Match For Melissa (26 page)

“Why…I am not certain. But I should think that would meet with her approval. It is a high office with much prestige and those qualities matter greatly to her.”

“Then that is what you shall tell her. The vicar of Oakwood is about to retire and it is my duty to name his replacement. Your Reverend Mr. Watson shall become the new vicar.”

Regina threw her arms around his neck and gave him an enthusiastic hug. “Oh, Robert! You are indeed the kindest of men! I shall write to him tonight and tell him how good you are! You have fulfilled one of my fondest dreams!”

“One of them?” Robert smiled down at her. “You have others?”

Regina nodded. “There is but one more and it concerns Lissa. You see Lissa is not truly our servant. She is my stepsister, the daughter of Lord Harrington.”

As Regina told the story of how Lissa had been trapped into performing the role of their servant, the duke felt his anger rise. Lady Harrington deserved to be punished roundly for the anguish and humiliation she had caused dear Lissa to endure. He had long suspected that all was not as it seemed with Lissa and now the puzzle was solved at last.

“You are not to concern yourself any longer, Regina.” Robert smiled as he guided her to her feet. “Now that I am aware of your mother’s duplicity, I promise you that I shall make certain that your dear stepsister’s life is set aright.”

More than an hour had passed before Melissa felt capable of rational thought. She had prayed that she had been mistaken, that the duke had not guessed that she was his Diana. But even if he had realized that Regina was not the woman he had held in his arms on Lady Beckworth’s balcony or kissed passionately in his own gardens on the eve of his dinner party, Melissa knew that he would uphold his honor as a gentleman. He had courted Regina and given her reason to assume that he would offer for her. He would not cry off from that duty.

Somewhat relieved, Melissa removed her costume and folded it carefully. She was gratified to observe that the delicate Belgian lace was intact. Mrs. Collins’s wedding gown could also be restored to its original state. All Melissa need do was to reattach the pink roses that had been clipped from the bodice.

Clothed in her night rail and a wrapper, Melissa sat down by the brazier to remove her precious earrings. It was only then that she noticed that one was missing.

Heart pounding in alarm, Melissa retraced her steps, hunting frantically for its mate. Though her search was diligent, it was in vain. Her missing earring was not in her stepmother’s townhouse, nor anywhere in the immediate vicinity.

Melissa sighed as she crawled under her covers and blinked back tears of remorse. It would be useless to continue her search in the darkness. Early tomorrow morning, she would set out for Oakwood House, walking the route she had taken in reverse. If she failed to find her precious earring, she would ask for Mrs. Parker’s assistance in searching the ballroom and the duke’s gardens.

Melissa attempted to find a dry spot on her pillow, but her search was doomed to failure. After waking frequently during the night with disturbing dreams and a sense of desolation that she could not dispel, she wanted nothing more than to sleep the day away. She wished to remain hidden in her bedchamber, safe from the curious glances that Jane and her stepsisters would be certain to bestow upon her, once they observed the traces of her recent tears. But the sun was peeping over the horizon and there was no time to tarry. She had to inform Mrs. Parker that she had lost one of her earrings immediately so that the housekeeper could ask the staff to keep watch for it during the cleaning and straightening of the duke’s residence that was certain to take place this morning.

After performing her morning ablutions and dressing in one of her serviceable gowns, Melissa picked up the package that contained her costume and tiptoed down the staircase. The sun had barely risen and no one was awake to witness her departure as she let herself out the heavy front door. She simply had to find her missing earring. They had been her grandmother’s most beloved possession and she had entrusted them to Melissa’s mother. Now that they had come into Melissa’s keeping, Melissa felt as if she would be violating her family’s trust if she did not find the precious gems.

* * *

“My son did not declare for her at the ball?” The duchess looked greatly relieved as Lady Beckworth shook her head. They had reached London early this morning and had driven directly to Lady Beckworth’s mansion to solicit her advice.

“This is wonderful news, Mama!” Lucy gave a heartfelt sigh of relief. “Our trip has not been in vain.”

“You do not approve the match?” Lady Jennings, who was also in attendance in Lady Beckworth’s sitting room, frowned slightly.

