A Magnificent Match (28 page)

There was such outrage in the prince’s expression and voice that Sir Frederick could hardly stop himself from laughing. That would not have done at all and so with all the command of his years as a diplomat. Sir Frederick replied gravely, “An unpleasant experience indeed, your highness. But let us turn our thoughts to what we know of Lady O’Connell’s character. What will turn her about? What is it that she prizes? What is so important to her that she will give you permission to extend suit to her daughter in exchange for it?”

“Pah! You make it sound like a horse trade,” said Prince Kirov, grimacing.

“And so it is,” said Sir Frederick, lounging at his ease with his hands thrust into his coat pockets. ‘That is negotiation in its most primitive form, your highness. Ferret out what your opponent wants to acquire and hold it for ransom until he gives up what you want.”

There were a few moments of silence while Prince Kirov frowned over what Sir Frederick had told him. “I think I see my way becoming clear,” he said slowly.

Sir Frederick sat up, immediately curious. “Do you, indeed! What do you intend to do?”

Prince Kirov laughed. “I shall tell you one day, perhaps. But now I must go speak with Mrs. O’Connell. I hope to enlist her to my cause.” He rose to his feet and Sir Frederick also stood up. Prince Kirov held out his hand to the other man. “You have been a friend to me, Sir Frederick. One day I trust that I shall be of similar valuable service to you.”

Sir Frederick clasped the prince’s hand warmly. “Dash it, Kirov, I have always liked you. Good luck to you, man.”

Prince Kirov bowed and moved away. The dwarf followed him, casting an unsmiling glance back at Sir Frederick. Sir Frederick waved at him in a friendly way. Fedor’s impassive face creased in the slightest of smiles.

Sir Frederick watched the prince bear down in a leisurely fashion on Mrs. O’Connell. The lady looked up at Prince Kirov, listening to something he was saying. She nodded, then excused herself to her friends and went off on the prince’s arm. Their heads were bent together while they conversed. Sir Frederick lifted his wineglass in a silent toast.

Lady O’Connell was surprised to receive a note from her daughter-in-law. She was even more surprised by its content, which begged her to call on Mrs. O’Connell that same morning. The note hinted at a reconciliation. “Well! This is something indeed,” exclaimed Lady O’Connell, vastly pleased.

Her ladyship ordered out her carriage and during the entire ride she entertained herself with a pleasant scene. Her repentant daughter-in-law would apologize for all of the slights and cuts that she had directed toward Lady O’Connell that Season, at which time she would magnanimously forgive Sophronia and advise her to return to Ireland. Naturally Sophronia would instantly take her advice, close the house, and retreat back into her dutiful role as the colorless wife of her ladyship’s eldest son. Then Lady O’Connell would ascend once more into the social heavens.

Buoyed by this imagination, Lady O’Connell was at her most gracious when she was ushered into her daughter-in-law’s drawing room. Mrs. O’Connell received her cordially, if somewhat ironically. However, Lady O’Connell was too caught up in visions of her own spinning to notice. She pulled off her gloves, signaling that she meant to make a lengthy visit.

“I was quite happy to receive your communication this morning, Sophronia,” said Lady O’Connell. With a smile, she added, “I am certain that we shall have a very comfortable little coze. We used to be rather good friends, after all.”

Mrs. O’Connell blinked, but she returned the smile. “Were we, my lady? No doubt you are right. Will you take tea and perhaps a biscuit?”

Lady O’Connell gave a nod. Obviously her daughter-in-law was anxious to establish a polite atmosphere. She was nothing loathe, for it would make the coming victory all the sweeter. How wonderful it would be to send Lionel’s wife back to him. “Have you heard anything from Lionel?” she asked brightly.

Mrs. O’Connell cast an amused glance at her mother-in-law. “As a matter of fact, I have. He has written to me several times since he left London. I am considering a visit home to Ireland shortly, for he tells me that we have several things to discuss between us.”

Lady O’Connell felt herself to be approaching the pinnacle of her pleasant daydream. “How nice, to be sure,” she said, lifting her teacup to her lips.

The door of the drawing room opened and the butler entered. Mrs. O’Connell responded to his apology for the interruption and his request for a private word by turning to her guest with a smile. “I do hope you will not mind, my lady? It will take but a moment.”

Lady O’Connell was displeased, but she nodded. “That is quite all right, Sophronia. I shall await your return.”

