Scandal By The Ton (4 page)

Finally, she chose her mother's friend Lavinia's sister-in-law, Henrietta.
Ann Onymous has it on good authority that the Countess of Bessb---gh has produced not one, but two illegitimate children by the well-known Whig politician GLG.
Julia paused, wondering if her readers would recognize that GLG stood for Granville Leveson-Gower.
I believe they will; Dottie always says that a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse!

Chapter Four

On Monday morning, Nicholas Royston stepped from his carriage on Fleet Street across from the building where the
London and Country Magazine
was published. He watched the people walking on the street and closely scrutinized anyone who entered the building. Nobody answering the descriptions the editor had given him went anywhere near the building.

He suddenly spied a newsboy, with papers tucked under his arm, leave the building. He knew instinctively this must be
George
the editor had spoken of who usually delivered the scandal column.

Nicholas strode briskly across the street and grabbed the newsboy. The lad kicked and screamed and squirmed, but he could not match Royston's strength. With difficulty, the viscount hauled the lad into his carriage, and knocked to signal his coachman to drive.

"Caught red-handed. Who pays you to deliver
Scandal by the Ton
?" Nick demanded.

The boy, panting from his exertions, glared at him, and pulled his cap down over his ears. He made a sudden lunge for the door, and Royston grabbed him.

To Nick's astonishment his hands came into contact with a pair of round breasts hidden beneath the waistcoat and he realized his captive was a female. Surprised, he loosened his hold immediately. The young devil savagely bit his hand, and when Nick let go, the female opened the carriage door, and rolled out into Fleet Street.

"Stop!" Royston cried, but to his dismay, he saw the culprit dart into Fetter Lane and disappear. A foul oath dropped from his lips, as he looked down at his swollen hand. He vowed to return the following Monday.
I'll catch the vicious little bugger, if it's the last thing I do!

The following day, when the
London and Country Magazine
was published, Royston bought a copy and eagerly turned to
Scandal by the Ton
to read the retraction. His expression turned grim as he read:
Ann Onymous offers a profound apology and retraction for an item in last week's column. The typesetter made a mistake and printed the letter N in place of the letter M. Perdita Robinson is not the mistress of Nick Royston, but rather the mistress of his brother Mick.

Nicholas's expression turned black as he read further:
Ann Onymous is sincerely sorry that Nick Royston is not Perdita Robinson's lover, but likely not anywhere near as sorry as poor Perdita.

"Good God, it's twice as bad as it was before, as Ann Onymous deliberately intended!" His eyes focused again and he read:
After reading Scandal by the Ton, Lady Claire S------- handed poor Lord Royston his walking papers.

With a curse he tore the magazine in half and flung it across his library. "Walking papers!"
I'll make Claire Shelborne rue the day she ever gossiped to her friends about me. And as for Ann Bloody Onymous, if I ever get my hands on her, I'll throttle the bitch!

On Friday evening, Julia brushed her long dark hair into a fashionable upswept creation and fastened the curls with diamond butterfly pins, loaned to her by Dottie. The evening gown she had chosen from Madame Martine's in Bond Street was white tulle decorated with silver ribbons and violets at the high Empire waistline. Dottie had persuaded her to choose a pale mauve ostrich feather fan by telling her it took a certain panache to carry off such an outrageous fashion.

Julia stood in front of her cheval glass, practicing languid wafts with the fan, making an effort to control her laughter, but try as she might, she could not keep the amusement from her eyes.

"Perfection!" Dottie declared. "If your mother could see you, she would be outraged."

"Because of the gown's low
décolletage?
"

"Because you put her completely in the shade. You look at least nineteen, which trumpets to Society that Claire is at that unenviable age between forty and death."

"She's gone to Spencer House again tonight. Did you ask Toby to bring the carriage back?"

"Yes, I asked him kindly. I don't order him about as Claire does." Dottie checked the time. "He should be here now."

The pair descended the stairs together. Julia knew better than to hold onto her grandmother, knowing she would brandish her cane and announce proudly, "I'm not ready for the knacker's yard yet."

Toby opened the carriage door, and Dottie said, "91 Pall Mall, please."

When the carriage pulled up before the great mansion, Dottie advised, "Don't feel intimidated, darling. The Duke and Duchess of Gordon don't own this grand house; they lease it from the Marquis of Buckingham."

"You are a font of information about everyone in London."

"Ah yes, I'm not just rewarding in bed," she quipped.

Julia was still laughing when the liveried butler ushered them in and a maid took their cloaks.

"Try not to stare at the knobby knees of the men wearing kilts," Dottie admonished.

Jane Gordon sailed across the foyer to greet the new arrivals. "Dorothy, it's good to see ye. I swear ye look younger than the last time we met."

"Your eyes are failing you, Jane. I've brought my granddaughter Julia. It's high time she entered Society, and where better than at a Duchess of Gordon entertainment?"

"Welcome, my dear. Let's go up to the ballroom and I'll introduce ye to my youngest daughter, Georgina. She'll swallow her tongue when she sees how pretty ye are."

When Julia met Georgina, she liked her instantly. The duke's daughter did not affect airs and she had a ready laugh and a wicked twinkle in her eye. Georgina said in an aside, "It's a relief to have someone my age here. Mother is constantly matchmaking. Any unmarried man with a decent title is fair game. Tonight she has her eye on Prime Minister Pitt."

"I'm here with my grandmother, who understands I don't want to be on the marriage market."

To belie her words, Dottie said, "Come Julia, there are a number of eligible males you should meet." She swooped up a glass of champagne and handed it to her granddaughter. "Drink up."

