Page 55 of An Affair at Stonecliffe

“No, but it certainly takes away a good deal of motive. He doesn’t need to inherit a fortune, which would make the title his only motivation.” She sighed. “It makes the tontine seem more important.”

Unfortunately, when the earl’s solicitor arrived later, he looked at them blankly and said, “A tontine! The earl? I’m sorry, but whoever told you that must have been mistaken. He never said a word to me about any such thing, and I can assure you that if he had, I would have advised against it.”

His business agent looked even more appalled, repeating the lawyer’s declaration in almost exactly the same words. After the business agent left, Carlisle turned to Noelle. “I fear we aren’t getting anywhere with this. I can’t think of anyone else to ask.”

“There is someone who might know,” Noelle said.

“Who? Lady Drewsbury? I doubt it. He never bothered her with business matters.”

“No. I was thinking of your mother.”

“My mo—oh.” He blinked. “Well, yes, if my father was one of the members, he might have discussed it with her.”

“And luckily we know where she will be this evening.”

“That soiree she invited us to? No.” He shook his head firmly. “There’s no need for you to subject yourself to that. I’ll call on her this afternoon.”

“I doubt she will be eager to sit down and talk to you while last-minute preparations for a party are going on. But think how agreeable she would be this evening when you bring her the conversation piece for her party that you said she wanted.”

“No. There is no need for you to be exposed to—”

“Carlisle.” Noelle leaned forward, placing her hand on his arm. “Tell me truthfully: Will you be embarrassed to arrive at her party with me?”

“No!” His hand closed over hers. “Good Lord, Noelle, no. I swear to you. My only concern is that you will be exposed to their gossip. Perhaps even their snubs.”

“I am quite accustomed to being ignored by aristocrats.” A little smile took some of the sting from her words. “However, if the stares and whispers will embarrass you, then I shan’t force the issue.”

Carlisle kept his grip on her hand and took her other one, as well, looking into her eyes. “I will not be embarrassed. You are a beautiful, intelligent woman, and no one who spent two minutes in conversation with you would think otherwise. If they are unkind to you, it is from their ignorance alone.”

“You may be right. But I must remind you that once your opinion of me was the same scandalous one that the ton will hold.”

“Noelle, no...”

“I am not blaming you. I am simply pointing out that even good-willed, reasonable people will believe that...unless they meet me and find out I am not what they thought, just as you did. I have to face the aristocracy sometime for Gil’s sake. As you have said, they are his people. I must do whatever I can to make sure he isn’t excluded or looked down upon. When Gil enters the ton, I will be brought up—my lack of noble blood, our elopement, the rumors about my past—and if I am unknown to them, it will be worse. They will say I am so miserably inappropriate that you and the countess had to keep me hidden all these years. Isn’t that true?”

He started to speak, then stopped and, with a sigh, admitted, “Yes. They probably would.”

“Then it is better, isn’t it, to start here and now? Let them meet me and see that I understand the rules of the ton—how to speak, what topics to avoid, how to address a duchess or a baronet. The butler at Stonecliffe taught me all the niceties—even a good bit of gossip. You wouldn’t want me to waste his efforts, now would you?” She gave him a dimpling smile.

“Bennett? Really?”

“Yes. I threw myself on his mercy, and he agreed to tutor me. He’s quite kind, really, underneath all that starch. I feel I am well prepared to be entirely unexceptional.”

Carlisle chuckled, and the warmth in his eyes heated a little more. “I doubt that you could ever be unexceptional. I also doubt he had to teach you much. I have never seen you depart from proper behavior...well, except when you decided to lead me on a chase through the countryside.”

“I promise not to lead anyone on a merry chase,” she said wryly and added, “If they meet me now and find me not so very scandalous, perhaps they will over time become accustomed to me. When Gilbert is a young man, they may still whisper about his mother. But it will be much less.”

“Yes. You’re right. It’s better to get it over with.” Carlisle sighed, giving in. “And, little as I like it, it’s probably better to have you introduced at one of my mother’s parties. Halder is influential enough that most will be reluctant to offend his wife. Once they realize how lovely and witty and charming you are, they will spread it about, and your reception at other parties will be easier.”

“Good. Then I suppose we should prepare for an evening out.”

NOELLE HAD TO admit that she was eager to wear one of the evening gowns that the London modiste had made for her. When she had tried them on the other day, she had wondered what Carlisle’s reaction would be, but her imagination could not compare to the expression on his face when she floated down the stairs that evening wearing the confection of sea green gauze and silver lace.

His greeting to her in front of the waiting footman was merely a polite, “How lovely you look tonight, Lady Rutherford.” But his eyes said a great deal more, and when he stepped up politely to drape the shimmering sheer wrap around her shoulders, his hands lingered for a moment longer than was strictly proper. “I can see that I shall have to fight off a host of admirers.”

“Hardly that.” Noelle’s eyes danced. No matter how much she did not want to endure the stares and whispers of the ton, there was a certain giddy excitement at the prospect of attending a party on Carlisle’s arm.

Her heart quailed a bit when they stepped into the Halders’ assembly room, seemingly filled with elegantly dressed, glittering people, and for one panicked moment, she was tempted to turn and flee. Her fingers trembled slightly on Carlisle’s arm, and he covered her hand with his. The warm reassurance steadied her, and she was able to paste on a smile for Carlisle’s mother. Lady Halder gaped at them in surprise, but she quickly recovered and swept forward.