Chapter Ten
Brooks’s Club
As the breakfast plates were cleared away, Knighton gave Jacob the name of his friend in the Foreign Office and said he’d send a note to smooth the way for Jacob to approach him.
‘Much obliged,’ said Jacob.
‘Consider it payment for the amusement you provide me with in between my boring business meetings.’
As they emerged from the breakfast room into the library, there was a distinct change of atmosphere: the murmurs of conversation died away, newspapers dropped, and monocles were fixed to get a good look at the pair.
Knighton smiled nervously. ‘Well, old chap, one of us has blotted our copybook.’
‘I think they’re looking at me,’ murmured Jacob, giving the room what he hoped was a hawkish stare.
‘I think they are too. Let me find out what this is about.’ Knighton scurried off to talk to his acquaintances over by the fireplace. Jacob would have preferred to make a dash for the exit, but Knighton hadn’t given him a chance to say his farewells.There was nothing for it but to brazen it out. He nodded a good morning to the Duke of Grafton and his cronies and received a stony glare back. He wandered to the nearest bookshelf and feigned an interest in back numbers of theEdinburgh Review.
After a few minutes, Knighton returned, a newspaper tucked under his arm. ‘Come with me,’ he whispered. Then more loudly: ‘Let’s go see that carriage horse at Tattersall’s, the one I told you about.’
Accepting the excuse, Jacob followed him to the cloakroom to retrieve their hats.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked.
‘Outside,’ said Knighton, beaming at the footman as if nothing was the matter. ‘How’s the family, Clive?’
‘Very good, Mr Knighton. Thank you for asking.’ The footman opened the door onto the street.
‘Let’s take this into Green Park,’ Knighton said to Jacob.
Jacob didn’t think his friend had been struck with a sudden desire to see the cows being milked, or admire the herbaceous borders, the usual entertainment in the park. His friend had something big to tell him that might need space to be absorbed away from the curious. With an inward groan, he hurried after Knighton, wondering what disaster was about to strike him.
Once they were beyond the ears and eyes of anyone from Brooks’s, Knighton passed him the newspaper that he had purloined from the Reading Room against the rules of the club. ‘Society column.’
Heart beating with trepidation, Jacob unfolded the paper:
BERKELEY SQUARE
The lateston ditfrom the square last night is that an altercation took place in the ton’s favourite patisserie. The respected war hero, Dr S—s, was heard to declare that he was marrying a lady of the acting profession, aMiss F—P—, against the wishes of his brother Viscount S—s. The very person to object was none other than the Viscount’s latest amour, the divine Miss P—. Hearts are breaking among the marriageable ladies as another eligible bachelor falls for the charms of a person from the lower classes. Will there be none left for respectable girls to marry this season?
‘Damn it all to hell!’ Jacob threw the newspaper onto the bench. ‘Bloody scandalmongers!’
Knighton picked up the paper and smoothed it down. ‘Careful with that. I’m supposed to return it.’
‘Chuck the thing in the fire.’
‘But that won’t stop the gossip.’
Jacob sat on the bench, let his hat fall to the ground, and leaned forwards with his head in his hands. ‘I really don’t have time for this.’ The worst thing was knowing he’d brought this on himself. He shouldn’t have let Ruby bait him into blurting out his intentions before an audience.
Knighton sat beside him. ‘Do you want me to deny it? I have the ear of those that matter. I could sort it out before it goes any further.’
Jacob gave a frustrated sigh. ‘It’s too late– and I don’t want to deny it. I consider myself engaged to Miss Fitz-Pennington and believe myself very fortunate to have won her hand. It wasn’t easy, believe me.’ She couldn’t back out now it was in the papers, he hoped. He truly believed she wanted it too if she just stopped thinking about everyone but herself for a moment. The rush of love he felt recalling that she could soon be his relieved some of the anguish. Faint heart never won fair lady. She was worth every second of trouble and annoyance he experienced as he battled through the obstacles to their union. ‘The only part of this I regret is that I haven’t had a chance to announce thisto my mother and the viscount before they read it this way.’ He flourished a hand to the offending column. ‘Too late to steal it from the post bag. My brother will have read his copy at breakfast and my mother will be getting the London papers by the mail coach in a day or two. I’d better write and hope my letter reaches her before she thinks to read the papers.’
‘And your brother?’
‘I imagine he is laying siege to my office already. I’d better go and see what he has to say for himself.’
Knighton slapped him on the back. ‘Need moral support?’
