Never mind that he had sought revenge earlier and purposely meant to rile her by putting Pershing on her team. That was merely playful retribution for the misery Fiona had put him through last year during her own house party. This Milbury situation was serious.
Rob cleared his throat. “She hurled some biblical quotations at us, mostly at Fiona. ‘Harlot of Babylon’ and the like. Accusing her of wanton behavior…with me. She’s going to hurl those same accusations and try to humiliate Fiona when she and Milbury join us tonight. This needs to be stopped.”
“What should we do?” Reggie asked, clenching his jaw in determination.
“All that is necessary is for no one to respond with surprise when she makes her accusations. If everyone claims they were aware I was here, that there was nothing untoward with my visiting Fiona, then there is no shock value.”
Bromleigh furrowed his brow. “And you think this will be enough to thwart Lady Cordelia?”
“I hope so.”
“May I tell Margaret? She’ll be Fiona’s staunchest supporter.” Reggie rose, having heard more than enough and obviously eager to do whatever necessary to protect her.
“Fiona has already gone to tell Cherish and Margaret.”
“Good,” Bromleigh muttered. “I think we need to tell Camborne and Jocelyn, Lynton and Eden, as well. Ramsdale and Ailis, too. That ought to be a sturdy enough wall of protection for Fiona.”
Rob nodded. “Yes, I was going to ask you to gather them next.”
“I’ll summon those Silver Dukes now,” Reggie said.
“Gad,” Bromleigh muttered, “stop referring to us as that.”
Reggie cast him a wry look. “Oh, now you do not like it? After all those years of playing it up and making legends of yourselves?”
Rob laughed. “Admit it, Bromleigh. You, Lynton, and Camborne played it to the hilt. Ramsdale was the only one who never did, but his protestations were useless because he was an unmarried duke and had that dash of silver in his hair. Theladies were going to chase after him relentlessly once you three were taken.”
Reggie nodded in agreement.
“But I am past it now and happily settled with my wife,” Bromleigh insisted. “So are Lynton and Camborne happily settled with theirs. Ramsdale, too. Go on, Reggie. Bring them here.”
Bromleigh watched his nephew take off, and then turned to Rob once the door had shut behind him. “Now, let us get to the heart of the matter…why did you really come early to Fiona’s? And what were the sleeping arrangements?”
Chapter Twelve
Fiona was notcertain how the ladies would respond to finding out Rob had spent a week in her home before this house party began. Would they chide her? Be disappointed in her behavior?
What she did not expect was their cheering her on. “What?”
“Hurrah!” Cherish said, hopping out of her seat and leading the round of “bravos” and cries of “well done.”
They had gathered in Cherish’s private salon with Margaret, Eden, Jocelyn, and Ailis, all of them now grinning at Fiona.
“But he’s ayoungerman,” Fiona sputtered.
“Who is obviously interested in you,” Eden said with an approving nod, and the others once again joined in. “Three cheers for you! That horrid betting book our husbands set up has put all eyes on him. They are calling him the next Silver Duke, even though he is ten years younger than the others.”
“Yes,veryyoung,” Fiona muttered. “He is barely above thirty.”
“Thirty-two, to be precise,” Cherish remarked. “But who cares when he looks devilishly commanding and authoritative? He’s a born leader.”
“He is also quite handsome,” Margaret added. “And he does have that lovely dash of silver in his hair. Who wouldn’t adore those tiny threads among the gold? Not to mention, he is also a duke.”
The others nodded.
“Everyone is betting he will choose some silly, fresh young thing just out in Society,” Jocelyn said.
Fiona shook her head. “But should he not be seeking exactly this in a wife?”
