“That is unfortunate.” Her sister, who was the same height, pulled a face. “Did you get any other shopping accomplished?”
“Yes, Dorie came with me, and we went to Hatchards, then to the bazaar for stockings and other things. Madame will send over swatches of cloth to the shoemaker. I asked her to pick the colors for my gowns. It will be nice to be surprised. I’ll purchase new bonnets later.” Henrietta rose. Merton had moved behind her sister, placing his palms on her shoulders. Clearly, her sister and brother-in-law wished to spend time together.
The longing she had begun to feel rose within her. Someday, she would have a husband. Perhaps before this Season was finished.
* * *
After Fotherby closed the door on his retreat, Catherine, Viscountess Fotherby, glanced at her dresser of many years. “I believe we have a problem.”
The dresser nodded sagely. “What are you going to do about it?”
“Write a letter to the duchess.” Catherine went to her desk and pulled out a piece of pressed paper. “This must go by messenger. If she is not at her estate, he will have to find her.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Two days later, she received a missive asking her to visit the Dowager Duchess of Bristol, grandmother of the Marchioness of Merton and Miss Stern, at the duchess’s suite in the Pulteney Hotel. Catherine and her old friend had exchanged correspondence for years. After the “incident,” their exchange of letters had increased, with the duchess making a point of asking about Fotherby’s progress. And Catherine was extremely glad she had. Not that she in any way thought the duchess was prescient enough to foresee this complication. Yet the lady her son had described sounded too much like Henrietta Stern for Catherine to be sanguine. Fotherby had acted horrendously toward Lady Merton before her marriage, and Catherine had to discover whether the Mertons were ready to forgive him. If not, and the lady was Miss Stern—which was not as yet certain—Fotherby had a long, hard road to travel if he wished to gain the lady’s affections. And that was if Miss Stern would have anything to do with him. Would he then return to the country? He was nearing thirty and must think about an heir. Which meant he had to marry.
Catherine, as always, dressed with care. There was never any point in putting others off because of one’s appearance, and took the town coach to the Pulteney, where the duchess’s butler announced her.
She entered, holding out her hands. “Duchess, I am so glad you are in Town.”
“Catherine.” The older woman took her hands and bussed her cheek. “I did not come last Season because I was certain Henrietta would take.” The duchess frowned. “Well, she did, but she liked none of them enough to wed. Not that any of us are in a rush, but one must admit that the longer one waits, the harder it is.”
Catherine removed her gloves and handed them to the butler. “Yes, well, we might have a small problem in that regard.”
The duchess drew her into a well-appointed parlor that, as always, was decorated with the duchess’s own possessions, including paintings on the walls. Her friend led her to a sofa covered in a silvery-blue velvet. “Please, let us be comfortable and have a cup of tea. I always find tea helps smooth over difficulties of all sorts.”
Once the tea tray arrived and the duchess poured them both cups, she asked, “You mentioned a possible problem in your letter. What is it?”
Catherine took a breath and hoped that her dear friend would think as she did. “You remember, probably all too well, what Fotherby did to your granddaughter, and my promise to keep him in the country until he matured.”
“Yes.” Her friend nodded. “I understand from your letters over the years that he has changed a great deal.”
“Indeed he has.” In fact, he was now a son of whom she was proud. She felt her lips forming a small smile. “I have never seen a more dramatic transformation. The only reason he came to Town, and decided to stay for the Season since he was here, is that neighbors, a gentleman farmer and his wife, lost their son before his marriage. The girl was made to leave her home. We could only imagine she was with child. He hired a runner and refused to allow the Odells to pay the whole of the fee. Then, when she was found, he brought them to Town to fetch her.” Catherine took a sip of tea. “And that is when I believe he met your granddaughter Henrietta. Naturally, he did not introduce himself, nor did she introduce herself. But his description was striking, and they met in Whitechapel, where she was rescuing a child. He thinks she works for a charity.”
“And that does not bother him?” the duchess asked in a curious tone.
“Not in any way.” Catherine wondered why she had not been more surprised. Before, he had always been concerned about bloodlines, dowries, and the advantages a wife might bring to the marriage. “All he knows is that she is a lady. He simply believes she must work for a living.”
Her friend’s black brows rose. “Well, this ought to be interesting.” The duchess set down her cup, rose, and brought over a decanter of claret from the sideboard. “I believe wine might be more helpful.” She poured two glasses and handed one to Catherine. “If he has changed that dramatically, I would not be surprised if Henrietta might be interested in him as well. Especially because she met him under such circumstances.”
Catherine’s thoughts exactly. “He is currently in the process of acquiring a new wardrobe from Weston. Thankfully, he has enough sense not to appear at his clubs or about Town looking like a country gentleman. He thinks Merton saw him, but did not recognize him.”
“This becomes more and more curious.” The duchess sipped her wine. “For some reason I cannot imagine your son taking his custom to a country tailor, nor going to Weston.”
She did not know if the duchess knew of her son’s fear of dogs but said, “He also has a dog. An Irish Wolfhound.”
As she hoped, her old friend laughed. “I must meet this new Fotherby. Although you understand that if my granddaughter Merton still holds his actions against him, I do not know how we will get them together. If indeed they did meet, and we are not worrying over nothing.” She took another drink of wine. “Although that I can discover. I shall invite Henrietta to visit me.”
Catherine had the urge to drink down the whole glass of wine at once. How had what was to have been an uncomplicated Season to find her son a wife become so fraught? “I cannot think it would be only Lady Merton who might have trouble forgiving him. Lord Merton was furious.”
“Yes, as well as Lord Worthington and Dorothea’s father and mother. If this situation is as we think it, I will have to involve them as well. We do not want them enacting some sort of ridiculous Cheltenham tragedy. Although I do believe that Henrietta is much too practical for that.”
“It could very well be that once she discovers what Fotherby did, Miss Stern will not want to have anything to do with him.”
“I would expect nothing else from her, but if he is the man you think he is, he will bring her around. Then the problem becomes her family.”
“This is not going to be easy.” Catherine took a large drink of wine.
“No, it will not. But none of the best results are.” The duchess saluted her with the wineglass. “This is what grandmothers and mothers are for. Is it not?”