A Most Improper Duchess by Alanna Lucas

Chapter Six

Niall suspected the reason for his mother’s illness was that she did not want to attend Lady Archibald’s soirée. They’d had a falling out years ago when Lady Archibald’s son refused to consider Niall’s eldest sister as a wife. Not that either Nancy or Archibald had desired the match in the first place, but the duchess had taken issue just the same and vowed to never speak to Lady Archibald ever again.

Regardless of the absurdity of the excuse, he was pleased to have a night away from Mother, and he suspected his sister felt the same. Leaning up against the wall, he watched Naomi dance the quadrille with Mr. Norley. He’d had a pleasant conversation earlier about crop rotation with the fellow. Norley was quite knowledgeable and had given Niall an insight into how to address an issue on one of his estates.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Lady Nerissa conversing with Lady Dorothy. He supposed he should ask the woman he was promised to for a dance, although she’d yet to acknowledge his presence. Every time he glanced her way, her features tightened in worry, almost in fear, as if this was the moment they were to announce their engagement.

“I thought I would find you here holding up the wall.” Despite Alexandra’s bon mot, the warmth of her voice rippled through him. She looked even more lovely tonight than she had at the garden party. Panic suddenly seized him. The questions. He’d completely forgotten about them. Well, not really, but he’d hoped she had.

“I was wondering when I can claim my prize?”

Clearly, she had not.

“This isn’t exactly the time or place to discuss such topics.” He thought his excuse might buy him some time.

For the second instance in a short span, he was wrong.

“No one is near, and besides, it’s not as if we can be alone.” Images of being by himself with her, kissing her, flashed through his mind. Control yourself. You’re practically engaged—to a woman of your mother’s choosing.

The argument continued on in his head until Alexandra’s soft prompting broke through his thoughts. “Niall?”

He blinked several times, then acquiesced. “What is your first question?”

Her face lightened. “Why does a husband seek a mistress?”

As unfortunate as the question was, it was not as intimate as he thought it might be. “I would think many men are unhappy with marriage being foisted upon them.”

Her gaze turned thoughtful, almost solemn. “Will you seek a mistress after your marriage to Lady Nerissa?” Very few knew of the situation with Lady Nerissa. In a moment of weakness, he’d confided in Alexandra although only after she’d been sworn to secrecy. She’d kept his secret, and for that he was grateful.

“No, I won’t.” As much as he desired another, he would never dishonor the woman he’d married. His declaration seemed to please her.

“What is another reason why a man would want a mistress?”

“That’s a third question, Alex.”

“Not really, Your Grace,” she offered with a crooked half-smile that sent his pulse racing. “It’s merely a continuation of the first.” Ah, so that was how she was going to get around having had her two questions answered. Still, he couldn’t deny her.

“I’ll let it slide this time.” She raised a quizzical brow, waiting for him to respond. “Very well.” He thought of all the reasons why his father had taken a mistress. The words slipped from his mouth before he could stop them. “My father believed there was less of an attachment to a mistress. That demands were not being pushed upon him, that he could enjoy what women had to offer without . . .”

This was getting too personal. Before he died, Father had lectured Niall on what was expected of him as a duke, but the speech did not end there. Papa had told him it was perfectly acceptable to take a mistress, to visit houses of ill repute, just as long as he did not abuse his wife and did not stir up too much gossip, since gossip was never avoidable. Niall had been twelve at the time.

On that distant day, he’d vowed not to become like his sire. Through the years, he’d held firm to that vow. He was not like his father, and he never would be. He valued himself.

Alexandra was silent. Perhaps he’d said too much. Good. Maybe she wouldn’t be so inquisitive in the future.

“I have another question.”

For the third time that evening, she proved him wrong. This was not going well for him. If his sister hadn’t been enjoying herself so immensely, he would have called it quits and left.

He’d already said too much and knew he would regret asking, but—“What is the question?”

She worried her bottom lip with an enticing shyness, just as she had on the day of the garden party, then whispered, “How does one even please a husband?”

Oh, eternal damnation, but he was going to hell. “That is something to be explored between you and your—”

“But it isn’t always the case.” With each word she spoke, her voice grew louder. “Mrs. Ha . . . I mean, my friend shared information regarding her marriage, and it was—”

“Alexandra,” he said her name with firmness, hoping to stop her enquiries. “The only advice I can give you is that you must do what feels natural, whatever you desire to do.” And with that, he walked away, desperate for a drink.

*

Alexandra and hersisters had greeted numerous guests into their aunt’s home over the past few weeks at their salons, and today would be no exception. A few of the ladies invited would stay for all of the discussions, but most would leave after the main gathering. And that was just the way the sisters had planned it. They could not risk fair-weather friends—or worse, those prone to gossip—discovering the truth of what actually occurred at their private salons.

