Page 45 of The Truth about the Earl
“Ah, youareMrs. Fullerton!” she exclaimed, the delight in her eyes nothing but a warning. “I cannot quite believe it!”
Lady Adlay pointed one finger in Lady Maude’s direction. “And you shall not say a word, Lady Maude. For if you think it would be wise for you to inform the rest of thetonabout your supposedassumptionthat Lady Essington is Mrs. Fullerton, you would be wise to consider the consequences of such an action.”
Lady Maude laughed, her lip curling. “What consequences could there possibly be?”
Silence ran across the room but Lady Adlay did not remove her gaze from Lady Maude. Instead, she took two small steps closer, a smile playing about her mouth.
“If Lady Essingtonis, in fact, Mrs. Fullerton, then is there not a danger that you might findyourname written in the society papers, Lady Maude?”
Lady Maude’s smile shattered and naught but a choking sound came from her throat. James felt Lady Essington’s hand move closer and he tugged her closer to him. There was now nothing but disappointment and dissatisfaction where he had expected to feel triumph and relief. If it was not Lady Maude, then James could not tell who it might be. His mind began to fill with darkness. Lady Essington would have to write the article as she had been directed or else risk injury to herself or someone else. Society would turn its back on him. He would be forced to return to his estate.
“You do not look at all surprised, Miss Patterson.”
Lady Essington’s voice was soft, her words very quiet indeed but the weight of them made it seem as though they had been shouted aloud. James blinked in surprise at the remark, realizing quickly that the lady in question had chosen not to respond but had lowered her head all the more as if to hide her expression from them all.
“Miss Patterson?” Lady Essington’s voice was louder now, drawing the attention of everyone. “You already knew I was Mrs. Fullerton, did you not?”
Even Lady Maude turned to face her friend, her hands dropping to her sides.
“Miss Patterson?” Lady Maude moved closer but the lady did not look up. “You already knew of this?”
James’ heart began to beat a little faster as he glanced down at Lady Essington. She looked up at him, her face set. It was clear what was in her mind.
“It cannot be,” he whispered, just as Lord Huntsford cleared his throat.
“Are you suggesting, Lady Essington, that it was not Lady Maude who did such thing but, instead, was Miss Patterson?” He sounded just as incredulous as James felt but the more he considered it, the more it began to make sense. “For whatever reason would she do so?”
Lady Essington turned back to the lady, released herself from James’ embrace, and moved toward Miss Patterson. When she spoke, James was surprised at the softness in her voice. There was no anger, no frustration, or ire. Instead, there seemed to be nothing but a gentle sense of understanding.
“You have been directed by your father to continually be in company with Lady Maude, is that not so?” Miss Patterson did not move nor speak but Lady Essington continued regardless. “There is, I assume, a specific reason for this? Perhaps you might be brave enough to inform us as to what that reason could be.”
Silence followed for some minutes. Even Lady Maude, it seemed, did not know what to say. All eyes lingered on Miss Patterson but she remained just as she had been before – silent, with her head bowed and her hands clasped.
Lady Essington drew in a deep breath. “I have, in my household, a young boy by the name of Joseph. He was the one who delivered the second note to me. I have kept him on as an errand boy.” James watched Miss Patterson closely, seeing her head lift just a little. “What you might be unaware of, Miss Patterson, is that he saw the person who wrote the note. He is quite able to identify you.”
“That cannot be so. I gave the note to – ”
Miss Patterson threw one hand across her mouth, her eyes wide with the horror of what she had just said. James blinked in astonishment, staring at the lady with utter shock washing over him. It had been Miss Patterson, then.Shehad been the one to add that additional paragraph to the society pages about Lady Essington. She had been the one who had tried to blackmail Lady Essington into writing more and who had caused him great strife in the process. She had been the one to injure Lady Adlay!
“Mary?” Lady Maude’s eyes were huge, one hand pressed lightly against her heart but her voice was barely loud enough for anyone in the room to hear. “Is this the truth, then?”
Miss Patterson closed her eyes and a single tear slid down onto her cheek. She gave no answer but her silence confirmed it was the truth.
“But why should you do such a thing? What caused you to behave so?”
A flush of anger suddenly appeared in Miss Patterson’s cheeks and when she opened her eyes, they were burning with a fury that James had never once expected to see from the lady. She was so quiet, so timid, and yet, evidently, had been hiding a fiery wrath beneath that silent façade.
“As if you do not know!” Miss Patterson exclaimed, throwing out one hand to point at Lady Maude. “My father has informed me of it all. You are to marry the very best of gentlemen and are to be looked upon as one of the very singular diamonds amongst in all of society.”
Lady Maude blinked. “That does not explain –”
“Imust do all I can to make certain your standing is maintained. You must be worshipped, you must be adored. And, in time, if you make the very best match in all of London, your father will make certain I am found a suitable match also. A marriage where I shall lack for nothing. But the responsibility upon my shoulders is great.”
“Marriage?” Lady Adlay spoke before anyone else. “Why can you not seek out a suitable match of your own at present?”
Miss Patterson dropped her hands to her sides and squeezed her eyes closed. “My father has used my dowry.” Her words were bitter. “He gives the appearance of wealth and consequence but he has very little coin remaining. I believe it is only his friendship with Lady Maude’s father that has given me any hope for a settled future.”
Lady Essington let out a small sigh. “My dear Miss Patterson, might it be you have taken those words of direction with a good deal too much seriousness? From the sounds of it, it appears that Lady Maude’s father is a gentleman with a generous heart. Mayhap he only wished for you to be a friend to Lady Maude, to aid her in her social endeavors.”
