The Secrets of Armstrong House Read online

  “Any more?” Charles looked bewildered.

  “Yes, you already owe me a huge sum from all your card losses. I’ve been covering you for months.”

  “Yes, I know, but –”

  “Those wagers I covered for you were only loans – you knew that?”

  “Yes, but –”

  “Tom Hamley has kept an account of everything you lost and everything that’s owed to me from you.”

  “By you,” Charles corrected his grammar.

  “Money owed to me by you, in that case. You can check with Hamley – it comes to thousands.”

  “And you waited until now when I come to you with money worries to throw this at me?” Charles felt himself become angry.

  “Now’s as good a time as ever. More so, when you’ve just told me you have no money left to pay me back.”

  “I think I’ll be going,” said Charles, standing up.

  “Sit down!” commanded Hugh.

  Charles looked at Hugh’s glaring eyes and slowly sat down again.

  “I’m calling in my wager now. I want my money back, every last penny,” said Hugh.

  “I’ve just told you I’m not in funds at the moment.”

  “And won’t be for a long time, considering your father is in excellent health.”

  Charles sat forward. “Yes, you covered my wagers, but what have I done for you? You were nobody or nothing when I met you. No family would have you in their house. A card game at Tom Hamley’s was all you could manage to be invited to and that was only because they all wanted your money.”

  “Including you! I’m not saying you didn’t put the key in the door for me, but I opened the door, or rather my money did. Are you sure you don’t want that drink?”

  “I don’t want anything from you, considering you keep a record of everything owed!”

  Hugh sat back and crossed his legs. “I’m not saying we can’t come to some arrangement.”

  “What kind of an arrangement?” said Charles coldly.

  “Emily.”

  “Emily?” Charles nearly shouted.

  “I’m very fond of her.”

  “So?”

  “So . . . I want to marry her.”

  Through his anger Charles managed to laugh. “You’re insane! Marry Emily! She wouldn’t even look at you.”

  “I think you’re wrong. I think she’s taken with me.”

  Charles sat forward and snapped. “You’re deluded!”

  Anger flashed through Hugh’s eyes. “That’s the last time you ever look down on me! I’ve had enough of you telling me I need to speak properly, eat properly, walk properly – you pass judgement on me and you can’t even pay your bills!”

  “It’s quite out of the question. Put any thoughts you are entertaining of marrying my sister out of your head. My sister is a lady. She’s one of the most well-connected young women around and you are nothing, I’m afraid.”

  “I’m a millionaire.”

  “Good for you, but that doesn’t really cut it with families like mine. I suggest you go back to that disgusting place you brought me to and find a wife to suit your sort there.”

  “In that case, you pay me back all the money you owe me by the end of the week. If not the bailiffs will be knocking at your door. And not just the bailiffs, but I know some persuasive people from that disgusting place, as you call it, where I’m from and where I have many contacts. You don’t want these people coming and finding you or your lovely wife and children, I can guarantee you.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “I’m warning you.”

  Charles softened his voice. “Hugh . . . what you’re saying can never happen. You and Emily have nothing in common. My parents would never allow it.”

  “For your sake it had better happen. I want you to smooth over this with Emily and your family. I want you to get Emily to marry me and for your family to accept it.”

  “You’re asking the impossible and I refuse to do it.”

  “Then you’d better have all that money ready for me by Friday.”

  Charles was shaken after his meetings with Fitzroy and the bank manager. He had been pushed into the tightest corner of his life and was now facing ruin. He couldn’t sleep that night so he sat in the study thinking. He knew Hugh was not a man to joke around. He was owed considerable money and Charles didn’t even want to think how he would react if he didn’t get it. By the time the sun started to rise, he knew he had no option.

  chapter 39

  Charles and Emily rode their horses through Hyde Park together.

  “It’s near summer’s end,” said Charles.

  “I know!” said Emily, disheartened.

  “You’ll soon be returning to Armstrong House.”

  “I don’t want to think about it. I suppose I can come back next summer and do the season again,” she said hopefully.

  “Mama will never allow that – she’ll have heard back from everybody that you made no effort to meet a husband this summer.”

  Emily sighed heavily. “I suppose not.”

  “So – what are you going to do now?”

  “What can I do? I’ve no money of my own. I’ll have to remain at Armstrong House and . . .”

  “Look after Mama and Papa into their old age, the spinster daughter.”

  “Don’t, Charles! The thought of it depresses me too much.”

  Charles chose his words carefully. “There are always options, Emily.”

  “Not for me. Only two. Marry one of those awful boring men or remain a spinster.”

  “Was . . . Hugh one of those awful boring men?”

  “No, Hugh is different. I enjoyed being around him. He’s exciting.”

  “He wants to marry you, Emily,” Charles said directly.

  “What?” Emily turned to him, stunned.

  “Oh, come on, Emily, you’re not that naïve, surely? All the attention he paid you, presents he sent. Making sure he was at every dance you were at. What did you think that was all about?”

  “I – I knew he liked me and, yes, I suppose I knew he was interested in me. But I never thought he would actually want to marry me. I just thought he was, I don’t know . . . but, Charles, he’s not one of us.”

