Sins Of A Duke Part 33

Lord and Lady Tuffley bowed as the butler announced the Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela contingent and they entered the upstairs ballroom. "Good evening, Your Majesties, Your Highness. Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence."

"The pleasure is ours," her father returned, seeming to expand as his social superiors fawned over him. "Your house is splendid, Tuffley."

The viscount chuckled. "Thank you, but I give that compliment over to my wife." He leaned closer. "Prinny is to be here tonight, you know," he said in a conspiratorial tone, rocking back on his heels. "Quite the coup for us."

"Indeed. I shall raise a gla.s.s to him, myself. Without his kind a.s.sistance, my dreams for Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela would never have been realized."

Josefina could barely breathe. She had no idea whether Sebastian's plan tonight would work. Adding the Prince Regent to the roster of players-oh, goodness. She'd never fainted in her life, but she was ready to do so now.

Lady Tuffley left her hostess duties at the door to personally guide them to the refreshment tables. "The sugared berries are especially tasty tonight," she said. "Do enjoy yourselves. And Your Highness, I would be honored if you would join me for luncheon on Friday. Several of we high-ranking ladies meet weekly to discuss our charitable activities."

"Thank you, Lady Tuffley. I need to confer with Lady Deverill about my schedule-I know the Griffins have several events they wish me to attend-but I will let you know as soon as I can."

The viscountess smiled. "Of course. Thank you."

As she walked away, her father sampled a berry. "These are delicious," he muttered. "And why in the world didn't you accept her invitation? You heard her-a group of high-ranking ladies."

"Because I don't know her politics," Josefina whispered back. "I prefer to discuss this with Eleanor before I accidently ally with the wrong party, or support a cause the Griffins oppose."

"I don't think we'll be remaining in London long enough for that to matter."

"I prefer to be cautious." Oh, she hoped Sebastian would arrive soon. It felt as though every conversation tonight had two meanings, two reasons behind it.

It only got worse. Everyone had to come by to talk with her. She smiled and chatted about nonsense, reminding herself every few seconds that Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela was a paradise, that she was anxious to see the new settlers arrive and take possession of the land they'd purchased, and yes, she looked forward to joining the mighty Griffin family.

"Have you had a chance to see Queen Charlotte's garden yet?" Lady Jane Lyon asked. "The roses are-oh, they're here. He's here. It's Melbourne."

The murmur seemed to reverberate around the large ballroom. The hair on Josefina's arms lifted. With a shallow, shaky breath she turned around.

As they usually seemed to, the Griffins had arrived together. Melbourne himself greeted Lord and Lady Tuffley, brothers and sister and their spouses directly around him. Just behind them Caroline's family stood, most of them doing their best not to look awestruck.

Sebastian wore all black again tonight, the close-fitting coat and trousers emphasizing his tall, lean, handsome build. He seemed to emanate power. From the reaction of the other party guests, she wasn't the only one to think so. But when those gray eyes lifted and searched the room, he wasn't looking for any of them. He was looking for her.

The moment their gazes met he left the Tuffleys and strode across the room to her. Everyone else simply stepped back, out of his way. Not even her supremely confident father dared put himself between the two of them.

Sebastian took both of her hands in his, bringing them to his lips and looking down at her over them. "Good evening, Your Highness," he murmured, the low, intimate tone rumbling through her.

"Your Grace," she returned, knowing she must be blus.h.i.+ng. It wasn't that his presence made her feel weak or twittery; rather, with him she felt more confident and strong than she ever had before. With Sebastian, she didn't need to daydream or prevaricate-and for her, that realization was a heady, exciting, arousing one. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and kiss him right there in front of everyone.

She heard the mutterings around them-the chorus of "Look, it's a love match," "Who would have thought?" and "If it smells of power, Melbourne must have it." They didn't seem to trouble Sebastian as he finally released her to greet her parents, so she ignored them, as well.

"Did you hear that Prinny's to attend tonight?" she asked, working to keep her voice smugly happy rather than nervous and anxious.

"I had not," he said with an easy smile that elicited still more commentary. "I imagine he'll want to dance with you to celebrate our engagement."

He was warning her, then. She would have to continue the farce with Prinny, himself. Thank goodness she had time to prepare for that bit of torture. "As long as His Highness knows that the first waltz of the evening is taken."

"By me, I would hope."

The crowd laughed as he grinned. The rest of the Griffins surrounded them, offering her and her parents public greetings and congratulations, and more private kisses to her cheek and touches to her hand to show their support. And this family was to be her family. Then and there she vowed to be worthy of their confidence.

"Tuffley!" Melbourne called, looking over his shoulder at their hosts. "How about that waltz?"

Chapter 25.

