Instead, her stepmother leaned forward and repeated her earlier statement. ‘Tonalliances are not formed based on one’s looks. You might have been out of society for many years, but I am certain you’re fully aware of that my lord. You have a title, andif people believe you wealthy, your disfigurement really does become irrelevant.’
She took a deep breath, before continuing candidly, ‘I believe we can trust you. You fought at Waterloo so you can clearly take care of yourself in a fight, and if necessary, we believe you can protect our daughter.
‘But most importantly, you are an unknown. Your betrothal to Mercy will be the talk of the season. The gossip it will generate will be sure to get to Reinhardt’s ears, and, wehope, propel him into acting hastily…’ She paused before adding, ‘I know we are asking an awful lot of you based solely on the compassion you have shown to Mercedes thus far, but it is my hope that you will also benefit.’
‘Ah, so you’re offering to pay me, my lady.’ Nate gave a humourless laugh. ‘And what do you suppose my price will be?’
His flippant question was answered by her husband. ‘I will ensure your house is entirely in order and help you generate an income from the land surrounding it. My influence and that of my brothers-in-law will ensure you are accepted by society and able to take your place within it should you so desire. If in time, you wish to take a wife, you will have something worthwhile to give her.’ The Earl’s tone was even.
Nate nodded slowly, before turning towards Mercy. ‘How do you feel about the gossips calling you a fool behind your back?’ he quizzed.
‘I care not what people call me,’ Mercedes scoffed. ‘But I am entirely certain that once you are known, the gossips will change their tune.’
‘And when the time comes, how will we end ourengagement?’ he asked. ‘Naturally, I do not wish people to pity me any more than they do already.’
‘Once Reinhardt is caught, it’s my intention to disclose the whole charade,’ Christian stated firmly. The other four stared at him in astonishment. This was a surprise to everyone.
‘There will be no chance of Mercy being compromised since it’s my hope that she will be well chaperoned to every function you both attend.’ He gave a low chuckle before adding, ‘This family has any number of females who’ll be more than willing to throw themselves into the charade.’
‘Have you been in touch with Nicholas?’ the Reverend asked.
‘Naturally,’ Christian responded. ‘And Adam. My hope is that both Grace and Temperance will come up to London.
‘Pru and Hope are already there,’ added Chastity. ‘And it may be that Jamie will be able to provide assistance.’
‘Leave Jamie and Prudence to me,’ the Reverend offered hastily. Mercy didn’t miss the suspicious glance her stepmother cast his way.
Nate listened to the exchange without speaking. The names meant nothing to him, aside from the small amount Mercy had told him. But actually puttingfacesto names filled him with foreboding. Since returning to England he’d never even been in a room with more than half a dozen people. ‘So, just to clarify – I am to be lady Mercedes’ bodyguard until Reinhardt shows himself?’
Christian shook his head decisively. ‘No, I am expecting far more from you than that. Until such time as Reinhardt is under lock and key, I wish you to put Mercy’s safety above all else.’
The two men stared at one other. After a few seconds, the Viscount nodded his understanding.
‘May I suggest we go in for dinner now and then perhaps you would be so good as to sleep on it and tell me your decision in the morning. As my wife said earlier, we are entirely cognisant of the enormity of what we are asking, and whatever you decide, I will be forever in your debt.’
‘I thought you were never going to suggest it,’ Reverend Shackleford grumbled, climbing to his feet. ‘I’m fair gutfounded.’ He held out his arm for Chastity before adding, ‘All this talk of putting a rub in the way of that blackguard Reinhardt has given me an appetite.’
Despite the seriousness of their discussion in the drawing room, dinner actually turned out to be a more lighthearted affair than anyone had anticipated. The Reverend was on fine form, regaling the increasingly incredulous Viscount of the many trials and tribulations he’d been subjected to in the raising of eight daughters. Indeed, he’d only got as far as Patience by the time cheese was being served, having cheerfully informed Nate that the exploits of his fifth daughter would take up an entire dinner alone.
‘I really don’t think you should be recounting such stories to Nate,’ Chastity reprimanded her father with a sigh. ‘It will only reinforce his opinion that we are all entirely dicked in the nob.’
‘I think he was already of that opinion when Grandmama keeled over in the Black Swan,’ Mercy commented with a grin. ‘Andif he spends any time with the rest of the male members of our family, he will not need the stories. Indeed, Adam declares regularly how traumatised he is, and apparently Max has taken to meditating.’ She paused and gave a wicked grin. ‘And then of course there’s you, Papa…’
Christian gave her a look. ‘I think perhaps now would be a good time to ask for the Port,’ was all he said drily.
‘Do you wish us to leave you to it?’ Chastity asked. The Earl shook his head. ‘Nate knows our deepest, darkest secrets. I’m certain it’s only good manners to keep him at the table…
***
As Mercy lay in her bed going over the events of the evening, a sense of unreality gripped her. The last few days had been surreal. Indeed, it felt as though they’d actually happened to some other version of her.
Putting aside her complex feelings towards the Viscount for a moment, she thought back to her father’s comment about Reinhardt wanting something from her mother.
What could it possibly be? She was aware that her mother had been a courtesan, though the Earl had not described her thus in so many words. He’d merely declared that she’d been a friend – but since in Mercy’s experience, friends did not generally have children together, it was a logical assumption that her mother had been a doxy.
Not that she would dream of saying that word to her father. If she did, he would lock her up for a month – at the very least. He’d never given Mercy even the slightest reason to be ashamed of her mother, and he regularly declared that the day she’d beenleft on his doorstep, was one of the two happiest of his life – the other one being the day he married Chastity Shackleford.
Mercedes turned over onto her side. Had her mother left a will? It seemed unlikely. The few trinkets the courtesan had owned had been left in Mercy’s coat pocket, with the exception of the locket which she’d been wearing around her neck. Mercy’s oldest memory was of her mother telling her never, ever to take it off. The locket had remained around her throat ever since.