  “I know.”

  “Then I suppose I thought he would never contemplate a marriage with me, because he would never dream of marrying so much above his station.”

  “Why not? He’s worked hard for what he has and he believes social barriers shouldn’t get in the way of what he wants – including you.”

  Emily rode along in stunned silence for a long while.

  “Well?” Charles asked eventually.

  “I don’t know, Charles. I never contemplated marrying anyone. But . . . would I not be some kind of social outcast marrying a man like that?”

  “Nobody will ostracise you with his money. Anyway, I didn’t think you cared about what people think?”

  “I don’t! But there would be so much opposition. Mama and Papa would never allow it.”

  “How could they stop it?”

  “What do you think, Charles?”

  “I think . . . I think you could have a wonderful life with someone like Hugh. You could travel to all the places you want to. You could go anywhere in the world and stay in the best places. Anything you want, you could have. It’s either that or returning to Armstrong House and doing nothing for the rest of your life but being the pitied unmarried younger daughter.”

  Emily felt she was standing on the edge of a cliff, hearing this news. That she could so dramatically change her life forever.

  “And he wouldn’t have the expectations from you that marrying one of the sons of the aristocracy would have. You wouldn’t have to host endless dinner parties, make small talk to people you don’t like, and have child after child. Marrying Hugh would make you free . . . isn’t that what you’ve always wanted, Emily?”

  “Out of the question!” Arabella shrieked.

  “It’s nothing to do wi
th you!” retorted Emily.

  “It’s everything to do with me,” said Arabella.

  They were in the drawing room at Hanover Terrace after Emily and Charles had just broken the news.

  “Emily, you have no idea what you’re doing. You’ll ruin your life if you marry that man!”

  “It’s my life to ruin, nobody else’s,” said Emily. “Beside, I’ve said yes to him now, so it’s too late.”

  “Of course it’s not!”

  “I, unlike you, Arabella, do not break my promises. When I tell somebody I’m going to marry them, I’m not lying to him. Besides, Charles supports my decision.”

  “Of course he doesn’t, how could he?” Arabella turned to look at Charles. “Charles?”

  Charles shifted uncomfortably. “Well, it’s as Emily says – it’s her choice who she marries.”

  Arabella stared at Charles, uncomprehendingly.

  “See,” said Emily standing up. “Now, I’m far too busy to be sitting around discussing something that’s already been decided.”

  “And who is going to break this news to your parents?” demanded Arabella.

  “I will,” said Emily, heading towards the door.

  “They’ll never permit it!” Arabella shouted after her.

  Arabella lay on the bed in a long ivory silk nightdress. She surveyed Charles who was beginning to undress.

  “Tell me, Charles, what’s in all this for you?” she said, looking at him coldly.

  “For me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I know you too well, Charles. There’s no way you’d permit this wedding unless there’s something in it for you.”

  He glared at her angrily. “You’d want to watch what you say.”

  She started laughing. “You’ve sunk to a new low. That you’d betray your sister in this way, for whatever financial gain is in it for you –”

  “That’s a fucking lie!”

  “I suppose it’s not that surprising. I mean, you tricked your brother out of marriage with me, so it shouldn’t be that difficult to trick your sister into a marriage with Fitzroy.”

  “I tricked nobody out or in to anything. You couldn’t keep out of my bed, from what I remember.”

  “Charles, I’m begging you to stop Emily going through with this. If she means anything to you, do not allow her to marry Fitzroy.”

  “As if Emily would listen to me!”

  “You’re the only person she will listen to!” Arabella’s voice rose to a shout. “She’s doing this out of defiance to her parents and to her family. And you have to stop her!”

  “As she said, it’s nothing to do with you, so keep fucking out of it!” His face was contorted as he roared.

  The door of the bedroom opened and Prudence walked in.

  “Mama, Papa,” she said, rubbing her eyes.

  Arabella gave Charles a filthy look and then went quickly to Prudence and picked her up.

  “Sorry, darling,” she soothed. “Did we wake you up?”

  Prudence nodded.

  Isabelle came rushing in. “Mademoiselle Prudence! I’m so sorry, my lady – she slipped out of the nursery without waking me!” Isabelle took the child from Arabella and quickly went back to the nursery.

  Arabella turned to Charles. “I’ll sleep with the children in the nursery tonight.”

  “Good. I hope you’ll be comfortable there!” Charles said as she left.

  Charles pulled off his shirt and flung it across the room. Damn Fitzroy and his blackmail. He had no choice but to go through with the plan.

  chapter 40

  Margaret went marching into the library at Armstrong House holding a letter.

  “A letter from Gwyneth,” she announced.

  “How is the new baby?” asked Lawrence smiling.

  “Fine, fine. More importantly she writes that Emily has got engaged!”

  Lawrence sat back, bowled over. “I hardly believe it! To whom?”

  “Well, that’s just the point. To somebody we’ve never heard of before – a Hugh Fitzroy.”

  “Who?”

  “Exactly! Gwyneth writes that he’s a friend of Charles, very rich. But . . .”

  “But what?”

