Page 50 of The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere
Lady Archer was quiet for a moment, then she crossed the room and took the chair opposite Benedict’s. “I might. What would youlike to know?”
Benedict blew out a breath, relief rushing over him. Lady Archer would have been well within her rights to toss him out onto St. James Street for his impertinence. “That house party—the one hosted by Lord Draven’s father. The trouble seems to havestarted there.”
“Yes, I believe that’s right. Unfortunately, I didn’t attend that party, my lord, so anything I tell you about it is merely what I’ve heard secondhand.”
“I’d be grateful to hear it, just the same.” Lady Archer might know something without realizing she did.
“Very well. The duchess—well, she was Lady Jane then—attended the previous Lord Draven’s house party, and the current Lord Draven was said to have fallen madly in love with her then. More than one gentleman sighed after Lady Jane, but I don’t need to tell youthat, my lord.”
It was on the tip of Benedict’s tongue to ask about Clara Beauchamp, but he decided against it. Miss Beauchamp was never introduced in society, and she wasn’tton, or even aristocracy. Hence, no one in London seemed to know a thing about her.
“Alas for poor Lord Draven, the Duke of Kenilworth also attended that house party. He and Lord Draven were good friends, you know. But Kenilworth fell in love with Lady Jane as well, and she with him, if the gossips have the right of it. It was a tragic love triangle, I’m afraid.”
A love triangle, of all absurd things. Benedict would have said Jane was far too sensible to involve herself in such nonsense, but what insight did a brother have into the secret depths of hissister’s heart?
None, and nor did she wish him to. If nothing else, Jane had made that clear to himthis afternoon.
“You likely know the rest of it, Lord Haslemere. Lord Draven, Kenilworth, and Lady Jane met in London after that doomed house party. Lady Jane came out that season, and Kenilworth immediately began courting her. Well, Lord Draven never really had a chance, did he? Kenilworth inherited an enormous fortune, as you know, and he didn’t hesitate to spend it. He purchased the Grosvenor Street house the previous winter, and every belle in London that season was wild to become mistress of it. By the end of it, Lady Jane was the Duchess of Kenilworth. Poor Draven was out, and has spent the past six years trying to get back in.”
“And now, according to the gossips, he’s succeeded.”
Lady Archer shrugged. “Some think so, yes, but no one really knows the truth. Unfortunately for Lady Jane, it’s far more exciting to believe she’s succumbed to a years’ long passion for Lord Draven than otherwise. Fidelity to one’s husband is, alas, adull business.”
Every fool in London might believe what they liked. Benedict didn’t give a damn. All that mattered was what the Duke of Kenilworth believed. If he thought he had reason to doubt his duchess, wasn’t it possible he’d taken his wrath outon Lord Draven?
Benedict rose to his feet and began to pace the small room. “Yet for all those rumors of a rekindled love affair between Lord Draven and Jane, no one seems to think the Duke of Kenilworth had a hand in Lord Draven’s…mishap, though it seems far more likely a husband would be driven to violence over it than abrother would.”
“I beg your pardon, Lord Haslemere, but it isnotthe case that everyone in London believes the Duke of Kenilworth is innocent of the attack on Lord Draven.”
Benedict froze mid-step and turned a sharp look on Lady Archer. “Is that so?”
“It is, indeed.”
He marched back across the room and resumed his seat. “Do you mean to say, Lady Archer, thatyoudon’t believe it?”
Lady Archer eyed him for a long moment, an expression Benedict couldn’t read on her face. She looked…wary.Fearful, even.
“I understand Lord Draven and the Duke of Kenilworth were great friends.” Benedict paused, but Lady Archer remained silent. “Perhaps the friendship between them is such that the duke wouldnever suspect—”
“Therewasa friendship between them, Lord Haslemere. It ended years ago at that house party, presumably because of the rivalry over Lady Jane. The friendship between the duke and Lord Draven cooled after that.”
Benedict leaned forward, his gaze rivetted on Lady Archer. “Just how cooldid it become?”
“Cool enough that by the time Kenilworth and Lord Draven returned to London for the season, they couldn’t stand the sightof each other.”
“My God.” Rivalry for a lady’s affections did tend to sour a friendship, but this was the first Benedict had heard about such deep animosity between Draven and Kenilworth. “How is it possible there was no gossip in London about their falling out?”
“There was some gossip, but thetonnever became aware of the, ah…extent of their disagreement. I only know of it because Lord Draven and I became…friends of a sort when he came to London that year.” Lady Archer shook her head. “He was in a dreadful state. I’ve never seen a man more devastated. It’s fortunate his father intervened and sent him away to the Continent. I don’t exaggerate, Lord Haslemere, when I say I believe it saved his life.”
Benedict nodded. Lady Wylde had told himthe same thing.
Lady Archer hesitated, then murmured, “Lord Draven’s and Kenilworth’s falling out was far worse than anyone realizes, Lord Haslemere. After the house party was over and they returned to London for the season, they, ah…theyfought a duel.”
“Aduel? Was it…were theyfighting over—”
“Lady Jane?” Lady Archer gave him a pitying look. “Lord Draven never said, but I imagine it must have been.”
Benedict was hardly able to believe what he was hearing. No one had ever whispered even a breath about a duel before. This thing grew worse with every word out of Lady Archer’s mouth.
