“Neither of them is at the altar yet, and Sirena will be far easier to get there than Allegra. She is in love. I am not sure that I do not feel a certain guilt about sending Allegra into a loveless union with the duke. Still, I cannot disagree with him regarding love. Look what lovehas brought me, too,” Lord Morgan said sadly. “He seems a good man though. I have never heard anything untoward regarding his character. I believe he will be kind to my daughter.”
“We must get Allegra to be kind to him,” Lady Abbott replied with a small twinkle in her eye. “I do not envy you your duty, Septimius. You will have to tell her immediately.”
“I know,” he answered. “As soon as she returns we shall speak. Who was she with today?”
“Sirena and Pickford, of course, and young Rupert Tanner,” Lady Abbott answered.
“I wasn’t aware Rupert was in London,” Lord Morgan said. “You know he had the cheek to ask for Allegra before we came to London. I don’t like it that he’s come sniffing about. His father cannot get the idea out of his head of marrying his second son to my daughter.”
The day had suddenly grown overcast as spring weather was apt to do. Lord Morgan and Lady Abbott repaired indoors.
“When my daughter returns,” Lord Morgan told Marker, “tell her I want to see her immediately in my library.”
“Very good, my lord,” the butler said with a bow.
“And you may tell my daughter I am in my rooms,” Lady Abbott said.
“Yes, my lady,” Marker replied.
Making himself comfortable in his study, Lord Morgan poured himself a whiskey and sat in an upholstered chair by the blazing fire. He considered how to best approach his daughter, but he knew there would be no easy way. A woman needed to be married in their society. Allegra had been raised to understand that. He knew of few love matches. Families arranged marriagesto best suit themselves. The bride and the groom knew they had to make the best of it, and usually did. He had been foolish enough to fall in love with his wife, Pandora. It had made her betrayal all the more difficult.
He had told the duke he did not know why Pandora had not aborted the baby who had grown up to be Allegra. He had lied. He knew very well why Allegra had been born because he had overheard a conversation between Pandora and Olympia that he had not been meant to hear. It had been Olympia Abbott who had threatened her younger sister with exposure if she did not have the baby she was carrying.
“You have destroyed three of Septimius’s children,” Olympia said angrily. “I will not allow you to destroy this child.”
“I have given him a son,” Pandora whined. “What more is expected of me?”
“What if something happens to James Lucian?” Olympia asked. “You must give Septimius another child, and you are already ripening with this one. I do not understand how you could allow that awful woman to tear three of your babies from your body.”
“Oh, Olympia, do not be so dramatic. She gave me some revolting potion to swallow and several hours later I passed those miserable little inconveniences with painful difficulty. I would never let old Mother Diggums put her hands on me. The creature is disgusting.”
“You will have this child,” Olympia said stonily. “If you do not I shall tell Septimius what you have done, Pandora. He will have every right to divorce you, and I shall encourage him to it, I swear! And do not think you can cozen me by pretending a miscarriage.”
“I shall miss the hunting season,” Pandora said irritably.
“We shall both miss it,” Olympia replied. “I, too, amwith child. Our children will grow up together, Pandora. They shall be friends, and you will be glad you didn’t do away with this little one.”
“Oh, very well,” Pandora finally agreed. “Honestly, Olympia, the care you have for my husband. If I didn’t know how much you loved your own, I should be very suspicious of you.” Then she laughed.
“It is a tragedy you do not love Septimius,” had been the response.
“But he loves me,” Pandora said, a hint of triumph in her voice. “He will always love me no matter what, Olympia. I will agree to have this last child for him.But no more!I gained over an inch in my waist with our son. I don’t want to look like those fat old sows who sit around the room at the local balls. I never want to grow old!”
The knowledge of his wife’s perfidy had been a knife to his heart. He had known Pandora didn’t love him. As far as he could see she loved no one except herself. But Allegra had been born. Then when his daughter was not quite two, Pandora had run away with her lover, an Italian count, Giancarlo di Rossi. Septimius had divorced her. The permission to do so hadn’t been difficult to obtain. To his surprise she had written him afterward thanking him for making it possible to marry her lover. He had never heard from her again, although he suspected Olympia did now and again; but then Olympia had always had a good heart.
He heard the rain suddenly beating against the windows of his library and laughter in the foyer of the house. Then the library door opened and Allegra came in with young Rupert Tanner at her heels.
“Ohh, Papa! The most exciting thing has happened. Ocky has asked Sirena to marry him! They have gone totell Aunt. And here is Rupert up from the country. What did you want to see me about?”
“I wish to speak with you in private, Allegra,” Lord Morgan said. “Rupert, where are you staying?”
“Allegra invited me to stay here, my lord,” he answered.
“I regret that will not be convenient. I’m certain that young Pickford will put you up. That house of his father’s is more like a men’s club right now. Actually you will be much more comfortable there.”
“Papa!”
“Sit down, Allegra,” her father said.
