Chapter Eight
The next day, Stacey was surprised when Miss Wilmington and Miss Webb came to visit her. They had never come by for a visit before. The only time she’d seen them was if there was a ball or a social engagement for Ladies of Grace.
She had no idea what to say as she poured tea into their cups. She glanced from one to the other, noting they were dressed as if they were on their way to attend one of Lady Eloise’s social engagements.
“Is Lady Eloise having a social engagement today?” she asked.
Miss Wilmington chuckled. “Oh, she is, but it’s not one she wants.” She accepted the cup Stacey held out to her. “She married Mr. Bachman this morning.”
“She didn’t tell you about it?” Miss Webb asked Stacey.
Stacey gave the other cup to Miss Webb and shook her head. “No. I knew she was to marry him, but I didn’t know when.”
“Well, it’s not like she was extending invitations,” Miss Webb replied after she took a sip of tea. “She’s marrying the brother of Lord Youngtown, and everyone is still criticizing her for the way she handled things with Lady Youngtown. So not only is she marrying someone without a title, but her sister-in-law brought her to ruin in a single afternoon.”
Miss Wilmington snickered. “She had it coming. She thinks she’s the most important person in London. As much as I hate to agree with Lady Erandon, it was time someone got the best of her.”
Stacey didn’t hide her shock as she poured tea into her own cup. Miss Wilmington and Miss Webb had been closer to Lady Eloise than anyone else had been. She thought they were undyingly loyal to her. But, as she caught the amused looks the two gave each other, she realized she’d been wrong. They had played the role of the devoted friends because it had helped move them up the social ladder. They didn’t have any genuine concern for Lady Eloise.
“We came here because you’re the only other member still in the group,” Miss Wilmington said. “Lady Gareth defected to Enduring Friendships.” She rolled her eyes. “Who knew she was secretly Lady Steinbeck’s friend? I never suspected she would waste her time with someone so unimportant.”
“Lady Steinbeck has some influence,” Miss Webb argued. “Her father and her husband are prominent gentlemen in the investing world.”
Miss Wilmington grimaced. “Please don’t tell me that you actually like her.”
“I never had a problem with her. I’ve seen her on occasion, and she’s always been nice to me.”
Stacey sipped her tea, intrigued to find this out. She had no idea that Miss Webb thought of Lady Steinbeck in a favorable light. It seemed that Lady Eloise’s hold on the members in the group weren’t as strong as she had wished.
“Lady Steinbeck is a wallflower,” Miss Wilmington argued.
“Being a wallflower isn’t a sin,” Miss Webb said.
“But it prevents you from having influence in London. The reason we endured every idiotic thing Lady Eloise wanted us to do was to advance our reputations in the Ton. Which reminds me…” She turned her gaze to Stacey. “In light of the fact that Lady Gareth and Miss Duff have left the group, we have some pressing things to deal with. Our group still has a chance to thrive despite Lady Eloise’s fall from grace. As we discussed at the ball, the first order of business is to secure husbands of good standing. I have managed to establish a rapport with a wealthy duke.”
“And I managed to gain the attention of Lady Cadwalader’s nephew, Sir Tristan Blakemoor.” Miss Webb looked expectantly at Stacey. “Did your father secure a marriage between you and Lord Whitney?”
Stacey nodded. “There hasn’t been a date set to start reading the banns, but my father granted Lord Whitney permission to marry me.”
The two breathed an audible sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful,” Miss Webb said. “Lord Whitney is an earl, isn’t he?”
Stacey finished sipping her tea before answering. “He is.”
“Good,” Miss Wilmington replied. “We were hoping he wasn’t a viscount. That’s low on the peerage. An earl is much better. We can manage with a Baronet for Miss Webb because he’s related to Lady Cadwalader, but we desperately need another lady whose husband will have a notable title. Will you be doing something publicly with Lord Whitney in the near future?”
Something public? Stacey hadn’t given that any thought. She’d never had a gentleman interested in her before. Were public outings something gentlemen often did when they were betrothed to a lady?
“It can be something as simple as a walk through Hyde Park,” Miss Wilmington continued. “As long as people see you two together, that’s what matters.” Her eyes lit up. “If your father were to chaperone, that might be even better. People think very well of your father. Even Lady Cadwalader has respect for him.”
Oh. Her father. Stacey shifted in the chair. She couldn’t bring her father along. Not only would it ruin the afternoon for her, but Lord Whitney wouldn’t like it, either.
She tapped the edge of her cup. If she talked Miss Wilmington or Miss Webb into joining her and Lord Whitney at the park, then she wouldn’t need her father to act as a chaperone.