“It is not that Mama disapproves.” Lucy made haste to explain. “We do not know Lady Harrington’s daughter and can form no opinion of her character.”

Lady Beckworth nodded and a smile crossed her face as she addressed her old friend. “I understand perfectly, Aurora. It is not the daughter, but Lady Harrington, herself, who concerns you.”

“Precisely right!” the duchess agreed quickly. “You were always quick to catch my meaning, Sarah, even when we were in the schoolroom. Lucy and I have come to warn Robert of Lady Harrington’s character, not to malign her daughter.”

Lady Jennings leaned forward, as if she were about to impart the juiciest tidbit of
ton
gossip. “That horrible woman dismissed two highly suitable dressers last Season, turning them out without references. She wishes to recapture the glory of her first Season and refuses to admit that her beauty has faded. I engaged one of the dressers myself, after the woman was dismissed. She confided to me that her only fault was to call Lady Harrington’s attention to several gray hairs and suggest that they be plucked out.”

“Then vanity is another of the lady’s failings?” Lucy asked the question.

Lady Jennings laughed. “But of course, my dear Lucy. I should put it near the top of the list, which is very long, indeed. Lady Harrington steadfastly refuses to admit that if one chooses to strut like a peacock, one should be certain one still has the
plumage for it. After one reaches a certain age, no amount of damping one’s petticoats will catch a gentleman’s eye.”

“She truly engages in that ploy?” Lucy looked properly shocked.

Lady Jennings shook her head. “Not recently, no, but her costume at last night’s ball left very few of her charms unexposed. I suspect the lady must have doused herself with paste to prevent her from popping out of her bodice.”

“If you were not my dearest cousin, I should chide you for shocking poor Lucy.” Lady Beckworth laughed. “But I must admit that your assessment of the lady’s character is correct. Jane Harrington is a silly woman, vain and avaricious. If one should poll the members of the
ton,
I venture to say that one should find few who hold even a modicum of respect for her.”

“Then why has she been so well received?” Lucy began to frown. “I should think that such a lady would be given the cut.”

Lady Jennings sighed. “It is only her status as Lord Harrington’s widow that causes the
ton
to receive her. The gentleman was well respected and to refuse courtesy to his widow would reflect upon his good name. There are also Lady Harrington’s daughters to consider. They appear to be well-bred young ladies and it is not fair to fault them for being born to such a despicable mother.”

“Tell me about the elder daughter, Sarah.” The dowager duchess addressed her old bosom bow. “What is your opinion of her character?”

Lady Beckworth appeared thoughtful. “I have had little converse with her, but I believe her to be of high principles. It is true that she has encouraged dear Robert’s attentions, but there is no conspiracy on her part, I am certain. She is, however, quite firmly in her mother’s pocket, obeying Lady Harrington instantly without the slightest whisper of protest. I would wager to say that she would not even attempt to breathe should her mother expressly forbid it!”

“The poor thing!” Lucy sighed. “To have a mother like that. I cannot imagine what distress it must cause her.”

The dowager duchess smiled and patted Lucy’s hand. “Thank you, Lucy, for that lovely compliment. But I fear the news that dear Sarah and Lady Jennings have given us is most distressing. Let us go immediately to Oakwood House and inform Robert of what we have learned.”

“Will he believe us if he has formed a
tendre
for Lady Harrington’s daughter?” A look of concern crossed Lucy’s countenance. “The poets claim that love is blind and he may not see the influence this horrible woman has over her daughter.”

Lady Beckworth nodded. “Your point is well taken, Lucy. Perhaps we should go
en masse.
Robert has always shown a fondness for me. Indeed, he has told me that he regards me as his Aunt Sarah, though we are not related. I am certain he respects my opinion on
ton
matters and will realize that I have no reason to falsely accuse Lady Harrington.”

“An excellent suggestion!” The duchess reached out to take her old friend’s hand. “Let us be off before any more harm can occur. It will be preferable for Robert to fail to declare for Lady Harrington’s daughter than to cry off once he has done so.”

