Richard was quickly on his feet, ready for any emergency the paper might hold.
“What in God’s name is the matter, Cotswell? Was there an accident? What should I be looking for?” he asked, checking the paper with narrowed eyes.
“In my opinion, it is even worse. This is a scandal sheet. You are probably familiar with it.”
Richard at least knew that it was not the one that Wilhelmina, Victoria’s sister, wrote for. This paper’s columns were not as thoughtful as hers. This paper had vicious ones, instead.
“I know that paper,” Victoria cried. “That’s the one that has been making a lot of noise as of late. My sister Mina was complaining about how the writers of this paper didn’t care if they hurt people.”
“Oh, this edition wrote something to hurt you, duchess. And you, Hawksford,” Jonathan said somberly.
Richard scanned the columns as quickly as he did the maps of Soho. Victoria, carrying Melody, who was still holding the rattle the wrong way, approached and leaned to get a look at the paper.
The headline said: The Hawksford Baby: Is there a Cover-Up?
“What?” Victoria exclaimed, startling Melody.
“Do you want me to read it for you?” Jonathan asked.
“Go on ahead,” Richard said, pushing the paper at his friend. There was a roaring in his head that told him that he should not be the one personally doing it.
“Much uproar met the presence of a baby in the Hawksford House. Her arrival was quickly followed by the long-absent duke. After members of the ton began buzzing about the baby’s identity, the duke and duchess claimed that the baby was the child of a recently deceased cousin. People readily accepted the story, although there were still some whispers that followed the Westons around.
An anonymous source, a person of high regard, lately provided yours truly with the official parish records of the duke’s cousin, who was previously named as the baby’s mother. She died without having any children.
Let us put all the information together. A child is left at Hawksford House. The duke goes home after a year of distancing himself from his bride. The child is falsely claimed to be the duke’s cousin. The story has been proven wrong. What else could it be then? Yes, it’s what we all have been thinking all along. The duke sent his illegitimate child home with him.”
Richard grabbed the paper. He let his eyes go through the text that Jonathan read. Then he crumpled the paper. The fury that had been building within him was in danger of erupting. He didn’t shout. He didn’t explode. However, something seemed to have shifted inside him.
A year ago, he was bent on ending the feud that had been wrecking his family and Penwike’s. Now, he was not that sure. Perhaps he was meant to wring the marquess’s neck after all.
“There’s no doubt who did it,” he gritted out. “He has people following us. He’s been sniffing for information on Melody. It looks like he wants to continue the feud, and he is using the ton’s opinion to force my hand.”
“Who?” Jonathan asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Penwike,” Victoria informed him.
“Well, that’s not a surprise. He’s a bastard. However, we need to know how he even got hold of the information and how he persuaded the paper to print this. He may be a person of high regard,” Jonathan said, wrinkling his nose, “but it is a big risk to go against someone of your status, Hawksford.”
“That paper cares about money far too much,” Victoria explained, as she rocked Melody, who had started fussing.
“And it also does not matter to the gossip,” Richard added, “where the information comes from. I have been put on trial for something I did not do and would be labelled an unfaithful husband and a deceitful liar.”
“What shall we do? That is thoroughly unfair. Yes, we did lie about your cousin being Melody’s mother, but how can a manlike him, a violator of women, accuse you of something like this?”
“You know they will, Victoria,” Richard said, clenching his jaw. “He knows how the ton’s minds work. Even when we announced Melody as my cousin’s child, some people didn’t believe it. This is the confirmation they have been waiting for.”
“I—I’ll see what I can do. I will talk to Wilhelmina and see what she can find out about the writer,” Victoria offered, looking like she was about to cry.
Richard reached for her face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb.
“Go to the nursery with Melody,” he ordered. “I will have some men stay with us tonight until this matter is resolved. Some people may think it is all right to threaten illegitimate children, especially one born of infidelity. I also believe Penwike may strike again in a different way.”
“He’s right,” Jonathan muttered. “The duchess and the baby should remain at home, heavily guarded at all times.”
“Richard, what are you planning? What are you going to do?” Victoria demanded.
“Oh, I believe I’ll have a long-overdue conversation with Lord Penwike,” he replied, as he put on his coat. “He wants to destroy my house, and I will show him that it will not be as easy as he thinks.”
