A Matter of Honor (23 page)

It was about this time that Cecilie entered the library. They had not spoken about the incident at Somerset House: Aggie from fear she would lose her tightly-held temper and say something she regretted and Cecilie, quite probably
,
because she feared what such discussion might uncover.

“I wonder if anyone will call today,” mused Cecilie as she nibbled on a hot scone and sipped the tea that Bates had brought them.

“We can only wait and see,” said Aggie absently, her mind still on her coming interview with the Earl. She poured herself some tea and sat sipping it. If only they could get Cecilie safely married. Then she could free herself of the Earl, and open her school for young ladies. The prospect did not fill her with a great deal of enthusiasm, but she ignored that.

The two sat in silence. Aggie tried to keep the Earl out of her mind by concentrating on Gibbon, an attempt doomed to failure. And Cecilie toyed with her scone and then her teacup, and finally having finished eating, got up to wander among the shelves as though seeking something to read.

Because of her own abstracted state of mind it took Aggie some time to realize that Cecilie was not herself. There was an unusual brightness to her eyes and she seemed unable to settle anywhere.

Just at this time there came the sound of the door knocker. Immediately Cecilie threw herself in a chair and clasped her hands lightly in her lap. Her face bore a look of bright expectancy and Aggie knew then that she had been correct. Cecilie was expecting someone.

Aggie’s heart fell as she recalled the surprised look between the girl and Lord Gale when finally she had found them. She bent her head to her book, determined not to say anything. If Lord Gale
had
called
,
it was entirely probable that the Earl had given orders that he was not to be admitted.

Some moments later Bates appeared at the door. “A Lord Gale, Miss Trimble
.”
The old butler’s face reflected the merest hint of distaste and Aggie knew that he, too, found the young man unsuitable.

“Please show him in,” said Aggie calmly. If the Earl allowed the man to call, it was not up to her to refuse him.

Lord Gale appeared at the door and rushed across the room to grab Cecilie’s hand and convey it to his lips. “Ah, the hours have seemed like days since last I saw you,” he declared dramatically.

Aggie choked back a laugh. The boy was really amusing. That’s all he was, really, a boy in his calf-time, hardly out of leading strings. How could Cecilie be so taken with him?

She thought back to her own youth and the remembered joy she had felt when Denby had signaled her out for his attentions. But even then Denby had been a man, already on the town for some years, what was now called a prime article. This young man was just a youngster, hardly older than Cecilie herself.

Gibbon went unheeded as Aggie covertly watched the two young people. Of course, Lord Gale was not a suitable husband for Cecilie
,
but at least he was not malicious and he might well be stricken by Cecilie’s fresh young charm.

Young Gale made a long visit, all of which was entirely proper if somewhat effusive, and as he rose to go he kissed Cecilie’s hand and informed her that his life would be barren until he was once again privileged to gaze upon her loveliness. Whereupon he took his departure, beaming all the way out the door.

“Isn’t he just the first style in elegance?” breathed Cecilie with a sigh.

Aggie was pondering this, wondering how she could answer truthfully without pushing Cecilie into an impassioned defense of her suitor, when Bates appeared in the doorway to announce, “His lordship has returned and wishes to see you in the drawing room, Miss Trimble
.”

“Yes, of course.” Aggie rose to her feet, wondering as she did so if Denby had seen their caller. “I’ll be right there.” And she hurried past the butler, trying once more to calm her flurried nerves.

She paused outside the drawing room for a moment, taking a deep breath. Already she was feeling shaky, knowing that she would soon be near him. She forced herself to enter the room. He was looking out the window at the street and she felt a rush of relief at the fact that he was wearing day clothes. He had not stayed out all night. Then he turned to face her and her knees began to tremble.

“Bates said you wished to speak to me.” He was not glaring, but there was something about his calmness that seemed forced.

“Yes, milord.”

“Did it have to do with that Bond Street fribble that just left?”

“Yes, milord.”

Denby sighed heavily. “You may as well sit down and tell me about it.”

Aggie sank somewhat gratefully into a chair. “You know that yesterday Cecilie and I visited the Royal Academy Exhibit at Somerset House.”

