“...were found in a pantler’s closet, where the former, a diamond of the first water, was being polished by the latter, a diamond in the rough.”
Her father had handled such a titillating public denouncement very well. Frankly, she was shocked and embarrassed to be the topic of such a scandal.
Could Geoffrey be the type of person to do such a thing out of anger?
For the first time, she wondered if he was exactly like his father after all, a flagrant rake who stole other people’s sweethearts and ruined them. On the other hand, his father had married Lady Diamond, thereby restoring her to respectability.
If Caroline didn’t receive and accept a marriage proposal quickly, her own reputation might be irretrievably lost.
Chapter Ten
Geoffrey paced the floor of Hatchards, but Caroline never arrived. And why would she if she was perfectly happy giving her hand to Mangue? If only he knew for certain whether she had a secrettendrefor the man.
He wasn’t going to wait for another infernal ball. Instead, he loitered outside the Chimes’s home the following day, not in his own carriage emblazoned with his family’s coat of arms. Rather, he was in a hired hackney.
After seeing the incriminating article inThe Times, even his own parents demanded he offer for Lady Caroline. He didn’t bother to tell them his own doubts over whether her heart was already given to Mangue, or at the very least, her hand. If they thought she might be fickle, they wouldn’t condone him taking her as his wife.
From his vantage point, Geoffrey saw Lord Chimes leave the residence. Stretching out his legs, he continued his vigil. If Lady Chimes left, too, then he might attempt to breach the front door. However, she never went out.
Instead, Lord Mangue arrived around noon, and Geoffrey sat up, scowling.Had the rogue spoken to The Times in order to lower her dowry price?That seemed the only reasonable explanation as to why Mangue would have told the newspaper about what he saw and embellished it with what he imagined.
Deciding to take the bull by the horns, Geoffrey jumped down, paid off the driver, and crossed the road. Knocking upon the door, he asked to see Lady Caroline.
“She is not receiving visitors, my lord,” came the butler’s reply.
“Then I would like to speak to Lady Chimes.” For Geoffrey didn’t give a fig with whom he met, as long as he got his foot in the door and talked to someone.
The butler sighed. “Her ladyship is also not receiving visitors.”
Crossing his arms, against all standards of politeness, he said, “That’s ridiculous! I can hear voices in the drawing room.”
Seeing one of the double doors was ajar, he skirted the shocked butler and hurried toward it.
Sure enough, there was Lady Chimes and Lord Mangue, while Lady Caroline was nowhere in sight.
“What is the meaning of this?” Lady Chimes demanded.
“I wish to offer for your daughter,” he said at once. “May I speak with Lady Caroline?”
“Here now,” Mangue said, rising to his feet. “Her parents and I already have an understanding.”
“You have done enough damage already,” her mother added, “with that unforgiveable tattling tale toThe Times.”
“Indeed,” Mangue said.
“I didn’t say a word,” Geoffrey vowed. “How would it benefit me? Obviously, this man did.”
“I didn’t. Not a peep,” Mangue protested. “It would benefit me even less. You told the newspaper, so I would cease my pursuit of Lady Caroline. Obviously,youdid it. And the proof is that you’re here now.”
“I am here because only by marrying her can I salvage her reputation.”
“On the contrary,” Lady Chimes insisted, “if Lord Mangue marries her, it will disprove the false statements. Who would believe a sane man would marry her if she weretruly ruined? Ergo, Lord Mangue will marry her and remove any whiff of tainted virtue.”
“And I shall receive a larger dowry for my trouble,” Lord Mangue added, causing Lady Chimes to narrow her eyes at him.
“We were discussing it,” she said firmly, “but no decision can be made until I’ve discussed it with my husband.”
“I will take Lady Caroline without any dowry at all,” Geoffrey offered, as if he were bidding on horseflesh at Tattersall’s.
