“I should imagine so,” Carenza said.
“One can only hope that his peers can overlook the … deficiencies in his parentage and allow one of their daughters to marry him.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem. He is a handsome man with a large fortune and several thriving estates.” Carenza was getting tired of Lady Brenton looking down her perfect nose at her.
“But theconnection…”
Carenza was done being polite. “To what, ma’am?”
“Your mother was an opera singer, yes?”
“A very successful one.”
“But still—forgive me—not of your father’s class.”
“Surely that was for him to decide?” Carenza raised her eyebrows.
“But society—”
“Society may think what it likes, Lady Brenton,” Carenza said firmly. “May I offer you more tea?”
The clock on the mantelpiece chimed the quarter hour, and Mr. Walcott rose to his feet.
“We must take our leave, Lady Smythe-Harding. Are you attending the Ross ball tonight?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Carenza said as she set down her cup and also stood up.
Lady Brenton curtsied and took Mr. Walcott’s arm. “Thank you for the tea, my lady.”
“You are most welcome.” Carenza smiled.
Olivia, who hadn’t bothered to get up, waved her farewells from her chair. Allegra followed the visitors out, claiming that she wished to speak to the cook, and Carenza returned to her seat.
“I apologize for bringing them with me,” Olivia said. Like Carenza, she was no longer wearing black, instead wearing something summery. “They were impossible to shake off.”
“Perhaps they wished to come here.” Carenza regarded her friend. “They were certainly curious enough.”
Olivia winced. “Lady Brenton was incredibly rude.”
“We are fairly used to having to defend our parents, Olivia. It’s not the end of the world. They don’t come to town very often for that reason. My father can’t stand watching my mother being treated with disdain.” Carenza gathered the cups and set them on the tray. “I thought you handled Mr. Walcott very well.”
“He literally quivers with fury every time someone mentions Julian’s name.”
“I suppose he feels justified in doing so when Julian was only related to his family through his godmother. It must have come as something of a shock to be disinherited like that.”
“Dear Percival and the rest of his family made no effort to visit Lady Beryl in her declining years. Julian was the only one who made sure she kept her house and her health, and so he deserves every penny of her fortune.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you, Olivia,” Carenza said. “I am, however, quite cross with you for leaving without me earlier today.”
Olivia grinned at her. “But Julian was positivelyinsistentthat I allow him to take the matter into his hands.”
“Still …”
“In fact,” Olivia continued as if she hadn’t heard the reprimand, “he’s highly protective of you, and one has to wonder why.” Her gaze returned to Carenza’s face. “You’re blushing. What’s afoot?”
“It’s simply because I’m still angry with both of you.”
“And that is unlike you.” Olivia sighed. “I do apologize if I’ve truly offended you, but I did think Julian had a point about us leaving separately, and I knew he’d take good care of you.” She paused. “Which reminds me, how did he find out in the first place?”