Denby nodded. “I gave her permission. I didn’t see how she could get into mischief there.”

It was Aggie’s turn to sigh. “She did. The monkey got loose and went rushing through the crowd. He caused considerable furor, especially among the older ladies.”

The Earl grimaced. “Continue, there must be more to it than that.”

Aggie nodded. “There is. I went after the monkey. When I returned with him
,
Cecilie had gone. I found her in a private room with Lord Gale. He had joined us shortly before the monkey got loose.” She took a deep breath. “I suspect that Cecilie let
Dillydums
loose on purpose. So as to be alone with the man. And I’m quite certain she knew he would call today.”

“So much for your theory,” the Earl replied dryly. He seemed determined not to lose his temper again, but Aggie almost wished he would. She did not like the lines of weariness around his mouth or the cold way his eyes regarded her.

“There is nothing wrong with my theory,” she said. “If we could find a suitable man, I am conf
i
dent we could guide her into his arms. But perhaps we are worried too soon over Lord Gale.”

One of Denby’s dark brows shot up. “I think not. The young fool simpered at me on his way out and said something about seeing me soon on a matter of some importance.”

“Oh, dear!” Aggie could not keep back the exclamation of dismay. To turn Lord Gale away at this time might well cause serious problems with Cecilie. And yet he was obviously unsuitable. She tried to think. “Perhaps you could be out to him if he comes to call. At least for a little while.” She was conscious of Denby’s frown, but she knew she must continue. “You see
,
the problem is that Cecilie is really taken with him.”

Denby’s other brow shot up momentarily. “I had begun to think the girl had some sense. Now I am doubtful.”

Aggie sighed. “You must remember, milord, Cecilie is very young. This boy is, too.”

The Earl made a gesture of protest. “It is precisely for that reason that he won’t do. Everything they had would be gone in a fortnight. Besides, I have reason to believe that his partiality for Cecilie is contrived.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that young Gale needs an heiress just as much as Parrington did. And the object of his affections is not Cecilie, but a sweet little ladybird who sings at Vauxhall
Gardens.”

“You’re lying!” Cecilie’s voice came from the doorway, startling them both.

The Earl turned. “May I suggest that you come in and shut the door? People of quality do not shout at one another.”

“I don’t care what people of quality do,” said Cecilie stubbornly, but she stepped into the room and shut the door.

“Since you’ve heard this much,” said the Earl, “you may as well come sit down and hear the rest.”

Cecilie sat down beside Aggie, but her chin jutted out stubbornly. “I know you’re lying about this. Henry
adores
me.”

The Earl made a moue of disgust. “Henry,” he said with sarcastic emphasis, “adores your money. He has lost a great deal at White’s and his own funds are limited.”

“There is nothing wrong with frequenting White’s,” Cecilie averred stubbornly. “Many men do.”

Denby looked grim. “Many men lose a great deal at the tables and seek to recoup their losses with their wives’ funds. This is not a situation I should wish on my worst enemy, let alone on someone whose welfare is in my hands.”

“He will stop gaming if I ask him
,
” Cecilie pouted prettily, but the effect was lost on the Earl.

“A man does not give up gaming that easily,” his lordship returned. “Least of all for a woman he has married merely for her purse.”

Cecilie clenched her f
i
sts and shook her head. “Henry loves me,” she repeated.

Frowning, the Earl ran a hand through his dark hair, leaving it tumbled. “Cecilie, you must be sensible. What I said before is true. It’s common knowledge among the swells that Gale’s ladybird has been set up in a nice place in the suburbs - on the expectation that he will soon marry an heiress and be able to pay for her little establishment.”

Cecilie’s face turned crimson. “You should not discuss such matters with me,” she cried. “A gentleman would not do so.”

The Earl sighed wearily. “A lady would not eavesdrop on what was obviously a private conversation.”

Cecilie’s chin went up. “I knew you were talking about me. And I thought maybe Henry had offered for me.” She glared at him. “It’s not fair. You treat me like a child.”

