“One would have expected them to stop here first in London and see Mr. Wicks. Then perhaps he would have directed them to the Essex House, in Clampton, a very nice property that I saw with Charlie and Mark some years ago. Unentailed, of course.”
“Now all the property is yours, my lord, including Essex House.”
“I know.”
“Will you be remaining home this evening, my lord?”
“If you must know,” Marcus said now, pulling on a dressing gown, “I am going to White’s. A number of gentlemen are dining together.”
“I suggest, my lord, that you not imbibe overly. I further suggest, my lord, that we ourselves leave for Chase Park on the morrow.”
“Your suggestions be damned, Spears. I have no intention of going to Chase Park. Mr. Wicks got himself into this mess, let him extricate himself. Doubtless the Duchess will be of invaluable assistance. Why else would she have accompanied him if she hadn’t intended to meddle? No, don’t answer that. In any case, I have to meet with Lord Dracornet at the War Ministry tomorrow.”
“I will see to your bath, my lord.”
“Good. Don’t try to change my mind, Spears. I won’t go to Chase Park despite the fact that the namby-waist, Trevor, just might be the future earl.” Marcus looked around the rapidly darkening bedchamber. “You know, perhaps I should inform Mr. Wicks not to send the American Wyndhams to the rightabout entirely. Perhaps I should tell him that dear Trevor just might be the earl someday. Perhaps I should tell him to encourage that mincing fop, Trevor, to get himself an heir just in case. Yes, I should make that communication to Mr. Wicks.”
“The Duchess, my lord? Your wife?”
“Oh, she is fully aware that any offspring she bears will be not of my seed and thus will not succeed to the title.”
He listened to Spears suck in his breath. Ah, consternation from his unflappable valet. It felt good. He smiled. He was still smiling when the two footmen entered the bedchamber, carrying buckets of hot water for his bath.
He was lathering his hair when he chanced to see Spears looking at him with the tight-lipped disapproval of a bishop at an orgy. It made him feel even better.
He saw Spears open his mouth and quickly said in a voice as chill as Gunther’s ices, “No, Spears, I will not go to Chase Park. I don’t care what either Wicks or the Duchess do. I plan to enjoy myself immensely here in London. I plan to install a mistress over in Bruton Street or perhaps in Stretton Street, close enough to here so that I can stroll over at my leisure. Yes, that’s what I’ll do.”
“My lord, it would seem that such activities would require more time than you currently have, what with your duties to Lord Dracornet. Surely you will be too busy with the upcoming discussions about the Congress in Vienna this fall.”
“Oh no, not at all. I’m not a bloody diplomat, Spears, indeed, all the diplomats involved in this program will be intriguing until the world comes to an end. They will lie and they will do anything to gain what they want. No, it isn’t for me. Damn, if you’re going to stab someone, do it to the man’s face.
“Lord Castlereagh did inquire as to my wishes about the Congress and I told him that I had other things to do. Actually, I came near to kissing his boots in my politeness, but I did indicate that I wouldn’t be able to attend, as much as I wanted to. As to Lord Dracornet and my duties here in London, I have asked for a temporary leave since I have to assume my new duties as the VIII earl of Chase. Not only just new, of course, but also now endowed with appropriate funds. I believe Lord Dracornet was so relieved that I am no longer destitute, no longer a peer embarrassment, that he was most sincere in his best wishes to me.”
“I see, my lord. Your lordship has many other duties as well. Your estates are vast. Surely you recall in your ten months as a real earl how much time is required to see that everything runs smoothly.”
“Oh yes, I remember, Spears. No, you can keep any further arguments to yourself. I’m not going to Chase Park. The last female in the world I wish to see is the damned Duchess.”
“She is a countess, my lord.”
“Your wit ripens, Spears. Go away and leave me alone. Forget Chase Park. That’s the last place I’ll go.”
CHASE PARK
The Duchess stared at Wilhelmina Wyndham. Surely she couldn’t have heard her aright. “I beg your pardon, ma’am?”
“I said that the grouse hereabouts could be infected with vile parasites.”
She hadn’t said that, of course, but the Duchess let it go. “I will ask Badger to carefully examine all grouse before they are allowed into the kitchen.”
Wilhelmina Wyndham nodded. She turned then to gaze about the huge drawing room. “All this is just as my husband described it to me. He painted pictures for me—all in words, naturally—and I could see Chase Park in my mind. At last I am here. You wondered why we came here immediately and didn’t go to London first. I knew exactly where Chase Park was and I wanted to waste no time coming here.”
She said gently, “But ma’am, even if Marcus and I hadn’t married, Chase Park would have remained the earl’s, for it is entailed.”
“Yes, I know. You think Americans are fools,
but we’re not. This was my husband’s home. Surely you don’t believe I wouldn’t want to visit here?”
“Of course you would want to and you are welcome. Chase Park is very impressive and its history is quite remarkable, but surely you will want to visit London before you return to America?”