“Cam, what are you doing here? You’re in Bath.”
She shook him again. “Papa, it doesn’t matter. I came home. What’s happened? What about Averil?”
He pulled away from her, sighed and turned to walk back to the fireplace. He leaned his arm on the mantel, stared down at the orange embers sparking, then settling again in the logs.
She came after him, laid her hand to his shoulder. Whatever it was, it was bad. “Papa? What happened to Averil?”
He turned slowly and gave her a ghastly smile. “She’s gone, Cam, your stepmother is gone. She left while I was in a meeting with our architect about the factory in Manchester.”
“But where did she go?”
He pointed to a sheet of paper on his desk. “She wrote she had to go to her mother in Leeds, that she must stay as long as her mother needs her.”
“She’s never spoken to me about her mother, but I thought that was simply because she didn’t like me, didn’t want to tell me anything. I don’t understand why she would leave without talking to you, asking you to accompany her—”
He shook his head, gave a ghastly laugh. He looked again at that single sheet of paper. He picked it up, wadded it into a ball and tossed it onto the logs. There was a brief flare, then ashes. He gave a harsh laugh. “I wasn’t a complete fool. Before I married her, I made inquiries into her background. She didn’t speak to you of her mother because both her parents are long dead. She was raised by an aunt who died and left her enough funds to come to London. Her aunt had been close friends with Lady Pelicourt, and so Averil asked her to introduce her into Society. As you know, Lady Pelicourt is very old, her mental powers on the wane. After much prodding, she did remember the aunt. Averil was charming andbeautiful and so she happily loosed her on Society.” He paused, laughed again. “The fact is, Cam, Averil could have been a pauper, it didn’t matter to me. I loved her, wanted her desperately and so I married her.” Pause, then, “Do you know it’s been exactly six months today? I went earlier to Rutledge’s and bought her a diamond bracelet. For our six-month anniversary.” He gave a bitter laugh.
He not only looked devastated, he looked like the life was draining out of him. She hated it.Bring him back, bring him back. Cam said matter-of-factly, “Do you know where she went, Papa?”
Whit shook his head, laughed yet again, at himself. “She took all her jewels as well as all the centuries-old family emeralds, really quite valuable, as well as the five thousand pounds I always kept in my safe. She doubtless watched me open the safe, memorized the combination. Her maid Elvira who came with her here to Whitsonby House is gone as well. It was all a sham, Averil was a sham.”
Cam said, “But why would she leave? She was the wife of a powerful man, she had servants. She had standing. Why?”
He sighed, sat down in his favorite chair. “Cook told me she’d just come out to her herb garden to pick parsley when she saw the mistress slip through the garden gate. She said she knew it was coming on to rain and her ladyship didn’t have her umbrella. She hurried after her.” He paused, drew a deep breath. “She saw Averil kiss a young man who then helped her into a black carriage, then entered behind her. The carriage left. Cook told me there was luggage strapped on top of the carriage. She thought she saw Elvira’s face, but she couldn’t be sure.” When he stopped, Cam was pleased to see a blaze of anger in his eyes. “I asked her if she could describe the horses and she remembered one of them—a white mare with a black star. I know who he is—Gerrod Bartsleigh, a young ne’er-do-well, handsome, of course, popular with hostesses, they loved his wit and charm. He was invitedeverywhere. He’s the third son of an army captain, a hard man, I’m told. Not the son, the father. She ran off with him. Ah, Cam, I am a great fool.”
Cam couldn’t believe it. “Gerrod Bartsleigh? You’re right, Papa, he’s a scoundrel, too smooth, in my opinion, always wears too much pomade in his hair. I heard one lady say he was always on the hunt, but still he was very popular. Do you think they were just biding their time until Averil could get enough of your money before they left?”
“Yes, that’s what I think. He will leave her too, Cam, once they’ve spent all my money. I heard he cheated at cards. Does he have any moral fiber? It doesn’t matter now.”
Cam felt fury on her father’s behalf, trusting the wrong woman, giving her his love, his name—ah, but she felt utter joy she’d never have to deal with the dreadful woman again with her manipulating bosom. What to say? How to hide her joy when her father was shattered by Averil’s betrayal?
She wanted to say the two of them deserved each other, but she was quiet, watching him. Was he still in too much pain, too newly betrayed that he hadn’t yet realized what was going to happen?
But of course he’d realized the implications. He said, “You know the moment this story leaks out of these walls, and believe me, it most assuredly will, I will be a laughingstock. The two of them could not have executed a more humiliating plan.”
He was right, of course.No fool like an old fool, she could hear the words said over and over, gentlemen in small groups, supposedly commiserating, but not-so-secretly pleased he’d been taken in by a beautiful young female all of them had lusted after but he’d been the winner for her hand. And she’d left him with her lover, all planned, perfectly accomplished. The ladies would do the same, whispering behind hands, embellishing, laughing at him.
He said, staring at the dying flames in the fireplace, “Thefew real friends I do have will honestly care about what has happened, ah, but all the others? Society is merciless, Cam, something you have yet to learn. Society will find this tale of a stupid man delicious.”
He sat down in his big chair, looked at her with deadened eyes. “My old man’s foolishness will touch you as well, since your gullible father bragged so fatuously to all his friends. You, my sweet girl, will be tainted. As for Eliza, I know Winstead won’t break their engagement. He’s a good man, but he will take her immediately to the country and return only for their wedding.” He gave her a twisted smile. “Eliza won’t like that. She’ll be under the thumb of a new stepmother-in-law and six children pulling on her skirts. I find myself feeling sorry for my future son-in-law. It shames me, Cam, but the picture of your sister not anointed the queen of her little kingdom warms my heart. Maybe she’ll learn, maybe she’ll become—” He stopped, sighed. “No, I’m fooling myself. Ah, but you, my dearest one, you do not deserve this—you’re magic like your mother—” His voice hitched and he fell silent.
Cam came down on her knees beside his chair, lifted his fisted hand, smoothed it between hers. “Papa.”
He slowly turned his head to look down at her. She gave him a blazing smile. “Papa, none of this is going to happen.” She leaned up and hugged him. “I know what we’re going to do.”
CHAPTER 39
Whitsonby House
Ormond Square
“My lady, Mr. Ivanov is here.”
Cam, who’d just left Eliza in her bedchamber, her maid Claudine hovering over her, patting her ineffectively, whispering over and over that everything would be all right now, blinked at Osbourne. Her heart began to hammer, fast, faster. Alex—Graham—was here? Oh goodness, it was too soon—there was still so much to be done. She hadn’t even thought to tell her father about Alex, no, Graham and his amazing transformation into Viscount Whitestone. Later, she’d tell him later, but now, her heart leapt into her throat, she grinned like a fool. “Do show him in, Osbourne.”
Graham walked through the door, his eyes immediately watching her walk gracefully down the grand staircase, never looking away, now he was striding toward her. He grabbed her, sank his hands into her hair, lifted her off her feet, kissed her until she was—
He stood handsome and windblown in the open doorway,his hands at his sides. He smiled at her as she walked down the staircase. He took a step toward her, stopped. “I received a message from your father, Cam. I came as quickly as I could. Why aren’t you in Bath?”
