A Dash of Scandal(67)
“Ma’am,” Millicent asked, “what do you know about Lord Dunraven and Lady Lambsbeth?”
The viscountess fanned herself. “Oh, that’s an old story, and why Beatrice wanted to run it in Lord Truefitt’s column I have no idea. It’s really passé. There are more appetizing things to be writing about than an old love affair. Perhaps it just shows that Beatrice is having trouble keeping up with the column while she’s recuperating.”
This was the first comment that Millicent had heard the viscountess make about how her aunt was handling the column. Millicent could only assume that her ladyship hadn’t heard that circulation for The Daily Reader had increased and Lord Truefitt’s column was praised for being one of the main reasons.
Just tonight she’d heard more than one lady mention how eager she was to get the paper each day to see what quote from Shakespeare was used in Lord Truefitt’s column.
Millicent decided it would be wise not to express a view one way or the other to the Lady Heathecoute. She would leave that up to her aunt. However, she wasn’t shy about asking other questions she wanted answers to.
“Ma’am,” Millicent asked in what she hoped was an offhanded manner, “do you think Lord Dunraven loves Lady Lambsbeth?”
“Loves? Good heavens, no. I doubt he’s ever loved anyone in his life. I think most everyone considers him a confirmed bachelor. What makes you ask such a question? You haven’t set your eyes on him have you? Because I have to agree with my husband that he is quite unattainable.”
“No. It’s nothing like that. It’s just there has been talk about the two of them now that she’s back in Town.”
“Yes, yes. Everyone assumes they had an affair and it ended badly. Talk about it was all the rage last year. She was married and her husband found out about it. Had it not been for friends of both men one of them would be dead to—” She stopped and chuckled.
The low throaty sound of her laughter sounded ominous in the dark carriage. Millicent noticed the viscount hadn’t even blinked an eye since he stepped into the carriage. No doubt he was used to hearing his wife’s laughter.
“Ah—that is, one of them is dead, I understand. But of course, not from the challenge. After wise counsel from his friends, Lord Lambsbeth withdrew it and he and his lady left Town the next day. That’s no matter now. I don’t think anyone in the ton cares whether the earl and lady pick up where they left off. It’s old news.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
“I’m more interested in hearing whether another of the Terrible Threesome, Lord Dugdale, is truly in financial straits. That could account for his sudden desire to make a match before the end of the year.”
“Yes, I heard much the same thing,” Millicent said, but didn’t mention that she’d heard the story earlier in the afternoon from Lady Lynette.
“Tonight the guests at all the parties seemed to be interested only in talking about the latest news concerning the Mad Ton Thief and the ghost. I wonder if the thief knows how popular he is?”
“With everyone talking about it at the parties, the clubs, and on the streets, I’m sure he does. He probably hopes the madness continues so that he can continue to get away with stealing. It appears that this idea that he is a ghost is titillating to them all. I think they want it to be so. Though, why anyone would want to talk about Lord Pinkwater’s ghost, I have no idea.”
“Oh, I do believe it is newsworthy.”
“But it has little to do with gossip,” the viscountess said in her don’t-argue-with-me voice. “Lady Windham said that she felt deprived when she held a party and nothing was stolen from her home. She said she was thinking of holding another party next week, hoping the thief will show up and take something.”
“Do you really think she will do that?”
“Oh, she probably will. The thing is that she has so many lovely things in her home something probably was stolen and she just doesn’t know it.”
“You think so?”
“Of course, I really have no idea. I’m only saying that the house is filled with paintings, china, pottery, and all quite valuable. Now tell me, what other delicious tidbits did you hear tonight?”
It only took a few more minutes to arrive at her aunt’s town house. As usual, Phillips quietly opened the door and she stepped inside. She heard Hamlet bark once as usual, alerting her aunt that she was home.