A Wedding in Springtime(110)
“Shall I assume you are pleased with the weddings?” the dowager asked Lady Bremerton, smug as a kitten with warm milk.
“How did you ever? Well, I never… how did Madame X arrange all this?” Lady Bremerton pulled out a silk handkerchief and blotted herself.
“Madame X has her ways,” declared the dowager. “The best part of Genie’s wedding is that it has completely eclipsed any loose talk about your daughter’s marriage to Dr. Roberts.”
“Yes, oh yes. For that I am eternally grateful.”
“Madam X wanted you to know that if you are pleased, you may provide payment to my solicitor. He will know what to do with the funds.”
“Yes, yes of course. This has been…” Lady Bremerton took a large swig of something Pen suspected was stronger than Madeira. “I must lie down now. My daughter married to Sir Antony’s heir, my niece wed to Mr. Grant. My, my, my.”
“Can we truly exact payment from her when you know we had little to do with all that transpired?” whispered Penelope.
“Fate is a fickle business, Penelope,” the dowager replied in a conspiratorial tone. “One must accept the loss of her favor from time to time, just as one should always accept her gifts.”
“I suppose I shall be forced to concede you are right.”
The dowager linked arms with Pen. “Naturally, I am correct. How odd if you ever gave credence otherwise. Now please escort me to my room. I am tired and need to lie down. I also want to go over a letter I received asking for the assistance of Madame X for an American.”
“An American? But how could anyone in America know of Madame X?”
“Lady Bremerton is known far and wide for her gossip. If you thought she could keep something like a matchmaker for the ton a secret, you are very much confused.”
“So you wish to stay in business?”
“Business? Of course not. What a thing to say. No lady manages a business. But naturally, we will continue to support the calling of Madame X.” The dowager gave her a smile. “You did well tonight, orchestrating things.”
Penelope smiled in return. “Thought we pulled it off nicely. Genie is a sweet girl and deserves happiness. With your permission, I’ll invite the newlyweds to stay here for their honeymoon night. Grant’s family has been lovely but will not give them peace and I can’t think of sending her back to her aunt.”
“A good thought,” agreed the dowager. “Come along now, gel, and put an old woman to bed.”
***
“She married him in a big hurry,” whispered a lady to her companion.
“Makes you wonder what they had to hide,” said the Comtesse de Marseille with a knowing rise to her perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
“Indeed, why would anyone feel the need to marry with such haste?” asked another.
“Marry quickly?” asked Genie, walking up behind them and taking the gossips by surprise. “Well, if Mr. Grant proposed to you, wouldn’t you?”
The gossips were left speechless.
A well-dressed, large man began to laugh, louder and louder, until the hall turned to note the laughing man. “Yes indeed, Mrs. Grant. You have done well to marry as soon as one can. With Grant, one must seal the deal as soon as can be once he has been made to come up to scratch.”
“Your Highness.” Grant gave a bow. “May I present my wife.”
“Delighted! You are a welcome relief to my ennui. Grant, you must promise to bring her to Brighton. I hope I can rely on you to provide a diversion from these trying days.” The man turned and walked away, his stomach leading the way.
“Who was that?” whispered Genie.
“Our success in society,” returned Grant. “That was the Crown Prince, whose mother you so insulted at your presentation.”
“So all is forgiven?”
“In my opinion, there was nothing ever to forgive,” said Grant. “Come now. It is getting late. No one expects the newlyweds to be the last to leave the ball.”
“I suppose I should go home to pack a bag.” Genie sighed. “I do not even know where we are going.”
“Not far, Mrs. Grant,” said Grant in a slow tone, more reverent than seductive. She blushed just the same.
“I cannot believe this is true,” said Genie. “I am so tired with all that has happened, I think perhaps this is a dream.”
“Then by all means let’s get you to bed.” He led her up the main staircase by the hand, and she followed him to a grand bedroom with tall doors.
Penelope stood outside. “I have taken the liberty of requesting a bag be packed for you and brought here from your aunt’s house,” said Pen. “The Duke and Dowager Duchess of Marchford invite you to spend your honeymoon night as their guests.”