“You
are
a child,” said the Earl, ignoring her protest. “You know very little of the ways of the world. If you did, you would see that I am trying to do my best for you.” He sighed again. “And you are making it very difficult for me.” There was a moment’s silence in which he seemed to be waiting for a reply, but Cecilie vouchsafed none. Denby
looked at Aggie in resignation.

“Did he?” asked Cecilie suddenly.

The Earl looked at her in surprise. “Did he what?”

“Did Henry offer for me?”

Denby’s brows began to draw together in that line Aggie knew so well. “No, he did not,” he said sternly. “And if he had, I should have refused him.”

There,
thought Aggie, who was watching Cecilie’s face,
was his second mistake.
The first had been in trying to destroy Cecilie’s
belief in her suitor’s affection. In doing so he had attacked her image of herself, an image which she would fight bitterly to defend. And now he had erred again. A simple no would have been suff
i
cient, but he had to go on and make matters worse.

Cecilie got unsteadily to her feet. “I don’t care what you say,” she sobbed. “Henry loves me. I know he does. I shall never marry if you keep continually thwarting me like this!” And with a heartbroken sob she ran weeping from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Aggie stared down at her hands. Part of her heart was crying for Cecilie. If she had genuinely formed an affection for young Gale (which was, after all, possible), this was very painful for her.

Denby shifted his gaze to her. “I suppose you’ll tell me I did it all wrong,” he said, fixing her with an angry eye.

Aggie found herself bristling. If he had not been out so late with that scheming Lady Alicia
,
she could have warned him about Gale and they might have prevented all this. But no, he had to go to that woman who cared for no one but herself and now he was going to yell at Aggie. She glared back at him. “Well,” she said, getting to her feet and moving toward the f
i
replace, “you could have done better.”

He, too, got to his feet and strode toward her. “How so?” he demanded truculently.

Aggie forced herself to meet his eyes. “First, you insulted her by telling her that her Henry doesn’t love her.”

“The fool doesn’t,” he interjected scornfully.

Aggie’s temper was getting out of hand. The thought of him being tête-à-tête with Lady Alicia when she needed to talk to him about Cecilie grew more and more infuriating. “That is not the point,” she snapped. “She had a picture of herself as a woman who is loved and you tried to destroy it. Now she must insist more than ever that it is true. She has her pride.”

“This is utter nonsense,” he said crossly.

“May I suggest, milord,” replied Aggie icily, “that being a man you are hardly in a position to know
how
a woman thinks. A woman in love will forgive a man a great deal, even make excuses for his bad behavior.” She paled as the thought of his desertion filled her mind. For a moment there was silence, then she managed to go on. “The more you attack, the more she will defend - and overlook his faults - no matter how obvious.”

Denby stepped still closer. “Is that all I did wrong?” If she had not had the f
i
replace at her back, she would have moved away.

“No. You should never have told her you intend to refuse his offer.”

“But I do!”

“Milord,” said Aggie coldly. “May I suggest that you use a little common sense?” He glared at her, but she continued. “In the mood Cecilie was in, telling her that only added fuel to the fire.”

“I suppose you would have me accept the calfling’s offer.” His eyes smoldered at her.

“Of course not! But you could have just kept quiet. Then I might have persuaded her that the man is unsuitable. Now that will be next to impossible.”

“All this deviousness is ridiculous,” said the Earl. “The matter is a simple one. I fail to see why she makes it so complicated.”

“You fail to see a great many things,” snapped Aggie. She was aware that her anger was getting out of hand, but she could not seem to stop herself.

“Indeed!” Denby’s eyes grew smoky and he took still another step closer. He was only inches away now and in spite of her anger she felt herself yearning toward him. To combat that terrible need for him she put even more acid into her voice. “You ignore a very basic fact. Cecilie is a woman, a young and innocent woman. She knows nothing of estates or suitability. She only knows how she
feels.
And Lord Gale
,
no matter what his deficiencies in your eyes, makes her feel loved and wanted. That is a very precious feeling only few women can ignore.” Memories of the past swept over her suddenly and
,
feeling the tears spring to her eyes, she dropped her gaze.