A Dash of Scandal(72)
“The column is in today’s paper.”
“No. This talk of hurting your chances of a match with Miss Bardwell. Have you made an offer for her hand?”
“Of course not. And I don’t know that I will. It’s just that if I wanted to—” He paused. “That’s not important. It’s one thing to write about a gentleman’s escapades with the fairer sex, but quite another to write about his pockets. That’s going beyond the pale, I have half a mind to hire a Runner to find out who this Lord Truefitt is and give him a taste of scandal. I don’t know where he gets his information, but I doubt he’ll be writing anything after I get through with him.”
Chandler would speak to Millicent and tell her that both he and his friends were off-limits to scandal sheets.
“Hold on, Andrew, what exactly does it say?”
“It all but says I’m ready for the poorhouse, that’s what it says.”
Wanting to calm his friend, Chandler said, “Here, let me see that.”
Chandler took the paper and read the first few lines of the column and looked up. “I don’t think it is as bad as you think. In fact, I think it’s a play on words.”
Andrew walked over to Chandler and looked over his shoulder at the paper. “What do you mean?”
“I think it’s one of those things that has a hidden meaning.”
His friend gave him an incredulous look. “The only thing that is hiding is your comprehension. What the devil are you talking about?”
“No. I think what he’s really saying here is that the three of us don’t spend the time together that we used to.” Chandler continued to make up his answer as he talked. “Fines and I were just talking about that last night.”
“Well, we don’t spend the kind of time together that we used to, but what has that to do with what this newspaper says about money no longer being my friend?”
“I’m sure the money aspect was only used so it would fit with the quote from Shakespeare, but the true meaning is that they aren’t seeing the three of us together anymore.”
“Hmm. You really think so?”
Chandler pretended to study the paper again, knowing he’d have a long talk with Millicent about this later in the afternoon.
“Yes, yes, after reading it again I’m sure of it. You’ve heard how popular Truefitt’s column has become since he’s been using Shakespeare. Don’t give it another thought. Those who don’t know you might think from this that you’ve fallen on hard times, but no one in the ton will.”
“If only you are right,” Andrew said, then drained his glass.
Chandler took a long hard look at Andrew and wasn’t sure he liked what he saw. Could there be any truth to what was written about his friend? No, Andrew would have told him if there was a problem.
But he couldn’t help but wonder where in London Millicent got her damning information.
Fifteen
“To say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now a days,” and if that were not true, why would Miss Pennington be spending so much time on the dance floor and in Hyde Park with Lord Chatwin? Her father has made it clear he wants a match before the Season is out. Can he expect an offer for her hand from Lord Chatwin?
—Lord Truefitt, Society’s Daily Column
Wide blue skies dotted by puffy white clouds served as a canopy to the beautiful day as Millicent and Chandler rode in the curricle toward Hyde Park. Bright sunshine caressed their backs and a midspring breeze lightly fanned their hair. It was the kind of day that made Millicent glad she didn’t have to be inside, surrounded by dark furniture and heavy draperies.
Chandler had arrived splendidly dressed in his riding coat of dark brown with shiny brass buttons adorning the front lapels and the sleeves. He grinned like a schoolboy when he presented her the predictable box of apricot tarts, which he then made light of when he gave them to her. From behind his back he unexpectedly produced a cutting of fresh Persian lilies from his own garden. She didn’t even want to think about what the extra gift might mean.
Before leaving the house, Millicent had asked her maid to see to it that two tarts were sent up to Aunt Beatrice with her afternoon tea and that the rest should not be touched. Millicent would take those to Lady Lynette tomorrow afternoon. After all, she had promised to do so if she should ever receive the highly prized gift. The lilies Millicent had sent to her room so that only she would enjoy their fragrance and their beauty.