Page 60 of Lady Controversial
The earl enjoyed her conversation, perhaps because she did not agree with every word he uttered and put up a lively argument if her view differed from his own. But that made her a novelty, she reminded herself, and little more. Not many ladies of her stature lived in squalor, refusing the luxury of an aunt’s abode. Even fewer fought with a sword to make ends meet. And none had so far stood up to his dragon of a mother. Isolda was well aware of all those factors and would not get carried away by unrealistic expectations.
When the countess and Mrs Fox found it impossible to rile Isolda, they resorted to ignoring her and spoke quietly amongst themselves. Isolda closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the lovely music being produced by Jane’s skilled hands. Realising how much Jane missed her music, Isolda toyed with the idea of permitting her to live with their aunt now, immediately, rather than attempting to keep the promise she had made to her father. A promise that was becoming daily more difficult for her to honour. Besides, if her swordsmanship became public knowledge and Jane was no longer beneath her care, there was an outside chance that Jane would not be tarnished by association.
She was tired, so very tired of respecting her father’s wishes when the man himself had taken the coward’s way out. She was also very curious about her aunt’s animosity towards her. It was not as if she was to blame for the circumstances of her birth. Perhaps if she let Jane go then her aunt would satisfy her curiosity in that regard.
It was worth considering.
A footman appeared with a message for the countess which he passed to her on a silver salver.
‘This just arrived for you, my lady,’ he said. ‘I understand it is a matter of some urgency.’
The countess appeared taken aback but ripped open the missive, read its contents and a slow, satisfied smile graced her features as she glanced at Isolda, who felt a tremor of fear ripple through her. Something wasn’t right.
She heard the men’s footsteps approaching the room, as presumably did the countess. She tapped her letter against her fingers and raised her voice when Ellery was the first through the open door.
‘Tell me, Miss Crawley,’ she said, her voice light and conversational in a way that it had not been when she’d been unable to avoid addressing Isolda that evening, ‘for how long have you been indulging in swordfights against thehoi polloiin order to make ends meet?’
Chapter Nineteen
Ellery stopped abruptly and his mouth fell open in abject shock. How in the name of Hades had that information reached his mother’s ears so quickly? He glanced at Isolda, who appeared frozen with shock. Jane’s piano had stopped on a discord and she appeared mystified. Jemima flashed a wobbly smile at Ellery.
‘Isolda?’ Jane said in a tiny voice.
His mother wore an expression of gleeful spite as she sent Ellery a look of faux disappointment.
‘I believe our guests would like to return home, Ellery,’ she said primly. ‘To their own home. Now. Tonight.’
‘Madam, I can…’
Isolda’s stuttered words trailed off when Ellery held up a hand. ‘Who is spreading such gossip, Mother, and why do you choose to believe it without seeking clarification, or indeed proof?’ He reached out a hand to take the letter, and when she refused to give it up he simply snatched it from her grasp.
‘I say!’ she protested.
Ellery ignored her as his gaze went to the signature. ‘Brooke,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘Of course. I should have known he would be stirring up trouble. What is less obvious to me is how he came to know that the ladies are our guests.’ He fixed his mother with an accusatory scowl and she turned away, confirming Ellery’s suspicions. ‘What made you take it upon yourself to enlighten him?’ he demanded.
‘They are his responsibility—especially after this astonishing debacle. He told me as much when I saw him recently. He was close friends with their papa and had promised to look out for them, but she…’ The countess pointed an accusatory finger at Isolda. ‘She refused to accept his help, choosing instead to destroy her sister’s reputation and her own by indulging in such scandalous behaviour as this,’ she pointed to the crumpled letter that Ellery now held. Ellery expected a stout defence from Isolda, but she remained passive and refused to look at him. ‘That was wrong of her, especially given that she pretends to be so concerned for her sister’s wellbeing, and it was my duty to put things right, precious little thanks I get for it.’
‘You cannot have unmarried ladies living here, Ellery,’ Sally said, naturally speaking up in support of their mother. Ellery had not reacted to her earlier revelation in the manner she had anticipated and she was unsure how to recover lost ground without appearing unnaturally spiteful, a situation that did not ordinarily concern her. ‘Only think how it will look.’
‘Neither can I have married ladies living here when they have perfectly good establishments of their own in which to reside,’ Ellery replied, giving up all attempts to rein in his temper as he fixed his sister with a look of steely resolve that caused her to give a little cry of alarm.
‘I say!’ George protested.
‘I mean it,’ Ellery said. ‘Stand on your own, George, and take responsibility for your wife. And curb her waspish tongue, if you can possibly manage it, before it is too late.’
‘Well, I have never been so…’
No one took any notice of Sally and her words trailed off.
‘I am perfectly serious, Ellery,’ his mother said in a more reasonable tone. ‘This is most unfortunate, but if word gets out that we have entertained people like these two, it will reflect badly upon Jemima’s chances of making a good marriage.Sheought to be your first priority. Never lose sight of that fact.’
‘Is it…Is it true, Isolda?’ Jane asked in a tiny voice that intruded upon an otherwise deafening silence.
‘Look after her,’ Ellery said to Felix, nodding at Jane and preventing Isolda from saying anything confrontational in front of his mother. ‘Miss Crawley, a word if you please.’
Ellery took Isolda’s arm and steered her in the direction of his library, his expression grim. She went with him listlessly, all the customary animation leaving her as she weathered the shock of Brooke’s revelation. She seemed thoroughly defeated and had no fight left in her, and Ellery was conscious of his mother’s self-satisfied gaze boring into his back. She would be aware that Ellery was angry with her, but there was nothing unusual about that. She wouldn’t doubt that he intended to put his own family’s interests first and that he was saving Isolda’s blushes by asking her to leave in private.
‘Brooke again,’ Isolda said, almost falling into the chair in front of his library fire. ‘I’m sorry, Ellery, to bring so much trouble to your door.’
