Page 2 of A Suitable New Year’s Revenge (Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society #42)

Pine arrived at Lady Ayres’s Christmas party fashionably late. Lord Wickford, much to Pine’s surprise, had actually requested he receive an invitation. Considering that he didn’t even know Lady Ayres or any of her set, he was extremely grateful.

The receiving line had already dispersed by the time Pine arrived, so he simply meandered through the open rooms of the Ayres’s beautifully appointed home.

A few couples were dancing in the drawing room on the first floor and, for those not interested in such activity, a formal receiving room on the ground floor was filled with mostly older ladies and gentlemen talking and enjoying the wine, which was being served.

“Ah, Teviot, so glad you could make it,” Lord Wickford said, surprising Pine by slipping from between a group of women.

“My lord.” Pine bowed. “Yes, thank you for seeing that I received an invitation.” The man brushed aside the comment. “It was simple. I just mentioned you to my wife, and she did the rest.”

A footman stopped and offered Pine a glass of wine.

“You must try this. It’s delicious. It’s warm, spiced wine. Apparently, the recipe came from the queen, herself,” Wickford said, replacing his own empty glass on the footman’s tray with a full one.

Pine took one as well and then took a hesitant sip. Flavors of cinnamon and cloves bloomed on his tongue, blending beautifully with the sweet red wine. “Oh, I say! That is magnificent. It’s like a Christmas pudding mixed with wine.”

“Lady Wickford promised to get the recipe so she can serve it at her ball next week.”

Two other younger men joined them. “Talking about the wine?” one of them asked. He was a rather non-descript fellow of average height, with brown hair and brown eyes.

“It seems to be all everyone is speaking about,” the other said with a laugh. He, by contrast, was tall, very blond, and very fair.

“Mr. Teviot, do you know Lord Welles and Lord Dr. Colborne?” Wickford asked.

The men all shook hands.

“I’ve heard of you by your excellent reputation, Lord Colburne,” Pine said.

“Thank you,” the blond man gave a slight bow.

“Yes, my good friend is known throughout the ton for his excellent medical skills. I am known for having married a diamond of the first water,” Lord Welles said with a chuckle.

“That is no mean feat, Welles. Your wife was one of the most sought-after women who made their debut that year,” Wickford said.

“And you married the incomparable of her year as well,” Pine pointed out.

Wickford looked a little smug. “Yes, I did.”

“So, you must both share with me your secrets, for I am desperately searching for a wife as well,” Pine said, as if he were jesting. Only Wickford knew just how serious he was.

“Ah, well...” Welles began. He was interrupted, however, by a beautiful young woman with deep mahogany-colored ringlets framing her lovely, soft face. She looked like one of the angels depicted in so many religious paintings. It took Pine a moment, but then he realized that she was Miss Lydia Sheffield—or rather, Lady Welles. She’d been Miss Sheffield when Pine had met her first, three years ago. He fondly remembered being among the young men who’d hung on the young lady’s every word.

“Wickford, Gwendolyn has requested you join her upstairs. She would like to dance.”

His lordship widened his odd gold-colored eyes. “And she has not been asked by any of the gentlemen already there?”

“Oh, she has, but she says she would like to dance with you.” She lifted one shoulder, and her expression was a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Wickford sighed dramatically. “Duty calls, gentlemen.” He gave a slight bow and went off in the direction of the stairs.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” the young woman said, turning to Pine.

“I do beg your pardon, my love,” Welles said, giving his wife a warm smile. “Allow me to present Mr. Pine Teviot. Mr. Teviot, my wife.”

Pine bowed over the lady’s hand.

“I have been keeping an eye out for you, Mr. Teviot,” she said as he straightened.

“Oh?”

“There is a young lady you need to meet.” She tucked her hand around his arm before he could say anything more and led him off.

Lords Welles and Colborne just laughed as he was dragged away.

“Well, he wanted to meet young ladies,” he heard Welles say as he moved off.

“Now, let’s see. I’m certain I saw her not too long ago.” She tapped her lips with a finger as she looked about the room. “Oh, I know where we’ll find her.” She headed toward the far wall.

There were a few small groups of people standing about, chatting. With a heavy sigh, Lady Welles said, “There she is.”

Pine looked in the same direction as she and saw a very pretty young woman with very light brown hair standing against the wall. She was not very tall, which Pine appreciated, being of just average height himself, but she had a lovely figure. Her face was narrow with a square chin, but it was well balanced by her high cheekbones and large, blue eyes.

With Lady Welles leading the way, they approached her.

“Miss Lawson, I thought you said you’d make more of an effort to mingle?” Lady Welles said. The girl started and then gave the lady a guilty look. “I... I tried, but...”

“Well, no matter,” Lady Welles said. “Please allow me to present Mr. Teviot.” She turned to Pine, “Sir, this is Miss Helena Lawson. She has been waiting to speak with you.”

Miss Lawson curtsied as Pine kissed the air above her hand. When she rose, he could see that her cheeks had turned pink.

“I’m sorry? You were waiting for me?” Pine asked, feeling slightly confused.

“Er...” Miss Lawson started.

“Yes,” Lady Welles said. “Why don’t we go someplace a little quieter and more private? She turned and headed toward the door. Miss Lawson gave him an apologetic smile before following.

