Page 17 of The Paid Companion

A rthur leaned back in his chair and watched Ibbitts closely while the butler told his tale.

“I assure you, there’s no great harm done, sir,” Ibbitts concluded with grave sincerity. “I won’t breathe a word about your secret plans.”

“Indeed?”

“Of course not, sir.” Ibbitts raised his noble chin and set his broad shoulders. “I am nothing if not loyal to you.”

“You say Miss Lodge let the secret slip when she tried to lure you into her bedchamber?”

“Naturally, I did not accept the invitation, sir, even though she was dressed in nothing but a white linen nightgown trimmed with little blue ribbons. I take my responsibilities to my post very seriously.”

“I see.”

Ibbitts sighed. “In fairness, you should not place too much blame on Miss Lodge’s frail shoulders.”

“Why do you say that?”

Ibbitts made a tut-tutting sound. “A lady of her age and station in life has little hope of contracting any sort of respectable marriage, does she? Her sort has no choice but to look elsewhere when the urge takes ’em, if you know what I mean.”

The door opened abruptly. Elenora stormed into the library. Margaret was directly behind her.

“Do not listen to a word Ibbitts says.” Elenora strode briskly across the room. She was flushed with anger. “He is a liar and a blackmailer who takes advantage of the other servants. I have informed him that he must quit this house immediately.”

Arthur rose politely to his feet. “Good morning, Miss Lodge. He inclined his head to Margaret. “Please be seated, both of you.”

Margaret sat down immediately, her face bright with anticipation. “Well, now, this should prove interesting,” she said to no one in particular.

Elenora appeared not to have heard his suggestion that she take one of the chairs. Instead, she halted in front of his desk, her eyes snapping with anger.

“Ibbitts forces the other servants to give him half of their wages,” she announced. “That’s what he charges them to allow them to keep their posts. It is despicable. Sally and Ned told me it is also the reason why the housekeeper, the cook and the gardener left a few months ago, leaving this household woefully understaffed.”

Ibbitts gave her a pitying expression and shook his head. “I fear that Miss Lodge is suffering from an affliction of the nerves, sir. Female hysteria, no doubt. I’ve seen this sort of thing before in unmarried ladies of a certain age. A vinaigrette is sometimes helpful.”

Elenora gave him a look of utter contempt. “Do you deny it?”

“Of course.” Ibbitts drew himself up proudly. “If his lordship wishes to verify my innocence in this matter, he has only to question the servants. I’m quite certain that both Sally and Ned will tell him that I make no such demands of them.”

“Sally and Ned are both terrified of you, Ibbitts,” she said. “They will say anything you order them to say.”

It was interesting to watch Elenora when she was blazing with righteous anger, Arthur thought. Unfortunately, he did not have time to indulge himself in this scene today.

“Will you please sit down, Elenora?” he said quietly.

“In addition to his despicable treatment of Sally and Ned, Ibbitts eavesdropped on you,” she said.

“That is a lie.” Ibbitts whirled back to confront Arthur. “I would not dream of listening to my employer’s private conversations. It was young Sally who overheard you, sir, and came straight to me with the news that Miss Lodge was merely a paid employee. Naturally I ordered her and Ned to keep silent about your private affairs. They will do as they are told. I stand ready to assist you in your plans in any way I can.”

“Rubbish,” Elenora said through her teeth. “He is attempting to blame Sally—”

“Sit down, Elenora,” Arthur repeated. This time he put an edge on the words, making them into a command.

Reluctantly, she obeyed.

Ibbitts gave her a scathing look. “Begging your pardon, my lord, but did you examine Miss Lodge’s references before you selected her for this post?”

“It was your references I failed to examine,” Arthur said. “And evidently neither did Ormesby, due to his poor health.”

“I assure you, my references are excellent,” Ibbitts said quickly.

“Because you wrote them yourself, I’ll wager,” Elenora muttered.

“That is a lie,” Ibbitts hissed. He turned back to Arthur. “I will be happy to supply letters from previous employers, sir. I think you will find them all quite satisfactory.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Arthur reached for one of the volumes that he had brought back with him after paying his respects to the dying Ormesby. “I glanced through these on my way back here this morning. The entries for the past year tell me everything I need to know about you, Ibbitts.”

Ibbitts stared, uncomprehending, at the journals. “What are those, sir?”

“The household accounts.” Arthur opened the most recent journal and drew a finger down the page to the entry he had marked earlier. “It seems that as recently as last month, you regularly submitted requests for the payment of wages for a staff that included a number of people who are no longer employed here.” He looked at Ibbitts. “Among them are the housekeeper, the cook and the gardeners, all of whom evidently departed last fall.”

