not know about Eleanor’s parentage. But, as much as she adored the beautiful marchioness, Eleanor could not speak of that even with her.
Time to change the subject. “And what shall we do with our newfound mutual sympathy? Now that we are confidants, we should find some scheme to test our allegiance. Highway robbery, perhaps? Or what of smuggling? I have always wished to try my hand at that.”
Rosamond coughed in feigned embarrassment. “It is not all it is cracked up to be.”
It was Eleanor’s turn to laugh. “What wonderful stories you must have. I look forward to hearing them all.”
“I shall tell you a few while we ride in the carriage, for as we are all shirking church today, I should like to go call on our neighbour, my new tenant. She never goes to mass. Your company would be charming.”
“Your new tenant? You have evicted Lady Screwe, then.”
“Not at all. I said new tenant because I have only recently decided to let the place to her.”
Eleanor was taken aback. She knew how afraid of Lord Screwe Rosamond was. He may have disappeared for the moment, but Eleanor assumed that as soon as Rosamond inherited the property at Brookshire, she would eject his wife from the premises, lest he return. “Lady Screwe? You are going to call on her? You are letting your property to her?”
Rosamond seemed to be enjoying the puzzlement she was causing. “And at a very favourable rate, for her husband has left her with almost nothing to live on.”
A spark of real admiration, beyond mere friendly sentiment, ignited in Eleanor’s breast. She could not keep the wonder from her voice. “And you have taken it upon yourself to assist her.”
“I suppose, but do not look at me like that. I am not a saint.”
Eleanor smirked. “Oh, I should never call you a saint. You are not hypocritical enough to be noticed by the church.”
Rosamond inclined her head comically. “Thank you.”
Eleanor was still puzzled. “But how did it come about?”
“Lady Screwe came to call on me shortly after Frobisher and I were wed. She was desperately straightened, and if I had turned her out of Brookshire, I do not know where she could have gone. Her husband has made himself odious to anyone remotely respectable in their acquaintance, and she is painted with the same brush. I admit, my heart was nonetheless pretty hard. But she did not come to ask for anything. Her sole purpose was to apologize on behalf of her husband for everything he had done to me.”
“That must have been humiliating for her.”
“Quite. I could see she was in agony over it. In that moment I believed that she was utterly innocent of aiding him in his evil plots. It is always the people who are blameless that most keenly feel the guilt of others. Scoundrels sleep soundly.”
Eleanor sighed. “All too true. And not everyone is fortunate enough to marry a person they love and respect, for the business of marriage is such an auction block. It is a great blessing to have a father who has no interest in marrying me off to his advantage—or at all, really. I may have to suffer the ambition of suitors, but at least I do not have the pain of enduring it in a father.”
“So is Lord Auchdun only after your fortune, then?”
Eleanor shook her head. “Auchdun is such a strange case. I know very well that my fortune is the main inducement, but he has convinced himself that he would be rescuing me, somehow.”
“Rescuing you? What nonsense. He is the principal person you need rescuing from.”
“True. But he thinks he will save me from wanton amusements like gambling and drink, and who knows what other evils.” Eleanor’s face did not betray a twitch of humour. “Perhaps even waltzing.”
The arrogant fool also flattered himself that his own good name would cleanse the tarnish of her mother’s reputation. But Eleanor did not mention this. The presumption was infuriating, but she never let it show.
“Sounds like being married to him would be a life sentence in an asylum of boredom.”
“Oh yes.” Eleanor pulled a face. “But at least my father has no use for him either. As I was saying, Lady Screwe may not have been so lucky. Things are arranged so tightly in the marriage market that your family might foist a man upon you before even you know his Christian name, so long as he is a lord. She may have had no more choice