S ebastian glanced at his pocket watch as their waltz ended and he escorted Josefina back to her parents. Last year, when Shay had been courting Sarala, the family had united in defense of her and to thwart a man who would have done harm to her reputation. Tonight, though, they weren't attempting to fool one self-serving, ambitious half-wit. Tonight they needed to fool everyone-his own sovereign, all of his peers, every man and woman in the country.

With Josefina's hand over his arm and the Embrys beside them, he gave a slight nod to Caroline. His sister-in-law strolled forward to where her mother and two unmarried sisters stood watching, and at least in Joanna's case, lamenting the scarcity of dance partners.

"Anne, are you ever going to tell Mama about John?"

"John?" Joanna repeated, her face reddening. "Who is John?"

Anne fanned her face. "He's a professor at Eton," she returned, doing a fair impression of shyness, considering that she didn't have an ounce of that to her name. "I met him at the British Museum."

"Mama, that is not fair!" Joanna stomped her foot, garnering them the attention he'd been counting on. Considering that Joanna's man-hungry demeanor had once prompted her to attempt to trap Zach into marriage, he didn't have much sympathy for her. "Now even Anne has a beau?" she continued plaintively.

"He's an explorer," Anne continued brightly, "or he used to be, before he accepted the teaching position. I asked him to come here tonight, so you and Papa can meet him."

Sally Witfeld clapped her hands together. "Another daughter with a beau. We are truly blessed."

"I knew I should have gone to the museum," Joanna snapped. "You said it would be dull."

"I said that you would find it dull," Anne countered. "I rather enjoyed it." She laughed.

The rey chuckled. "Ah, to be young again."

Good. He was listening. "I've met the fellow," Sebastian commented. "He seems a good sort. A bit earnest, but that makes him a good counter for Anne's high spirits." Actually, it did.

He glanced from his quarry to his young sister-in-law. She made a good actress, but even with that in mind her color was high. Hm. Interesting. She'd been after a man who liked to travel. Perhaps in John Rice-Able she'd found him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Tuffley's butler enunciated, "His Highness, the Prince Regent."

The crowd bowed in an undulating wave spreading out from the doorway. Prinny strolled into the room, thankfully without one of his ubiquitous mistresses. Even so half a dozen footmen and retainers accompanied his rotund, sapphire-colored Eminence, like planets around their sun. Embry was probably taking mental notes on how to make a royal entrance.

"Melbourne," the Regent called, gesturing him over.

Keeping Josefina with him, Sebastian approached. "Your Highness," he said, "if you mean to chastise me for not coming to you first with my news, pray do so quickly so we may drink a toast in honor of my wife-to-be."

Prinny clapped him on the shoulder, offering a pleased grin. "There's no amus.e.m.e.nt in chastising the contrite, my boy. Tuffley, let's have some champagne!"

"Right away, Your Highness."

In a remarkably short time everyone in the room had been armed with gla.s.ses of champagne. Hopefully Tuffley had been prepared for the extravagance; later Sebastian would take him aside and offer him a replacement case of the stuff. Prinny lifted his gla.s.s, angling it at Josefina. "Ladies and gentlemen, to Josefina, Princess of Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela, and soon I hear, to be the d.u.c.h.ess of Melbourne."

"To Josefina."

Her hand trembled a little on his arm as everyone drank to her health, but that was the only outward sign she gave that she was anything but exactly who Prinny proclaimed her. She truly was a princess at heart.

"To Josefina," he echoed in a whisper.

"Now let's have a waltz!" Prinny continued, finis.h.i.+ng off his gla.s.s and tossing it to a waiting footman. "We Highnesses must dance a waltz!"

A second waltz so close to the first bordered on scandal, but no one in attendance so much as batted an eye. With a squeeze of her fingers he released her to Prinny.

For G.o.d's sake, this plan had to work. If it didn't, Prinny would never forgive that he'd made a very public display of support for Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela and its monarchs. Christ, the Regent was still wearing that d.a.m.ned green cross. Sebastian took a quick breath as Shay glanced up from his pocket watch. It was time.

A moment later John Rice-Able rushed through the ballroom doors, brus.h.i.+ng aside the butler as he searched the room. Anne Witfeld had positioned herself close to the entrance, and after a few deliberate, dramatic seconds the professor hurried up to her.

"Ah, there he is," Sebastian said from his place beside the Embrys. "That's Anne's beau."

"He is a bit earnest-seeming, isn't he?" the rey noted politely, then took Sebastian's arm to turn him away. "We need to discuss something."

"I'm not renegotiating my payments to you, Embry. Ten thousand a year and my silence is quite enough, I think."

"It's not about money," Josefina's father returned in a low voice. "It's about your residence."