“Good morning, Emmy.” Robert stepped quickly to the side to avoid a collision with the young maid who was rushing down the hall. Emmy looked astonished to see him up with the sun on this morning, as the ball had ended only a few hours ago.

“Good morning, your grace!” Emmy bobbed a curtsy.

After he had waved Emmy on her way, Robert climbed the staircase to the ballroom. He had left instructions with Mrs. Parker that it was not to be straightened until he ordered it. His Diana had fled from his arms to the gardens and had not reappeared in the ballroom. Perhaps she had dropped some clue to her identity in her headlong flight.

Though he searched the ballroom for close to an hour, Robert found no trace of his Diana. There were several items the guests had left behind; a painted fan, a lace handkerchief, a string of glass beads, and an ivory snuffbox, but none of them had belonged
to the Princess of Winter. His heart heavy, Robert opened the French doors that led to the gardens and resumed his search there.

There was nothing on the stone steps save a forgotten goblet containing an inch or so of champagne. Robert was alert as he walked down the steps and entered the gardens. Dew still clung to the petals of the roses and he sighed as he inhaled their sweet perfume. As he did not know which particular path his Diana had taken, he would examine them all.

A bit of black lace was caught on the thorn of a white rose bush. Robert was about to retrieve it when he remembered the colors of his Diana’s costume. The lace belonged to another of his guests, perhaps the Spanish countess who had revealed herself as Lord Chadwick’s sister.

Robert’s search took him past the tree where he had danced with his love in the starlight. He stared at the stretch of perfectly manicured grass and sighed. What would he do if his search were fruitless? Regina had promised to provide him with the guest lists, but he doubted that he would find his Diana’s name among the others who had been issued invitations. The Princess of Winter had not been present in the ballroom when they had formed the opening promenade, nor had she been seated in the solarium to enjoy Henri’s excellent cuisine. Robert had relived those moments carefully, and he was certain that he would have noticed her, had she been among the other guests.

The path he was searching curved very close to the stone wall that bordered the street. Robert had never been in this particular section of the gardens before and he frowned as he realized that the mortar had crumbled and several stones had fallen from the top of the wall. He would have to tell his gardeners to repair the damage immediately, as it would be possible for someone to climb over the low spot and gain access without his permission. He was about to go fetch the head gardener to show him the damage, when he spotted something glittering brightly in the sunlight at the base of the wall.

Heart beating rapidly in excitement, Robert strode to the spot
and retrieved the object. It was a lovely earring made up of a string of blue diamonds, bound together in a cleverly fashioned chain. Robert gasped as he examined it. The Princess of Winter had worn these very earrings, he was certain. He remembered thinking how well they suited her costume as they had reminded him of sparkling blue icicles.

A smile spread over Robert’s face as he dropped the earring into his pocket. He had solved the puzzle of his love’s disappearance. The Princess of Winter had fled through his gardens and climbed over the low spot on the wall. And even more important, he had found only one earring, not the pair. Even if they were
faux
diamonds, the settings were painstakingly crafted and they were worth a pretty penny. There was no doubt that she would be most distressed when she discovered her loss and would return, retracing her steps, in an attempt to retrieve it.

His Diana had provided him with a golden opportunity and Robert vowed to take full advantage. He would not repair the garden wall at present. Instead, he would station a team of gardeners to watch the wall from a hidden spot. If his Diana came back to search for her earring, he would have her brought to him straight away.

After giving Mrs. Parker leave to set the ballroom in order, Robert called for his head gardener and arranged for additional men to watch the low spot on the garden wall. He did not give his true reason for requesting this surveillance. Robert was aware that one careless word, spoken by one of his servants, might warn his Diana of the trap he had set for her. But he did make certain that anyone who entered his gardens in that fashion, be it gentleman, lady, or servant, be detained and brought into his presence.

It was not until he was back in his chambers that Robert realized the full significance of his find. With trembling fingers, he drew out the packet that his father had left for him and compared the necklace to the earring he had found. The blue diamonds were of a like size and cut, and the workmanship of
the settings was identical. His Diana was the daughter of Anne Hathaway, his father’s first love, and Robert vowed that he would not rest until he had found her again and fulfilled his father’s dying request.