“Would one of you like to join me and Lord Whitney?” Stacey asked. “Perhaps it might be good if more than one of us were seen with our gentlemen.”
“Of course!” Miss Webb gave an emphatic nod, her smile widening. “That’s wonderful thinking. If we can all be seen together with the gentlemen we’re to marry, then it might assure everyone that we have bounced back from the disgraceful thing Lady Eloise did. It might also attract some other ladies to the group. We’re awfully low on numbers right now. What a marvelous idea, Lady Stacey!”
Surprised that Miss Webb would extend such a compliment to her, Stacey’s face warmed in pleasure.
“Do you think you can get the duke to take a walk with us?” Miss Webb asked Miss Wilmington. “I’m sure I can get Sir Tristan Blakemoor to go.”
“I’ll have to drop some hints and see if he’s interested,” Miss Wilmington replied. “I’ll let you know in two days. My father is determined that a single scandal won’t touch me after what Lady Eloise did to hurt my reputation. He might insist my mother comes along, even though we’ll all be in a group.”
“That will be fine,” Miss Webb replied. “Your mother has an outstanding reputation. Having her there will only help our cause.”
They turned their attention to Stacey, so Stacey said, “I’ll send Lord Whitney a missive and ask if he’ll join us for a stroll. What day were you thinking of going?”
“Tuesday would be a good day,” Miss Wilmington said. “I have to go shopping for a new gown on Monday. My father wants me to have something even better than anything I wore around Lady Eloise. In addition to protecting me from a scandal, he also wants to show everyone I’m a much better leader for this group than Lady Eloise ever was.”
Miss Webb frowned. “I thought you and I decided to be joint leaders of this group.”
Miss Wilmington laughed and waved her hand dismissively at her. “Of course, we’re joint leaders. You and I have been with Lady Eloise from the very beginning. We know what it takes to run the group better than anyone else.”
Though Miss Webb didn’t seem fully convinced by Miss Wilmington’s words, she turned her gaze to Stacey. “If Lord Whitney has any female relatives who might be a benefit to this group, let us know.”
“I will,” Stacey replied.
The two finished their tea and stood up. “Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” Miss Webb said. “It took Miss Wilmington and me all this time to come up with a suitable plan to get this group back in good standing.”
“Yes,” Miss Wilmington agreed as she straightened her gloves. “Lady Eloise did considerable harm. I hope her marriage is terrible. She deserves it after leaving us with this mess to clean up.”
For a moment, something in the way Miss Wilmington spoke reminded Stacey of her father, and she shivered. That had never happened when she was around Miss Wilmington before. Apparently, this change in circumstance was bringing out a side of Miss Wilmington Stacey had never seen before.
As Stacey was seeing them to the door, her father happened to be coming up the steps of the townhouse. His gaze fell on them, and at once, Stacey could tell he wasn’t happy to see them.
“You’re not still associating with Lady Eloise, are you?” he asked after the initial pleasantries were exchanged.
“Oh, good heavens, no,” Miss Wilmington replied. “We wouldn’t be caught dead with her after the way she soiled the reputation of our fine group. We came to visit your daughter because we have a plan to restore the group to its good standing in the Ton.”
He relaxed. “Good. I ordered my daughter to stay as far from Lady Eloise as possible. I won’t have that wretched lady doing more harm to her.”
“We couldn’t agree more.” Miss Wilmington gestured to Stacey. “She told us she’s to marry an earl with a good reputation. Does he have a suitable amount of wealth as well?”
He nodded. “I asked around about Lord Whitney before I agreed to talk to him. He has a secure estate. Money won’t be a problem.”
“Excellent. You did well in arranging the marriage when you did. We,” she gestured between her and Miss Webb, “are in the process of acquiring marriages to prominent gentlemen, too. That’s our first order of business. After that, we are seeking out reputable ladies to join our group. Thankfully, you have done a splendid job of making sure your daughter fits what we want for this group.”
Stacey noted the satisfied expression on her father’s face. “Early on, I taught her to be the kind of lady who won’t embarrass me,” he said.
Miss Webb glanced at Stacey, and Stacey couldn’t be sure, but she thought she caught a flicker of sympathy in the lady’s eyes. Did Miss Webb pick up on the fact that Stacey’s father didn’t actually care about her?
“You are to be commended for your efforts,” Miss Wilmington told Stacey’s father. “It’s a shame the Duke of Silverton wasn’t of the same mind when it came to his own daughter.”
“Yes, it was,” her father agreed.
