“I do not need your help with this,” Matthew said, feeling a twinge of anger.
Somerton shrugged. “Of course you don’t.” He rose and tilted his head. “I shall take my leave now.”
Thank God. “Good afternoon, Somerton.”
Matthew walked Somerton down the hall to the door. As soon as the heavy wood door shut behind him, Matthew raced upstairs to Jennette. He entered the room and frowned.
“Jennette?”
No sound came in return. Her clothes were gone, the sweet smell of her had departed, too. As he sat on the end of the bed, he noticed a note on the pillow.
It was getting late and my mother would have started to worry about me. Thank you for talking to me. Your words were a great comfort. I didn’t have a chance to tell you that I have found you a bride. She does not believe your name is a problem and is old enough not to need the consent of her parents. She will be dressed as Aphrodite at Nicholas’s fancy dress ball. Please attend so I may introduce you both.
Yours,
Jennette
She found him a bride? He ripped the note to shreds and tossed them in the dying coals of the fireplace. Bloody hell. After all they had been through, she still wanted him to marry another woman.
Well, that wasn’t about to happen. He would go to her mother’s house and insist she marry him. Didn’t she realize they had not done anything to protect against a child? She could be carrying his baby in her womb at this moment.
Matthew combed his hair and strode down the cracked marble stairs, careful to miss the steps in the worst condition. After pulling on his greatcoat and hat, he walked to her house on Bruton Street. In his anger, the biting wind had no effect on him.
He banged on the front door and waited for the butler or footman. The door opened slowly.
“May I help you, sir?”
Matthew handed the older man his card and waited.
“Yes, my lord?”
“I am here to see Lady Jennette.”
The man’s fluffy white eyebrows drew into a frown. “I am sorry, my lord. Lady Jennette is out.”
“Where is she?” he demanded.
“It is not my position to ask,” the butler replied.
“Where is she?”
“Is there a problem, Grantham?” Lady Selby asked from behind the door.
“Lady Selby, I must speak with your daughter.”
“Open the door, Grantham,” Lady Selby insisted.
The door opened fully to reveal Lady Selby standing with her hands on her hips staring at him. “Lord Blackburn, my daughter is not at home. She did tell me if you called upon her to tell you that she will not speak to you until tomorrow night’s ball.”
Matthew stood there staring at the older woman. Jennette wouldn’t even speak to him? Perhaps she really had found him a bride and this was her way of being done with him. After all, he was nothing but a fortune hunter like John.
Chapter 22
“This has to be the most uncomfortable costume I have ever worn,” Jennette complained to her maid.
“Yes, ma’am. It’s the shell,” Molly replied, trying one last string to keep her shell attached to her gown.
Aphrodite rising from the sea. Perhaps not her best idea for a masked ball.