They were interrupted by a knock on the drawing room door which opened to reveal the kitchen maid. ‘I been sent to find out if you’d like a fire bein’ as the evening’s turned a bit chill,’ she said with a quick bob. Patience glanced at her father before looking around. Truly, they were used to it being much colder. She thanked the maid and shook her head. ‘The candles will suffice,’ she said with a smile. The maid did not smile back. Had she gained notoriety so soon?
The hour was late, and everyone else had long since sought their bed. Temperance and Adam had been the first to retire, and the longing looks her sister had cast the Earl made it easy to read their intent. Patience had felt unaccountably irritable as she watched them leave. Fortunately, her muffled, ‘It’s only been two days. Goodness knows what they’d do without a deuced nanny,’ was only heard by Percy, who’d simply coughed and stared at his kneecaps.
Her actions of the morning had not been mentioned at the dinner table, though there was no doubt that Grace at least knew about them. And that meant Nicholas did too. Patience did not believe Grace had yet shared the sordid details with Temperance – her hot-tempered sister would have been as cross as crabs and entirely unable to hide it. Fortunately for Patience, the gentlemen had not been left alone to their port, so neither sister had had the opportunity to ring a peal over her head once they’d retired to the drawing room. The warning glance Grace had cast as she and Nicholas excused themselves however, left Patience no doubt that the reckoning was coming.
If Patience hadn’t been so weary ofdeucedreckonings, she would have waited to enlighten her father about her behaviour until the morrow. But she did not wish her dressing-down to come as a complete surprise. At least now he had some warning it was coming.
In truth, Patience just wanted to go home.Her unexpected alliance with the Marquess of Guildford had turned her emotions upside down. The curious feelings he provoked would disappear once she was out of his vicinity, she was certain. And if the thought of never seeing him again made her feel physically ill, well it was no doubt due to the rich food she’d eaten since coming to Bath. Naturally, she chose not to dwell on the fact that the only thought worse than not seeing him, was seeing him with another woman.
The whole business would be over tomorrow evening, hook or by crook, Patience was determined. And to do that, she needed her father and Percy’s help.
‘It’s my intention to retrieve Guildford’s diamond tomorrow evening,’ Patience clarified. ‘I cannot wait any longer. Grace already knows about my err … episode, and so does Nicholas. Indeed, my common behaviour will become public knowledge very soon, and then I will be forced to return to Blackmore.’
‘Can you not just leave Guildford to fetch his own deuced stone?’ growled the Reverend.
Patience shook her head. ‘We made a bargain,’ she explained, ‘And one cannot argue that he has kept his side of it.
‘I am certain Bamford will attend the May ball at the Assembly Rooms tomorrow evening. It is the most important event in Bath’s calendar, and everyone who’s anyone will be there. I’m hoping he won’t wish to miss what might be his last opportunity to prod Guildford without possible disapproval from the Prince Regent. He undoubtedly suspects that Guildford is purse-pinched and must needs return to London soon…’ she paused and closed her eyes briefly, pushing away a wave of pain …’to find himself a rich wife.’
‘If he does, then he’ll think it a bit deuced smoky that Guildford’s been sniffing around you,’ the Reverend countered.
‘You are not thinking like a spoiled member of theton,’ Patience argued. ‘It would not occur to Bamford that the Marquess might consider such as me for a wife. He believes me a simple dalliance and of no import.’
‘Seems to me you’re making a lot of deuced assumptions,’ muttered the Reverend. ‘How are you going to avoid attending the ball?’
Patience laughed mirthlessly. ‘You think I’ll be allowed to attend when there is a chance the whole room will cut me dead?’ she scoffed. ‘Trust me father, I will be confined to my bedchamber and consider myself deuced lucky if I get any supper.’ She gave a dark chuckle. ‘Naturally, they won’t bother locking me in.’
Her father couldn’t stop a return chuckle. ‘So, what about me and Percy?’ he asked, his customary enthusiasm returning.
‘I need you both to keep watch on Bamford’s house,’ Patience responded. ‘The Marquess and I will be waiting around the corner. As soon as the Earl leaves, you are to signal us, then follow him to ensure he does not return until we have finished.’
The Reverend nodded, deep in thought. ‘I’m going to have to find an excuse to persuade Agnes not to attend the ball,’ he mused at length. ‘This was to be her first.’
‘You could tell her Queen Charlotte’s attending,’ suggested Patience. ‘She wouldn’t consider going if she thought her Majesty was going to be there.’
‘That’s true, but neither would the rest of us,’ her father snorted. ‘In truth, I’m entirely certain she’ll take to her bed once she learns how you’ve tied your deuced garter in public.’ He winced, clearly envisioning the scene to come. Then he shook his head and regarded her sombrely, much as he did when issuing dire warnings to his parishioners from the pulpit. ‘So, if you do this and don’t get caught, there will be no more dubber activities. Are we clear?’ his eyebrows were raised, and worse, he was using his bestslippery slope downstairsvoice to show he meant business. Patience pursed her lips before eventually shaking her head. ‘I swear,’ she repeated with a sigh.
The Reverend grimaced. ‘Don’t add an out and out plumper to your list of transgressions,’ he growled. ‘I’m going to have a damnable time as it is convincing the Almighty that he should put your current actions downto overenthusiasm.’
∞∞∞
Max reread the missive in his hands. Patience wanted to retrieveSepidehtonight. Finally, he was about to get his life back.
So why didn’t he feel happier about it?
He couldn’t deny that he would relish seeing Bamford’s face once the bastard realised he was no longer in possession of the diamond. But the knowledge of the freedom that selling the stone would give him no longer provided the same relief. Of course, he knew that without it, he’d be forced to sell most of his possessions, but suddenly that didn’t appear such a terrible thing. The life he’d taken for granted seemed now full of restrictions and constraints.
Sighing, he screwed up the note. He was to be ready and waiting for them at eight p.m.
Then assuming they were successful, Patience Shackleford would be out of his life for good.
Chapter Fourteen
The silence that greeted her did not bode well for the spirit of forgiveness. Indeed, it very much looked as though Temperance had been crying, and there was no sign of Agnes. Clearly, her father’s supposition had been correct.
Staring around the room, Patience felt her heart thud sickeningly. It was one thing to determine on a course of action, but quite another to actually set it in stomach-turning motion.
Nicholas and Adam were present, and both were regarding her sombrely. She thought back to their collective kindness on the evening of her first and no doubt last ball. Unexpectedly, she found herself blinking back tears before determinedly taking herself in hand. She’d brought this entirely on herself and must needs see it through to the bitter end.
