The Blackmailed Beauty Read online

Conversation switched to general gossip, and Claire sat quietly, only half listening to the others when Willa said something, which caught her ear.

  “I guess he went back to the country,” Willa said.

  “Who are you speaking of?” the viscountess asked.

  “The Duke of Lamberton, Mother,” Willa replied. “He passed me this morning, and Lord Roydon told me when I met him on Rotten Row how the duke left for an undisclosed amount of time.”

  “Why would he leave town at the beginning of the season?” Aunt Blythe asked.

  “No one knows,” Willa said, "but the duchess told Lord Roydon it was not due to any type of emergency. It’s most unusual.”

  So he had gone. Claire felt relieved instantly, as if a portion of the weight on her shoulders had lifted and yet, at the same time, her heart felt heavy.

  The play they saw in the evening was diverting. During the intermission, Lord Roydon and several others stopped by her uncle’s box to pay their respects to the viscount and his family. Claire smiled up at the earl, forcing herself to laugh at his witticisms and to make the appropriate remarks to the comments he made. By the time the show was over, she had another headache and was glad to go home.

  The days seemed to pass slowly afterward. Claire danced and laughed and flirted to her best ability, but her heart simply was not in it. London seemed flat. She dared not think about why – why it had been exciting when the duke had been here and dull now that he had left town.

  She was also unsure if she was gaining any ground as far as the earl was concerned. He was quite attentive to her, but he seemed to be equally so to her cousin, to Lady Regina, and to a number of other young women. Claire had grown fond of him but only in the sense of fondness for a friend.

  It was a fortnight later, on a lazy afternoon, when a note arrived for her. The butler discreetly delivered it to her and she read it in her room. The note was from Lady Regina demanding she meet her during the afternoon in the park. Claire closed her eyes in frustration. Why could she not leave her alone? It was difficult enough to try to live up to the terms of the blackmail, but to continually have the threats held over her head was the outside of enough.

  Claire asked Molly to go with her. “I’m in need of a bit of fresh air, and I am sure Willa is reading. Please come with me,” she begged.

  “Of course, Miss,” Molly had replied. “It is a lovely afternoon, and I will enjoy the walk.”

  They left the house quietly and were soon in the park. Claire led the way to the area where Lady Regina was to be waiting. When she saw the other young woman sitting on a bench, she turned to Molly. “I see a friend from home,” she told her maid. “If you wait here I will go visit with her a bit.”

  Without waiting for the maid’s reply, Claire hurried over to seat herself not far from Lady Regina. She did not greet her.

  “I hear the duke has left town,” Lady Regina said.

  “I wouldn’t know,” Claire lied.

  Lady Regina laughed, “Of course you wouldn’t.”

  They were silent for a while. Claire listened to the thud of her heart and tried to squelch the nervousness in her stomach.

  “The earl is still coming to call,” Lady Regina spoke again. “I want it to stop.”

  “I have no control over what he does,” Claire replied.

  Lady Regina looked at her. “I am giving you a fortnight. One fortnight. And I have changed my plans. I want you to get the earl into a compromising situation. Make sure you are caught, and make sure you force his hand.”

  “I can’t do it!” Claire said, stunned. “It is what desperate women do to trap a husband.”

  Lady Regina rose. “And if I were you, I would be getting a little desperate.”

  Claire remained on the bench. She couldn’t move. She was cold and hot at the same time. Her skin felt clammy. And she was going to be sick. Clasping her hand over her mouth, she ran to the bush not far from the seat. Barely making it, she hid behind a branch as she retched.

  A comforting hand rubbed her back. “Oh, Miss, are you all right?”

  Claire straightened. “No, I'm sorry.” she admitted. “I am quite ill.”

  “It must have been something you ate. Come along, I’ll help you home, and we’ll take it real slow like.”

  The maid handed her a handkerchief to wipe her face and then put a strong arm around her shoulders. Step by shaky step, they walked until they were home and Claire had been tucked safely in her bed.

