A Lady by Chance (Historical Regency Romance) (16 page)

"What if the lady's husband has no desire for her company?" Morgie challenged.

Haverstock met his friend's quizzing gaze. "You have it all wrong, my dear fellow. I have a very great desire for my wife's company even if she vexes me to death."

"Strange way you have of showing it."

"I get so blasted angry with her. Do you know what she has done now?"

"Enlighten me."

"She and that maid of hers have been going off with that same old groom in a rented hack! I ask you, why would the Marchioness of Haverstock be renting a hack if she didn't have something to hide?"

"Have you asked her?"

"Course not. Can't let her think I've been spying on her."

"Nor can you let her know you care. Heaven forbid a man should care about his wife."

"Now, Morgie, blast it all! You make me sound like the one who needs to apologize."

"I believe you
are
, old chap. I do, in fact, know why your wife rented a hack, and I assure you it was all perfectly innocent."

"Enlighten me, if you please."

Morgie shook his head. "I believe you and her ladyship need to talk. Ask her yourself."

Haverstock stiffened as he saw Churchdowne rise and walk toward him. "I will bloody well strike a blow to the man if he tells me one more time how fortunate I am to have wed Anna before the
ton
discovered her," he whispered to Morgie.

"Fancy finding you here, Haverstock, when I saw your wife not half an hour ago."

Haverstock raised a single brow.

"Yes, I had the good fortune to speak with Lady Haverstock at the entrance to Green Park. She was quite alone though she insisted she was meeting Lady Charlotte there. A pity. Were such a beautiful woman my wife, I would never let her out of my sight."

"I suppose you offered your services as her escort," Haverstock said.

"Yes, indeed, but she refused me again. You may be assured when the novelty of her marriage wears off, I will be first in line for her favors, Haverstock."

Haverstock leapt to his feet and crashed his fist into the smaller man's jaw, knocking Churchdowne to the floor. He was ready to assault the man again when Morgie restrained him and led him from the club.

When Haverstock arrived home, he found Mr. Reeves waiting for him.

"Ah, my lord, I beg a private word with you."

Haverstock, knowing very well what Reeves had come for, led the man to his library and offered him a chair near his desk. The man was a good ten years his senior, and Haverstock did not at all warm to the idea of having him for a brother-in-law. Especially since Kate herself had spurned him two seasons previously. He ran his eyes over Reeves. Though Haverstock was certainly no judge of what was considered handsome, he knew that no maiden could be attracted to this man who sat nervously before him. A circle of fat hung under his chin and on his waist, where one of the buttons of his waistcoat popped open. His coat, too, was much too tight. Had he gained so much weight of late or did he insist he was the same size he was decade earlier?

"You may have noticed my partiality toward Lady Kate," Reeves began.

Haverstock nodded.

"I have come to ask your permission to pay her my addresses."

"Have you spoken with her yet?"

"No, my lord, though I daresay she is aware of the constancy of my affection. I felt it proper to speak to you first. I am not a wealthy man, but I have grand prospects since I am the heir to my uncle, the Duke of Blassingame."

Was that all the poor man had to recommend him? "You most certainly have my permission to court Kate, but I cannot speak for her. If she welcomes your suit, you have my blessing."

A smile crossed Reeve's perspiring face.

"Glass of port?"

Reeves thankfully accepted.

When Reeves left, Haverstock hastened up the stairs and knocked on the door to Anna's chamber.

Her sore feet soaking in a pail of hot water when her husband entered her room, Anna looked up and smiled at him.

"I see your feet are no better than they were on the way home last night," he said.

"Oh, they do not hurt nearly as much," she said, removing them from the water and toweling them dry as she dismissed Colette.

"Did you speak with Mr. Reeves?" She walked barefoot to the settee and beckoned for him to join her.

"Did everyone in the house know of his call?"

"Of course."

"And, pray tell, what was my answer to be?"

"Kate said you would be delighted to have her a future duchess."

"And you?" he asked.

"I said you would tell the man you would abide by your sister's choice."

