“Lucinda is who she says she is. Why would Markham go to such lengths to create a lie?”
“Perhaps she is his stepsister born out of wedlock and he wanted to avoid scandal?”
“Mother, really. Your imagination knows no bounds. I know Markham; he would never try to dupe me.”
His mother studied him for a few moments and nodded. “I will take your word on that then. I have become quite attachedto her and do not want to be disappointed if she is not who she says she is.”
“Do you think she is lying?”
“No. I do not. I fear her confidence will be shattered if she thinks others do not believe who she is. In the meantime, can you please apologize for whatever stupid thing you said to her? She has been miserable for days.”
He was miserable, too. “As you wish, Mother.”
“That is my boy. Make it soon for all our sakes.”
“On the topic of apologies, perhaps you should remind your eldest son that saying things out of turn is not very nice.”
“Warrington has been so busy lately; I am sure he did not mean what he said. You should see the amount of mail that comes and goes from his office. It is excessive.”
“So, because he is head of the family, he can tell tales about me, and it be dismissed out of hand?”
“What tales?”
“He said I was a dullard, Mother. He told the girls that I hated art, horse riding, and reading, for heaven’s sake.”
“He did not say it quite like that, but I understand it was not appropriate in front of your ward or sister. I will talk to him.”
“Thank you. Now, I must take my leave.”
“But you have not danced?”
“Tomorrow, I promise.” He pecked her on the cheek and made his leave.
Beckett was inthe hack waiting for him as instructed. “Well, m’lord, ain’t you got yourself into a right pickle.”
Tony frowned. “Depends what kind of pickle you mean.”
“Our lovely Miss Sterling and her pa.”
“Oh, that pickle.” She was his problem, but Beckett knew that.
“Her pa, Foxton. He were a right dunderhead. Got ’imself into something he shoulda kept his fingers out of and it got him kill’d.”
“Well, yes, we know he is dead, but was he murdered or was it by his own hand? The gossip is all over the ton it seems. Everyone has an opinion on the matter.”
“That be the puzzle, eh? Coulda been the Prussians that did it or maybe not.”
“Well, he must have done something foolish.”
“Stafford, he weren’t happy when he found out who her pa was.”
“It was not a secret to my knowledge.” Tony was starting to get a bad feeling about this conversation.
“I heard ’is body was not in a good state. Some say Foxton were tortured; some say he looked to ’ave been poisoned. Either way, it were not a kind death.”
“Strange. I could find nothing in the old newspapers around that time about his death. He simply disappeared.”
“Anyone would think they were trying to cover it up or at least keep it quiet like, wouldn’t you say, m’lord?”
