Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager(31)

Susannah knew this to be true, but it angered her to think all her careful preparations for Florence House might be jeopardised because the secret had been revealed too soon, and by a man who assured her she could trust him.

She had convinced herself that she never wanted to see Lord Markham again, that she could shrug her shoulders and put him from her mind, but when she saw him conversing with Gerald Barnabus all the pent-up anger of the past few days came flooding back.

As if aware of her eyes upon him, the viscount looked up. He touched Gerald’s arm and the two men approached. Susannah watched in growing anger and amazement as Jasper made his bow to her aunt. He was completely at his ease. She glared at him, but it had no effect. When he addressed her she quickly turned away from him, causing her filmy muslin skirts to flounce around her. How dare he think he could betray her and get away with it!

‘Miss Prentess, are you not well?’

‘Perfectly, thank you.’ She wanted to ignore him but he took her elbow and in the confusion of the crowded room he adroitly moved her away from her aunt.

‘Are you cross with me for staying away for so long?’ he said quietly. ‘I beg your pardon, but I had business to attend to, and thought, in the circumstances—’

‘In the circumstances, my lord,’ she interrupted him savagely, ‘it would be better if you stayed away for good,’

‘What is this? What have I done to offend you?’

‘As if you did not know!’

His brows snapped together.

‘No, I do not know. When we parted on Saturday—’

‘On Saturday you promised not to mention Florence House to anyone.’

‘And I have not done so.’

‘Why, then, is everyone talking of it? Why have I been subjected to cold stares and even been snubbed by my erstwhile acquaintances?’

‘Susannah, I give you my word—’

‘Don’t you dare use my name,’ she shot back at him. ‘How dare you even speak to me!’

She went to move away but his fingers tightened on her arm.

‘I do not know who has given away your secret, but it was not me.’

She shook off his hand.

‘Everyone else who knows about Florence House has been party to the secret for months and not a hint of it has leaked out. But only days after I tell you, it is common knowledge.’

‘However that may be, it is not my doing, and not my groom’s either. He knows better than to talk out of turn.’

‘I do not believe you.’ Her lip curled. ‘Pray leave me, Lord Markham. I have no wish for your company this evening.’

Susannah turned away and this time he made no attempt to prevent her. She made her way back through the crowd to her aunt’s side, prepared to explain the angry flush on her cheek, but Aunt Maude merely gave her a distracted smile.

‘Mr Barnabus has gone, Susannah, but he said to remind you that you promised to dance with him later. Oh dear, I have received the cut direct from at least two ladies, and Mrs Sanstead says I should persuade you to distance yourself from Florence House if you are not to be ostracised by Bath society.’

‘Really? How dare these small-minded matrons think they can dictate to me!’

‘Now, Susannah, pray be careful,’ Aunt Maude begged her. ‘Do not let your temper carry you away. We need the good offices of these ladies. How else are we to fund Florence House for the rest of this year?’

‘I neither know nor care,’ Susanna ground out furiously.

‘Perhaps we should close the house, until we have more funds.’

Aunt Maude’s tentative suggestion brought Susannah’s outraged eyes upon her, but after a moment her fury died down.

‘No, I will not do that, unless there is no other way.’ She looked around. ‘I expected to see Kate here.’

Mrs Wilby tutted.

‘Oh, my dear, it completely slipped my mind. She sent a note to say she was going out of town for a few days.’

‘That is a pity, I would have liked her support tonight. Never mind.’ Susannah put on a brave smile. ‘We shall stand our ground, Aunt. One or two may turn away from us, but our true friends will stand by us, and I hope once the gossip has died down we shall recover.’ She smiled mischievously. ‘Besides, I cannot leave yet. Odesse assured me this latest gown she has created for me will look its best when I am dancing.’

* * *

There was no lack of partners for Susannah, but the numbers soliciting her to dance were sadly diminished, and the high-nosed stares she received from a group of matrons standing with Mrs Farthing suggested that many of them were shocked to learn of her involvement with Florence House. Keeping her head high, Susannah smiled and laughed with her dance partners, but by the time she rejoined her aunt after a series of lively country dances her cheeks ached with the effort.

