Page 78 of Scandalous Heiress
The niceties done, Lily lowered her voice.“Elanna, it’s good of you to come support our friend.”
“My dear, you know I always want to see proper marriages done.”She turned an intense gaze on Victor.“We’ve not met before, my lord.But wouldn’t you agree?”
Ada would wager Elanna knew about Victor’s past, who he was, his wife, his career abroad.Even if one aristocrat had never met another, they read scandal sheets, they gossiped, they lived amid the wreckage.
Victor put both hands behind his back.With a hard look of indifference to any implication she might raise, he tipped his head to one side.“I do indeed, Lady Carbury.”
A commotion at the door had all turning to view two men who raised their voices at the family butler.
Ridgemont and another man laughed at the servant.
Victor’s mouth thinned.
Ada caught her breath.That prickly feeling she had whenever she was near Richard set her teeth on edge.A thought flashed through her mind that this was the same discomfort she’d felt lately whenever she’d gone out to the flower mart or the shops.
Victor inched closer to Ada as his brother greeted the countess and the earl.Richard’s tall thin friend Tildon lurked at his side.
“He is drunk.”Elanna gave a very unladylike snort.“Ware will have none of that.”
“I say, a wonderful group.”Richard greeted them.“Your Grace.Lady Carbury.And Miss Hanniford.The family’s jewels out in force, eh?”
Victor stepped toward his brother.“You are being rude.”
“Not by half, Victor, dear boy.”
Victor’s eyes flashed.“Now you must leave.”
“Oh, no.”
“Tildon?”Victor took in his brother’s leering, inebriated friend.“You too.”
“Now just a minute, Victor,” Richard began.
But had no time to say more as Victor seized his arm.“Come with me.”
“Making a scene, dear boy.Tsk, tsk.”
Victor was frog-marching him toward the foyer.
“I want to talk to Lady Carbury.Out rarely.You know she has only that clerk of Seton’s, what’s his name?Phillip?Phillip Leland to her bed.Man has no money—”
“That’s enough, Richard.”
“No title.Only Seton’s salary and yet he has this very nice piece in his bed.”
“Stop!”Victor seethed.
“What?We cannot tell the truth now?”
Victor pushed him through the doors as the throng of guests stood agog.
Ada stepped forward.
“No.”Lily grabbed her arm.
Elanna seemed in a trance as she gazed toward the door.
When Ada looked, Elanna had tears on her cheeks.
“I must leave,” she murmured to no one.She put her glass down and strode to the Countess of Ware and the earl to bid them a hastyadieu.
“Oh, no.”Lily choked back a sob.“She goes out so rarely.Now she’ll retreat again.”
“Let’s go home.”Ada took her sister’s hand and led her away.
