Page 32 of Twelfth Night Sorcery (The Cambion Club #2)

Once the door to the guest room clicked shut behind them, Dora turned toward Honora.

“Tell me everything! Are you having fun in London? Do you like Lord Valance? Do you think he is handsome? Does he treat you properly? Because if he doesn’t, I think you ought to run away with me and we can open up a girl’s school together. ”

Honora blinked, not certain which questions ought to be answered and which ought to be ignored. “Dora, where would we get the money to start a school? I still do not have access to my fortune. And neither do you.”

Whatever his flaws as a husband and father, Sir Isaac Grantly had tried to do right by his illegitimate daughter.

His will bequeathed the same small fortune to Dora as to his legitimate daughters.

But her money, like Honora’s, was held in trust. Uncle Robert was unlikely to thwart Lady Grantly’s schemes.

“Oh, right. I suppose that won’t work.” Dora sighed.

It was a bad idea anyway, in Honora’s opinion. True, running a school was one of the few ways gentlewomen could earn a living. But since neither of them had any teaching experience, Honora suspected any school they ran would fail sooner rather than later.

“Anyway,” Honora said, “You need not worry about me. I quite like living with Lord Valance.” Especially over the last week, during which he had generously helped educate her in bed. She blushed at the memories.

Dora did not miss the blush. She grinned. “Oh, are you sweet on him? That’s good. I am glad you married him instead of Belmont. I was very worried when you did not come back from Belmont Court after the masquerade. I thought perhaps Belmont had kidnapped you.”

Honora laughed, but it was a hollow laugh. Surely even Belmont wouldn’t stoop to kidnapping? Or would he? If it was true that he’d pushed his first wife down the stairs, he might be willing to do anything.

“I was perfectly safe. Lord Valance helped me escape.”

“And then you fell in love with him?” Dora suggested. “So romantic!”

“I suppose it is romantic,” Honora granted. But she was not sure “falling in love” adequately explained her relationship to Valance.

Her prior experiences with romantic love had all involved hopeless infatuations with unsuitable young men: a second son who could not afford to marry, a curate who did not intend to take a wife until he found a living, and a university scholar who seemed fond of her but could not marry anyone, because it would mean giving up his fellowship.

That had been a pity, as he was not only one of the most intelligent men she had ever met, but also had the most beautiful hazel eyes.

Why did the universities deprive the young ladies of England by forbidding fellows to marry?

None of those past infatuations had amounted to more than a little flirtation at assemblies and dinner parties, a few compliments on her beauty, and a pinch of heartache.

Compared to those past beaux, Valance seemed less like the object of an infatuation and more like a trustworthy friend—a friend who happened to be attractive and very good in bed.

Honora did not know a word for that, even if she had been willing to discuss her feelings.

Time to change the subject. “I am afraid I must go dress for dinner. I will send my maid in to help you after I dress.”

Valance came in while Honora’s maid finished arranging her hair. He leaned against her dressing table and waited to speak until Clack left the room.

“I have spoken to Mother about Dora. She has promised to behave civilly, and I trust her promise.”

“Thank you.” A little of the tension in Honora’s shoulders dissipated. Dora had already experienced ostracism and judgment for things beyond her control. Honora could not have borne it if her sister were insulted in Honora’s own home.

“You once told me your mother had leverage over you,” Valance continued. “Is Dora that leverage?”

Honora nodded. “Mama threatened to send Dora away if I discouraged Belmont’s attentions.” Her lip trembled, remembering. “But I never thought she would send her into service to Belmont!”

She picked up one of the scent bottles on the dressing table and pretended to be fascinated by it.

“You are probably wondering how it comes about that I have an illegitimate half-sister.” She did not look up at her husband.

She was afraid she might see condemnation there.

Valance had clearly been taken aback by Dora’s arrival.

Valance shook his head. “I believe I can guess. I assume she is your father’s child, not your mother’s?”

“Yes. Her own mother died when she was still a baby. She has lived with us ever since. The story Father gave out was that Dora was his cousin’s daughter. He always referred to her as his ward.”