"My resi-"

"In the next few weeks we might find it judicious to do a bit of traveling. I suggest that you join us."

"I am not-"

"Your Grace," Anne's voice interrupted, her tone serious. "Melbourne? John needs to speak with you."

"We'll discuss this later, Embry," Sebastian hissed, facing his sister-in-law. "Can't this wait, Anne?"

John Rice-Able pushed in front of her. "I don't mean to overstep, Your Grace," he said in a rushed, urgent tone that caught the attention of everyone around them, "but my friend Mayhew Crane is first mate on the Barnaby-it's a frigate that traverses the Southern Atlantic. He-"

"I am at a soiree, John," Sebastian interrupted, feeling Embry's attention abruptly sharpen.

"Yes, I know. And-" John seemed to notice the rey for the first time. "Oh. Your Majesty. I beg your pardon. I'm so sorry to be the one to deliver the news."

Hiding his growing admiration for the professor behind a frown, Sebastian took Rice-Able's arm. "What are you talking about? And keep your b.l.o.o.d.y voice down."

As soon as he said that, everything around them quieted. He'd learned long ago that the best way to spread a rumor was to publicly ask that it be halted. On his other side, Embry took a step closer.

"That's what I'm attempting to tell you, Your Grace. Mayhew wrote me from Belize. It's all gone."

"Belize is gone? What-"

"No! Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela. The rains, a terrible flood. It's all been washed away!" He produced a letter from his pocket, and Sebastian s.n.a.t.c.hed it a second before Embry could.

"This is not amusing, John. In case you've forgotten, I'm marrying Princess Josefina of Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela."

"Yes, Your Grace. I know. That's why I had to tell you. When...when I traveled through Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela a few years ago, I noticed that the land was very fertile, but I also saw that the reason for its richness was that most of the country sits on an ancient river mouth. A flood plain. And with the awful rain and the storm off the coast, it's-"

"Wait a moment," Embry broke in, glaring at the clearly upset gentleman. "What the devil do you think you're-"

"Listen to this, Your Majesty," Sebastian broke in.

"John, knowing your attachment to the Witfeld and Griffin families, I have some desperate, terrible news for you. On our way west, the Barnaby pa.s.sed through the worst gale I can remember. Our mast cracked in two, and we nearly lost everything, including our lives. That though, I only tell you to set the awful scene for you, to prepare you for worse."

The music trailed raggedly to a stop, and Prinny, Josefina on his arm, approached them. "What's this news, Melbourne?"

"We're just discovering, Your Highness." He gestured at the letter. "If you'll allow me?"

"Yes, continue."

He sent Josefina a quick glance, then looked down again.

"We limped into the harbor at San Saturus for repairs, to find the splendid breakwater crumbled into the sea. This was our warning of the devastation we would find. We next discovered that the town had been entirely washed away."

"Oh, no," Josefina choked, putting a hand across her mouth.

"The handful of survivors we found had only remained behind to look for relatives and belongings. We gave them what food and water we had to spare, and in return they told us that the entire area had suffered under a fortnight straight of heavy rains and winds. Following that, the sea became increasingly rough, and then for several hours waves washed over the land up to the foothills to the west. All buildings, trees, and even soil were swept out into the ocean, leaving nothing behind but a black, stinking mora.s.s of swampland and dead animals. I fear disease is not far behind."

"Stephen," Prinny said, his face contorting in sorrow. "You have England's deepest sympathy."

"There is some good news," Sebastian noted, turning the letter over. "It seems that Belize has opened its arms to the survivors."

Shay moved up to join their enlarging circle. "Thank G.o.d for that."

"We have to do something." Slowly Sebastian handed the letter over to Embry.

"We have to accept that it's over," Josefina said firmly, in a sad, carrying voice.

Her father whipped his head around to face her. "You," he snapped, white-faced. "How could you-"

"We must accept that our place is now in Belize," Queen Maria interrupted. Sebastian looked at her in surprise as she took her husband's hand in hers. "I can only be thankful that those who purchased land in Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela have not yet sailed."

"Yes," Josefina echoed. "The people must come first. We must return their money. With no land at all, we have no need of it."

"We can rebuild," Embry said stridently, pulling his hand free.

"With what, Father? You heard what the letter said. Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela has returned to what it was so many years ago-a swampland. There's no foundation we can build on."

John Rice-Able cleared his throat. "It says in the postscript that Mayhew sent a copy of my letter to our mutual friend, Robert Lumley. He is on the writing staff of the London Times. Mayhew was very anxious that no one set sail for Costa Hab.i.+.c.huela without knowing the present conditions."

"The lad deserves a medal," Prinny commented, his sentiment echoed by the nods of their audience.