Read Tea and Scandal for Free Online

death. The doctor signed the death certificate with no trouble. Would you like to see it? ”
    Fenwick listened, and found himself believing the story. “ Of course not, ” he said, embarrassed.
    Lady Pargeter was pretty, in a fulsome sort of way. She was genteel, if outspoken; Pargeter was accustomed to her. She would have provided familiar company to an elderly gentleman who was set in his ways. Pargeter ’ s life and his fortune were his own, to do with as he wished. He would care nothing if his marriage caused a scandal in the neighborhood. It was only his untimely death that created the mischief. In short, Fenwick felt a perfect fool, and like a proper gentleman, he apologized.
    “ I am glad you came, ” Lady Pargeter said. “ Naturally I would like to see my position in the neighborhood established on a normal footing. If Lady Sykes would care to call, she would be welcome. ”
    “ I shall give her the message. May I call again as well, Lady Pargeter? ”
    “ I would be happy to receive you again. ”
    He turned his attention to the window, where Scawen was pointing toward the lake, no doubt be-thumping Miss Lonsdale with some swan lore.
    “ Minerva was so jealous she pecked at Dorothy till she had driven the poor pen away. As bad as Phoebe, ” Swann said.
    Miss Lonsdale assumed Phoebe was another swan, and commiserated with him. “ They sound very ill natured, to be sure, and they look so gentle and lovely, ” she said.
    “ Aye, they are trouble from beak to tail. They remind me of you, Miss Lonsdale. ” Jane looked at him in astonishment. Fenwick ’ s lips quirked in amusement. “ Really they are dashed pretty with those great long necks, like yours. They float along so gracefully, until they hit dry land, where they put a duck to shame for waddling. ”
    “ Thank you, ” Jane said, choking back a laugh. She had been speaking to Swann long enough to know there was no vice in him. He was trying to be complimentary.
    Fenwick rose to take his leave. Glancing toward the grate, Jane saw he was gazing at her with suppressed laughter lighting his eyes. When their eyes met, he smiled in a conspiratorial way, as if sympathizing with her. The last trace of the proud lord had vanished from him. She felt an answering smile move her lips. A small warmth grew in her. Her past life had given few opportunities to meet gentlemen. She had never met anyone remotely like Lord Fenwick.
    “ It is time we should be leaving, Scawen, ” Fenwick said.
    “ I shall call for you tomorrow at ten, Miss Lonsdale, ” Swann said. “ I look forward to it. ”
    “ Delightful, Miss Lonsdale, ” Fenwick said, shaking her hand and gazing directly into her eyes.
    Jane was expecting a bow. Caught off guard, she didn’t return the pressure, or the compliment, but just looked at him as if he were a riddle. She noticed how long his eyelashes were. His eyes were not really such a steely gray at close range. More like opals, with glinting flashes of light lurking in their depths.
    “ And Lady Pargeter, ” he added, turning to her aunt.
    The gentlemen left, and the ladies poured themselves another cup of tea to discuss the visit.
     

Chapter Five
     
    “ What do you make of that? ” Lady Pargeter asked. It was a rhetorical question. She proceeded at once to tell Jane what the visit was all about. “ A fishing expedition. They came to see what they could discover. They hoped to get a look at the will in Pargeter ’ s desk. What other reason could they have for wanting to go upstairs? ”
    “ Fenwick was looking all around in an odiously curious way. He even peered under the bed. ”
    “ Did he indeed? He ’ d find nothing but dust. ”
    “ He might discover worse if he asks questions about me in Bath. ”
    “ That is the least of my concerns. ”
    Jane looked alarmed. “ Is there something you haven ’ t told me about your marriage, Auntie? ”
    “ No, no. The marriage is fine. ”
    “ Is there some secret about the will?