  ****

  Willa opened Claire’s door and stuck her head around to peek in. “You’ll be okay alone tonight?” she asked with concern.

  Claire smiled weakly from her bed. “Willa, you goose, I will not be alone. Molly is here and a whole house full of servants.”

  “True, but they don’t care about you like I do.”

  “Go on, have fun,” Claire countered. She waved her cousin away.

  Willa and her parents arrived at the home of Lord and Lady Charles in a matter of minutes. Awaiting guests filled the steps, and it was obvious this soiree would be a squeeze. She did hope it wasn’t so crowded she couldn’t find Lord Roydon. They had met thrice previously, twice in the park and a third time at an al fresco breakfast, to talk about Claire and Lamberton.

  Once inside Willa had little time to wait. Lord Roydon materialized as if out of the blue.

  “Miss Dutton,” he said, “I am in search of a glass of champagne. Would you like to join me?”

  Willa glanced at her mother for permission. “Do go on, dear,” her mother said.

  Willa tucked her arm into Roydon’s and smiled up at him. “I am glad you are here. I had wanted to speak with you about my cousin.”

  “Yes, I was just wondering if she is here. I did not see her coming in with you.”

  “No, she has taken ill,” Willa said.

  “I do hope it is nothing serious,” the earl replied.

  “I am suspicious she is not ill at all,” she said.

  “What makes you think that?”

  "It was the oddest thing," Willa began, "I was reading a book this afternoon when I heard Claire leave her room. I peeked out and saw her dressed for going out. She had our maid with her. So when they returned I asked Molly where she had accompanied my cousin, and she told me they had gone to the park to meet a friend of Claire’s."

  "That doesn't seem so unusual," the earl replied sensibly.

  "No," Willa agreed, "but as far as I know my cousin hasn't any good friends in London. Certainly no one close enough she would hurry out to meet them in the park."

  They had reached the refreshment table and the earl courteously collected them each a glass of champagne. "Would you care for anything else, Miss Dutton?"

  "Thank you, but this is enough," Willa replied.

  The earl placed his hand in the small of her back and guided her to a quiet edge of the room.

  "Who do you believe your cousin met?" he asked, returning to their previous subject.

  "I don't know. The only person I can think of whom she knows better than our new acquaintances is Lady Regina from her home village."

  "Lady Regina?" the earl asked sounding interested.

  "Yes, and I don't believe Claire considers her to be a friend. In fact, the few times I have seen them speak to each other, I got the idea Lady Regina rather upset my cousin."

  The earl didn't reply right away. He stood there sipping his champagne and looking thoughtful. Willa watched him for a moment. She admired the tousled way he wore his hair. It appeared as though he had just returned from an exhilarating ride and had no time to be bothered with trivial things like hair.

  He was a man's man, she had decided. In fact, he reminded her a bit of her father. Both loved the out of doors and their horses. Life seemed perfect to them when surrounded by open spaces and astride a four footed beast who seemed tuned to their wants.

  "I have seen them together before," the earl finally said. "And, now when I think about it, I did not pick up that they were friends, only how
they had grown up in the same place."

  Looking at Willa's now empty glass he said, "Would you care for more?"

  "Perhaps a lemonade," she suggested.

  Lord Roydon escorted her back to the refreshment table and picked up the drink for her and another glass of champagne for himself. "Shall we take your parents one?" he asked politely.

  "One for my mother would be nice. I'm sure Father is already in the card room."

  The earl smiled. "No doubt," he agreed as he picked up a second glass of champagne.

  Escorting her back to her mother, he handed the bubbly liquid to the viscountess.

  "Why thank you, Lord Roydon," the viscountess said. "It was most kind of you."

  Turning back to Willa, he spoke softly to her, "I will return before the evening is through. I want to check into something."

  She smiled in agreement and then watched him as he walked away. Losing track of him in the crowd at first, later, as the guests seemed to shift like the tidewaters, she spied him standing next to Lady Regina Norton.