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "It seems my wife knows me better than my sister."

"I do not think she will be happy with the man, Charles."

"Nor do I, but it is a scheme of her own making."

She smelled the liquor on him, and knew it had loosened the rigidness that so often kept him from her. "Did you go to White's?"

"Yes. I met Morgie there."

"You seem more relaxed. While other wives complain about their husbands frequenting their clubs, I must welcome it if it brings you more often in my company."

He seemed unable to remove his eyes from her. "Where did you go in a hackney carriage?"

"How did you know about that?" she asked.

"I saw you paying the driver the day of Mother's dinner. You were with Colette and Jimmy."

Her mind spun. The day of the dinner. That night he had treated her so abominably! Could the two events be related? Why would he be so angry about her going somewhere with Colette and her groom unless he thought she had something wicked to hide? She burst out laughing. "Oh, Charles, why did you not speak to me? I have nothing to hide from you."

"I'm speaking now."

"All of my life I have done charity work in the East End. I do not like to take the Haverstock vehicles there for fear of attracting the attention of thieves – or worse. I did take Jimmy along for protection."

"What kind of charity work do you perform?"

"For years, I just took clothes I no longer needed, some food and coins. Recently, Colette and I started a sewing school so some of the women can learn a skill to seek employment. Lydia is now serving as one of the instructors."

"While I commend your intentions, I do not at all like you going there without more protection."

"You sound exactly like Morgie."

"He knows?"

"He found out just this week. He insisted on providing escort today, though my feet were too sore for me to go. I understand from Lydia he provided an impressive escort." She thought this would please her husband, but anger flashed in his eyes.

"Morgie has no business taking care of my wife and sister when I am perfectly capable of doing so. It displeases me that you hide these things from me, Anna."

"I have hidden nothing," she snapped. "It is difficult to talk with one's husband when the two are
never
together. And that is not my fault, either."

A slow smile curved his lip, and Anna found her own anger melting.

He drew her to him and whispered, "I do not think you should go out tonight, Lady Haverstock. Your feet are much too sore. I have plans that will not require you to be on your feet."

Chapter
18

For once Anna arrived at Hookam's before Sir Henry. She did not dare go straight to the Latin section for fear of attracting attention. What manner of woman would have knowledge of such? Even though there would be no privacy there, she walked to the corner which featured a rather large selection of poetry books. Her mood was so bleak she was drawn to morose verses. She swept past women reading Blake and men perusing Wordsworth, picked out a dust-covered volume of Donne and took it to another corner where a half dozen wooden chairs composed a makeshift reading room. No one else was there. She sat down, held her book with trembling hands and tried to read.

She had been unable to sleep the night before though Charles lay contentedly asleep at her side, an event that should have brought her great satisfaction. But the happiness was marred by the impending meeting with Sir Henry. The information she would pass to him could brand her husband a traitor. She wondered if a British peer could hang for treason. The thought horrified her. She would rather die.

She watched Sir Henry enter the shop. He saw her immediately but gave no sign of recognition. He quickly found a very large book and brought it to read in the chair next to Anna's.

Anna held her book and ran her eyes from left to right, whispering to Sir Henry as if she were reading a poem. "I have learned something, but before I share it with you, I must have your promise no harm will come to my husband." Why was it, she wondered, she was the one who felt like a traitor?

After a minute, Sir Henry held his opened book almost in front of his face and spoke. "Why would we harm someone as valuable as Haverstock? He will lead us to bigger fish across the channel."

"I believe I have a fish for you," Anna whispered. "Number twenty-three Tavistock Place. Bloomsbury."

"His name?"

She shrugged.

"What does he look like?"

"Small. Well dressed. Dark hair and skin. About forty years old."

"Your husband has met with him?"

"Secretly," she whispered.

A smile played at his thin lips as he got to his feet and left, leaving the book on his chair.

Mr. Reeves – now happily betrothed to Kate – stood near the marble mantle beaming at the morning callers who gathered in the parlor of Haverstock House. Anna detected a new proprietorial air about him in these surroundings. He acted as if
he
were welcoming the visitors. 