Ibbitts took a step back, clearly caught off balance. “There must be some mistake, sir.”

Arthur closed the leather-bound volume. “The mistake was not letting you go several months ago, Ibbitts. However, I intend to rectify that error now. You will pack your bags and leave this house immediately.”

“Sir, you said yourself that your man-of-business is ill.” Ibbitts was both furious and frantic. “He must have written down the wrong amounts.”

“He has been too ill to leave his house in order to see what was happening for himself, but he is entirely lucid, I assure you. These amounts were paid to you so that you could, in turn, pay the servants. You obviously did not inform Ormesby when members of the staff gave notice. Instead, you continued to collect their wages. I suspect you have pocketed that money. I want you out of here within the hour.”

Elenora leaped to her feet. “I knew you would do the right thing, sir.”

Arthur sighed. “Please sit down, Elenora.”

Her mouth tightened, but she sat.

Ibbitts was stunned. “You’re letting me go?”

“Of course I’m letting you go.” Arthur reached behind his chair and tugged on a velvet bell pull. “You’re a liar and a blackmailer. Consider yourself fortunate that I’m not having you placed under arrest.”

The library door opened. Ned stood there, looking scared but determined.

“Yes, m’lord?” he said.

“Ibbitts is no longer employed in this household. You will accompany him to his room while he packs his possessions. Make certain that he does not help himself to any of the silver on the way out the door. Is that clear?”

Ned glanced from Arthur to the scowling Ibbitts and back again. The anxiety evaporated from his eyes.

“Aye, sir,” he said in a firmer tone. “I’ll see him out the back door for ye.”

Ibbitts’s face twisted with fury and scorn. “I suggest that you ask Sally and Ned for references concerning their characters, m’lord. You’ll soon find out that they cannot supply any. Sally lost her post because she lifted her skirts for her employer’s heir. Ned here lost his because he took her side when she tried to deny what she’d done.”

Ned’s hands tightened into fists.

Elenora came up out of her chair. “I do not doubt Sally and Ned’s version of the story for a moment. It is Ibbitts who has proved himself untrustworthy.”

Arthur rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I would appreciate it if you would stay seated, Miss Lodge. All this popping up and down is rather tiresome.”

“Sorry.”

She sank back down into her chair with obvious reluctance. Arthur could see the toe of one of her slippers tapping impatiently on the carpet. It occurred to him that her short career as a paid companion had done little to alter what was obviously her natural inclination to take command.

In spite of all the problems facing him at the moment, he was amused. Elenora no doubt found this business of deferring to him extremely vexing.

He fixed his attention on Ned. “You and Sally will both remain in your present posts. Furthermore, I will see to it that the wages Ibbitts forced you to pay to him are refunded immediately.”

“Thank you, sir,” Ned stuttered, clearly astonished.

Arthur gestured toward the door. “On your way, Ibbitts. I have wasted enough time on this matter.”

Ibbitts’s jaw clenched with rage. He gave Elenora a vengeful glare as he stalked past her.

Arthur waited until Ibbitts had reached the door before he spoke again.

“One more thing, Ibbitts,” he said, steepling his fingers. “There seems to be some confusion regarding Miss Lodge’s status in this household.”

“I know her status right enough,” Ibbitts muttered. “She’s nothing more than a paid companion.”

“You are mistaken in that assumption.” Arthur kept his tone very even. “I intend to marry Miss Lodge. She will most certainly be the future mistress of this household. If you make the mistake of spreading tales to the contrary, you will have cause to regret it. Do I make myself clear?”

With a quick sideways glance, he saw Elenora’s eyes widen.

Ibbitts bared his teeth. “Whatever you want to call her is your affair, m’lord.”

“Yes,” Arthur agreed. “It is. You may go now.”

Ibbitts stomped through the doorway. Ned closed the door and followed him, leaving Arthur alone with Margaret and Elenora.

“Well,” Margaret said. “That was certainly exciting.” She smiled at Elenora with great satisfaction. “I told you that Arthur would settle matters. Now you can instruct Sally to unpack your trunk.”

Arthur went cold inside. He looked at Elenora, trying not to let his reaction show on his face.

“You packed?” he asked.

“Yes, of course.” She cleared her throat. “I did not think that you would be needing my services after you discovered that Ibbitts was aware that I am merely an employee and not your real fiancée.”

Margaret looked at him. “When Elenora confronted him, Ibbitts revealed that he knew all about your scheme. He actually tried to blackmail her, if you can believe it.”