  Willa didn't like the looks of the girl. She appeared spiteful and malicious even from this distance. Lord Roydon did not appear to be having any fun either.

  She soon got sidetracked. Her mother had located Lady Roxbury and they moved around the room to see her. It wasn't until much later when the earl found Willa again.

  "I hate it when people lie to me," he announced without preamble.

  "As do I," Willa agreed, "but who has lied to you?"

  "Lady Regina, I daresay," he replied, "although I'm unsure what she is lying about."

  "Do you think it has to do with Claire?" Willa asked anxiously.

  "I am quite sure it does and, furthermore, I am sure there is something havey-cavey going on. I just don't know what and it frustrates me," he finished.

  "I wish I could get my cousin to confide in me. I have tried giving her subtle openings several times, but to no avail."

  "Perhaps you can try a different tack. Think of a different way to bring up the subject," Roydon suggested.

  "I will," she said thoughtfully. “I'll think on it and see if I can come up with a new idea." Willa spied her mother a short distance away, motioning for Willa to join her.

  “I believe my mother is trying to let me know it is time for us to leave," she said. “Goodbye, Lord Roydon."

  “Farewell, Miss Dutton,” he returned with a gentle smile.

  Willa turned to go. "Miss Dutton?"

  "Yes?"

  “Do you attend the Ballard’s ball tomorrow?”

  “Yes, we do.”

  "Save a waltz for me, please."

  Willa could have sworn her heart skipped a beat but brushed it off as foolishness. "I will," she said before turning away once again.

  Chapter Ten

  Claire had lain in bed much of the day agonizing over what she must do. She was against it with every fiber of her being. Yet she had no way to avoid it. Again and again, she had reflected on the importance of her family. This was weighed against the fate of the earl, whom she counted as a friend. The duke had crept into her mind as well, causing her to spare more thought than she ought to for her own feelings.

  The decision she had come to, be it right or wrong, was that she would compromise Lord Roydon. She would do it tomorrow evening. There was no use putting it off since she could barely live with herself that long, and she had no idea how she would do so afterward. However, do it she must – for the sake of her sisters and her parents.

  Thoughts of her mother made her laugh ironically. She had teased Claire and her sisters about reading romance novels. Never could such a wonderful woman imagine how thankful her daughter was she had read them. Without those books, she would have had little idea of how to pull off her deceitful shenanigans. Now she had it all planned.

  Tomorrow evening they were to attend a ball. She would sneak away early in the evening to locate the library. Every home had one so she felt safe in selecting it as a rendezvous location. Then she would bribe a footman to deliver two notes. The first would be to the earl, begging him to meet her there. She would sign her name, feeling he might not come if he did not know who had made the request, but even then she was afraid he would ignore it. Her second note would be delivered by the footman to her witness approximately a quarter hour later.

  She had trouble deciding whom to select as a witness. In the end, she chose Uncle Yale. He had already promised to attend and would be easy for the footman to locate, as he would spend the evening in the card room. Also, he was a bit overly protective and this would play into her plans nicely.

  Claire worked out a little speech for the earl, nothing more than chatter. It only had to keep him occupied for a short time. Then, when she heard footsteps outside the door, she would throw herself at him, encircle his neck with her arms and kiss him right on the lips. If all went well, Uncle Yale would open the door, witness the kiss, and demand the earl marry his niece.

  Claire rose and carefully wrote out the notes. She kept both brief and sanded them before sealing them. After this, she slid the notes into the reticule she would carry. Then she threw herself on the bed for a good cry.

  She knew now she did not want to marry the earl. Unfortunately, there was only one man she could envision as her husband, and she had quite effectively given him a disgust of her. This was obvious. The earl was kind and friendly, but she could not imagine she would ever have the type of marital relationship with him she saw with her parents or with her aunt and uncle. However, she would not have a besmirched reputation. Her future would be secure, and her sisters would get their come outs. Claire promised herself she would be the best possible wife for Lord Roydon, as she owed him this much.

