The next afternoon over tea, Lady Tremaine pointed out to Cam how many ladies were now wearing glasses, identical like hers. At the bewildered look on Cam’s face, Lady Tremaine laughed, patted her face. “My dear, albeit you were well dowered, you were still a debutante, not all that important except for a few men who admired your wit and lovely face and of course those on the lookout for an heiress.
“But now you are married to a lovely young man who, through violence, lost his memory and his heritage until very recently, and now, all is returned to him.”
She lightly laid her palm against Cam’s cheek. “You are the diamond in your husband’s crown, not entirely an apt metaphor, since he himself is such a superior young gentleman, but no matter. Yours is a vastly romantic story and will keep polite Society talking and speculating for several months.”
“My what—my glasses?”
“Cam, don’t you understand? You are now a lady of influence, a lady of great importance in Society. Your gowns will be admired and copied. Your clever turns of phrase will be copied as well, and yes, next time you are out, do regard the number of spectacles you see on young ladies’ noses.”
Cam set down her lovely Meissen teacup. “But that makes no sense. I’m still just me, well, new gowns and such, but still I’m the same as I was before I married. And many times what I say is absurd. My glasses tend to slide down my nose.”
Lady Tremaine laughed. “Do not change, Cam, you are delightful. Simply accept your new position and remain yourself.” And she saluted her with her teacup.
Her new position. Graham’s new position. And suddenly she remembered what Earl St. Lucy had written to Graham.
You wrote of a heavy marble statue falling from the roof of The Royal Hotel, nearly striking you and Cam. Graham, you consider it only an unfortunate accident, but you cannot be certain the statue wasn’t heaved off the roof by the same individual who tried to kill you when you were a boy. If this is true and I am inclined to think it very possible, there is no reason to assume he will not try to kill you again. I have finally accepted this individual did indeed succeed in killing your brother. You must always be on your guard until we can figure out who is behind this. By now, knowing Society, everyone knows your history and they will ask questions. Do let everyone find out about that very unlikely accident on your honeymoon, the more people who know, the more likely it is you will be safe, at least in London.
Eugenie informs me a friend of hers in London wrote that your story obviously titillates Society and has made you a hero for surviving so well. She also wrote Society thinks your wife is both charming and smart and she will see to it you remain on the hero pedestal for at leastthis Season. Please speak to your father-in-law, trust him to make inquiries. I am worried for you, my son.
Cam smoothed away her frown. She looked now at Lady Tremaine’s perfect aristocrat’s face, her straight, narrow nose, her high cheekbones, her perfect arched brows. And the spray of glorious white-blond ringlets touching her cheeks. Her eyes, Cam thought, hinted at secrets and worldly knowledge and good sense. Cam nodded slowly. “Yes, I understand. I know you have heard about the falling statue in Ventnor on our honeymoon. Let me tell you all of it.”
As she spoke Cam felt gooseflesh rise on her arms, she felt sheer terror choke her as it had when she’d been thrown to the ground, Graham coming over her, his arms around her head. She swallowed again, the sound of the statue striking the walkway, shattering, spewing out shards, some large enough to kill. She remembered the smell of the earth, people screaming, running.
Lady Tremaine listened closely. When she’d finished, she took Cam’s hand, squeezed. “Lord Vereker is right; Graham won’t be safe until the person responsible is identified and dealt with. I will ensure everyone knows more details of this. If anyone knows anything, it will come out. You must promise me to always be alert, Cam, you and Graham.”
Cam said, “I’ve wondered if the person responsible for taking both Graham and his brother and tried his best to murder Graham was the same man who shoved the statue off the roof of the hotel. It was more than ten years ago. Is his rage still so great? But why? I think it’s very possible this person is afraid Graham will soon recover his memory and know.”
Lady Tremaine said slowly, “If this person is close enough to the Hepburn family he would quickly know about your honeymoon in Ventnor. He also must have known Graham had lost his memory, a great relief to him, I imagine. Did he wait for his chance?
“It seems to me he wants very much to make Graham’s death appear an accident.” She laid her hand over Cam’s. “I will tell everyone the added details, and we will see. Speculation is always good, perhaps it will clear the air, people will pay attention.”
But perhaps it had been an accident. No, Cam would never believe that, ever.
Lady Tremaine said, “Now, back to you, my dear. You must not forget to come to London every month, with your husband, to keep your reputation on everyone’s mind. Finally, and this is important. The more popular you become, the more admired you are, it redounds on your husband and his plans with your father and their investors.” She placed a soft white hand on Cam’s arm. “Do not forget this, Cam. It is a fine thing to have power in Society. It makes for a very nice life and paves the way for your children.” She paused, frowned. “We will hope the miscreant who is behind this misery is uncovered quickly. Believe me, now. As I said everyone will be discussing it.”
Osbourne cleared his throat in the drawing room door. “My lady, your coachman wishes me to remind you of your appointment.”
“Thank you, Osbourne. Yes, I must be off.” Lady Tremaine rose, shook out her lovely pale gray skirts that seemed to shimmer when she walked.
Cam said, “My lady, what would you think of my having a gold chain designed to fasten to my glasses? Then I could simply take them off and let them hang around my neck.”
Lady Tremaine cocked her head to the side. “I’ve never seen such a thing. Do you know I think it is a splendid idea.” She added with a chuckle, “I daresay it will be copied within a matter of days.”
Cam shook her head at the absurdity of it all. Both she and Osbourne showed Lady Tremaine to the front door. LadyTremaine said, “I believe it is now appropriate for you to call me Madeline.”
“Oh my, that is Graham’s mother’s name.”
“Yes, I know,” she said, and patted her face. “I knew her, of course, a lovely lady, such a pity she fell into the Green Stream. Such a strange name for such a nasty stretch of water. I still miss her. Be alert, Cam, both you and Graham. We will try to discover the person behind this.”
Cam and Osbourne both gave her into the tender care of her coachman and Cam went back in the drawing room, humming. She already had a lovely gold chain with a locket attached. She left immediately to go to Hancock, the premier jeweler in London. An hour later, her glasses were dangling on the chain when she left the magnificent store. She saw several ladies staring at her glasses and smiled.
She’d no sooner arrived home than Eliza came into the drawing room, pulling off her lovely York tan gloves, humming. She hummed until she saw Cam sitting in front of the fireplace, her chin in her hands. She stopped, put her hands on the hips of her very fine green wool riding habit. “Winnie is seeing to our horses. He will be here in but a moment for tea. I had not expected you to be here. What are you doing here? And what is that around your neck?”
CHAPTER 51
Cam smiled, said, “This is how I will wear my glasses from now on. What do you think?”
To her great surprise, Eliza didn’t tell her she looked like an idiot, rather she looked thoughtful, said, “It is a good solution. Who gave you the idea?”
