Page 3 of Lady Scandal

“What?” She couldn’t help a laugh, for she was already acquainted with every member of the board, and she knew he wasn’t among them. “Since when?”

“Since three weeks ago, Lady Stratham, when I acquired a substantial share of Savoy stock and was appointed as the board’s newest member.”

Delia stirred at that piece of news, suddenly uneasy. “I see.”

“As to what has impelled my interference,” he went on, “the power to do so has been bestowed upon me by a unanimous vote of the other members of the board. They have authorized me to study every facet of the hotel and its current practices and make whatever changes I see fit so that things might run more efficiently.”

Dumbfounded, it took her several moments to think of a reply. “But Ritz is the general manager. Is that not his job?”

“Ritz has already agreed to give his full cooperation to my efforts.”

“And if what you choose to do should go against his wishes?”

“Ritz’s preferences,” he said with a shrug, “must take second place to what is necessary.”

With that dismissive reply, Delia knew just why everyone she’d encountered this morning was so touchy and out of sorts. Before she could speculate as to just how many other hotel employees this man had upset while she’d been in Paris, he spoke again.

“I sent you and every other head of staff a memorandum upon my appointment,” he said, “introducing myself, explaining the situation, and requesting a meeting to discuss the changes that need to be made in each department for the coming year. As of this morning, you are the only one with whom I have not met.”

Was he implying that she’d been negligent in her duties? “I’ve been away,” she said, grimacing at the defensive note of her own voice.

“Yes, in Paris; I was told.” His eyes narrowed a fraction. “Jaunting about on Ritz’s behalf.”

Choosing the decorations for the Parisian hotel Ritz was opening could hardly be considered a mere jaunt, but there was no point in saying so. “And what a pleasurable interlude it was, too,” she said with an exaggerated sigh of rapture. “Paris is always so delightful, even at this time of year.”

“I daresay.”

Paris clearly held no charms for him, a fact that did not surprise her in the least. Resisting the impulse to needle him by waxing rhapsodic about the City of Light’s witty salons, romantic cafés, and naughty cabaret shows, she said instead, “I was doing work for Ritz’s hotel there.”

“Ritz’s own hotel, yes, quite so. Though I believe your entire salary is paid by the Savoy.”

Delia stiffened, the last shred of his masculine appeal fading irretrievably away. “Just what are you implying, Lord Calderon?”

“I shall be happy to answer that question, Lady Stratham, and any others you may have in the meeting with you that I have already requested. Shall we say two o’clock this afternoon?”

“So sorry, but I have an engagement at two o’clock,” she was happy to inform him. “In fact, my appointment diary is full for the entire day.”

“Is it? So is mine, with one exception at two o’clock. Please rearrange your schedule so that we can meet at that time.”

Such high-handedness made Delia bristle, and though her engagements today could easily be rearranged, she saw no reason to reward his arrogance by doing so. Besides, she had no intention of meeting with him until she had cabled Ritz in Rome and learned the true facts of the situation. Stalling, she decided, was her best option.

“You seem quite a busy man, Lord Calderon,” she said, mustering all the charm in her arsenal, “and I should hate to see you waste your time, so let me assure you that a meeting between us is not at all necessary. I have always managed to do my job quite well without the assistance of any member of the board.”

He gave a pointed cough. “Not as well as you might think, I’m sorry to say.”

Those ominous words caused her uneasiness to deepen, but before she could ask what he meant, he spoke again. “After studying the fourth-quarter financial reports, the board feels that sweeping changes need to be made throughout the hotel. Your duties will be profoundly impacted by those changes and, given the fact that you have been gone so long, time is now of the essence—hence, my insistence upon a meeting today. If you would bring an estimate of your expenditures for the current year, that would be most helpful to our discussions.”

Even if she chose to meet with him this afternoon—which was byno means a certainty, despite his presumptions on the matter—she wasn’t about to spend the next four hours in the agony of suspense. “What sorts of ‘sweeping changes’ is the board thinking to make?” she asked.

“For a start, you will no longer be reporting to either Mr. Ritz or Mr. Echenard. The honor of being in charge of you now falls to me,” he added with a most unflattering lack of enthusiasm.

“You?” Delia stared at him, appalled.

He seemed to perceive her feelings. “I see that you relish the prospect as much as I,” he said dryly. “Still, there is little either of us can do about it. The deed is done.”

Those words felt like a gauntlet thrown down, and Delia stiffened, bailing on charm—which was clearly wasted here—and readying herself to do battle. “Oh, is it really?”

“The board feels that the majority of your duties, particularly the events you arrange on behalf of the hotel for various clients, need to be managed with greater oversight than has been exercised in the past.”

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