"I can't say the same for you, unfortunately," she said, looking at the violent purple silk breeches and emerald green waistcoat with disgust. "But you are the epitome of Sir Anthony. Your patch has fallen off," she added with relief.
"Ah," he replied, immediately delving in his pocket and producing an identical little silk cat, to her dismay. "Thank you, my dear. Now, I am sure there must be some gum arabic somewhere … "
During dinner Lord Daniel sat with David at the other end of the table from the Peters, and the meal went very well, although Beth was unable to enjoy herself fully, as she kept expecting further insults to be hurled down the table. The two men were whispering together and every so often would glance in her direction. It was very childish, but it made her feel edgy and irritable. The food was plentiful, with venison in a rich sauce, mutton pasties, oysters and salamangundy, a highly colourful and varied salad, and the conversation was animated. The earlier game was thoroughly dissected, the clothes of the various guests complimented, and the latest staging of King Lear by Garrick commented upon.
It was refreshing to see Sir Anthony given a run for his money in the fashion stakes, thought Beth as the party removed to the card room. Percy and David, resplendent in crimson and gold respectively, had applauded the baronet's unique patches, which would shortly result in more profit for Sarah.
Beth, who did not want to play cards, went instead to sit in a corner, where a small group of non-players had gathered to chat. After a few minutes Sir Anthony joined her.
"Not playing, Anthony?" said Philippa. "Not like you."
"I am not in the mood, my dear," he said, flopping down limply next to his wife. "And they are playing loo. I really have no desire to lose my entire estate in one evening."
"Papa is playing," said Philippa. Sir Anthony smiled.
"Your papa is as rich as Croesus, he can afford to lose a fortune without blinking," he said. He stretched his purple legs out in front of him and admired the sparkling diamante buckles on his shoes. "Besides, I really feel quite fatigued."
"Shouldn't have played so well this afternoon then, should you," grumbled Philippa. "Would have won but for you."
"There's a spare seat here for you, Anthony," called Percy. Sir Anthony glanced round. David, Percy and Lord Daniel were seated at a nearby table. Percy beckoned to the remaining empty chair.
"No, no, but thank you," he said. "I will decline tonight. Loo is not my game."
"Oh, come on, Anthony, surely you are not afraid to play?" said Daniel mockingly.
"Indeed I am," said the baronet. "The stakes are too high. Why, in mere minutes I could lose the cost of the new coat I have ordered from my tailor! It is exquisite, scarlet figured silk," he said, turning back to his conversational companions. "Every button has a diamond in the centre! And to match it I am having the most delightful … "
"Will you play whist instead, then?" called Daniel.
"No, do not change your game on my account, dear boy. I am quite decided not to play this evening."
"And I am quite decided you will, sir," said Daniel firmly. "Choose your game. I can't say fairer than that."
Sir Anthony straightened in his seat and turned round to face the young man.
"You are most persistent," he said amiably. "But I will not play cards with you, my lord, not tonight or any other night. I wish you luck with your game."
"Why are you refusing to play with me specifically?" persisted Daniel. "Is my money not good enough for you?"
The baronet's expression remained good-humoured, his eyes friendly. Only Beth, who knew him so well, felt the slight tension quivering through his body, matching her own.
"Indeed, if you were in possession of any money of your own, it would certainly be good enough for me, my lord," he replied. "But your father is my friend and I will not render him any more impecunious than you have already done, by playing cards with you tonight."
Daniel leapt to his feet at once, his face flushed, a curiously triumphant look in his eye.
"By God, sir, how dare you insult me so!" he cried. "I demand satisfaction!"
"Anthony's only spoken the truth, you fool," said Philippa bluntly. "Common knowledge. No money of your own, have you? Normal for heirs. Hardly an insult."
"Nevertheless," said the lord. "I repeat, Sir Anthony, I demand satisfaction!"
"Really, this is most tiresome," said the baronet wearily. "I have already told you I do not wish to play. I am sure Lady Philippa will play. She should satisfy you; she is an excellent player, and quite ruthless."
"It is not cards of which I speak, sir, as you well know!"
"No? Ah. I see. You seek satisfaction of a more … ah … carnal nature. Well, I can recommend an excellent establishment not far from here. My footman spent an exhausting night there quite recently. He could not recommend the ladies highly enough and he is a most virile young man." The baronet winked knowingly and grotesquely at the company, eliciting a chorus of laughter.
"If I wished to seek the services of a whore, Sir Anthony, I need look no further than the woman by your side," Lord Daniel said coldly as soon as the laughter had diminished. "I see I must put it plainly. I challenge you, sir. Name your weapon."
Beth had stiffened and made to rise, but her husband's hand closed firmly around her arm, pulling her back down into her seat.
"I see I must also put it plainly, Daniel," Sir Anthony said into the sudden silence that had fallen over the corner of the room, and which was slowly spreading as others realised something was amiss. "I will not gamble with you, as I hold your father in too much esteem to bankrupt him, even if you do not. On the same basis I will not duel with you, as I will not leave your father without an heir, worthless as that heir may be."
"My God!" cried Daniel. "When you said you possessed no balls earlier, I thought you were joking! Now I see it is true. You are a coward!"
Everyone looked at Sir Anthony. He could not refuse now. No gentleman could allow himself to be publicly called a coward without retaliating.
"Why are you so determined to fight a duel with me?" asked the baronet. "You have deliberately tried to provoke me, when I wished only to relax in the corner and enjoy some light conversation. I will not play your game. Seek your death elsewhere, if you must. I will not oblige you."
"Anthony," whispered James urgently. "You cannot let this go. He has called you a coward! You must answer!"
"I have answered," he replied. Beth was trembling, but displayed no signs of imminent retaliation. Her husband let go of her arm. "I will say no more on the matter."
"You may not, but I will!" persisted Daniel hotly. "I say you are a coward, and a fool too. You have been emasculated by your peasant of a wife."
David was laughing, but Percy had paled.
"For God's sake, Daniel, you have gone too far. Leave it!" he urged.
"I will not," said the lord. "The rest of you may find it acceptable that the daughter of a disgraced lord's son and a common Scotch prostitute could so bewitch a baronet with her sexual ploys as to persuade him to marry her, but I find it appalling that we should have to endure the company of a gutter whore as though she were our equal."
"You will apologise to the lady, immediately," said a commanding voice. Daniel turned to see the diminutive but irate form of the Prince of Wales standing directly behind him.
"With all due respect, Your Highness, I will not," said Daniel recklessly. "I speak only the truth. It's common knowledge that she's the daughter of a whore. Even her husband agrees! He must, else why would he refuse to defend her?"
Beth had turned round in her seat to face Daniel's mocking face, her mouth twisted with rage. Sir Anthony smiled resignedly.
"Oh my dear boy, I see you are determined to … "
There was a flash of movement by the baronet's side, and Daniel cried out suddenly, taking a step backwards and clutching at his shoulder.
"I don't need my husband to defend me, my lord," Beth said, standing now, her fists clenched by her sides, her eyes sparking blue fire in the pallor of her face. "I am quite capable of defending myself. You say it is common knowledge that my mother was a whore. I say it is common knowledge that you are a wastrel and a fool, who demeans yourself by slandering me because you have never forgiven me for rejecting you when you begged me on your knees to marry you. And you have never forgiven my husband, who is worth a hundred of you, for rescuing me when you abducted me and tried to marry me against my will."
She glanced around at the sea of shocked faces, and then back at her enemy. The silence in the room was profound. Daniel still clutched at his shoulder. His face was as white as Beth's, his brown eyes wide with shock and pain.