Amanda Weaver [Weaver - The Notorious Lady Grantham: A Grantham Girls companion novella

The Notorious Lady Grantham

by

Amanda Weaver

Copyright @2018 by Amanda Weaver

Cover design by T.M. Franklin

Copy editing by Lisa Hollett at Silently Correcting Your Grammar

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be produced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from the author. Short excerpts for review purposes are excluded.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental.

For my mother. I miss you.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Londo n December, 1897

The Bashcombes ball was quite crowded, considering it was only the Little Season and creeping close to Christmas. The best families had yet to appear in London, but there were enough interesting people in attendance to keep Genevieve Granthams current protg, Hazel Shaw, entertained.

Ive just heard from Kitty Ponsoy that the Earl of Wrexham is in attendance tonight, and hes a widower, Hazel said upon returning from the Ladies Retiring Room. An unmarried earl , and its not even the Season yet. Thats quite good, dont you think?

What have I told you about gossiping with Kitty Ponsoy? Genevieve scolded gently. That girl is a snake.

Hazel gave a subtle roll of her eyes. I can handle Kitty Ponsoy. Shes not so clever. But she does seem to know all the best news. Now, what shall we do about the earl? What do you know of him?

Genevieve blinked, startled to find that her memory was atypically blank. Ordinarily, she could call up the family tree of any member of the nobility four generations back. Why could she suddenly recall nothing about the Earl of Wrexham?

Kitty says hes never been to London before. At least, no one seems to know him, Hazel continued, oblivious to Genevieves discomfort.

That piece of information jogged her memory, however. Kitty was right, for once. No one in London knew the earl. A few details memorized from Debretts now trickled back in.

Yes, he was the youngest son, but he ascended to the title when his two elder brothers died. The principal estate is near the Scottish border, I believe. Ive never seen the earl in London. I dont know that anyone has, until now.

An eager smile spread across Hazels face. An unknown, unmarried earl washing up in London. Christmas has come early. Hes come to London to find a new wife, I am sure of it. Hes old, nearly forty, Kitty says. But that cant be helped, I suppose. Hes still much better than that tiresome Conte Santini whos been chasing me. How shall we manage to meet him?

Hazel, forty is far too old for you.

Hazel shrugged. Hell be eager for a young wife, dont you think? They always are. Surely he needs money to support that Scottish estate of his. He needs a rich wife, and why shouldnt she be me? Hazel, the Countess of Wrexham. That sounds quite good. Come on, Gen, how will you manage to throw me in front of him? You must have some clever idea.

Once again, Gens mind went blank, although Hazel was right. This was her jobintroducing her wealthy young ladies to titled Europeans, hoping to arrange a match. And Hazel was right about the opportunity. Unmarried earls didnt wander into London ballrooms too often. It was an opportunity she couldnt afford to pass up.

But when she looked at Hazelblossoming into a beauty at nineteen, vivacious and smart, and eager to tie herself to a man old enough to be her father, one whom she hadnt even set eyes uponsomething like sorrow squeezed her heart. Over the years, shed arranged dozens of these matches. Middle-class manufacturing heiresses and impoverished nobility. It was her stock in trade. Why did the idea of arranging one more for Hazel leave her so depressed? Why did it suddenly seem so wrong? Where did these tender scruples come from now, at this stage of her life?

The truth was, it had been creeping up on her for some time.

It had begun on Victoria's wedding day, which should have been Genevieve's triumph, the crowning glory of her career. A mere Miss Victoria Carson, beautiful and rich, but American, and saddled with the crassest sort of parents, marrying the handsome Earl of Dunnley, heir to the ancient Waring dukedom. To London Society, it seemed a stunning achievement for Genevieve, one of her girls climbing impossibly high.

But they didn't see Victoria's face that day. They hadn't seen her go pale with fear at the thought of her future at her new husband's side. They hadn't seen the way Dunnley and his family had treated her, like a despised burden thrust upon them, even as her fortune was saving them all from ruin.

Genevieve had had Victoria Carson, Amelia Wheeler, and Grace Godwin with her for years. She cared for all the girls she trained, but those three had been special, almost like her own. Kissing Victoria goodbye and seeing her off in the carriage, alone with her husband who was little more than a stranger, packing her off into a dubious future most certainly devoid of affection, had been the hardest thing Genevieve had ever done.

The next year had brought more of the same. She'd had to actively encourage Amelia to pursue Lord Radwill, knowing he'd never make her happy, knowing that a life with him would crush the fiery spirit right out of the girl.

And then last year's near miss with her darling Grace. She'd actually been engaged to marry Rupert Humphrey. Grace, with her fine mind and deep understanding, about to sacrifice the rest of her life married to a man who would never have been a match to her intellect and abilities, all in a desperate bid for security.

The girls had turned out well in the end, but none of that had been owing to Genevieves efforts. It was just luck that all three of them had somehow stumbled into happy, loving marriages. Because Genevieve's business had nothing to do with happiness or love. It was about money and advantage. Love was the enemy.

She supposed she should be grateful for Hazels hard-hearted opportunism. Vic, Amelia, and Grace had done what they had to do to secure advantageous marriages, but all three of them had detested it. Hazel was eager for her marriage of convenience. It would make Gens job easierbut no more palatable.

Perhaps shed been doing this too long. Years of arranging these loveless matches had done something to her soul. She thought shed left sentiment and optimism behind her at nineteen, but here came those inconvenient emotions to plague her at thirty-six. She was too old to start wishing for happy endings.

Gen? Hazels voice startled her out of her reverie. The earl?

Yes, right, she murmured, shaking her head. Ill see what I can do.

It was easy, of course. Gen knew nearly everyone on the London social scene, and she was well-known to them. Everyone knew her purpose here, and one or two well-placed comments led her to Lady Fitzherbert, whose husband had known the earls late father a bitwell enough for Lady Fitzherbert to provide the necessary introductions.

Why, of course, Lady Fitzherbert trilled, taking a deep breath, which swelled her magnificent bosom to epic proportions. Im sure the earl would be delighted to meet your lovely Miss Shaw.

Hazel smiled shyly at Lady Fitzherbert but said nothing, as a well-bred young lady wasnt meant to look too eager in these situations. Even though Hazel had been ruthlessly angling to meet the man half an hour ago, now she stood demurely at Gens side, as if such a thought had never crossed her mind.

The angling and planning would be left up to Genevieve.

Wed be delighted to make his acquaintance, Gen said levelly. If you dont think it would be an imposition.

Oh, not at all, my dear Lady Grantham. The majestic lady craned her neck to look around the crowded ballroom. Just let me find my Walter, and hell be happy to introduce you.