  “I know my Gwyneth and she’s not saying much about him. That’s a bad sign, Lawrence. She’s not enthusing about his virtues. She just says we should meet him as soon as possible.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  “She was introduced to at least two hundred young men that we knew or who were recommended by our friends whose families we know and trust – how did she end up with this Hugh Fitzroy?” Margaret’s face clouded with concern.

  A flurry of correspondences scurried between Armstrong House and London following on this. Margaret inquired from all her friends what they knew of Hugh Fitzroy and a sketchy and unflattering image was created.

  September 18th

  Dear Lady Margaret,

  Congratulations on Emily’s engagement to Mr Fitzroy. I have to say we were all surprised to hear the news! You asked me in your letter what I know of Mr Fitzroy.

  I’m afraid the answer is: not very much. He arrived on the scene in London some time ago and he has certainly made an impression, but, alas, not the best impression.

  Although generous to a fault, he seems to think he can use his money to gain acceptance and influence in circles that he was obviously not born to. Although polite, his manners are somewhat primitive. I know Emily was always an independently minded girl, but this borders on being revolutionary-minded! I don’t mean to concern you, but you did ask me to write candidly. All I can say is that if it was a daughter of mine, I would want to meet this man at the earliest opportunity. It’s such a pity that the Duchess of Battington was so housebound during her pregnancy and not able to chaperone her sister adequately. The Armstrong family is such a respected family with such excellent breeding, it is a concern for all that you will be infiltrated by that man. I urge you to meet Mr Fitzroy at your earliest convenience in order to make up your own minds.

  I remain your friend,

  Lady Hollander

  Margaret crumpled the letter in her hands as she screamed at the top of her voice, “Lawrence!”

  Charles, Arabella and Emily were summoned to Armstrong House immediately and an invitation to Hugh Fitzroy extended.

  On the day they were all due to arrive Margaret was in a state of near panic as letter after letter had arrived from friends who knew of Hugh and voiced their concerns to the Armstrongs.

  “Now remember, Margaret, do not say anything negative about the wedding until after we’ve met Fitzroy,” warned Lawrence. “If Emily sees we are against the match as soon as we meet her, she’ll say we had already made up our minds about him before meeting him.”

  “I will try to keep my mouth shut,” agreed Margaret.

  Arabella sat with Charles and Emily in the carriage that had been sent to bring them from the station at Castlewest to the house. She was filled with dread. Hugh was due to arrive later that evening and she could only imagine Margaret and Lawrence’s reaction to him. Charles and Emily seemed immune to the coming storm as they chatted and joked away beside her. She wished she could have their sense of lightness to life. But as the carriage circled around the lake and Armstrong House came into view, she realised she had always a sense of dread when she came to this place and she couldn’t wait to return to London as soon as possible, to her life and her children who had been left in the care of Gwyneth there.

  Emily raced into the drawing room and kissed her parents.

  “Mama! How are you feeling now?” asked Emily.

  “The doctor said I’m well on the road to recovery,” Margaret assured her.

  She viewed Charles and Arabella coldly as they came into the room.

  “Charles . . . Arabella,” she greeted them, then briefly kissed them both.

  Lawrence tugged the bell pull and ordered tea and sandwiches when the butler came.

  “How are little P
rudence and Pierce?” asked Lawrence.

  “Oh, just fine. Prudence is way ahead of her years. She’s into everything!” said Charles. “I’ve never seen a child like her.”

  “And Pierce?” asked Margaret.

  “Pierce is an adorable child,” said Arabella. “No trouble at all. He is literally mobbed by mothers besotted with him when I take him walking in Regent’s Park.”

  “I sometimes wish their roles were reversed,” laughed Charles. “It should be Pierce who’s into everything and Prudence admired.”

  “Well, we can’t help how our children turn out,” said Margaret, not leaving the bitterness out of her voice as she looked at Emily.

  “What time is Mr Fitzroy due to arrive?” asked Lawrence.

  “Hugh should arrive at Armstrong House this evening. He’s very much looking forward to meeting you all,” said Emily happily.

  “As we are him,” said Margaret.

  “We’re talking about going to South America for our honeymoon!”

  “Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” warned Margaret.

  That evening as the carriage pulled up in the forecourt in front of Armstrong House, Hugh stepped out and looked up at the regal building in awe.

  The front door opened and the butler and footman came down to take his luggage.

  “Lord and Lady Armstrong are waiting for you in the drawing room,” said the butler as Hugh entered the hall and marvelled at all the portraits of the Armstrong ancestors on the walls.

  When Hugh was shown into the drawing room, Lawrence and Margaret made their minds up about him in ten seconds flat. This was a man who could never be allowed to marry their daughter.

  “Mr Fitzroy, how nice of you to visit,” said Margaret, rising from her chair and extending her hand for him to shake.

  “I’m pleased to meet you,” said Hugh.

  “How do you do?” said Lawrence formally as he shook his hand.

  Emily rushed to him and gave him a hug.

  “Emily!” snapped Margaret. “Remember yourself!”

  “You see, I told you how stuffy they were! It’s all protocol and manners around here,” said Emily, laughing as she sat down again.