Mrs. O’Connell left the drawing room and the butler closed the door behind her. It was not more than two minutes by the clock on the mantel before the door opened again. Lady O’Connell was just setting aside her teacup and she looked up. Her face creased in a satisfied smile. “Well! That was indeed quick, Sophronia.”

“Lady O’Connell, there is someone here whom I think that you should see,” said Mrs. O’Connell. She moved out of the doorway to make room for a gentleman to enter. Then she exited and began to close the door.

Recognizing the gentleman, Lady O’Connell surged to her feet. “Sophronia! This is an outrage!”

Mrs. O’Connell merely smiled and finished closing the door.

Since Prince Kirov stood between her and the door, Lady O’Connell felt that she had no easy way of escaping an uncomfortable scene. Vowing vengeance upon her daughter-in-law, Lady O’Connell turned to the waiting prince.

“Prince Kirov”—she acknowledged in freezing accents— “obviously you have managed to get around Mrs. O’Connell. She has always wanted for sense! However, I warn you that I am an altogether different matter. I will not be so easy to get around. If you have come to try to persuade me to accept your suit for Megan, then—”

“My dear Lady O’Connell, I promise you that I shall not utter one word on that matter,” said Prince Kirov with a smile. He gestured at the settee. “Pray be seated, my lady. I merely request your indulgence for a few moments, for I have asked for this interview to solicit your advice.”

Lady O’Connell was thrown off guard. “Oh!” Eyeing him with uncertainty and a large degree of suspicion, she said, “Well, if you truly do not wish to talk about Megan, then I suppose that I may listen to whatever you might have to say.” She sank back down on the settee.

“May I?” inquired Prince Kirov. Without waiting for her acquiescence, he seated himself on the settee. A leather case had been tucked under his arm and he set it down onto his knees. “This is what I wish to solicit your opinion about, my lady. I shall have it unlocked directly.”

Lady O’Connell had not noticed the case until that moment. Instantly she recognized it for a jewel case. Her curiosity ignited, she watched while the prince took a small key out of his waistcoat pocket and fitted it into the brass locks.

He grunted in satisfaction when he had turned the key in both locks. Prince Kirov opened the top of the case. “This, my lady, is something that no one else has yet been privileged to view,” he said solemnly. “It is a gift for a very special occasion.” He turned the case around for her inspection. On a bed of pale blue velvet was nestled a magnificent set of jewels.

Lady O’Connell looked at the gold necklace, the matching bracelets, the earrings, the tiara. The sunlight winked a shower of sparks from the dazzling array of diamonds and rubies. Her ladyship’s eyes glistened. “My dear Prince Kirov! Such an extraordinarily fine gift. It is quite priceless. No woman would be able to resist.”

“Indeed, my lady? But you do not speak of yourself, of course. You are not moved by such a paltry offering, I know,” said Prince Kirov, turning the case around to look at the set for himself. He pointed at a star-shaped brooch. ‘That alone costs more than most men see in all of their lives. What a pity that I cannot bestow this set upon you, my lady.”

Lady O’Connell raised her eyes and asked sharply, “Bestow it upon me? That is what you said, was it not?”

Prince Kirov heaved a sigh and shook his head. “Indeed, yes, my lady. It is an old custom in my family to give a lavish gift of jewels to one’s mother-in-law. When I had hopes of making a successful bid for Miss O’Connell’s hand, I at once commissioned that this set be created with your ladyship in mind. It arrived from St. Petersburg the very day that I learned that I was no longer to aspire to Miss O’Connell’s hand.”

Lady O’Connell made inarticulate sounds that might have been thought unladylike. Prince Kirov politely ignored them. “My suit has not prospered and so I must regretfully look elsewhere for a bride. I have only shown this set to you today so that you may give me an unbiased opinion. Do you think that Lady Bancroft will be flattered by diamonds and rubies, my lady?”

“Lady Bancroft?” repeated Lady O’Connell stupidly. She was still reeling at the thought of actually losing the opportunity of owning such a magnificent set of jewelry. Possessing that set would make her the envy of all her friends. She would be the envy of everyone she knew. She would be the envy of the entire world.

As Prince Kirov turned the case back so that he could look at the contents more fully, it was all Lady O’Connell could do not to snatch it out of his hands.

