From The Ashes (The Ministry of Curiosities #6)(19)
"It's too large for you?"
She laughed. "My dear girl, this drawing room is a quarter the size of my old one."
She must mean her grand estate in England, not her American house. From what Seth told me, her accommodations in New York had been unfortunate to say the least. Her second husband hadn't been able to keep his new wife in the style she'd been accustomed to as Lady Vickers. She may have retained her title, but she'd lost her home, friends and reputation when she wed the footman. A heavy price for love. I hoped he'd made her happy.
"I hope you won't be too uncomfortable," I told her with as much sweetness as I could muster. "Or find our company too dull. I'm afraid we rarely have callers."
"That has already changed since my arrival. As much as I would like to say they've come to call upon me, it's my Seth and Mr. Fitzroy they've come to see. Since the ball, the young ladies are rather taken with them both."
"Ball? Lincoln went to a ball?" And here I thought he'd been busy chasing murderers. He'd been to a ball!
"Lady Harcourt's annual Christmas event last week. It was quite the sensation when we three turned up."
"I can imagine."
She patted my hand. "Now, my dear, I know you and Mr. Fitzroy were once engaged, so I do hope I haven't upset you by telling you about the ball and the callers, but I felt you ought to know. If I were in your position, I would appreciate the knowledge."
I nodded. It might seem odd, but I did appreciate her telling me, and hearing her put it like that, her gossiping didn't come across as malicious.
"I also want to assure you that Mr. Fitzroy behaved very properly and hasn't encouraged any particular girl," she went on. "He seems like the sort of man who respects your feelings and will try his utmost to protect your reputation. I'm sure he'll put it about that you ended the engagement, and he'll then wait a suitable period before pursuing another."
I laughed. "Madam, my reputation is hardly worth protecting. As to pursuing another, I'm quite sure he has no interest in marriage, either to me or anyone else "
"That may be so, but as to your reputation, I beg to differ."
I arched my brow. "Seth has told you that I lived on the streets for several years, dressed as a boy, has he not?"
She didn't bat an eyelid at my bluntness. "He did, but few know your past. If we put it about that you are my friend, or ward, and brush over the particulars, no one will think you're anything but a gently bred girl."
"You wish to lie to your friends? To what purpose?"
"To catch you a suitable husband, of course." She blinked at me as if she thought my question utterly idiotic.
I blinked back, thinking she was the idiotic one.
"I'm sure I can snare you a gentleman far superior to Mr. Fitzroy. You're pretty and have a neat figure. You have spirit, too, which some men like. And those eyes! If you play your cards right, you'll have them falling to their knees in no time."
I held my hands up and shook my head. "Thank you for your kind words, but I'm not interested in finding a husband."
She took my hand in both of hers. Her gaze turned sympathetic. "Dear girl, I know you're feeling hurt right now, but you mustn't wait too long. You're almost nineteen."
And yet I'd hardly lived. Perhaps in her world, girls over the age of twenty were no better than the scraps left after a meal, but not in mine. I'd seen very little of the countryside, and only just learned to ride a horse. There suddenly seemed like a lot to do before I settled down and became a wife. It was odd how I'd only begun to feel that way now, and not before going north. I'd certainly been eager to be Lincoln's wife a mere two weeks ago.
"If I am to assist with your launch into society, then I want you to promise me one thing." Lady Vickers had become stiff and formal again, her chin thrust out in queenly arrogance.
It was more interesting to discover what her single condition was than argue with her over my 'launch'. "Go on."
"I want your assurance that you will not chase after my Seth."
"Pardon?" I spluttered.
"If I am to champion you to the right people, you must promise not to try to snare my son. It's nothing personal, my dear. While I'm sure you would be a fine wife for him, he cannot wed a poor girl. He requires a wealthy heiress to help restore us to our rightful position."
I burst into laughter, only to stop abruptly when she looked offended. "You have my word, madam. I will leave Seth for the heiresses to fight over. I'm sure he'll be very popular."
That seemed to appease her somewhat. She puffed out her considerable chest and a small smile lifted her face. "He already is. His attendance at the ball signaled his readiness to take a wife, hence all the callers of late."
That probably meant Lincoln's attendance had been taken the same way. It would explain Lady Vickers thinking he wanted to marry, in time. I wondered if he knew that his presence at the ball had been a signal of his availability to the better part of London.
"That's the problem, you see," Lady Vickers went on. "Seth's not here to receive his callers. It's becoming increasingly difficult to make excuses for his absence."
"Lincoln suggested that he and Gus might return now that I'm back."