They were led to Lord Ayres’s library, where there were a few candelabras lit and a welcoming fire already burning in expectation of the room being used, although it was empty at the moment.

Lady Welles closed the door after Pine had entered the room, muffling the noise of the party.

Miss Lawson stood nervously, shaking her hands slightly by her side.

“Go on, this is your opportunity,” Lady Welles told her.

“Do you really think...” the girl said, looking to the lady for guidance. “I mean, we only just met, don’t you think...”

“That we should sit and have tea first? I don’t know that you have the time,” Lady Welles said.

Pine was feeling beyond confused. “I beg your pardon, but would you mind explaining to me what is going on?”

Lady Welles looked to Miss Lawson.

She gave her hands another shake before turning to him. “I... I have a favor I need to ask of you, sir,” she started.

“Perhaps we’d better sit down,” Lady Welles suggested. She took a seat on the sofa by the fire.

Miss Lawson sat next to her, and Pine took a chair next to the sofa, closer to Miss Lawson.

“What may I do for you, Miss Lawson?” Pine asked.

“Well, you see, your father is my father’s heir,” she began.

Pine’s spine stiffened.

“We are very distantly related, but my father’s brother is no longer living, and I never had a brother.”

“And who is your father, if you’ll forgive me for asking?” Pine said.

“No! Of course, He’s Nathan Lawson, Viscount Cumnor,” she said quickly.

Pine didn’t know the man.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of him. He’s never taken his seat in Parliament. He’s a scholar of Greek and Latin and has only published under his name, er, not using his title.”

“I see. And my father is his heir?”

“Yes,” she nodded.

“So, what is it you need from me?” Pine asked again.

Miss Lawson lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap. “My father is very ill. According to Dr. Colburne, he’s unlikely to live for a month longer. When he dies, I’ll be left homeless. Bereft. I have a small dowry, which I can draw the interest from, but the principal is to be held until I am married. If I never marry, it will revert back to the estate.”

“Can your father not change his will to give you access to those funds?” Pine asked.

She shook her head. “He won’t. He’s a very stubborn man. He wants me to marry or, if I can’t, he says I’ll make a fine governess.” She gave a sad, little smile and added under her breath, “If only I liked small children.”

Pine shook his head. “I’m very sorry about your situation, but...”

She looked up and speared him with her gaze. “I wrote to your father to ask if I might stay in my home for a little while after my father dies, just until I can find a position. He wrote back with one word—no.”

“If you could speak with him, Mr. Teviot,” Lady Welles said, speaking up. “It would be greatly appreciated.”

Pine looked from one woman to the other, both looking so hopeful, as if one word from him would convince his father to help this poor girl. Little did they know the nature of his relationship with the Baron Hazelton.

Helena didn’t think she could be any more embarrassed. It wasn’t that she was particularly full of hubris, but to have to confide her pitiful situation to this man... It had been difficult enough speaking with the ladies of the Wagering Whist Society, but then to have to repeat everything and justify herself to a handsome man who looked to be just the sort her mother had warned her about was too much.

Well, to be fair, her mother had warned her of many types of men—the rogues who hadn’t a care for anyone but themselves; the gamblers who would lose every farthing he owned; the fortune hunters who would only be interested in her for her dowry—not that it was an enormous sum, but it would certainly line a man’s coffers well; and finally, men like Mr. Teviot, the dandies. They were as bad as the rogues, thinking only of themselves and their clothing, and the gamblers, because all their funds went into their wardrobe.

How could she have ever thought a man like Mr. Teviot would deign to help her? And judging by the expression of pity on his face, perhaps mixed with a healthy dose of skepticism, she was certain his answer would be the same as his oh-so-eloquent father—no.

Mr. Teviot shifted uncomfortably in his seat—probably trying to minimize the creasing of his breeches. “I’m certain this is both an obvious question as well as an inappropriate one, but have you considered getting married?”

Helena ground her teeth together, but then had to relax her jaw in order to answer his inane question.

Before she could, however, Lady Welles spoke up. “Miss Lawson lost her mother only two years ago and has been caring for her ill father since then.”

The man’s checks paled. “I am so very sorry.”

Helena nodded. Well, as she was already thoroughly embarrassed, why not make it complete? “Aside from that, my parents were both scholars and did not, perhaps, prepare me very well for my debut into the ton .”

Mr. Teviot cocked his head at that. “Scholars? And do you consider yourself one as well?”

“I do greatly enjoy reading and discussing the ancient Greek play writes. I have, of course, read them in their original Greek, and—” Helena snapped her mouth shut.

She was doing it again. Another few words and the gentleman’s eyes would glaze over as his thoughts turned inward—most likely to what he would wear the following day. Instead of looking bored, however, the oddest series of expressions crossed his face. At first, his lips began to turn up as if he were laughing at her, and then there was the most unusual widening of his eyes, as if he’d just thought of something. He ended by putting his hand across his mouth to hide his jaw dropping open.

Helena was about to turn to Lady Welles to see what she was making of this when Mr. Teviot jumped to his feet and strode to the fireplace. He stood there for a moment, staring into the flames.

“Miss Lawson, you are probably—no, certainty—going to think me mad, but I have just had an idea which could benefit us both.” He turned around to face her, his deep blue eyes now twinkling with excitement.