She glanced at the clock in the study. Their guests should be arriving shortly for today’s salon. There was just enough time to gather the cards when Evelina came rushing into the room, her face red as a strawberry.

“Whatever is the matter?” Alexandra questioned. “I was just on my way—”

“The parlor is full of ladies,” she huffed in labored breaths.

“They’re a little early but that isn’t cause for concern.” She wasn’t sure what the issue was.

Although her voice was low, her tone was firm. “They’re not our usual guests.”

She swallowed hard as the meaning of her sister’s words took root. “Not our—”

“Miss Jerome is here,” her sister uttered with disdain. “Theodora is with her now.”

“Oh no.” Alexandra’s stomach sank. To say Miss Jerome was a gossip was an understatement. The woman simply could not discover the truth about what went on at their gatherings. They’d planned for such a situation, although she’d never suspected it would be Miss Jerome who would show up unannounced. Alexandra reassured her sister, “It will be fine. Keep the conversation to the weather, the upcoming masked ball, and . . .” Something else, but what? Think Alexandra, think.

“We could . . . oh, I don’t know.” Seeing her normally composed sister flummoxed was causing the anxiety to rise within her at a rapid pace. “One thing is for certain—I do not care for her at all. I just know she is up to something.”

“Go and aid Theodora. I will make certain the tea is delivered posthaste, and that there are extra sweets for our unexpected guests.” Their aunt had instructed Cook to prepare whatever the girls would like to serve and to spare no expense, which meant there was usually plenty of food for all. She hoped the unexpected additions wouldn’t trouble Cook too much.

Evelina tucked some loose strands of hair back into place, smoothed her hands down the front of her dress, took in a deep breath, and left the room much more composed than when she’d first arrived.

Alexandra gathered the playing cards, steeled her nerves, and prepared for battle. With Miss Jerome in attendance, there simply was no other action appropriate.

A short time later, all the ladies had arrived, and Alexandra was speaking to Miss Ashton when she heard Theodora exclaim from across the room, “By Zeus!”

Oh dear.It must be serious if Theodora was using their codeword for trouble. She glanced in the direction of where Theodora looked and her insides instantly reacted, churning and constricting. Lady Mavis.

As if it were not bad enough to have the unpleasant Miss Jerome present, her crony was here as well. Not only was Lady Mavis the daughter of a duke and possessed of a massive dowry, but she was another notorious gossip. If she discovered what truly went on at the salon, it would be most devastating for their prospects.

Evelina brushed past Alexandra and whispered, “Operation Curetes.” Another coded phrase for a simple game they’d devised for such an emergency. They didn’t care if they were made fun of for being naïve—it was the lesser of the two evils. The two sisters strolled side by side toward Lady Mavis, Theodora joining them.

“Lady Mavis, so wonderful you could join us this fine afternoon,” Alexandra greeted with exuberance. She would not give the unpleasant woman any fodder. “You remember my sisters, Miss Evelina, and Miss Theodora?”

“Yes.” Lady Mavis scanned the room, looking from one guest to the next. “So, this is your little intellectual salon?” The sarcasm and disdain dripped from her words like a spring shower.

“We prefer to call it a social gathering,” Evelina said in a restrained tone that was laced with irritation.

Alexandra ignored Lady Mavis’s slight, pasted on a smile, and said, “We were just about to play a game. Would you care to join us?”

The duke’s daughter nodded slightly, then took a seat on the sofa next to Miss Jerome. It did not come as a surprise that the two had formed a friendship and could often be found together.

Theodora grabbed a bouquet of flowers from the side table, then went to the center of the room to explain the game. “We are going to play a variation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor,” she started. It was a childhood game and quite juvenile, but that was exactly why they had chosen it. It was meant to throw ill-intentioned ladies off the scent of what their true purpose was at the gathering.

“Does everyone know how to play?” Evelina questioned as Theodora passed out the flowers.

“Of course we do. It’s what we played as children,” Miss Jerome’s tone was heavy with condescension.

Alexandra and her sisters ignored the commentary and continued on with the game. Soon the ladies were counting out the petals on their respective flowers. “Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief . . .” The rhyme was repeated until all petals were counted and the ladies revealed which of those characters they would marry. Bouts of laughter resounded around the room from all except two.

“I cannot believe I’ve wasted an entire afternoon with this nonsense,” Lady Mavis declared as she stood, Miss Jerome following suit. “I bid you good day.” She then turned and stormed from the room, with Miss Jerome close behind.

Alexandra glanced to where her sisters sat and smiled. Their operation had been a success, the antagonists had left, and those who remained could enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Another pleasant half hour passed before all but a couple of ladies departed. Those who remained were trusted and intimate friends.