Miss Wilmington and Miss Webb offered a goodbye to Stacey and her father then left.
Stacey’s father turned to her as the footman closed the door. “I’m glad to see Miss Wilmington and Miss Webb have the good sense to get rid of Lady Eloise. Ladies of Grace just might recover.”
She waited to see if he would say anything else, but he turned to the butler and instructed him to bring tea to the den. Then he headed on down the hall.
She released her breath as the knots in her stomach eased. She was tired of feeling tense whenever he was around. She didn’t know if daughters were supposed to feel comfortable around their fathers, but she couldn’t recall a time when she’d ever felt that way with her own.
She barely knew Lord Whitney, but she suspected if he had a daughter, he wouldn’t be like her father. Lord Whitney would probably be gentle and kind. Those two traits seemed to be in his nature. At least, it seemed to be from what she’d picked up about him so far.
Recalling the walk in Hyde Park, she hurried back to the drawing room and wrote Lord Whitney a missive.
***
That Tuesday, Stacey had planned to be in the drawing room when Lord Whitney showed up, but at the last minute, her lady’s maid caught a tear in her gown, which meant she had to pick out another one.
When Stacey finally arrived in the drawing room, she found Lord Whitney and her father already talking to one another, and judging by the fact that neither one looked very happy, she suspected the conversation wasn’t going well.
“I’m not familiar with Mr. Robinson’s wife,” her father was saying. “I’d much rather be the chaperone at this dinner party you’re taking my daughter to tomorrow evening. A gentleman is best known by the company he keeps.”
“With all due respect, Your Grace, I don’t want you there,” Lord Whitney replied.
Stacey paused by the doorway, her eyes wide. She’d never heard anyone talk to her father like that. Though Lord Whitney had kept his tone pleasant, it was also firm. Even so, she knew her father would take his words as a personal insult.
Her father narrowed his eyes at him. “I don’t think you appreciate who you’re speaking to. Many gentlemen in London would be honored to have me at a dinner party with them.”
“Then go to one of the dinner parties they’ll be attending,” Lord Whitney replied. “You made it very clear that you think I’m inferior to you, and I’d rather not spend an evening with you because of that.”
The corner of her father’s mouth twitched, and she could tell it was taking all of his willpower not to yell at him.
She should let them know she was right there in the room with them. Then they would be forced to end this discussion. But she hated being around her father when he was like this. All it did was make her sick to her stomach.
“I will go to this dinner party,” her father said. “As long as she’s not married, she’ll need a chaperone. There’s no one better suited for that role than me.”
“Why can’t your wife do it?” Lord Whitney asked. “Why does it have to be you?”
“I have to be the chaperone because I require it,” her father told Lord Whitney.
Usually, this would be the part where the person would falter, but Lord Whitney said, “You can’t require something like that. The only thing you can require is that a chaperone go with me and your daughter, and I’ve already provided that.”
Her eyes grew wide, and her father’s did, too. Neither had expected Lord Whitney to give that kind of response. She’d never come across anyone who dared to be so bold.
Her father glanced in her direction, and, noting the anger in his eyes, she took a step back. Lord Whitney turned his gaze toward the doorway. His face went pink, and he hurried to rise to his feet.
“Lady Stacey,” Lord Whitney said as he approached her, “forgive me for not greeting you as soon as you came in.”
Her father bolted from the chair and glared at her. “Tell this insolent lad that I will be your chaperone.”
She swallowed. What she most wanted—more than anything—was to run back to her bedchamber and hide there. She couldn’t oppose her father. She knew what he was capable of when he was upset, and if he didn’t take his anger out on Lord Whitney, he’d do it to her.
Lord Whitney turned to face him. “I am going to be her husband.”
“You’re not her husband yet,” her father snapped.
“I don’t need to be,” he replied, irritation finding its way into his voice. “As far as London is concerned, I’m as good as married to her already. Word has already spread through London that she is my betrothed. I’m sure you’re fully aware of what a grave thing it would be if the engagement were to be broken. People wouldn’t think well of you for it.”
“That’s only if people believe your story over mine.”
“Well, I suppose I ought to let you know that one of my friends is Lord Edon, and all it would take is letting him know my side of the story for it to spread all over London. Even though he’s a rake, he’s very influential.”
Stacey’s father gasped. Then he narrowed his eyes at Stacey. “Did you know Lord Edon is one of his friends?”
“Why are you asking her?” Lord Whitney interrupted before she had to answer. “You should ask me whether or not I bothered to tell her before I sought her hand for marriage. No, I didn’t tell her. I didn’t think it mattered.”
