfield told him Mrs. Fisherman was in the drawing room. She had changed into one of her finest dresses and her hair had been styled into an elaborate sweep of curls and twists. He’d warned her about Mrs. Fisherman and her intention to capture him for her daughter. Dressed in the height of London fashion, Lady Anne had come armed for battle.

“Mrs. Fisherman, Miss Fisherman, allow me to introduce my mother, Lady Kensington.”

The ladies stood and curtseyed. “Lady Kensington, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you. I’m certain Lady Derebourne is relieved you have finally arrived to act as her chaperone.”

Here we go
, Chase thought. Lady Anne sat in the chair facing the ladies and waved a hand regally in the air for everyone to be seated. “Why is that, Mrs. Fisherman?”

“Surely, you do not approve of her residing alone here with Lord Derebourne?”

“Oh dear, Kens—silly me, you’re Derebourne now, aren’t you? Well, Derebourne, what have you done with my grandsons and their tutor and your valet and all the servants?”

“Nothing Mama.”

“So they are all still in residence?”

“Yes, Mama.”

She turned a brilliant smile on Mrs. Fisherman. “There, you see, Derebourne and Lady Claire have not been alone and all is well.”

“But, my lady, children and servants cannot adequately supervise—”

“My son is a gentleman, Mrs. Fisherman, and would never force his attentions where they are not welcome.” She cocked her head at him. “Do I speak true?”

He almost snorted at her clever phrasing. “Yes, Mama.”

Mrs. Fisherman’s lips thinned. “Forgive me, I never meant to imply otherwise.”

“Of course, you didn’t, Mrs. Fisherman.” Lady Anne turned her attention to Miss Fisherman.

“Now, Miss Fisherman, Lady Derebourne speaks fondly of you and tells me you are her good friend. It is wonderful to have a good friend, is it not? I had a very dear friend when I was your age, Lady Elaine Bradford. But she married an American and moved to Boston so I haven’t seen her in…well goodness, it must be over twenty years. We do write and she has invited me many times to visit her, but can you imagine getting on a ship and sailing to Boston at my age?

“It is tempting, however. I may surprise my family one day by purchasing a ticket and sailing away to a foreign land, although I am not sure how civilized Boston is. My friend writes that they have balls and musicals just like here in England, so they don’t sound like the savages many claim them to be. Is Boston civilized, Kensington, do you know?”

“Yes, Mama, but do not think of sailing off to parts unknown without telling me first, I beg you.”

“Silly man. Of course I will tell you before I leave. Imagine if I disappeared without notice. You would have searchers spread out all over England looking for me while I was merrily sailing away on my adventure, knowing exactly where I was. What kind of mother would do such a thing to her son? Not this one, I assure you.”

Miss Fisherman’s eyes were as wide as an owl’s, her lips twitching. Her mother, however, had a pained expression on her face. After his father had been killed, he and Lady Anne had developed this way of deflecting the gossips and diverting their attention. By the time Lady Anne finished with them, not one could remember their question or snide comment.

“Have you ever wanted to travel to another country, Miss Fisherman?” Lady Anne asked.

“My darling Rhonda is perfectly happy where she is. She understands her duty is to marry well and give her husband an heir. The man who captures her hand,” Mrs. Fisherman said, settling her gaze on him, “will be fortunate, indeed, as I have trained her well. She is versed in managing a household, embroidery and the pianoforte. My daughter comes with a decent dowry, provided by her grandfather, Baron Brisco. She is sweet and biddable, which, as we ladies know, are traits men look for in a wife.”

Miss Fisherman disappeared behind Claire inch by inch as her mother attempted to hand her to him on a silver platter. Claire’s eyes flashed with anger. He signaled his mother to step in with some of her nonsensical drivel before he or Claire said something best left unsaid.

“Baron Brisco? Do I know him? Let me think. No, I don’t believe I do. Well, it is no matter, one can’t know everyone, can they? I did meet a baron once, what was his name? Yes, I have it. Baron Stanford. I wonder if Baron Brisco knows Baron Stanford, being as they are both barons. Do you remember Baron Stanford visiting us once, Derebourne? He had some business with your father, I believe.”