‘Heavens, I never thought dancing could be such a chore,’ she muttered, following Aunt Maude to a space where they might not be overheard, but when asked if she wanted to go home, she quickly disclaimed, ‘I beg your pardon, Aunt, I should not be complaining. There are still many here who do not care a fig for my association with Florence House.’

‘Yes, my love, but they are not the high sticklers who can make a difference to our long-term plans. If the cream of Bath society should turn against you, then your patronage of Odesse could count against her—’ Aunt Maude broke off and gazed past Susannah, a wary look in her eye.

‘Miss Prentess, would you do me the honour of standing up with me for the next dance?’

Jasper’s cool voice brought the angry flush back to Susannah’s cheeks. Had he not understood what she had said to him? Without turning, she said coldly, ‘No, my lord, I will not.’

Aunt Maude gasped in horror, but Susannah merely hunched one white shoulder. Instead of moving off, the viscount stepped closer. She was aware of his presence, the heat of his body at her back. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he spoke quietly in her ear.

‘Think carefully about this, madam. Your credit in Bath is sadly diminished. Can you afford not to dance with me?’

She bit her lip. He was right. It did not take Aunt Maude’s beseeching stare to tell her so. Slowly she turned around. He smiled and held out his arm, but the steely glint in his eye told her he was not in the mood to be refused. Reluctantly she placed her fingers on his sleeve.

‘That is better. Let us see what we can do to repair the damage.’

‘I am doing this under sufferance,’ she muttered as he led her on to the floor. ‘I have not forgiven you.’

‘Since I am not at fault there is nothing to forgive,’ he retorted. They took their places facing one another, more duellists than dancers. He bowed to her as the music started, and as they passed in the dance he continued, ‘Do you know, you are the most stubborn female I have ever met.’

‘It must be a novel experience for you, my lord, to find a woman who will not toady and flatter you.’ She bit the words off quickly as they circled about the other dancers. Angry as she was, Susannah did not wish anyone else to hear their argument. When Jasper took her hand again he carried on the conversation.

‘Not at all—’ they separated, circled, returned ‘—there are many such, but few who would be as ungrateful as you.’

Susannah’s eyes flashed, but she was obliged to hold back her retort until they were once again holding hands.

‘Oh, so I should be obliged to you, should I, because you deign to stand up with me?’

‘No, you tiresome wench, because I am trying my utmost to prevent you from becoming a pariah. My attendance upon you may persuade those ladies whose support you need to think better of you.’ His lips curved upwards as he watched her struggle. He reached out and took her hand as the last notes of the music died away. ‘You know I am right,’ he murmured as he bowed over her fingers. ‘I can make you or break you tonight.’ He straightened and bestowed on her his most charming smile. ‘Well, Miss Prentess, what is it to be? Shall we stay for the cotillion?’

The fact that he was right did nothing for Susannah’s temper. In any other circumstances she would have swept off and left him standing alone on the dance floor, but she was well aware that such an action would only increase the disapprobation already surrounding her. She cared nothing for her own standing in Bath, but at present Florence House could not survive without the extra revenue she could provide. In the future she hoped there would be sufficient money from Odesse and the lace-makers to help maintain the house, but

this was a critical time. She needed the viscount’s support.

With enormous effort she forced herself to smile at him, saying through her clenched teeth, ‘With the greatest of pleasure, Lord Markham.’

* * *

‘Well, that passed off exceeding well,’ declared Mrs Wilby as she waited for Susannah to extricate herself from her chair in the hallway of Royal Crescent. ‘Lord Markham’s timely intervention had a profound effect on everyone. Even before you had finished the cotillion Lady Horsham and Mrs Bray-Tillotson came up to speak to me, and I have received no more than a nod from either of them before.’ She took Susannah’s arm and led her into the morning room on the ground floor, where candles burned and the fire had been built up for their return. ‘And then to join Mr Barnabus in escorting us to supper. Why, even Mrs Farthing and her cronies could not quite snub us after that!’