Page 25 of Her Honorable Viscount (Noble Pursuits #3)

CHAPTER 25

D ot and Edward were sitting at the breakfast table the following day when the butler came in with a tray.

“My lord, my lady,” he greeted them. “A letter has arrived addressed to you both.”

“Thank you,” Edward said, taking it off the tray and holding it up. “An invitation, perhaps?”

Dot froze as she stared at it. She recognized that handwriting. She had seen it far too often.

“Edward,” she said warningly, but he was already slicing open the letter. “That is?—”

“From Lady Carroway,” he said, his lips forming a grim line. “And Lord Carroway.”

“What does it say?” Dot asked with trepidation, and he set the letter between them so she could read it as well.

Lord and Lady Mandrake,

I take pen to paper to address a matter of grave importance. Rest assured, we write not from ignorance but with full knowledge of the covert enterprise you have so ardently sought to obscure—a refuge for unwed mothers.

You may consider your efforts noble, but society would not view them with such leniency. The whispers that might arise should your deeds be exposed would leave your reputation in tatters, your connections severed, and your names forever sullied. Your families, your titles, your standing—nothing would be spared the stain of scandal.

This time, we have proof. Proof that you will not be able to deny. Your pitiful attempts at spreading a rumor in return will come to nothing, for it is just that. A rumor, with no evidence to convince anyone of the truth.

Fortunately for you, we are prepared to keep your information confined to the shadows, where it presently resides. However, such discretion is not without its price. We asked before that you convince Lord Fitzroy to reconsider the bill he has brought forth in Parliament. I require this to happen by one month from today.

Should you fail to meet this requirement, we shall have no choice but to make the matter public and with it, every detail of your clandestine operations. You may consider this your sole warning. Do not test our resolve, for we assure you, it is unyielding.

We expect your swift compliance.

Lord and Lady Carroway

“They are working together now,” Dot said with a swift inhale.

“So it would seem,” Edward murmured. “I suppose they never had much choice but to accept the truth.”

“And now, what do we do?” Dot said. “I am sorry, Edward, but I will not ask anything of Fitz. He worked so hard for what he has done, and I know you disagree with him, but?—”

Edward held up a hand. “I agree. We will not ask Fitz for anything.”

“So, what other action can we take?”

He paused, looking down at his hands.

He thought of how long he had tried to keep a perfect reputation. How he had sought out Dot because he thought she was the ideal woman for him. How he had tried to right every wrong, had seen the world as good and bad, black and white.

And how none of that could ever be true.

Dot’s work was good. Noble. It was not reputable, but did that mean it was wrong if she was doing what she loved?

Michael was living with a woman – under Edward’s very roof – who was not his wife, as much as he would like her to be. But what else were they to do? Send her onto the street or to her brother, who would work her so hard that it would endanger the health of her and the baby?

No. Sometimes, one had to work in the gray areas.

“We do nothing,” he said, lifting his head and meeting Dot’s eyes.

“But they will bring this forward. We know they will. They tried to do so before.”

“Then so be it,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “What is the worst that could happen? They tell everyone about how we are trying to better the lives of some who have nowhere else to go? That we are benefactors of a charity? I have no qualms about the secret coming to light, Dot.”

“It could lead to the truth about what I do. What I used to do.”

“No one will believe that,” he said with confidence. “You are a lady. My wife. No one believed it before, and no one will now.”

“Very well,” she said with a sigh. “I believe I will live the next month on edge, however, waiting for the secret to come out.”

“Maybe we do not wait, then,” he said, an idea forming in his mind.

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe we bring this forward ourselves. Host a fundraising ball as the other ladies do for their charities. If we own this, as the charity we are supporting, then Lord and Lady Carroway’s rumors would be redundant.”

“Edward,” Dot said, her lips curling into a smile. “That is brilliant.”

“Thank you,” he said, settling back in his chair, a smile playing on his lips. “I am actually rather proud of the idea.”

“I am concerned about how Lord and Lady Carroway became aware of its existence.”

“I had my man-of-business helping me with the matter. Perhaps word got out that way.”

“There is one matter of importance,” Dot said, placing her fork and knife down. “We should do our best not to tell anyone where the shelter is located. Not everyone will support this, and I would not want there to be any physical threat to the women who might work there or use the home. “

“Agreed,” he said. “We will have to find another way to prove its existence.”

“I do not think anyone will doubt the most honorable Lord Mandrake,” she said with a smirk.

“Perhaps my pristine reputation will do us some good in this,” he agreed. “Now tell me, have you hired any additional staff?”