Mrs. Fisherman’s eyes glazed over. God, he loved his mother. “No, Mama, I don’t remember.”

“Well, it is not surprising as you were only a young boy. I think you were about the same age as Harry and Bensey when the baron called on your father. Boys that age do not pay much attention to the comings and goings of adults. Have you found that to be true with the twins, Claire?”

Claire gave a soft chuckle. “Yes, if there is a horse in front of Harry or a flower to draw in front of Bensey, I think the king could walk past them without notice.”

Apparently, not knowing when to surrender to a superior foe, Mrs. Fisherman turned to Claire. “I must be wrong, Lady Derebourne, as you are wearing half mourning, but I was certain your year didn’t end for another two weeks. If I’m correct, my dear, you risk giving the wrong impression by discarding your widow’s weeds too soon. People will think you do not mourn your dear departed husband.”

It had been a mistake for Chase to do away with her black gowns, but Mrs. Fisherman’s sly intention to shame her in front of Chase and Lady Anne incensed Claire.

“I think you look very pretty, Lady Derebourne, and I don’t think the color of a gown speaks for the heart,” Rhonda said.

Claire gave her a warm smile. “Thank you, my dear.”

“Well said, Miss Fisherman,” Lady Anne said. “Why don’t you children go for a stroll in the garden? It is such a lovely day and I know sitting here, visiting with two old ladies is likely boring you to tears.”

Claire stood and pulled Rhonda up with her. She and Chase had planned this with Lady Anne should the Fisherman ladies visit again. With her arm wrapped through Rhonda’s, she walked her briskly out of the room before Mrs. Fisherman could object.

Once in the garden, she led Rhonda to a bench and sat, patting the space next to her. “Come sit with me, Rhonda. Lord Derebourne and I would like to talk to you.”

Chase stood a few feet away, his hands behind his back. Rhonda busied herself pressing non-existent wrinkles out of her skirt. Claire took the girl’s hand and stilled it. “Be at ease, my dear, we only want to talk to you about Bobby.”

“Did something happen to him?” The girl’s eyes flashed with concern.

Claire hurried to reassure her. “No, but we have two important questions to ask you, and I hope you will trust us enough to give an honest answer.”

“I will try, Lady Derebourne.”

“Good. The questions are this, do you love Bobby and does he love you?”

Rhonda clinched her hands in her lap. “Why do you want to know?”

“Because, if the answer is yes to both, then we want to help you and Bobby.”

An expression of hope flickered and then disappeared. “You can’t help. Mother is determined that I wed—” She glanced nervously at Lord Derebourne.

Chase knelt in front of her. “Miss Fisherman, you are a lovely girl, but I think you know we wouldn’t suit.”

“I know, my lord. I have tried to tell Mother, but she won’t listen. I’m supposed to—” Her face flushed bright red.

Claire picked up Rhonda’s hand and clasped it in hers. Mrs. Fisherman was planning something and they needed to find out what. “I promise you can trust us to help you. What are you supposed to do, Rhonda?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “Mother is going to arrange for me to be alone with Lord Derebourne at the assembly, and I’m to have him kiss me so she can catch him in a compromising situation.” Tears fell down her cheeks. “But I know you don’t want to, Lord Derebourne, and I don’t know how to make you.” She gave a sad little laugh. “I’m not offended, my lord, because I don’t want to kiss you either.”

The poor child was miserable and Claire wanted to shake Mrs. Fisherman silly. “Rhonda, do you love Bobby and does he love you?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, he loves me and I love him.” She swiped a hand over her eyes. Chase handed her his handkerchief. “Thank you,” Rhonda said, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.

Claire smothered a laugh at the expression on Chase’s face when Rhonda tried to give the handkerchief back to him.

“No, keep it,” he said.

“It’s hopeless,” Rhonda said in a steadier voice. “He asked for my hand, but Mother made Papa deny him. She said Bobby isn’t good enough to be my husband, but he is, Lady Derebourne. He is!”