“Yes, my lady. Do you think that this set would compliment Lady Bancroft’s style? Her ladyship’s daughter is a handsome young lady and good-natured. I have thought that an alliance with—”

“An alliance with the Bancroft chit? And this lovely set to be given to Alicia Bancroft, to be worn by her!” exclaimed Lady O’Connell, her fingers curling.

“That is what I had in mind, yes,” said Prince Kirov gravely.

“Never! Never will I countenance it!” declared Lady O’Connell. “You cannot marry the Bancroft chit, your highness!”

“Forgive me, my lady. But I must remind you that my intentions are no longer of your concern,” said Prince Kirov gently. “I merely desired your opinion about whether this set would compliment Lady Bancroft and—”

Lady O’Connell struggled to find adequate words to express the emotions that she was feeling. Finally she managed a credibly restrained, polite reply. “My dear prince, Alicia Bancroft would look atrocious in diamonds and rubies. My advice to you is to forget the matter altogether.”

“But what is to be done? I have gone to great trouble and time to have this set commissioned. It would be wasteful to discard it,” said Prince Kirov. He shrugged. “I suppose that I shall send it back to St. Petersburg. I have several minor cousins who would no doubt be overjoyed to take the set into their possession. Of course, they do not often frequent the sort of society where such jewels are meant to be displayed. Such a pity that these will not be worn where they can be best appreciated.”

Lady O’Connell appeared to be laboring under grave stress. In truth, she was nearly strangled by the thought of such largesse handed over to some obscure Russian woman. It would be absolutely criminal.

“There is no need of that, Prince Kirov. I assure you that I would be delighted to take the set off of your hands,” she said hastily.

Prince Kirov stared at Lady O’Connell. Then he smiled. He shook his head. “You are generous, my lady. But I shall not be so insensitive of your feelings. I know that possessing and wearing this set would only remind you of a painful episode which is better forgotten. No, I could not trespass on your good nature so far.”

“Trespass!” Lady O’Connell attempted a laugh. “My dear prince, you misunderstand me entirely! Why, I would think no such thing. No, indeed! Why would I think such ill about my own dear son-in-law! I assure you, I would regard you in just such a light!”

“My lady, are you saying that you approve once more of my pressing my suit with Miss O’Connell?” asked Prince Kirov.

Lady O’Connell looked at him fleetingly, then down at the case. “Prince Kirov, I was too hasty in my judgment of your suit. I have since revised my opinion of you. I shall most assuredly welcome you as a suitor for my daughter’s hand.”

Prince Kirov closed the case and rose to his feet. He tucked the case under his arm and with the other hand gallantly lifted Lady O’Connell’s hand. He raised it to his lips. ‘Thank you, my lady. You make me happier than you can conceive,” he said.

“Yes, I am so glad,” said Lady O’Connell, never taking her eyes from the case. “Er, the custom which you referred to, your highness. I suppose that one is made recipient of the gift immediately?”

“Oh, do you mean this?” Prince Kirov tapped the case. Cheerfully, he said, “The jewels represent an occasion for great celebration and therefore are given with much pomp and ceremony to the new mother-in-law at the wedding reception. If my suit prospers with Miss O’Connell, I will present this set with much trumpeting. There will not be a single guest who will not know that you have come into possession of these jewels.”

“How nice,” murmured Lady O’Connell. She was torn between her ardent desire to have the jewel set in her possession at once and the pleasing vision of parading her triumph before all of her friends and acquaintances.

“Lady O’Connell, I must take my leave. Before I go, however, I should like to make clear my intention of persuading Miss O’Connell to dispense with a long engagement. I hope that this will meet with your approval,” said Prince Kirov.

“Your highness, the sooner you wed my daughter, the better I shall feel,” said Lady O’Connell frankly, her eyes straying again to the case.

Prince Kirov smiled lazily. He bowed once more. “Thank you, my lady. I shall leave you now. Pray inform Miss O’Connell that I shall call on her tomorrow.”

“We shall be attending the Smythe soiree and later go on to the theater. Perhaps we shall see you there?” said Lady O’Connell.

Prince Kirov’s brows rose, but he politely replied. “Perhaps, my lady. Good-bye.”

As soon as the prince had left, Lady O’Connell made a bee-line for the bellpull. She tugged on it vigorously.

The door opened. Mrs. O’Connell quietly entered. She wore a smile, but there was a combatant light in her eyes. “Well, my lady? Are you so eager to rake me down in my own house?”