She knew he was distracting her but allowed him to do so, for she didn’t mind a diversion from waiting for the inevitable fallout from this.

Only this time, they had one another, which made it so much easier not to be worried about how anyone might react to it.

And now, she had another task to complete.

She had to plan a fundraising dinner.

She knew just who to ask for help.

A week later, Dot wondered whether she had done the right thing. Her mother, however, had been ecstatic to be asked.

Dot pondered it as she lay on the sofa, her legs draped over the edge as she stared into the fire.

That was how Edward found her when he entered the room a few minutes later, clad in his typical slippers and wrapper, book in hand.

“What are you doing?” he asked, coming to stand over her so she could properly see him.

“I am thinking.”

“About what?”

“About how I made a huge mistake.”

“Do tell.”

“I asked my mother to help plan the fundraising event.”

Edward frowned. “Your mother loves planning such events. How is that a mistake?”

Dot sat up, dizziness overcoming her for a moment as the blood rushed away from her head.

“That is just it. She cannot do anything in half measures but insists on us having the largest fundraiser that has ever occurred in all of London, making the most money. She doesn’t even completely realize what it is for!”

“You didn’t tell her?”

“I did, but she did not seem to understand the charity. She believes it to be a hospital.”

Edward sat in his chair and tapped his book on his knee. He opened his mouth, closed it, frowned, and opened it again. “Would you like my advice?”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Why, Edward, you are not fixing my problem without asking?”

“I am not,” he said. “I have learned that people do not always want their problem solved but sometimes simply seek to be understood.”

“Whoever told you that is very wise,” she said with a smile, recalling her earlier words.

“I agree.”

“Well, in this case, yes, I would appreciate some words of advice – to consider.”

He smiled at her, the warmth in his face such a contrast to the cold man she had first met.

“Let me ask you this. Do you care much about the event itself? Or do you care more about how much money you can raise for the establishment?”

Dot considered that. She had pictured an understated event that celebrated the cause itself and the people in attendance.

“I care about changing opinions,” she finally settled on. “Yes, raising funds is also one of the main goals, but creating understanding is the primary focus. I want to present this in a way that allows people to meet it with an open mind and then slowly change their thoughts. I want people to realize that while I am not encouraging unwed women to bear children, sometimes circumstances are beyond a woman’s control. I want to be there to help.”

“Your cause is commendable,” he said, “even though, I must be honest with you, many are not going to understand.”

“Which is fine,” she said. “But even if I can make one or two hearts more compassionate to these women, that would be a step forward.”

“You are an inspiration, Dot.”

“I don’t know about that,” she said, warmth rising in her cheeks. “Besides, I also have a selfish motive in hosting this – for us to get ahead of Lord and Lady Carroway.”

“It all fits together,” he murmured, his gaze on her, and she felt that, perhaps, tonight, he wouldn’t be so interested in his book in front of the fire. Perhaps she could distract him with another fireside activity.

“Edward…” she said, standing from the couch and sauntering toward him. She leaned down, her lips a breath away from his ear. “I have an idea,” she whispered.

“Do tell,” he said in a husky voice.

As she sat on his lap, however, an urgent knock sounded on the door.

“Lady Mandrake? Are you within?”

It was Mrs. Adams, with a rather desperate tone, quite unlike her. Dot and Edward exchanged a quick look before Dot hurried to the door.

“Yes, Mrs. Adams?” she said, finding the woman wringing her hands together.

“It’s Miss Adelaide, my lady,” she said. “Something is wrong. I think the baby is coming, even though it must be a month too early, from what I know.”

“Where is she?” Dot said, immediately shifting into her professional demeanor. She forgot all else as her sole focus turned to Adelaide and her baby. She methodically reviewed everything she knew about Adelaide’s pregnancy as the other part of her began to think about what she would need for the birth.

“She’s in her bedroom.”

“Very good.”

Dot had already ensured that Adelaide’s bedroom was equipped with everything she might need.

“I’ll be there shortly.”

She looked down at herself. She was wearing her nightgown and wrapper, but no matter. It would be warm in Adelaide’s room, and she had an apron stashed in it with her supplies.

“Is there anything I can do?”

She had almost forgotten Edward’s presence until his low voice sounded in her ear, his body warm and solid behind her.

“If you could keep Michael company, that would be helpful,” she said, turning to him and taking one brief moment in his arms. “Fathers are usually rather agitated at this time.”

“Of course.” He nodded before kissing her lips quickly. “I hope all is well.”

“Me too,” she said before turning around and marching out of the room toward her patient. “Me too.”