Julia exchanged an amused glance with Georgina and followed her grandmother.

"That fellow over there is Henry Dundas, the Home Secretary, and Pitt's right hand man. He's a bachelor, but since he's the Duchess of Gordon's lover, I won't dangle you in front of him."

"Damn, I should have brought a notepad and pencil to write all this down," Julia jested.

Dorothy made her way toward three men who were conversing. "Lord Grenville is the Foreign Secretary. He's Pitt's cousin and has ambitions to become the next prime minister." As they got closer to the trio, Dottie lowered her voice. "The other man is Lord Holland. Henry recently married a divorced woman, but since he was the cause of it, I commend him for doing the honorable thing."

The third man turned toward the approaching pair, and Julia caught her breath in surprise. It was Nicholas Royston. Only a few days ago, he'd grabbed her, shoved her into his carriage, and discovered she was not a newsboy when his hands came into contact with her breasts.

"Hello Dorothy. I haven't seen you since you were at Ashridge Place in Hertfordshire."

"If I remember correctly, I was in Royston Hall's garden, pilfering some of your roses."

Nicholas grinned. "You steal so openly, I decided not to shoot you."

"I would like to present my granddaughter, Lady Julia. My dear, this is Lord Royston, our long-suffering neighbor in Hertfordshire."

Julia swallowed hard. She felt her knees tremble, and languidly waved her feathered fan to cover her nervousness. "How do you do, Lord Royston?"

"Did you say Julia?" Royston looked stunned. "Surely this lady cannot be Claire's daughter? I was under the impression she was still a little girl."

"Ah, the
Mayfair Matron in Waiting
...
and waiting
does her utmost to perpetuate the myth."

Nicholas Royston's glance swept over the shiny dark curls, violet eyes, generous mouth, and upthrust breasts of the female before him,
and then moved back up to her full lower lip. "I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Lady Julia." He held out his hand to her.

Julia noticed it was still slightly swollen from when she had bitten it. She immediately put her empty glass in it, and turned to greet Lord Grenville.

As Royston studied the beauty before him with speculation, a diabolical idea came to him. To avenge Claire Shelborne's dismissal of him, he would woo the daughter. "May I partner you in the next dance, Lady Julia?"

She would have preferred to put distance between them, apprehensive that there might be something about her he recognized. Refusing him, however, might only draw his scrutiny. "I would be honored, Lord Royston."

"Please, call me Nicholas."

"I couldn't do that on such short acquaintance," she demurred.

"Then I propose we get to know each other better." He took her hand and led her onto the ballroom floor.

This is dangerous. He's dangerous.
Unfortunately the danger added to his attraction.
A moth to the flame.
Julia smiled inwardly.
This is an exciting game.
What the devil would he do if he knew I was the one who wrote Scandal by the Ton?
A slight shiver ran down her spine.

Nicholas tightened his arm. "You're not cold, are you my dear?"

"How can I be cold, when I can feel the heat from your body, my lord?"

He smiled down at her. "You enjoy being provocative."

"You have uncovered my secret," she whispered.

"So, you also enjoy secrets."

"I revel in them, Lord Royston."
Careful you don't singe your wings, Julia.
In his arms, she was vulnerable to his attraction. He had a coiled energy, and added to his athletic build, he was disturbingly male. His close proximity made it difficult for her to think. She wanted to close her eyes and give herself up to the pleasure of the handsome lord's admiration. Suddenly, a sobering thought intruded.
Why would Nicholas Royston be interested in the daughter of a woman who had dismissed him in such a humiliating fashion?

The answer came immediately.
What better way to take his revenge? Very well, Nicko. Two can play this game.

As the music ended, Nicholas bowed. "Lady Julia, would you allow me to escort you into supper later?"

Julia gave him a provocative smile. "It would please me above all things, Lord Royston."

When the dance ended, Georgina Gordon and Lord Holland were standing beside Julia and the viscount. "My Uncle Holly would like to dance with you, Lady Julia, though you haven't been introduced.”

"That's soon remedied. I'm sure Lord Royston would be happy to introduce us."

Nicholas hid a smile, but amusement danced in his dark eyes. "Henry, allow me to present Lady Julia Shelborne, whose manners are rather unconventional. Lady Julia, this is my good friend Henry Holland."

When Julia held out her hand, Lord Holland took it to his lips. "May I have the next dance?"

Julia smiled. "You may, if you will share a bit of gossip. I collect it."
I know I shouldn't have said that, I simply couldn't help myself. If I'm not careful, I'll singe my ostrich feathers.

"I'd rather
not
collect it," Henry declared, "but it seems to follow me about."

"I like you, Lord Holland; you have a delightful sense of humor." When they were halfway around the ballroom, Julia said, "I'm waiting."

Henry laughed. "Well, let's see, since it would be the heighth of audacity to gossip about one's hostess, did you hear that the
Duchess of Drinkwater
in T.S. Surr's satirical novel,
A Winter in London,
is based on Jane Gordon's rivalry with the Duchess of Devonshire?"

Julia laughed. "I had no idea. I shall rush out and buy it tomorrow. My mother's best friend is the Duchess of Devonshire's sister-in-law, Lavinia."

"It's a small world, isn't it?" Henry said with a twinkle.

"Are you referring to the unfortunate business between my mother and Royston?" she teased.

"I swear I wasn't, my dear, but now that you mention it... "

They both went off in a peal of laughter.

When the dance was finished, Henry introduced Julia to his wife, Beth.

"I can always count on my husband to seek out the most beautiful girl in the room."

"That's how he found you, no doubt," Julia complimented.