Edward was in sombre mood that evening, dressing for dinner in silence, and steeling himself for the inevitable questions in the drawing room. No one in the earl’s household would be so crass as to say,‘What are you up to, Lord Tarvin?’or to ask when he might be leaving again — that question would come later, perhaps. But they would wonder, all the same, and he would be obliged to offer some explanation. Releasing Tom Shapman from prison was one thing, a mere charitable gesture, but arranging his marriage? Obtaining a licence, fixing a time with the parson and the families, ferrying people back and forth? The marriage of a woodworker and a poultry maid was not something with which a baron would normally concern himself.
Perhaps the time for secrecy was past. He had already hinted to Lady Alice that he had an interest in marrying Tess, but it could be useful to him now to be more open, and declare his intentions publicly. It was unorthodox, for Tess was officially engaged, but he would be a far more acceptable suitor than Ulric. If he could win Lady Alice’s approval, they could bemarried at once, and able to secure Tess’s fortune for her. If there were any fortune left to secure, that is to say.
The drawing room was already full when he entered it, and for a moment he panicked, recognising no one. Who were all these people? But then the earl loomed out of the crowd.
“Tarvin! There you are! Come and meet a few people. Let me see, you will not remember the Cathcarts, I expect.”
Edward let himself be herded around the room, smiling and making the polite noises expected of him, but all the time he was looking for a diminutive figure in black. Dinner was announced and there was a general movement towards the dining room before it dawned on him that Tess was not there at all. Shapman’s marriage had hit her hard, then. He had another burst of panic — had she run away? She was good at that.
He allowed himself to be seated beside Lady Alice once more, on her left hand this time, with one of the multitude of Cathcarts in the place of honour on her right. As the rest of the guests chose seats and settled themselves, he murmured in a low voice, “Is Miss Nicholson not joining us tonight, Lady Alice?”
“Is she not here?” she said. “One never knows what is going on with Tess, but if she had other plans for the evening, she has not intimated them to me.”
Mr Cathcart helped Lady Alice to several of the dishes laid out on the table, and then the two were engaged in conversation for several minutes. Edward attempted to talk to the young lady seated beside him, but she was monosyllabic and in the unquietness of his mind, conversation was too much effort and he fell silent, waiting for Lady Alice to turn her attention to him.
As soon as the opportunity arose, he said quickly, “Lady Alice, have you talked to Miss Nicholson at all today?”
“I have not,” she said, “but that is by no means unusual. Are you concerned about her, Lord Tarvin? She has her maid and footman to watch over her, you know.”
Edward knew perfectly well that Tess was easily able to evade her watchdogs whenever she wished, but that was not something her mother would wish to hear. Instead, he said, “I am a little concerned, it is true. Her friend Tom Shapman was married this morning to a poultry maid from Gowland’s Farm, and she was a little upset to discover it.”
“Married, is he? And to a poultry maid? I am very glad to hear it, since he will pester Tess no more, but I do not know why she should be upset about it. That business was scotched by my husband last year, and now she is betrothed to a much more suitable man.”
It was the opening Edward had hoped for. “I would not entirely agree that my cousin Ulric is more suitable. More fitting than a woodworker, certainly, for he is a gentleman and has an income sufficient to support a wife, but…”
“But, Lord Tarvin? You know of some flaw in his character, perhaps? You must know him well, and I would much sooner know the truth than to be left guessing. One hears… rumours, and I notice you have not expressed the flattering remarks usual in such circumstances — that he is the best of good fellows, a man of respectability who will make any woman an excellent husband. That is what I expected to hear from you, Lord Tarvin, and yet I did not. I conclude, therefore, that you dislike him.”
“No, indeed, I like him very well, but he is not a man who should ever marry. That is my considered opinion, Lady Alice.”
She raised her eyebrows a delicate fraction at this robust statement. “Oh. Then I must presume that he is a man of vicious habits.”
“Not that, no. Let me be very blunt — my cousin is simple-minded. He is happy enough if he has horses to ride and to care for, but he has not the intellect for family life. He has been cozened into this betrothal by his mother and Miss Nicholson.”
“Why?” she said sharply. “If he is all that you describe him, why would they wish him to marry?”
“When Ulric marries, he regains control of his estate, which his mother desires greatly. Miss Nicholson, of course, obtains control of her fortune, for although it would in law belong to her husband, he would easily be persuaded to cede control to her. As one of Ulric’s trustees, you will appreciate that I am doing all in my power to prevent this marriage from ever taking place. I have already taken the woodworker out of contention by arranging his marriage, and—”
“You did that?”
“I did, and I hope to intervene with Ulric, too, but that is… more difficult to predict.”
“Is your cousin’s welfare your sole objective, Lord Tarvin?” she said, with such a sweet smile that he could not take offence. “Or do you have some other plan in mind for my daughter?”
That, too, was an opening. There was no point dancing around the question, not any more. “I hope to marry her myself, Lady Alice.”
“Ah,” was all she said, and began enquiring about Edward’s estates, very much a mother with an eye on her daughter’s marriage prospects.
Edward was quietly pleased. Lady Alice’s approval would not weigh with Tess, naturally, who would always go her own way, but it could do no harm.
When the ladies withdrew, Edward made a point of asking if any of the gentlemen had seen Tess that day.
“She came to see me this afternoon,” Lord Rennington said. “We had a pleasant little chat. She is to write to Lady Rennington to tell her about her betrothal.”
“Is that what she wanted to talk to you about?” Edward said, puzzled.
“Oh, no. She wanted money for her wedding clothes, but it is a little premature for that. Frankly, I am not sure she will stick with your cousin, Tarvin. Is he much smitten with her? She can be a taking little thing when she sets her mind to it, but lately I cannot tell what is in her head, not at all. First, this Shapman fellow, who is not at all suitable, and now this man at Durham, which is a very sudden start and I have a feeling her heart is not engaged as it should be. Will he be much upset if she bolts, do you think?”
“I imagine he would bear up nobly under the loss,” Edward said carefully.
