Page 64 of For a Lady's Fiery Heart
He gave a tight-lipped smile. "Lady Severette. How good of you to join us this evening," he said, trying to sound the magnanimous host.
"I have been looking all over for your father, but no one seems to know where he has gotten off to. Do we know when dinner will be served?" she asked.
James glanced at the grandfather clock. It was about to strike nine o’clock. "It should be announced any moment, my lady. And now, if you will excuse me, I should mingle." He tried to extricate himself from her arms, but she would not let him go.
"Nonsense. Please do stay. I have so much to tell you," Lady Severette said, lowering her voice. "I have heard that Lady Beatrice has been sent away, and I must know every detail."
Lady Severette steered him away from the ballroom archway, and he went with her, albeit with no little amount of hesitation. It was amazing how quickly gossip traversed across town. Of course, it should not have been a surprise. Lady Beatrice had always prided herself on being a spearhead of fashion. She would not have missed the masquerade for anything unless something very much indeed was amiss.
"There is nothing to tell, really, Lady Severette. Lady Beatrice departed our house to stay with other friends in London. It would have been inconsiderate for my father to keep her from visiting her other friends while she was in the capital. I do not think she will be here again for a long while once she and her husband return to Scotland."
And it was all too true, James reckoned. Once Sir Gerald heard of his wife's behaviour, he would likely keep her locked up in Inverness. Or else, if he let her venture out again, it would be under his watchful eye.
Thoughts turning to Caroline, he was frantic to end the conversation and be on his way. But no matter what he said, Lady Severette would not allow him to leave. Finally, after half an hour of enduring the woman's idle gossip, the butler came to his side and said that dinner was ready.
James exhaled in frustration. "Very well. Announce it to the guests." He glanced over his shoulder. "Have you seen Lord Highclere?" he asked. He would much rather leave the hosting of the party to his father.
"I have not, sir," the butler replied, looking a little nervous.
"Do not worry. I shall cover for him. That is all," he whispered.
When he turned back around, Lady Severette had found another sop to cling to, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The butler announced dinner, and James waited for his guests to head into the dining room and seat themselves wherever they pleased.
As the night was more lax in formalities, he waited until all were sitting and then stood at the front of the room, thanking them all once again for coming. The butler gave the signal, and the footmen began taking the trays of food around the immense table.
"Here, Viscount Hereford, there is a seat beside me if you wish."
James glanced down at Lord Crandel. He wore a hapless look, and James raised a brow. "I do not wish to intrude."
"Nonsense, sit down, Viscount. I wish to speak to you about what happened this eve," he said in a low voice so that the others nearby would not overhear. "I was very sorry to see your wife overhear what Lord Highclere was speaking of in the smoking room."
"Yes, as was I," James replied. However, he was glad that the truth had come to light. Otherwise, James and Caroline might never have known the truth of what had transpired. Hanging his head, he studied his empty plate. James was unsure if he would be able to eat anything this evening. He was too upset to stomach the thought of food.
"You were there, Lord Crandel. Did my father plan Lord Chesterfield's ruin?"
"I do not think he had planned it before the game started. But as the poker game went on, we could all see that Lord Chesterfield was far too into his cups to be worth a thing when he first sat down at the card table, much less after a few rounds of poker."
James glanced around the table to make sure no one was listening. "And that is when my father hatched his plan, I assume?"
"I suppose so. I tried to get Lord Chesterfield to leave the game before he lost everything. But he would not listen. I am sorry, Viscount Hereford. I should have done more to help him."
Lord Crandel looked genuinely sorry, and for that, James was thankful. His father was without remorse for his actions. But at least James did not feel he was overreacting. Sometimes, when he argued with his father in the past, he felt like he was in the wrong by the time the conversation was over. His father had a way of talking in circles, making one question everything they believed.
The night seemed to drag on until finally, at half-past midnight, he was able to bid the last of his guests goodbye. It was early compared to other parties he and his father had given, but he was glad that people were getting the hint that he wanted the party over and done. As soon as the front door closed on his last guest, he turned and bolted up the stairs toward Caroline's room.
He knocked furtively, knowing she had likely gone to bed hours ago. Had she cried herself to sleep? His heart clenched when no answer came from the other side of the door. "Caroline? Please, open the door," he whispered.
Waiting several seconds, he knocked again, a little louder this time. Still, silence reigned. James took a chance and opened the door, looking into the dimly lit room. A fire was burning low in the hearth, but it did not look as if it had been stoked since Caroline had come upstairs. He frowned. "Caroline?" he called again.
He walked over to the bed and saw that she was not in it. Indeed, the room was put in order, with the bed neatly made. James walked over to the vanity and writing desk. The powders and perfumes were missing from the vanity. His heart sank.
James turned on his heel and headed out the door. Once he made it to the landing of the stairs, he called down to the butler, who was helping the footmen extinguish the candles for the night. "Seaton?" he called. "A word, if you would."
The butler looked up from his task, which was to supervise the footman who had climbed the ladder to extinguish the many hundreds of candles in the crystal chandelier hanging above the foyer. Seaton waved one of the other footmen over and had him hold the ladder while James walked down the stairs and met him at the bottom step.
"Yes, sir?" the butler asked.
"Where is Lady Hereford?" he asked.
