She did not know the facts of the matter. He debated what to tell her.
Clara, unfortunately, was very sharp and her mind was right with his on that point. “How did Haversham come to tell you about any of this?”
“He sought my advice on a part of it.” Not a lie.
“At least they are finally doing as was promised and investigating her claim. I hope you can help. She is alone in the world now, since her father died. She keeps body and soul together by being a tutor for girls, but who knows how long she will find such situations? Eventually she will have to take service as a governess, I suspect, and that would be a waste.” She ended her diversion into Miss MacCallum with a smile that then firmed. “And how can I help you help Haversham?”
“I have a favor to ask.”
“You almost choked on that. I expect it is rare for you to ask a favor of anyone. Well, let’s hear it.”
“It would be best for Miss MacCallum if her matter was handled discreetly.”
“Best for the king, you mean.”
“Nothing good will come from this turning into drawing room gossip.”
“Brentworth, did you come here to ask,as a favor, that I keep silent about this?”
“I would never insult you by implying you gossip. I am more concerned with that journal of yours.”
To say she sat up and took notice would be an understatement. “The journal? We do not write about squabbles over inheritances. Unless—ohhhhhh. There is a story here, you mean. A scandal or something that could feed the gossips for a year.”
“Hardly that interesting. However, I am asking youas a favorto desist in any inclinations that you may develop regarding the entire affair.”
Her excitement dissolved into a pout. “It is cruel of you to dangle this then snatch it away. I expect if I do not agree to this favor you will then ask my husband for the favor, and I will in turn have to hear his petition.”
“I would rather not.”
“Which means you still might.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why do I think you are not doing this to help Haversham and the king but yourself in some way?”
He gazed back passively. Innocently.
“You have your favor. With one condition. Should at some point this be ripe for publication,Parnassusgets to do the story first. There are times when nothing else but all the facts will clear the air and silence the lies.”
“Condition accepted.” He stood. “Thank you.”
She rose too and walked with him to the door. “It was an easy favor to grant. Now, of course, you owe me one. That should be fun.”
* * *
Davina did not join Mr. Hume in the library after Brentworth left. Instead she took a long walk and released her anger in long, purposeful strides. Her path took her far afield, and as a result when she returned to the house on Saint Anne’s Lane, the family had already sat to dinner. She entered the chamber as quietly as she could and slid into her chair.
During her entire walk she had thought about her meeting with the duke. She had to admit that while he did not frighten her, she understood why some women found his attention discomforting. His presence and attention carried no real danger but rather a compelling but subtle vitality that was hard to name. Perhaps it was called power. She could see some people becoming tongue-tied when that gaze leveled at them.
Mrs. Hume sipped her soup and Nora only glanced in her direction before reaching for a roll from the breadbasket. It was Mr. Hume who made a display of noticing her arrival. He paused midsentence of his description of a political meeting. His thick eyebrows, copper-colored like his hair, rose a fraction over his blue eyes. The mustache he wore like a badge of his radical ideas moved above the small pucker of his lips.
He waited for the housekeeper to bring her some soup before speaking again.
“You were gone a long while, Miss MacCallum.” He removed his pocket watch to look at the time, as if he did not know it already. “A good three hours.”
“I took a long turn through town. I felt the need for exercise.”
“Not fitting,” Mrs. Hume muttered. The old woman did not like Davina and made no pretense on the matter. She did not approve the unusual terms Davina had demanded before taking this position. As a result she often scolded when Davina displayed the independence that had been at the top of her list of necessary accommodations.
“How did you spend your afternoon, Nora? Miss MacCallum’s absence left you on your own.”
“I visited my friend Anna,” Nora said. “She has a new doll she carries everywhere. If I were younger I might be envious, because it is French. But I think it silly to carry around a doll when one is thirteen.”
