Scandalous Miss Brightwells [Book 1-4]

He rolled his shoulders. George still felt guilty at interfering to make the terms of the wager in Boodles Better book so attractive for encouraging an elopement between Marwick and Katherine but Katherine had kissed Marwick. George knew she had. And almost straight afterwards she’d made clear her aversion to doing anything similar with George so she might as well have married Marwick if she was so willing to trade her favours, he’d thought at the time.

But he was sorry Marwick had turned out such a blackguard. Sorry for Katherine. He truly was.

Derry was a different piece altogether. He was a decent chap and he clearly thought a great deal of George’s ability to set wheels in motion.

He puffed out his chest. “Yes, she takes what my dear mama has to say very seriously but there is someone else, I believe, who might have greater influence in seeing Katherine sensibly married.”

A wonderful thought had just come to him. A drift of memory when his mother had recounted Katherine’s dismay at the fact the late Freddy Marwick had given his own mother such an influential role in her granddaughter, Diana’s upbringing.

As far as George could tell, Lady Hale had shown not the slightest interest in her granddaughter. But that was because Lady Hale had no interest in anyone other than herself. George had heard Katherine say this often.

Derry’s attention had drifted. His eyes looked glazed and his shoulders slumped. “It’s no good,” he muttered. “I can hardly force Katherine if she has no wish to wed me.”

“What about the money Freddy borrowed?”

Derry shrugged. “Lord, I’m not the blackguard Freddy was! He made her beg and I couldn’t resist her. I can afford to lose what I lent him and I’d not press her on that. Blackmail? That’s not my game.”

“Didn’t mean to suggest blackmail as your only recourse, old chap,” George assured him while the cogs in his brain were working along these very tracks.

George wouldn’t resort to blackmail, either.

But Lady Hale just might.

Chapter 19

There was a lightness in Katherine’s step that she hadn’t felt for years as she entered the conservatory where her aunt, her mother and Mrs Patmore, Jack’s adoptive mother, were having tea the following morning.

Katherine had heard that her aunt and mother had initially disliked Eliza Patmore, but then she’d rescued Katherine and her cousins, and Jack, from drowning. At the time, Eliza Patmore had been betrothed to Young George’s disreputable uncle, George Bramley, until they’d persuaded her of the merits of marrying handsome Mr Rufus Patmore. At least, that was the story Katherine remembered having heard.

And now she was standing before that still very lovely looking woman with her sculpted blonde hair and perfect bone structure, hoping with all her might that she might one day call her mother-in-law. There was a delicate line to navigate, but surely if Katherine’s heart and Jack’s were as one, they could finally be together—just as they were meant to be all those years ago?

“Ah, Katherine, we were just talking about you,” her mother said, patting the seat beside her in invitation. “I’m glad you seem finally to be emerging from your gloom of the past few days. Of course you must mourn your husband, but common sense must guide you.”

She was referring to the disastrous evening at Lady Garwood’s when Katherine had appeared in widow’s weeds, learned that Jack was betrothed to another, and had her own reputation sullied by Lord Derry’s overly familiar attentions.

She pushed back her shoulders and smiled brightly. All could be overcome. Jack just needed to know how Katherine felt about him, and then he could admit that his feelings matched hers and he’d do the honourable thing towards Odette—which would be not to marry her if his heart was elsewhere engaged.

“Of course, Mama. Perhaps I’m happier now that Jack has returned.” There, she would use subtlety where she could over the next few days to make her feelings clear for Jack, and that way, there’d be no surprises or horror when Jack and Odette’s betrothal was dissolved, and Katherine became his new bride-to-be. It might have happened seven years ago if Katherine had been as wise as she was now.

“That holds true for all of us,” Mrs Patmore said with a smile. “I could never have imagined my darling boy leaving us for so long.”

“Or coming back with a bride,” said Katherine, preparing her next line. “Or rather, bride-to-be. However, I wonder if…” She was about to suggest an element of doubt over Odette’s qualification if only in terms of there being a contender for Jack’s affections. No, Katherine would not be underhand, of course. But she had to win. She and Jack loved each other. It was only right that they be together, and while she didn’t like the thought of being the cause of Miss Worthington’s disappointed hopes, all was fair and love and war, didn’t they say?

“Ah, poor Miss Worthington; I hear her father’s health took a turn for the worse last night,” said Aunt Antoinette, shaking her head. “I doubt they’ll manage to the house party next weekend.”

“I’m sure Mr Worthington will be better by then,” Katherine said brightly, sitting down and not willing to entertain the thought of there being a reason why Jack mightn’t be able to spend a full three days under this roof. The very idea of being alone with him made her skin prickle with anticipation.

“Oh no, my dear, Mr Worthington is not expected to improve. Did you know he’s dying?” Fanny’s mother looked suitably gloomy. “There’s even been talk of bringing forward Jack and Miss Worthington’s nuptials in case he doesn’t make their currently proposed date.”

“No!” Katherine couldn’t help herself as she brought her hands up to her face with a gasp.

The others looked at her oddly as she turned her head away to hide her tears. This couldn’t be. Miss Worthington’s father couldn’t be dying? Jack’s most noble sentiments would be brought to the fore. Willingly or not, he would accept his role as Miss Worthington’s support and protector, a role that would be of added importance considering this was the man who’d helped him make his fortune in the business world.

“I’m sorry to hear it,” she said shakily, searching for something with which to deflect the conversation and coming up with, “Has anyone seen Diana? Miss Nibble was looking for her to do her lessons, but the naughty girl has run off again.”

“Well, she’s not nearly as naughty as you were at her age, Katherine, but in fact, she’s with her grandmother.” Lady Fenton smiled at her daughter. “I thought you knew. They’re in the drawing room.”

“Which is why you’re all here?” Katherine countered with raised eyebrows, to which Aunt Antoinette said blithely, “Of course. The dowager really is the most dreadful woman, and as she seemed happy enough to enjoy only Diana’s company, I didn’t see why we should have to suffer hers and be polite. She rarely is.”