Page 133 of Catching Lady Theo
“Still, to have a mistress when he’s engaged.” Nasally sounded offended.
Maybe too offended on Theo’s behalf.
“I heard that after the wedding he’s taking her to his castle where they’ll remain until Christmas. And you know he only has a mistress in Town.” The low-voiced lady’s tone was crisp, as if she did not care.
This was all very strange.
“If that’s the case, who cares if he has a ladybird now. She is going to be a very lucky young lady.”
Yes, she was. But first, Theo would find out why those ladies were lying. She came out from behind the screen. They were both middle-aged. One was taller than the other, with an elaborate purple headdress with silver feathers. The other was blond, dressed in a white gown with silver netting. “I must say, that was very interesting. It was also a complete lie. Chandos does not have a mistress. He has not had one for a year. Well before he began to court me. Both of you owe him an apology for maligning his name.”
“Well,” Nasally said. “We had no idea anyone was eavesdropping.”
Theo speared them with what she knew was a hard look. “I do not believe you. You have done this too often for it to be an accident.”
“I do not believe you either,” Sarah said. “I think you are doing this on purpose for some reason.”
Theo agreed. “Why do you not tell me what it is?”
“You are a very bold young lady.” The low-voiced woman raised her chin. “We do not have to tell you anything.”
The other lady opened the door to Chandos lounging against the wall. “You might not want to tell my affianced-wife,” he drawled. “However, I think you’d better tell me. Otherwise, I might be tempted to inform the rest of Polite Society that you are malicious gossipmongers.”
“Her grace is going to be so disappointed,” Nasally muttered.
One of his dark brows rose. “Her grace? As in her grace of Chandos?”
“Yes,” the low-voiced lady said. “If you must know, she wants Lady Theo to call off the wedding.” The lady cast a disappointed look at Theo. “Apparently, she has no intention of doing so.”
“Very forward young lady,” Nasally said.
Chandos’s lips rose. “Exactly how I like my future duchess to be. Now.” He stood and beckoned for Theo. She joined him, taking his arm. “What does my mother have against my betrothed?”
The ladies exchanged a look, and the low-voiced lady said, “She is not ready to leave. She thought that if you had a more malleable wife she could remain as mistress until she was ready. That is what happened to her. She had been very grateful to your grandmother for her help. She wanted to play the same role.”
That was the reason for all the talk about a wife who would not be so strong. “I should have thought of that.”
The other lady glanced at Theo. “It is not as if she does not like you. She thinks you are an exceptional young lady.”
She stared at the woman. “She simply does not want me to marry her son.”
“Yes.”
“She almost got her wish.” Theo squeezed his arm. “I was ready to break it off with him until he convinced me what you had said were lies.”
“I want an apology. Or I will do my best to blacken your names.” He glanced at the low-voiced lady. “Perhaps I will also tell your husband about your fantasies.”
The woman blanched. “I do apologize. I am very sorry to have agreed to interfere.”
He speared Nasally with a hard look. “And you?”
She was much better at keeping her countenance than her friend. “I apologize as well.” She took the other lady’s arm.
“Before you go, where else did you spew your lies?”
“Only where Lady Theo could hear them,” Nasally said. “As much time as you were spending with her and her family, we knew no one else would believe it.”
Theo watched them depart. “Now I feel like a fool. Even Sarah and the others told me how it was.”
