Page 43 of Fortune Favors the Frivolous (Matchmaking Mischief Makers #2)
C aroline stared at Henry, open-mouthed. “Are you telling me that Barnaby insinuated that Venetia may be in line for an inheritance?” This was not something she had expected or even considered. But when she reflected upon the interview with Mr. Rothbury, it was plausible.
“Barnaby was certainly trying to pry information from Rothbury that, I must say, was not forthcoming,” Henry replied, his brow furrowed. “Mr. Rothbury showed himself to be a man of few words and a great deal of caution. Barnaby simply showed himself up as a bully and a thug.”
“That is exactly what he is, and I am distraught that Charlotte does not see it.” Caroline fidgeted with the end of her shawl and sent a nervous glance at the entrance to the park.
Mary, her maid, hovered nearby, her attention divided between her charge and a flower seller crying her wares at the gate.
But as Mary was watching them, Caroline refrained from reaching out her hand to stroke Henry’s arm.
The moment she’d received word from Henry, she’d slipped out of the house and across the street. Everyone, it seemed, was so involved with the competing events that night—with Lady Townsend’s Comet Viewing Gala the most noteworthy—she felt confident her truancy would not be noticed.
Henry shrugged. “The sister who was once my greatest ally has been bewitched by Barnaby. And when he tells the world that I’m guilty of some foul felony, she will look at me sadly and agree with Barnaby.”
“Then there is no time to lose in order to counter Barnaby’s threat. He is working for Windermere, so it stands to reason that both men suspect Venetia is in line for an inheritance.”
“And that is obviously the reason Windermere wishes to marry her.”
“And perhaps Barnaby got wind of the information. Yet he is already in collusion with Windermere, is he not? Oh, Henry, there is much to discover and the sooner we speak to Rothbury, the sooner we will have answers,” Caroline declared. “Clearly he knows everything.”
“Yet is saying nothing.”
“Well, of course he wouldn’t, in public, to Barnaby. But time is running out, so I am going to petition him for the truth.” Caroline swung round, her bonnet ribbons dancing in the breeze.
“Don’t I even get a kiss?”
Caroline turned at Henry’s plaintive tone and sent him an arch smile, her heart softening despite her urgency. “You will get a kiss after we get Venetia and Mr. Rothbury in that basket beneath Lady Townsend’s balloon tomorrow afternoon. Come, Mary!”
And without waiting for a reply, Caroline hurried back home, quickly changed her clothing, and then made for her brother’s house. She was relieved to find he was away, but her sister-in-law Amelia was at home.
Amelia, who was looking larger than Caroline remembered, even in the space of such a short time since she had last seen her, looked up with a smile when her sister-in-law was announced. She reclined on a blue damask sofa, her embroidery abandoned on a nearby table.
Caroline came straight to the point. After all, there was no time to lose. Lady Townsend’s Comet Viewing Gala would be tomorrow, and there was much to do before then. Like find the reason behind Windermere’s villainy and prevent Venetia from having to wed Henry so that Henry could marry Caroline.
“Please come with me this last time to Mr. Rothbury’s townhouse. I promise I won’t misbehave as I did the other day,” she begged, clasping her hands before her. “I have found information that he will have to either endorse or deny, and Venetia’s happiness depends upon it.”
Amelia put her hand to her belly and glanced up with a regretful smile.
“I really am not feeling at all the thing today, Caroline. And nor am I sure that it is wise to go rushing back to a gentleman’s residence when you got into such a state last time.
You really said some most inappropriate things.
I don’t know if he will even receive you. ”
Caroline didn’t know what to say after such a rebuke. She could hardly venture out alone and unchaperoned, and she didn’t know who else would accompany her to a gentleman’s townhouse. Her mother would have a fit and outright forbid it.
Amelia sighed placatingly and then patted the sofa beside her.