  The next day she was on tenterhooks. She was quiet and subdued, hiding in her room as much as she could. Twice, Willa approached her and began to talk. Both times, she snubbed her own cousin, insisting she wanted to read the book which was on her lap. Claire did hope Willa had not noticed she never flipped the pages as she stared off into the distance.

  The night of the planned compromise, Claire dressed carefully. Her dress was pale pink, trimmed in lace, and quite pretty. Her mother’s pearls encircled her throat and a pearl white ribbon threaded through her hair. The mirror reflected the picture of a perfect young lady, almost angelic, and certainly belying the real truth.

  ****

  Noel walked into the drawing room of his Grosvenor Square home. “Good evening, Mama,” he said.

  The duchess let out a tiny shriek. “Oh my dear, you should not scare a body so.” Then she leaned her head to the side revealing one soft cheek and waiting.

  Noel did not disappoint her. He strode across the room and bent to brush his lips against it. “I am back as you can see,” he said, seating himself next to her.

  “And how was your trip?” she asked.

  “Uneventful.”

  “And your time in the country?”

  “About the same. I realized, Mama, most times I am superfluous. Our great place runs itself nicely you know. Oh, one of my orchids is about to bloom. I will miss it, of course. How have things been here?” he asked her.

  “Quite dreadfully boring without you,” the duchess replied. “Although Roydon did pop in nearly every day. He is such a dear boy.”

  “And has he chosen a bride?”

  “I don’t believe so, although the gossips are starting to talk about Miss Dutton as a strong possibility.”

  Noel nodded. “They would be a good match. Both are horse mad and love the country. Miss Dutton is quite lively and would keep John on his toes.”

  “Yes, I’ve gotten the idea she would,” his mother replied. “I, too, thought they might be quite a pair.”

  “And Miss Stuart… have you heard anything of her?” Noel inquired softly.

  “Nothing,” came the reply, “but you must know I don’t go out much when you are not here.” She stopped and lifted her pert little nose slightly in the air and sniffed in a most unduchess-like
fashion. “Do you ever change when you are on the road?” she asked.

  “Of course, Mama. I am a duke, and I change my clothes daily,” he said in his most haughty voice, the grin on his face giving him away.

  “If you would change again you might accompany me. I have a notion to attend the Ballard’s ball this evening. They are bringing out their youngest this year.”

  “An excellent idea,” Noel agreed. “It will give me an opportunity to put my plan into action.”

  “Your plan?”

  “Yes. You see I visited with the good captain while I was at home.”

  “And how is he?”

  “As feisty as ever. He asked about you.”

  The duchess actually preened. “Did he?”

  “Yes, Mama. You know he is fond of you.”

  “So do tell me about this plan of yours,” his mother invited, “before you go up to change.”

  “It’s a simple one which the captain suggested.”

  “Oh, mercy.”

  “He suggested I throw Miss Stuart over my shoulder and carry her out to sea with me.”

  Leaving his mother speechless, he rose to go to his room. She found her voice before he reached the doorway. “Do ask one of the footmen to assist you until Knox returns.”

  He turned and leaned casually against the doorframe, boots and arms crossed. “Do you think I am already so decrepit I cannot dress myself, Mama?”

  “Not at all,” she smiled sweetly with her answer. “It was your cravat I was thinking of.”

  “I can still tie a cravat as well,” he replied.

  “Can you? I hadn’t noticed. You muss them so frequently I assumed you could not repair them.”

  “Humph.” With this comment, Noel took the steps two at a time.

  He would not admit to his mother exactly how many lengths of crisp white linen he did discard before he perfected one simple and elegant knot. At last, dressed in his evening best and, smelling of bay rum, he descended to the hall to wait for the duchess.

  When she finally deigned to appear, he immediately said, “Mama, you will be the envy of every female tonight.” She was dressed in sapphire blue, a matching turban covering her soft gray hair. The Lamberton diamonds adorned her neck and her ears and an exquisite shawl barely covered her shoulders. She gave him a pleased smile in return.