Hannah had been asleep when Natalie returned. She had also won two thousand pounds, which she claimed before leaving the club. Of course, a hundred guineas out of the sum would be repaid to Jasper, for he placed the first wager for her. This money would help them greatly, but she was not going to reveal it to George just yet. He would want to know where exactly she had obtained the sum from. She would have to think of what to tell him first.
Now she tried to rub the sleep from her face to answer her cousin’s questions. “It was splendid.” She rose from the bed.
“That is no answer,” Hannah protested, following her and stopping on the other side of the screen while Natalie filled a basin with water and splashed it on her face.
“I played a good game with several gentlemen.”
“Where did you go?”
“A club on Coventry Street.” She dried her face and began to clean her teeth.
“Dale’s?” Hannah asked.
Natalie never went to the trouble of knowing which club it was. When they arrived, she was consumed by her nerves, and when they left, she was eager to climb into the carriage and be out from the cold. She also wanted Jasper’s arms around her, and he was all too happy to oblige.
“Err…yes, that one,” she answered, then went on to tell Hannah how enjoyable the night had been and what games she played. She was careful not to reveal anyone’s name because it would give Hannah a hint about the Rogue. She was sure his name and the Comtesse’s were in the Londoner already.
When she dressed and emerged from the screen, she saw an odd look on her cousin’s face—something akin to suspicion—but it disappeared quickly with Hannah saying, "I think the Duke is fond of you, Natalie. I read the Londoner this morning, and you two were mentioned again.”
"Do not be silly, Hannah," Natalie dismissed, her cheeks warming again. “…What else was in the Londoner?” she asked, curious about the tale of the Comtesse that was undoubtedly being carried about.
Hannah shrugged. “Nothing of note.”
Natalie’s eyes narrowed as she grew suspicious of her cousin. Hannah knew something about the Masked Rogue and the Comtesse, and she was not telling her.
She confirmed it when she found a copy of the Londoner on a table near the door. The paper gushed about them, yet Hannah pretended she had read nothing. She likely wrote the piece, too.
That afternoon, Hannah joined Natalie as they left for Mary's shop to deliver some of Phoebe's finished dresses, and Alexandra was examining one of the dresses that were made for her when they entered.
"I rather liked the dress Lady Phoebe wore to the Countess of Devonham's musicale last week. I should like something in a similar style," Alexandra said to Mary. The particular dress had been another of Natalie's works.
Mary's gaze met Natalie's through the mirror before Alexandra, and her friend gave her a knowing smile. A snicker escaped Hannah at Alexandra's demand, drawing the attention of the lady in question. Hannah was laughing because Alexandra despised Natalie, yet wanted the dresses she made. She would no doubt call them ugly if she knew the truth.
Alexandra stepped off the low stool she was upon and walked to where they were standing, glaring at Hannah. To their surprise, she did not say anything to her. Instead, she focused her contemptuous attention on Natalie.
"Do you know what rumor I heard, Lady Natalie?" Alexandra began.
"I cannot imagine," Natalie drawled, causing Hannah to hold a laugh.
Alexandra fleetingly scowled at this, but she tried to maintain her smugness, and she leaned close to Natalie and whispered, "Society is beginning to believe that your unmarried state is as a result of a scandal years ago."
Panic rose within her, and her hands tightened around the beaded string of her reticule. She breathed evenly and did all she could to appear unperturbed. No one knew about those details but her father, cousins, and the man behind it all, Oliver, who was not even in the country. How could Alexandra have known?
Oliver had hidden Jasper's name when he extorted her family. So, apart from Natalie and Oliver, no one else knew that it was Jasper with her that night. If George had known that it was Jasper, he would have challenged him, and he would not have agreed to play a game with him at White’s.
"Is that so?" Natalie asked calmly. "Did The Londoner publish that tale?”
Alexandra’s mouth twisted with disdain. “I do not read that nonsense.”
Hannah began to counter, but Natalie stopped her. She did not want her involved in this bickering. “Is society so starved of proper occupation that I am now its subject of gossip and speculation?" When she asked that, Mary held her laugh while Hannah was positively shaking with mirth.
What was even more unfortunately humorous was the fact that Alexandra was still oblivious to the fact that Natalie had just implied thatshewas the society and that she was so concerned with Natalie’s life that she would speak to anyone about her. Hannah had heard that Alexandra had tea with some ladies two days ago, and all she talked about was Natalie and how unfortunate her spinsterhood was.
Alexandra sniffed, trying to appear unbothered by what Natalie had just said. She turned to Hannah and jabbed a finger in her direction, saying, "You! If you think that Viscount you are trailing after is going to offer for you, then you must be gravely delusional. Once served, men hardly ever look at a woman again. They use, and then they discard. It is in their nature, you see."
This comment promptly removed the smile on Hannah's face. Natalie quickly stepped forward to defend her cousin. “I do not believe you are in any position to say that, Miss Gilmore. Unless you wish for us to discuss the four gentlemen that courted you without making you an offer.”
“I did receive—”