“It was quite lovely how you dealt with Lady Mavis,” Miss Raine commented. “I wish I was in possession of such fortitude, especially when dealing with my mother and brother.” With a shake of her head, she rolled her eyes then let out a long sigh.

“It doesn’t come easily, and it slips from time to time, but we can teach you,” Evelina stated with confidence.

“I would like to learn as well,” Miss Ashton said as she worried her hands. “I don’t like being talked down to by Miss Jerome. It has happened more than once.”

“Never worry, we are all in this together.” Theodora clasped her hands together. “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. A note arrived from Miss Samuels as we were assembling. She’s engaged to Mr. Fuller.”

“That is wonderful news. I’m certain they will be happy together,” Alexandra said. She was truly pleased for the couple. At least one of their friends had made a good match this Season. “Now, let’s discuss our findings.”

The remaining ladies talked about the men they’d observed at various social events. It seemed that they were all reporting the same thing. The men were publicly kind to the ladies, especially those with larger dowries, offered compliments, and kept to appropriate topics of conversation.

“How are we ever to understand when we cannot spend any time alone with them?” Lady Dorothy questioned.

Miss Raine naïvely presented her solution. “Perhaps we should just ask them what they desire?”

“No, we mustn’t do that,” Evelina stated in a practical voice. “We do not want to ruin our chances or be labeled as lightskirts.”

“Lady Dorothy, did you discover anything?”

“Only that Mr. Rodney never stops talking about the size of his estate,” she said then shook her head. “Through the entire dinner, that was all he discussed. It was really quite tiring.”

Miss Raine giggled, then blurted out, “Do you think when a man is boasting about how large his estate is he’s really boasting about the size of his . . .” She glanced downward, then raised her wiggled her brows. “You know.”

“How do you know about such things?” Miss Ashton’s shocked voice reverberated through the room.

“My brother is a rake, and I am prone to eavesdropping.” She covered her mouth as she laughed, then moments later regained her senses. “I overheard him tell one of his friends that Mr. Robertson is lacking in the gentleman’s department.” She shook her head. “Only that is not what he called it to his friends. And when I asked him about it later, he reprimanded me for spying.”

“And?” Lady Dorothy and Theodora questioned at the same time.

“And . . .” she drew out the single word before continuing. “He did not wish to discuss the subject further.”

“That’s it?” Evelina asked, disappointment lining her words.

“Yes, besides an immense scolding about how I should know my place and act like a lady instead of a country bumpkin. Yes, that was all he said. And this coming from a rake.” It was clear Miss Raine did not think highly of her brother, especially at the moment.

“What are we to do?”

“It is rather unfortunate that we do not have access to where the men go.” Miss Raine’s not-so-innocent comment stirred an idea in Alexandra’s mind. One that she dared not discuss with this circle of friends. She would wait until she was alone with her sisters.

*

Several hours later,the sisters were readying for the evening’s entertainments. Now was as good as any time to present her idea.

“I’ve been thinking—”

“I knew you were up to something,” Evelina said as she eyed her sister’s reflection in the mirror. “Whenever you’re deep in thought, your left eyebrow raises ever so slightly.”

Alexandra’s hand went to her brow. She didn’t know what she expected to discover, but it felt the same as the right one. It was a very intimate detail to notice, one that she hadn’t ever been aware of herself.

“I never noticed that,” Theodora said. “I will have to pay closer attention to it in the future.”

“She’s been doing it for quite some time, especially when her thoughts lean to the inappropriate, I suspect. Just like at the—”

“Oh, enough about my eyebrows,” Alexandra interrupted with a huff. “Do you want to know what I was thinking or not?”

“Of course we do,” Evelina said as she turned and embraced Alexandra. “You know I am only having a little fun.”

“I know.” Her tone turned most serious, then she practically blurted out her scheme. “I was thinking I should dress as a man and go to one of their . . . you know, the places they gather.”

“But you don’t have access to White’s or—”

“I’m not referring to White’s or any place that’s similar. I’m referring to other places, the ones that rakes and gamblers attend.”

“What if you’re caught?”

“I won’t be. I will wear breeches, keep my hair pulled back under a hat, and my face down,” she said with confidence. “How are we supposed to get our answers if we don’t take this risk?”

“I suppose you’re right,” Theodora said. “But how will you discover where men go?”

“Miss Raine.”

“Miss Raine?” her sisters questioned in unison.

Alexandra nodded her head. “Miss Raine mentioned that she was prone to eavesdropping and that her brother is a rake. She can find out where he goes.” She clasped her hands together. “It is a perfect solution. I will ask her tonight.”

Just the possibility of uncovering more sent a thrill straight through her. What would she discover? Who would be in attendance?

Just imagine all the information I could glean from such an adventure.