“I know you have taken a great deal of interest in the happiness of your friend, and for that I applaud you. But surely whatever information you have found can wait one more day. Besides, I am not convinced that Henry and Venetia would not make a very happy pairing. Do you really think it is right to meddle so?”
Caroline swallowed. She clenched her hands at her sides and closed her eyes as she felt the emotion bubbling close to the surface of her skin.
She had the information that would make everything right.
At least, she was almost certain that Mr. Rothbury had the information that would make everything right.
All that was needed was for Caroline to pry it out of him so he could announce the truth to the world, thus freeing Venetia and giving Caroline and Henry their chance at happiness.
Tears stung her eyes, and she had to grip the back of the sofa to stop her knees from giving way. The room’s warmth suddenly felt oppressive, the scent of Amelia’s roses cloying. She took a deep breath, hoping to gather her self-control, but instead exhaled on a sob.
“Darling Caroline, it’s not all that bad, surely?
” Amelia asked, sounding suddenly doubtful and concerned.
She leaned forward, wincing slightly at the movement.
“You are overwrought. Yes, Frederick has told me that as a child, you sometimes let your emotions get the better of you. And I know life can be disappointing, but we have to accept there are some things we cannot change. However, I’m not saying I won’t help you because I am the first to agree that there is something very wrong about the situation regarding Lord Windermere, and the information Mr. Rothbury insinuated he had about Venetia’s financial situation.
On the one hand, I am wary about meddling; however, I do absolutely agree that it is important your young friend knows all the facts before she is committed in marriage.
All I am saying is that surely waiting another day will not be detrimental to the cause in view of my feeling a little more delicate than usual today.
Please don’t cry, Caroline. You are very selfless to be so concerned about Venetia. It is very admirable.”
“It is not admirable at all!” Caroline countered as she wept into her arms, supporting herself on the back of the sofa.
The gilded clock on the mantel ticked relentlessly, each second carrying them closer to disaster.
“Yes, Venetia is my friend, but she is also marrying the man I love. Henry and I have loved each other all our lives, but we only realized it too late, it seems. He was forced to do the honorable thing when he rescued Venetia from Windermere.” Caroline raised her head, her cheeks flushed with emotion.
“And now it seems he’s going to marry Venetia after all—when neither of them love each other—because Venetia will only hear too late that she will inherit a fortune that will enable her to do as she pleases—”
“Caroline, Caroline, please calm yourself.” With a frown, Amelia turned awkwardly on the sofa to pat her sister-in-law’s arm, clearly surprised at Caroline’s unexpected declaration.
“You and Henry? Why, that is a surprise.” She swallowed, her thoughts clearly in some tumult before she added, “But… there are still days before the wedding—”
“Amelia! There is no time to wait! Mrs. Pike is planning something evil this evening at Lady Townsend’s Comet Viewing Gala.
” Caroline raised her head, wiping furiously at her tears.
“I don’t know exactly what she has in mind, but she is exerting all her power to make Venetia renege on marrying Henry so that she’ll somehow submit to Windermere’s pressure to marry him because Mrs. Pike says if she does not, she’ll reveal to the world that Venetia’s parents were not married before she was born and that Venetia is penniless when we know she’s not.
Yes, I want to marry Henry, and having this information confirmed by Mr. Rothbury would enable me to do so—but not if Henry’s reputation is so compromised by whatever Mrs. Pike and Windermere have in mind, or if Venetia has already been spirited away by Windermere. ”
Caroline hadn’t finished speaking before Amelia was on her feet and ringing the bell, her face set with newfound resolve.
“You’ve convinced me, Caroline,” she said with a sigh.
“It was not all smooth sailing when I married your brother and, yes, you could have bowled me over with a feather to learn that you and Henry are in love… but I am now well persuaded of the need to move with urgency.” She pressed a hand to her lower back as she straightened.
“Ah, Millie—” She put her hand to her belly, closing her eyes briefly as she apparently suffered a pang.
“Please fetch my gray pelisse, bonnet, and gloves. Caroline and I are going to pay a call.”