"How very agreeable it is to see you today," he told Mr. Simpson, who danced attendance on Charlotte.

"Does Captain Smythe come today?" Anna asked Cynthia as she prepared the tea.

"I am sure I do not know," Cynthia answered with irritation before turning to Mr. Simpson and flirting.

Cynthia's normally sunny disposition had taken a decided turn for the worse since Kate had announced her engagement. Everyone at Haverstock House had expected that Captain Smythe would offer for Cynthia before Mr. Reeves entered into contracts for Kate. But still the captain had not discussed marriage.

Davis entered the room and announced Viscountess Langley with her daughter Lady Jane Wyeth. The two well dressed ladies glided into the room with unwavering smiles and courtly addresses. On this summer day Lady Jane wore a soft muslin dress the same blue as her eyes. It displayed to advantage her perfect figure and lovely skin. Anna felt pangs of jealousy. Had Charles possessed even the smallest fortune, he most likely would have married Lady Jane long ago, Anna surmised. She wondered if he regretted not marrying the petite blond.

Lady Jane, who sat in a chair near the sofa where Anna presided, glanced at Anna's pink dress. "How lovely you look, Lady Haverstock. Simply everyone in London talks of your exquisite taste in clothing. I must know who your modiste is."

Anna handed Lady Jane a cup and saucer. "I have never used anyone but Madame Devreaux."

"Of course!" Lady Jane exclaimed. "I should have known. The French are so clever with fashion. It stands to reason you being French would naturally select a French dressmaker."

"I really don't consider myself French," Anna said, holding back her annoyance. "I was born in London, spent my entire life here, and though my mother was French, my father was thoroughly English."

Lady Jane tilted her head slightly, raising her brows. "Really? But was your name not de Mouchet?"

The room became suddenly lifeless before Lydia interjected, "Tell us, Kate, when do you plan to marry Mr. Reeves."

Anna was grateful for Lydia's intervention. Though she had lived every day of her life with the stigma of being illegitimate, she did not care to hold herself up to ridicule in her own drawing room. And she would never forgive Lady Jane for being so rude. Of course the woman – as indeed all of London – knew of Anna's background.

"We thought to marry at the end of the season here in London," Kate said, casting a sweet smile at Mr. Reeves.

"So much more convenient for all our family and friends than travelling to Haymore," Mr. Reeves said. "My uncle, the Duke of Blassingame, is in town, you know."

"Yes, we have had the good fortune to meet him," Lady Langley said.

Evans announced Mr. Hogart, and the room became lifeless again.

He entered, still wearing his ill-fitting black garments which Anna no longer noticed. She noted his freshly combed very blond hair and the look of sincerity on his angelic face and heartily welcomed him, scooting over and making room for him next to her on the sofa.

"Mr. Hogart studies to be a minister," Anna said as she prepared his tea. "Tell us, Mr. Hogart, are your beliefs centered more around God and the hereafter or on loving thy neighbor, thus entering the kingdom of heaven through good works?"

"Both actually," he said with animation. "Though I confess to being more earnest about the here and now and doing what I can for others in the here and now."

Charlotte fairly glowed with admiration. "I am given to understand he has helped all manner of wretched persons."

"My sister, Lady Haverstock, also directs much of her attention to helping the less fortunate," Lydia said.

Anna cast a disapproving glance at Lydia. "It is not something I speak of."

"How delightful!" Lady Jane said. "I did not know you were a Methodist."

"One does not have to be Methodist to help others," Anna said, giving Lady Jane a cold stare.

"Like her husband, Anna is Anglican," Lydia said.

Davis announced Mr. Harry Churchdowne, who strode into the room all elegance and good manners.

Anna was not pleased that he had come. She always felt terribly uncomfortable in his presence.

Mr. Reeves took it upon himself to greet the newcomer. "I say Churchdowne, bit of a surprise to see you here after the incident at White's and all."

Churchdowne gazed around the room. "Haverstock's not here?"