table in the dining room with its crisp white linen cloth was covered with dishes laden with a wide variety of appetizing foods. Two footmen hovered to help guests make their selection and fill their plates. Others carried large trays of filled glasses from room to room.
Lady Potford was, as she had told Joshua and Freyja numerous times and the Duke of Bewcastle once during her morning stroll with him in the Pump Room, more than delighted by the happy turn of events.
'I was dreadfully afraid,' she had told Joshua, 'that you would drift on as you have drifted for the past several years, tasting the ephemeral pleasures of life without realizing that there is an even greater pleasure to be had from fulfilling one's appointed role in life and from forming one's own family. You will go back to Penhallow after marrying Lady Freyja and set up your nursery there and see to the administration of your estate and the well-being of your people. She is just the bride for you, Joshua. I am very happy.'
'I have an able steward, Grandmama,' he had pointed out to her, 'and I keep in constant communication with him.' Jim Saunders was, in fact, the one person who always knew where he was. 'Lady Freyja may prefer to live in London-or she may not,' he conceded.
All the guests appeared happy too. It was not often that there was an event of such a dazzling nature to celebrate in Bath-and involving two such illustrious persons as a marquess and a duke's daughter. There was a great deal of merry conversation and laughter in every room.
The Marchioness of Hallmere, clad regally in a black satin gown with tall black hair plumes, appeared as happy as anyone. She smiled with sentimental joy at anyone who greeted her and occasionally dabbed at a happy tear with her black-bordered handkerchief. She kissed the air close to Freyja's cheek and took Joshua's face between her two hands before kissing him tenderly and assuring him and everyone else within earshot that his dear departed uncle would be proud of him tonight.
And then she sought out the Duke of Bewcastle in the drawing room.
'I am gratified and relieved that you saw fit to come to Bath at such short notice, your grace,' she said, presenting him with her hand.
He took it and bowed over it, though he did not carry it to his lips.
'Ma'am,' he said.
'Lady Freyja has taken Bath society by storm,' she said. 'She is such a sweet young lady.'
His grace inclined his head in acknowledgment of the strange compliment, his silver eyes flat and quite unreadable.
'One can only hope,' she said, 'that she will be as happy as she deserves to be.'
'Indeed, ma'am,' he agreed with chilling hauteur.
'And one can only hope,' she said, dabbing delicately at one eye with her handkerchief, 'that Joshua did not rush into this betrothal simply for a lark.'
The ducal eyebrows arched slightly, but he did not ask the question she clearly expected him to ask in the pause that succeeded her words.
'He is the dearest boy,' she said with a deep sigh. 'It was always impossible not to love him despite all his mischief. He was devoted to his cousins, especially Constance, my eldest girl, to whom you were presented in the Pump Room this morning.'
The duke inclined his head again.
'But he acquired what the late Hallmere referred to as cold feet when he was on the verge of offering for her five years ago,' she said, 'and ran away to amuse himself on the Continent, though why he would go there when there was a war on I cannot imagine. It became clear to me after my dear husband's passing that he was still too embarrassed and ashamed to come home, and so I came here. It was soon obvious that the attachment between Joshua and Constance was still very much alive, but foolishly-parents can be very foolish, your grace, when they wish for nothing more than the happiness of their children-foolishly I pressed the match on them instead of allowing the courtship to take its natural course. It was my dearest wish that their betrothal be announced during last week's ball in the Upper Rooms, and I was under the distinct impression that it was Joshua's dearest wish too. But then he dashed off to waltz with Lady Freyja, that mischievous, reckless look in his eye that I recognize so well, and at the end of the set he had Mr. King announce his betrothal to her.'
The Duke of Bewcastle had grasped the handle of his quizzing glass and raised it halfway to his eye.
The marchioness tittered and then let the happy expression fade. She looked fragile and wan.
'I fear,' she said, 'that my nephew has taken advantage of a fine lady who has perhaps reached the age at which-I am sure you will pardon me for such plain speaking, your grace-she is so eager for a marriage proposal that she is unable to distinguish between a serious offer and one that was made merely for his own convenience until he can disappear on one of his wild escapades again.'
For a moment the marchioness found herself undergoing the disconcerting experience of being regarded through the lens of the duke's quizzing glass. But he soon let the glass fall on its ribbon.
'I must congratulate you, ma'am,' he said coldly, 'on your narrow escape.'
'My . . . ?' Clearly she did not know what he was talking about. She took refuge behind her handkerchief and then smiled bravely and sweetly at a guest who greeted her as he passed.
'It would have been painful to you, ma'am,' he said, 'to see Hallmere married to your daughter when you suspect that he was somehow responsible for your son's death.'
She stared at him. 'Oh, I do beg your pardon,' she said, her eyes widening in shock. 'Is that the impression I gave in the letter I felt bound to write you, your grace? It was an accident. Joshua was with Albert before it happened. He was the last person to see him alive. There was never any question, though, that he caused the accident or even witnessed it.'
'Ah,' his grace said. 'But there would still be the painful knowledge that the man who married your daughter had also fathered a child on her governess.'
'Oh, not Constance's governess,' she said. 'Constance was already out of the schoolroom. Miss Jewell was governess to my other daughters, your grace. It was an unfortunate incident.' She simpered and looked archly at him. 'But young men will be young men, as I am sure I need not tell you, your grace. You have several younger