Claire glanced at Chase and he nodded. “Then there is only one thing to do. You and Bobby are going to elope to Gretna Green.”

Rhonda’s eyes widened. “We are?”

“Yes, you are. Lord Derebourne and I are going to help you.”

“Mother will never forgive me if I don’t marry a lord.”

“Dearest girl, this is your life and happiness we are talking about, not your mother’s,” Claire said. “She may be angry at first, but you are her daughter. Trust me, she will come around in time. Do you want to marry Bobby above all things, even above your mother’s wishes?”

“Oh, yes. He is apprenticing with his father and will inherit the blacksmith business one day, but other than a small wage, I don’t think he has enough money for us to travel to Gretna Green.”

“You will have more than enough coin for that and to help you begin your new life when you return,” Lord Derebourne said. “I plan to give you and Bobby a hundred pounds as a wedding gift.”

Rhonda vigorously shook her head. “We couldn’t accept money from you, my lord.”

“You can and you will. It is worth that and more to extract myself from your mother’s scheme. But more so, I’m doing it because I want to, because it will please me to see you and Bobby happily married. If you wish, you can thank me by naming one of your sons after me,” he said in a teasing manner.

“Derebourne? That is a big name for a baby, but Bobby and I would be honored to do so.”

Claire grinned at the amusement dancing in Chase’s eyes.

“No, Miss Fisherman, I was thinking of my Christian name, Chastain.”

“Chastain,” she repeated. “Oh, that is a lovely name.”

They planned their strategy for the elopement before returning a happier Rhonda to her mother. Claire pressed on her the importance of keeping the elopement secret, not giving the slightest hint of it to her parents. Chase agreed to talk to Bobby and his father to tell them of the plan so Rhonda wouldn’t need to arrange a risky meeting with him prior to eloping.

“Well, how did it go?” Lady Anne asked as soon as the front door closed behind the Fisherman ladies.

“We have an elopement to plan,” Claire laughingly said.

Lady Anne sighed. “Oh, I do so love weddings.”

Chapter Nineteen

Chase scowled as the ladies walked arm-in-arm down the hall without so much as a by-your-leave. Was he invisible? Something odd was going on. With the exception of the time spent with Miss Fisherman, Claire treated him like a stranger.

Whatever it was, his mother was in the thick of it up to her tiny ears. If he tried to find out from her, she would talk circles around him, and the only thing he would get would be a spinning head. He would find out from Claire, grinning as he considered several ways to go about it.

“Is anything amiss, my lord?”

Chase peered at Smithfield. “You can see me then, Smithfield?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“That’s good to know.” He waved a hand in the air. “Carry on.”

Smithfield likely thought he was cracked. Chase was beginning to think so himself. The blasted woman had him so confused he wasn’t sure which way was up. If he could ever catch her alone, he would punish her for it by kissing her until she didn’t know which direction her head was facing. He headed upstairs to find Bensey.

Bensey smiled when Chase entered the room. “I have finished, Father. Would you like to see?”

“I would.” His breath caught in his throat upon seeing the portrait. The babe had Claire’s blue eyes and Derebourne’s features. If Bensey got it right, Andrew had been a beautiful baby.

Chase squeezed Bensey’s shoulder. “Words fail me. I think Lady Claire’s going to cry when she sees this, but, Bensey, they will be happy tears.”

“I don’t mind happy tears.”

Harry came into the room and Bensey showed him the picture. “This is what Lady Claire’s baby looked like? She must miss him ever so much.”

“She does, Harry,” Chase said.

He sent a prayer to the heavens for the twins’ continued health and wellbeing. The boys wanted to go find Lady Claire immediately and give her the portrait, but he convinced them it would be better to wait until after dinner.

Halfway through their meal, Chase fought the urge to embarrass himself in front of his family by demanding Claire tell him what the bloody hell her problem was.

She talked and laughed with his mother. She talked and laughed with the twins. She talked and laughed with everyone but him. He pushed his plate away, sat back in his chair, steepled his fingers under his chin and glared at her.