“You didn’t think it mattered? The reason you want to marry her is because of me. I gave a thorough look at your life. No one told me you had an acquaintance with Lord Edon.”
“First, you weren’t the reason I wanted to marry her. Second, both Lord Edon and I are members of White’s.”
Her father’s face grew red.
Stacey took another step back. If only she hadn’t chosen a gown that had a tear in it. Then none of this would be happening right now. But because she’d been careless, Lord Whitney was stuck waiting for her, and it meant he’d had to talk to her father. She pressed her hand over her stomach. Sometimes, when things were especially stressful, she ended up losing her last meal, and right now, the tension was so strong between them that she felt her stomach churn.
“Lord Steinbeck, Mr. Jasper, and Lord Youngtown are also members of White’s,” her father told Lord Whitney. “Given your reputation, I had assumed you would have better sense than to spend your time in the company of a rake.”
Lord Whitney looked in her direction, and his eyebrows furrowed in concern. Turning back to her father, he said, “If you wish to continue this argument, we may do so in another room. I’d rather not do this in front of your daughter.”
“Why?” her father asked. “So she won’t want to break off the engagement herself? While it might be scandalous for either you or me to end it, it won’t be if she does. I dare say that people would sympathize with her.”
Fortunately, there was a knock at the front door, forcing them to end their unpleasant conversation. At once, the knots in her stomach eased.
The footman hurried to the door, and she ran after him to the entryway, absentmindedly retying the ribbons on her hat. She had to do something with her hands or she might break down into tears.
When the footman opened the door, she saw Miss Wilmington and Miss Webb with two gentlemen and Miss Wilmington’s mother, Lady Parris.
Stacey released her breath, already feeling better now that they were here. Her father would stop arguing with Lord Whitney now.
Lady Parris gave the introductions to the footman, and with a nod, he waved them into the entryway.
Miss Webb glanced at Stacey and offered her a smile. “That’s a lovely gown. Is it new?”
“Yes,” Stacey replied. “My father wanted me to have something new to go to the park in.” Actually, it was one of several gowns he had bought for her, but she didn’t think Miss Webb wanted to know that.
“That’s good thinking on his part,” Miss Wilmington said. “My parents insisted on the same thing. It’s why I’m wearing this.” She gestured to the green gown she had on.
Stacey hesitated to say anything because the color didn’t complement her complexion. In fact, the bright shade of green made her look sickly. But then, her gowns didn’t often complement her very well. She’d overheard Lady Erandon once whispering to the Duchess of Lambeth that Miss Wilmington’s taste in gowns was gaudy and atrocious. As much as she hated to admit it, Lady Erandon was right.
But if Miss Wilmington’s mother noticed this, she didn’t let anyone know. Instead, she said, “My daughter and I took great care in selecting the right gown for an outing in the park. We wanted something bright and happy.”
“You did a splendid job,” Stacey heard her father say.
Stacey jerked, unaware her father had been behind her. She glanced around her and saw Lord Whitney come to her side. He made eye contact with her, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Was he looking for ways to end their betrothal already? Was he thinking of doing a fake betrothal with someone else? She couldn’t blame him if he decided to quietly end their charade so that he could go after someone who didn’t have such a difficult father.
The footman turned to introduce everyone to her father, and he ended with the two gentlemen, Sir Tristan Blakemoor, who was with Miss Webb, and the Duke of Ravenshire, who was with Miss Wilmington.
“What excellent escorts you ladies have selected for this afternoon’s stroll through Hyde Park,” her father told Miss Wilmington and Miss Webb.
From next to Stacey, Lord Whitney stiffened. Her father didn’t know much about the two gentlemen. He had only said those words because he wasn’t pleased with Lord Whitney and wished for him to know it. She didn’t dare look at Lord Whitney. What if she saw the resignation in his eyes that told her he wasn’t going to go through with their plan anymore?
“I promise to keep careful watch over everyone,” Lady Parris told Stacey’s father.
“I know you will,” Stacey’s father replied. “I’m well acquainted with your husband. He’s an excellent gentleman.”
She chuckled, flattered by the compliment. “Since he’s my husband, I heartily agree with you.”
“I hope everyone has an enjoyable time,” he said then bowed to the group before he headed off down the hall.
Stacey released her breath. Good. He was gone.
Lady Parris glanced at the ladies and gentlemen. “I suppose we should go for our walk.”
The group followed her out of the townhouse, and though Stacey was glad to be away from her father, she worried that, before the social engagement was over, Lord Whitney was going to tell her he couldn’t continue with their plan.