Page 59 of Lady Controversial
‘Perhaps she is aware that you feel a responsibility for them.’
‘Very likely, but I’m willing to wager she has no idea of the manner in which Isolda has been conducting herself.’ Marcus grinned. ‘If that information were to reach her ears then even Finchdean would be unable to justify keeping the jade under his protection and I won’t have to forcibly eject her.’
‘Because she would have to return to Rose Cottage.’
‘Not if she can no longer use her sword to earn a crust,’ Marcus replied, his smile widening as he snapped his fingers at Godfrey, demanding pen and ink. Marcus tapped the quill against his teeth for a moment and then wrote swiftly, giving the countess chapter and verse in respect of Miss Isolda Crawley’s activities. She only had herself to blame, he told himself when his conscience chose a most inconvenient time to put up objections. He had been more generously disposed towards the sisters than they had any right to expect, given that they were not his responsibility, yet Isolda had declined his offer of accommodation with scant civility.
He signed the missive with a flourish, sealed it and handed it to Godfrey.
‘Make sure it’s delivered immediately,’ he said.
‘The family will be at dinner,’ he said, glancing at the clock.
‘All the better.’
Marcus watched the door close behind Godfrey, then poured himself another substantial measure of brandy. He sat back to savour it as he waited for the bottom to fall out of Miss Crawley’s world. Would Finchdean send her back to Rose Cottage now, tonight, he wondered, or would he enjoy her favours one last time before dispensing with her services?
More to the point, how long would it take her to admit defeat and turn to Marcus for help? And how generous would he be, given that Finchdean—his arch enemy—had stirred the pot before him?
Despite the fact that Lady Finchdean was every bit as pompous and condescending as Isolda had been warned to expect, she enjoyed dining at Finchdean Hall far more than she had anticipated would be the case. That was largely because Ellery had gone out of his way to entertain her, ignoring the condemning scowls that his mother and older sister frequently directed towards him. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed dining in select company, where dinner table conversation was second nature to those in attendance and nothing of consequence was ever discussed.
Isolda resolved to put her troubles behind her for a few hours. She could not stay on this estate indefinitely, and since Ellery had stolen her away from Mr Barker, she would no longer be able to earn a living through her fencing either. Part of her regretted the loss of her lucrative sideline, particularly the large purse she had abandoned the previous night. Her presence at Rose Cottage was now even less secure, and she worried for Jane’s future. And she had enjoyed the risk, the excitement, the way in which she could so easily dupe crowds of men into believing she was one of them. The rational side of her brain reminded her that she had been on borrowed time anyway, that nothing lasted forever and she would eventually have been defeated.
She pushed such concerns to the back of her mind and resolved to enjoy Ellery’s smiles and looks of approval as she played the countess at her own game and gave as good as she got. Lady Finchdean was clearly unaccustomed to being gainsaid, and the spiteful woman seemed unsure how to respond to Isolda’s spirited retorts. How could she have produced such well-adjusted children—if one excluded Mrs Fox—Isolda wondered. It was clear that Felix and Jemima were as non-judgemental as Sally Fox was the image of her mother.
A family divided by their pretentions, or lack thereof.
Jane was enjoying herself too, she could see, revelling in Felix’s attentions and participating in a lively exchange with Lady Jemima on the subject of fashion.
What else!
A sense of foreboding rippled through Isolda when the meal came to an end. Two hours had passed like ten minutes. However, when the countess glanced down the table and then stood up, Isolda had no choice but to follow her example.
‘Don’t let her bully you,’ Ellery said in a quiet aside as he stood to help Isolda with her chair. ‘We shall not tarry over the port.’
‘I can look out for myself. Don’t rush on my account.’
Ellery chuckled. ‘I am perfectly sure that you can. I did not realise you were so fond of blood sports.’
She returned his smile as she straightened her skirts. ‘There is a very great deal about me that you are unaware of.’
‘Then I look forward to having my awareness raised.’
Isolda chuckled. ‘Allow me a little mystique, I beg you.’
‘I would not knowingly curtail any pleasure of yours,’ he said quietly as the countess stood in the open doorway, tapping her toe impatiently as she waited for Isolda to join her.
Isolda followed her hostess into the drawing room, where Jemima immediately prevailed upon Jane for music.
‘I confess that I myself can scarcely play a note,’ she admitted, grinning. ‘Mama quite despairs of me, but there is not a great deal to be done about it if one is simply not musical.’
Jane and Jemima crossed the room to the instrument, heads together as they giggled about something, leaving Isolda to the mercy of the countess and Mrs Fox. This, Isolda instinctively knew, was when the countess would attempt to put her firmly in her place.
‘You realise, of course, that my son is to be married this season,’ the countess said, handing Isolda a coffee cup so forcefully that some of the liquid sloshed into the saucer. If she noticed, she saw no reason to apologise. Isolda put the cup aside. She would not pick it up and risk dripping coffee down her pristine muslin.
‘Then I wish him every happiness,’ Isolda replied calmly, not obliging the countess by asking for the name of his intended.
The earl would have to marry at some point and she was not sufficiently fanciful to imagine that she would be his choice, even if a small part of her resented the fact that it could not be otherwise. She was attracted to the handsome and eligible earl, very attracted indeed. More so than she would ever have imagined possible, especially given the short duration of their acquaintance. Even so, she had told him the truth when she proclaimed no interest in matrimony, and was far too level headed to imagine that the earl would overlook her tainted family background and offer for her simply because he found her company so compelling.
