Page 19 of The Inconvenient Compromise
“It’s also quite imperative that I show them I am no longer a pauper. The power of a title, without any promise of wealth to support it, is severely diminished,” Lucian replied.
“He’s right,” Westerhaven interjected. “Not to offend, but your reputation as an impoverished ne’er do well can only hinder any attempts to refute Lady Bruxton’s claims. It very much needs to appear that you had the luxury of choice when it came to marriage.”
“Precisely,” Lucian agreed, not at all offended. After all, Westerhaven only spoke the truth. “To that end, we need a house to let for the season."
Westerhaven nodded. “Aurora’s former home is available. We’ve no tenants for it this season as her niece and my nephew elected to stay in the countryside.”
“Excellent,” Lucian said. He knew that the duchess’ former home was luxuriously appointed and also in a very fashionable, and therefore visible, area of Mayfair. “Now, for the real questions… do we have anything damning on her? It can’t be that we simply dislike her or she said something nasty. If that was all it took, half the matrons ofthe tonwould be shunned by now.”
“The rumor, as I understand it, is that she claims to have been involved in a longstanding affair with you and that your bride has ‘stolen’ you from her,” Lord Ralston said. “But to my knowledge, you’ve never been involved with her. You’ve always held her in a certain degree of contempt. So how do we prove her to be a liar on that score, thus calling into question everything else she has said… without organizing a parade of your actual former lovers before your wife?”
Lucian sighed. “I don’t know. It would be a humiliating prospect for me. I cannot imagine what Fiona would think of it. It certainly would not bode well for our future happiness.”
“Maybe,” Westerhaven posed, “It isn’t about bringing your former lovers to light but hers. She’s not been faithful to Lord Bruxton for even a day since they were wed. If you can prove who her lovers were during the time she claims to have been hopelessly in love with you, that should certainly cast enough doubt on the rest of her tale.”
It was a simple solution but the perfect one. “All we have to do is create enough doubt about her claims that people will be reluctant to support her. If there is one thing we all know, it’s how quicklythe tonwill turn on someone.”
“For once, that should work in our favor,” Theo commented.
“I’ll employ an investigator to keep an eye on Lady Bruxton,” Lucian mused. “We’ll need to keep track of her if this is to work.”
Westerhaven nodded. “I have a man for the job. I’ll send him round to you this afternoon.”
“Excellent. The sooner we know what she’s about, the better.”
SIXTEEN
Wednesday—Afternoon…
Lady Deerfield’s house on Park Lane was a study in perfect symmetry. The elegant Georgian, with its white stone and brick facade, Palladian windows, and pristine glass that had been polished to the point of sparkling, was a perfect reflection of the woman who occupied it. Proper. In every way.
Fiona could feel her palms sweating inside her kid gloves. What if the woman turned them away? What if the gossip and rumors spreading about them were so vile she simply wanted no part of them? That kind of humiliation would be difficult to bear, but more so, it would only further cement her position as an interloper in society. In short, Charlotte would come out on top, as always.
“Stop fidgeting,” Penelope whispered.
The Countess of Winburn—Sabine, as she’d insisted on being called—looped her arm through Fiona’s. “Lady Deerfield is quite lovely. And she hates Lady Habersham so much that she’d champion the devil himself if Lady Habersham spoke ill of him. So do not worry. You will be warmly welcomed.”
The butler re-emerged from the drawing room. “Lady Deerfield will see you now.”
With that, they were ushered into the well-appointed room, each one announced by the butler, and then the servant was gone. They were left to face the formidable society matron who was holding court from a Heppelwhite chair, a needlepoint project on her lap.
“Good afternoon, Lady Ralston, Countess Winburn, Countess Rathmore. Felicitations on your recent marriage—all of you. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”
“We need your assistance,” Sabine began. “Lady Bruxton and Lady Habersham are making trouble—both independently and together.”
Lady Deerfield’s lips turned down in a sneer. “How I detest that wretched woman. Louise Habersham has been nothing but a troublemaker since we were first launched into society together. And Lady Bruxton is positively detestable. But I’m not certain how it is that I can help.”
“Well,” Penelope began, “Charlotte has told some terrible lies about our dear friend, Fiona.”
“Who was, until some time last week, Lady Bruxton’s dear friend,” Lady Deerfield said pointedly. “You were her friend, as well, Lady Ralston. I will not be pulled into squabbles without cause.”
“We were never her friends,” Fiona began. “If I may speak very plainly, Lady Deerfield, I will explain it all.”
Lady Deerfield looked at them for a moment, her brows lifted and her gaze shrewd as she considered the matter. After a moment, she gave a curt nod and swept her hand toward the sofa that faced her hair. “My curiosity has gotten the better of me. I would like that explanation very much.”
Once they were seated, Fiona began. Honesty, even if it did not paint her in a very flattering light, was the best option. “It was opportunistic on my part. I freely admit it. I lacked the fortune and the connections to do truly well in society on my own. But when Lady Bruxton extended an invitation to me, I knew immediately that I would have to accept it. After all, refusing it would have made me a target for her, and I already had quite a few strikes against me. But I understood that being a part of her circle would garner invitations and acceptance for me at places and parties that I would never have been admitted to otherwise. I thought, rather foolishly, that I could be part of her circle without compromising my own integrity. I was wrong.”
“You are not alone in that,” Penelope offered supportively. “I did the same. She holds a tremendous amount of power in society. Being beautiful, wealthy, and quite sought after, her perceived friendship can alter the course of one’s journey into society. And when she turns on you, I know firsthand just how ugly that can be. I became a veritable pariah when I broke with her. No one, Lady Deerfield, becomes part of Charlotte’s circle of minions because they want to be there. We all wind up there because we cannot afford to say no.”