In theory, only the Grantly family was supposed to know the truth about Dora’s parentage. But most people in the neighborhood had likely guessed it. Dora had inherited not only Sir Isaac’s eye color, but also his distinctive cleft chin, making it hard to conceal her relationship.

“In reality, her mother was a concert singer,” Honora continued. That was putting it politely. The words her mother used to describe the late Miss Rossini did not bear repeating.

“Ah.” That single syllable spoke volumes.

Honora supposed she did not have to explain to Valance that wealthy gentlemen often employed actresses, singers, and dancers as their mistresses. Very likely he had done the same, though she hated thinking about it.

“I hope you do not have any illegitimate children,” she blurted out. How dreadful it would be if he had children whom he neglected!

He sucked in a sharp breath. “Not so far as I know. I have always taken precautions to avoid that. I realize no contraceptive spell is one hundred percent reliable. But most of my lovers have been, er, professionals who would know how to deal with the consequences of an unwanted pregnancy.”

She glanced up and caught him blushing. She had embarrassed him. But maybe he ought to be embarrassed by his past behavior. Why had Valance been allowed to seek pleasure among women of easy virtue, when Honora had been forbidden to even be alone in a room with an unmarried man?

“By ‘professionals’ you mean prostitutes or courtesans,” she said. “And by dealing with the consequences, you mean—”

“Never mind what I meant,” Valance interrupted.

He crossed his arms over his chest truculently.

“This entire conversation is most improper. A gentleman does not discuss his relations with women prior to marriage with his wife! Suffice it to say, I do not believe I fathered any children out of wedlock, but if I did, I would take care of them. I would most certainly not send them into service at any property owned by the Duke of Belmont.”

“I cannot believe my mother would let him punish me by hurting Dora.” Honora had been reluctant to face the awfulness of that, but there could be no other reason for sending Dora into service.

The terms of their father’s will made it clear his illegitimate daughter was to be raised and educated as a gentlewoman.

Could Lady Grantly legally even send Dora out to work?

Perhaps Honora ought to consult a solicitor on her sister’s behalf.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I suspect I would be happier if I never met your mother.”

Honora sighed. “It does not matter. Mama wants nothing to do with me anymore, anyway. She will probably be glad to get rid of Dora, too. She never liked having her about the place.”

Dora’s presence at Grantly Manor must have been a constant reminder of Sir Isaac’s infidelity.

Honora could sympathize with her mother’s situation as a wronged wife, but she did not think it excused Lady Grantly’s coldness.

Dora had always been given the harshest punishments for even minor infractions.

A happier thought occurred to Honora. “Can Dora live with us now?” She sent Valance her most pleading look.

To her disappointment, Valance slowly shook his head. “If it were safe for her to do so, yes. But you said she is a minor. Won’t her guardians try to find her? Nora, they will look here first. Especially since the two of you are so close.”

“I suppose that is true.” Honora stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

If her mother were here, she would remind Honora that frowns put wrinkles on one’s face.

But Honora could not help scowling into the glass.

“What should we do, then? Consult a lawyer? I think my mother may be violating the terms of my father’s will.

He would never have wanted Dora to be a servant! ”

“I wondered about that.” Valance played with one of the cornsilk-colored ringlets Clack had labored so hard to produce, idly winding her hair around his finger.

“We probably ought to talk to my solicitor. Mr. Watson might have some ideas about what legal action we could pursue. In the meantime, I think we ought to hide Dora somewhere safe.”

“Where would she be safe?” The Duke of Belmont had a long reach.

“What would you say if I took her to Carrington Abbey?” Valance suggested.

Honora raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Not Dreadnaught Hall?”

He shook his head. “The Hall is empty of anyone but servants. There would be no one there to keep an eye on Dora or to protect her if someone showed up looking for her. And that would be the second place they would look for her, wouldn’t it?

Since it belongs to me? But it might take a while for anyone to think to check the Abbey.

And most of the Carringtons are magicians.

They are better equipped to protect someone than the staff at the Hall. ”

“She could travel there in disguise,” Honora said slowly. “To make doubly certain of her safety, you could cast a glamour over her, like you did for me. And we would have to change her name.”