“Yes, Your Grace. That is the usual way of it. Except for what is stipulated in the marriage contract to be saved for her and any future children, should she become widowed.”
“Yes.” The duchess spat out the word as though it tasted foul. “Thank heavens for a proper marriage contract to protect those deemed irrelevant by England’s legal system.”
Bitterness and resentment thickened the air of the parlor like a dense London fog. Elias rose from his seat. “Perhaps I should take my leave and get to work on your documents.” He carefully tucked the papers back into their envelope, then stowed them safely inside his satchel. A strange storm brewed in this residence, and he wanted no part of it until armed with more information. He offered both ladies a proper bow.
“No tea, then, my lord?” Miss Bening asked in a decidedly victorious tone.
“Thank you, no. Perhaps another time.” He paused and unabashedly studied her. Was this mysterious beauty as cunningly avaricious as the dowager’s request portrayed her to be?
“You are staring, my lord,” she said. “Is there something else you wish to say?”
“Not at this particular time.” Elias squared his shoulders, suddenly looking forward to a battle of wits with this lovely lady. And with any luck, so much more. He didn’t sense greed from her. More like a subtle leeriness tinged with desperation—but why?
“I promise you, though,” he said, “you and I shall have much to discuss in the future.”
Chapter Three
Celia peeped throughthe side window framing the door. The handsome yet infuriating Lord Raines strode to the awaiting hackney with the same powerful grace of the restless panther that had entranced her at the menagerie in Germany. The man was dangerous to their cause, yet something about him made her ache to know him better. She yearned to see him again and apologize for behaving like an overly protective, bitter shrew. Her despondent sigh fogged the window. How else could she behave? She dared not let anyone too close or share too much information. She allowed the lacy sheer to fall back in place and returned to the parlor.
“That did not go well at all,” she said to her mother as she returned to her seat. “The man suspects something and is sure to go digging. I am certain of it.”
“I agree.” Her mother released a weary sigh. “We must become better at portraying ourselves as a dowager and her companion rather than mother and daughter. I fear we failed miserably with Lord Raines.”
They both went silent as Gransdon entered, followed by Friedrich, their loyal footman from Germany, and Reginald, the new English footman. Both bore trays with every item required for a proper tea.
“That will be all, gentlemen.” Gransdon dismissed the footmen with a curt nod. “I shall serve Her Grace and Miss Bening.”
Friedrich and Reginald bowed, then hurried out.
Gransdon served the duchess, then Celia, without commenting on the missing Lord Raines.
“Thank you, Gransdon,” Duchess Thea said. “That will be all.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” He gave a respectful bow, then strode out and closed the doors as if understanding their unspoken need for privacy.
“And that is another issue.” Celia hated the feeling of their orderly game crumbling. Her inability to control every nuance suffocated her. “YourMr. Elkin assured us that his Bow Street Runners had thoroughly assessed each of the servants and guaranteed their loyalty. Earlier, Gransdon addressed me asmy lady, and I am most certain that Lord Raines couldn’t help but overhear that man’s loud, booming voice.”
“I am sure he heard it because I did. And by the way, Mr. Elkin is notmine.” The duchess rolled her eyes, then took another sip of her tea. She returned the delicate porcelain cup to its saucer, then shot Celia an accusing look. “Mr. Elkin guaranteed their loyalty. Not their ability to play this complicated charade as well as we do—which, I might reiterate, we failed at miserably today.” She shuddered as though thoroughly disgusted. “And you must stop being so defensive. Has it ever occurred to you that if you feed Lord Raines’s sense of self-importance and throw a flirtatious compliment or two his way, he would overlook a multitude of sins while proudly preening his feathers? You must handle men a certain way, Celia. Use your beauty to your advantage.”
“I am sorry, but I do not like him. He is too…” Celia paused, searching for an appropriate and also acceptable description for the frustrating Lord Raines. He had caught her off guard in the hallway when he arrived, and she hated being put at a disadvantage. And it wasn’t that she didn’t like him, really. Or wouldn’t. Blast! Blast! Blast!
“He is too what?” her mother curtly prompted. “Too intelligent and inquisitive for our own good?” She set her tea on the table and fisted her hands in her lap. “That is exactly the sort of solicitor we require. Has he not handled our accounts as efficiently as Raymond?”
“Impertinent,” Celia snapped, ignoring her mother’s affectionate reference to Master Hodgely. “Lord Raines is entirely too impertinent, and you can tell by his behavior that he thinks far too highly of himself.”
“There is nothing wrong with a man having a good opinion of himself,” her mother said. “He did not give me an inflated perception of his own worth, merely good self-esteem. I could accuse you of possessing that same trait, you know.” The duchess’s eyes narrowed. “Or do you dislike him because he obviously appears interested in you?”
“His only interest in me is proving me to be a fraud. I read it in his eyes.”
“They were quite intense, those blue eyes of his.”
“Topaz, Mama. Those dark golden eyes of his reminded me of that large panther in the menagerie we visited in Hamburg.”
Her mother’s sly smile revealed Celia had just stepped into a snare. But surprisingly, the duchess didn’t indulge in an immediate moment of gloating; instead, she nodded at the teapot and lifted her cup. “Be a dear, Celia. I fear this tea has already gone cold.”
Celia clenched her teeth, bracing herself for the next comment regarding Lord Raines. With a forced smile, she took the half-empty cup to the table and replaced it with the one meant for the irritating solicitor. “A shame we didn’t request they stock any pear brandy here.” She filled the extra cup with tea and added a dollop of milk and a drizzle of honey.
“Indeed.” Her mother accepted her fresh tea with a smug tilt of her head. “And now, shall we address how you should behave toward the golden-eyed Lord Raines in the future?”
