Page 61 of To Marry A Matchmaker

‘Why would I blame you for my ward’s bad manners? And believe me, Miss Armstrong, when I say that I had no expectations of any intimate friendship with you.’

The woman’s cheek paled and, for a moment, Robert thought she was going to faint, but she recovered and gave her body a little shake. ‘Then it’s best it’s out in the open. Miss Ravel has endangered her reputation through her reckless behaviour and careless actions.’

Robert shook his head. He had always discounted Henri’s assessment of Miss Armstrong as being distinctly unhelpful in a crisis as Henri always wanting to be in charge, but now he saw that Henri knew more than she had let on. ‘I apologise for Sophie and whatever trick she has played, Miss Armstrong, and am upset that it has inadvertently caused you distress. But Sophie’s heart is in the right place and she will make amends.’

‘But you fail to understand, Mr Montemorcy. Sophie has destroyed all chances of future happiness.’ Miss Armstrong dissolved into loud sobs and it was several moments before she could continue. ‘You’re going to blame me for everything, Mr Montemorcy. I know you will.’

‘Nobody is going to blame you, Miss Armstrong.’ Robert clenched his fists and then slowly reopened them as he counted to ten and regained control over his temper. ‘Please tell me what happened. Slowly and without giving in to your nerves.’

‘We, Sophie and I, went visiting this morning as dearest Dorothy had a sick headache. Several people expressed a keen interest in meeting your ward after her success at the ball. But your ward is given to forthright views like another I could mention.’

There were no prizes for guessing whom Miss Armstrong meant—Henri. Red-hot anger shot through him.

He wished he had never allowed Miss Armstrong to take Sophie under her wing. The woman was a snob of the first order. He should never have encouraged the friendship, but equally he had no wish to antagonise one of the biggest gossips in the entire north-east. The acquaintance ended now. The woman would never enter his house again. But first he had to discover what imagined crime Sophie had committed.

‘What has Sophie done? Who has she befriended?’ Robert said, exerting all of his self-control. ‘Come now, Miss Armstrong, it cannot be as bad as you fear. The truth now. Without embellishment.’

‘Miss Ravel has disappeared!’ Miss Armstrong clasped her hands together. ‘I fear she has eloped. Eloped with Lord Cawburn! He will never marry her and society will be closed to her. And you will blame me for my part in her downfall, but it was entirely inadvertent.’

‘Why do you believe my ward has eloped?’

‘Miss Ravel made her excuses after one stop, saying that she remained tired from the ball and wished to return home and check on her stepmother. Not wishing to inconvenience me, she would walk.’

‘I would suspect she did.’ Sophie’s great crime was that she had walked. The tension in Robert’s shoulders eased. She had not eloped, but walked home in an outrage at Miss Armstrong’s tactics. ‘Sophie has a reputation for walking whenever she can. She had a French governess leave because she could not keep up. No doubt she simply wanted to clear her mind. Perhaps something disturbed her.’

He gave Miss Armstrong a stern look.

Miss Armstrong took refuge in her intricately beaded reticule, pulling out another handkerchief and raising it to her eyes. ‘I know nothing of that, Mr Montemorcy.’

‘In fact, you know very little of my ward or her habits.’ Robert forced a smile on his lips. He could imagine the scene. Sophie had finally had enough of Miss Armstrong’s heartfelt advice, and there had been a slight quarrel. He had hoped her manners were better, but he would address that failing when they conversed. Whatever the quarrel, it did not merit Miss Armstrong slandering Sophie.

‘But I do know that something is far from right. She has eloped with Lord Cawburn.’

He fixed the woman with his gaze and waited until two bright spots appeared on her cheeks. ‘Before accusing my ward of eloping, and in particular eloping with a notorious rake such as Lord Cawburn, you must have concrete facts. All you know is that my ward decided to walk back to the New Lodge rather than use your carriage.’

‘But she failed to arrive. Your ward is missing, sir, and if she is such a great walker, she should have arrived.’ Miss Armstrong twisted her reticule so violently that several beads popped off.

‘How do you know this?’

‘Miss Ravel’s card case had fallen on to the seat in my carriage. I did not see them until I finished my calls. I went straight away to return them and your butler told me she was not there.’

---