Arthur sat back in his chair, thinking about what had just happened. “Ibbitts tried to extort money from you in exchange for keeping silent about your position here?”

“Yes.” She brushed that aside. “But that was nothing compared to the vile manner in which he treated Sally and Ned. I can take care of myself. Those two are far more vulnerable.”

Arthur wondered if she knew how rare her sense of responsibility was among those who moved in Polite Circles. In that world chambermaids were routinely let go when a male member of the household got them pregnant, and an aging housekeeper might be dismissed without a pension when she was no longer able to carry out her duties.

Elenora shook her head. “I did warn you, sir, that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to keep secrets from your staff.”

“I would take it as a kindness if you would refrain from pointing out the error of my ways,” he said mildly.

She flushed. “My apologies, sir.”

He sighed. “Never mind, you were right.”

Her brows drew together in a troubled expression. “I really do not see how I can remain in my present position now that someone as untrustworthy as Ibbitts is aware of the truth.”

“I see no reason to alter course,” he said. “The scheme appears to be working as I intended. Society is riveted on you, leaving me free—” He paused, reminding himself that Margaret was still in the room. “Free to conduct my business.”

“But if Ibbitts succeeds in starting gossip concerning my true position in this household, your scheme will no longer be viable.”

Her insistence on trying to remove herself from the role he had employed her to act struck an unexpected spark against the flint of his self-control.

“What I see,” he said, pronouncing each word with deliberate emphasis, “is that you are the only hope I’ve got of carrying out this plan. Furthermore, given the rather handsome wages I am paying you, I think I have every right to expect a most convincing performance. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Margaret blinked in astonishment at his sharp words.

Elenora merely inclined her head with excruciating formality, letting him know that she was annoyed but not intimidated.

“Of course, my lord,” she said dryly. “I will endeavor to give satisfaction.”

“Thank you.” What the devil had made him snap at her like that? He never allowed himself to lose his temper.

Margaret hastened to smooth over the unpleasantness. “Really, Elenora, you must not be concerned about what Ibbitts might say. Who in Society would take the word of a butler dismissed without references over that of the Earl of St. Merryn?”

“I know, but he is aware that the story we have put about as a jest is, indeed, the truth.”

“Even if Ibbitts were to gossip about you, he can do no harm. He will only be seen to be repeating the tale,” Margaret assured her.

“She is correct,” Arthur said. “Calm youself, Elenora. Ibbitts need not cause us any concern.”

“I suppose you are right,” Elenora said. But she did not look satisfied.

Margaret sighed. “Well, that’s settled, then. You’re staying, Elenora.”

Elenora frowned. “That reminds me, we seem to find ourselves somewhat short of staff.”

Yet another problem to be resolved before he could proceed with his investigation, Arthur thought wearily. He picked up a pen and reached for a sheet of paper. “I will send a message around to an agency.”

“There is no need to waste your time dealing with a series of candidates sent out by an agency,” Elenora said crisply. “Sally has two sisters in need of employment. One of them is evidently an excellent cook. The other will be happy to take on the duties of a chambermaid. I think Sally will do well as our new housekeeper. Also, Ned has an uncle and a cousin who are skilled gardeners. As it happens, their last employer just sold his townhouse and let his entire staff go, so they are looking for positions. I suggest we hire the lot.”

Margaret clapped her hands. “Good heavens, Elenora, you are amazing. It sounds as though you have the problem of staffing completely in hand.”

Arthur was so greatly relieved to be rid of the burden of finding new servants that he could have swept Elenora up into his arms and kissed her.

“I leave the matter in your hands,” he said very formally instead.

She acknowledged that with a casual nod, but he thought she seemed rather pleased.

That was one pressing issue out of the way, he thought, spirits rising.

“If you will both excuse me, I must go upstairs to change my gown.” Margaret rose to her feet and went toward the door. “Mr. Fleming will be here soon. We are going to visit some bookshops this afternoon.”

Arthur got to his feet and crossed the room to open the door for her. She hurried out into the hall and disappeared. When he glanced back and saw that Elenora was about to follow, he held up a hand.

“If you don’t mind,” he said quietly. “I would like to discuss with you what I learned from John Watt.”

She stopped midway across the carpet, her face brightening with excitement. “You found him?”

“Yes, thanks to your suggestion that I talk to his sweetheart.” He glanced at the clock. “It is after four. I will send for the carriage and we will take a turn around the park. The sight of you and me together will serve to reinforce the notion that we are, indeed, engaged, and we will have privacy for our conversation.”