“Yes. Though I thought they would be sailing for India by now.”
“Such was my thought, as well,” Cecilia said.
“I wonder if Soothcoor notified them or if Mrs. Montgomery sent a message to them as she did us. I am sure they are anxious for Soothcoor. Here, let me help you with your pelisse,” James said, reaching out to ease the jacket off her shoulders. He handed it to the footman who held her bonnet and gloves. It had been an unusually cold spring, and now, at the beginning of summer, winter outer garments remained in use. At least on this day, it wasn’t raining as it did so many others.
“I took the liberty of ensuring they had tea and coffee while they waited,” Mathers said as they walked toward the parlor door.
“Excellent,” Cecilia said. “Thank you. I became so involved in listening to Mrs. Montgomery that I didn’t drink my tea. I could use some now, or perhaps coffee would be better.”
“Yes, madam,” replied Mathers as he opened the double doors to the gold parlor, the ground-floor parlor reserved for guests.
Inside, Charles and Rani rose to their feet. Rani ran toward Cecilia, taking her hands in hers. “You will help! Yes, yes!” she said. “I have been crying, oh so much crying, crying. Now you are here, and I know there is no need to cry. I can be happy.”
Cecilia’s eyes watered with memories of Rani and all she went through six months ago. Now she had to laugh at Rani’s ebullience. She had almost forgotten the young woman’s enthusiastic manner. She radiated sunshine.
“How is Christopher?” Cecilia asked as she sat down on the gold and Egyptian brown striped sofa.
“He is well. He has been staying at Appleton with my Charlie’s mother, the Dowager Countess of Soothcoor,” Rani said.
“Soothcoor wrote to say the three of you would be sailing to India after your wedding,” James said.
“That was the plan,” Charlie Sedgewick acknowledged wryly. “Only I came down with influenza right after the wedding. Sicker than a dog. Missed the sailing. Dashed nuisance all around,” he said.
James gave a short laugh. “I can imagine it was! Cecilia has just recovered from the same illness.”
Charlie looked at Cecilia. “Nasty stuff, ain’t it?”
“Indeed, it is.”
“Well, with all that, we’ll leave in the fall, if everything is right and tight here. Didn’t want to be sailing around Africa during the southern hemisphere winter, you know,” Charlie said.
James drew out his snuffbox. “We met with Mrs. Montgomery this morning and learned that her husband had not been deceased as reported and Soothcoor went north to investigate.”
Charlie nodded. “And somehow the news spread throughout society. Nothing in the press, but someone spread something somehow. Society has all taken to shunning Mrs. Montgomery, thinking the worst of her. That she led my brother on.”
James frowned. “How could that get about? What would be the reason?”
Charlie shook his head. “I couldn’t venture to guess. It’s impacted Miss Montgomery?—”
“Aileen,” Rani provided, nodding.
“—and her engagement as well. Caught the eye of Benjamin Stackpoole. Steady sort. Not like me,” Charlie said with a deprecating laugh. Rani playfully punched his arm. He grinned at her. “Baron Stackpoole wants his son to cry off,” Charlie continued. “So far, the lad has stood firm.”
“And what about the news of Mr. Montgomery’s death?” Cecilia asked.
“We learned of that through Mrs. Montgomery. Sent round a note, she did. So far, that does not seem to be known,” Charlie said.
James frowned. “Only a matter of time, I’m sure. Society will make a furor over that, particularly with Soothcoor arrested.”
“There was a man who come around Mrs. Montgomery all the time,” Rani said. “He was…what is word…Rival?Yes, yes, rival, I think, for Mrs. Montgomery. But she like Lord Soothcoor better.”
Charlie snapped his fingers. “Yes, my sweet! Thank you. Nearly forgot about him. Cameron Ramsay. A widower from Scotland. He was courting Mrs. Montgomery, too—or seemed to be in a mighty weak manner. He was always about. He left London at the same time Alastair did. I thought that odd after all his attention to Mrs. Montgomery. I wouldn’t put it past him to make trouble for my brother,” he said sourly.
James nodded. “We’ll keep watch for any news of him. His departure from London could be a coincidence. This is the time many people leave London for the country. It might be best if Mrs. Montgomery and her family left the city.”
Rani turned to her new husband. “Appleton?” she asked, naming the Richmond estate of the Dowager Countess of Soothcoor.
Charlie cocked his head to the side. “Mama would probably agree with that, and Christopher would like more people around him, I’m sure.” He looked at James. “We’ll see what we can do.”
