“He said he would take care of it.”
Two days later, Julian and Clara discovered that somebody had removed several pages from the estate's principal accounting ledger.
They were not ordinary pages.
They covered the six months during which the navigation scheme had received its largest payments.
Julian examined the damaged binding.
The sheets had been carefully cut near the spine.
“Vane says the book was sent for repairs.”
Clara looked at him.
“Then somebody repaired it with a knife.”
Julian's expression was grim.
He closed the ledger.
“I have sent to Oxford for my solicitor.”
“Mr. Keene?”
“No. A gentleman named Whitford. He has acted for me in smaller matters and has no connection with Sir Edmund.”
“Can he be trusted?”
“I hope so.”
Clara raised an eyebrow.
Julian sighed.
“Very well. I shall ask for references.”
She smiled.
That afternoon, a letter arrived from Sir Edmund.
It informed Clara that a formal dinner and dance would be held at Alderwick House in early October to celebrate her forthcoming marriage.
Lady Honoria had agreed to arrange the occasion.
Invitations had already been sent.
Clara stared at the note.
Julian read it over her shoulder.
“He has no authority to announce a wedding.”
“He appears not to have consulted us.”
“An increasingly familiar habit.”
Clara folded the letter.
“Your aunt must be told.”
“She will be furious.”
“With Sir Edmund?”
“With everyone.”
As it happened, Lady Honoria was furious.
But not for the reasons either of them expected.
“Of course the dinner must proceed,” she declared. “Half the county has been invited!”
Julian stood before her drawing-room fireplace.
“Aunt, the announcement was unauthorized.”
“The invitations describe a celebration of your approaching marriage.”
“Which may not occur.”
Lady Honoria stared.
“Julian, you cannot embarrass Miss Langley in this manner.”
Clara, seated beside the window, looked up.
“I am not embarrassed, my lady.”
“Then you ought to be. A young woman cannot have a gentleman publicly question their engagement without consequences.”
Julian frowned.
“I am attempting to protect her freedom to choose.”
“And society will interpret that as your intention to reject her.”
Clara considered the matter.
Lady Honoria was correct.
A gentleman might terminate an understanding and continue with comparatively little damage to his prospects. A lady abandoned after a public engagement could find herself the subject of relentless speculation.
Clara had no intention of permitting that advantage to be used against her.
“Then perhaps,” she said, “we should attend the dinner.”
Julian turned sharply.
“Miss Langley.”
“Not to announce a wedding.”
“What, then?”
“To allow everyone to discover that we are not presently enemies.”
Lady Honoria blinked.
“That should hardly be difficult.”
Julian gave a dry laugh.
“My aunt has clearly not met our correspondents.”
Clara rose.
“If Sir Edmund wishes to present us as a happy couple, we may oblige him in one respect.”
“Which?”
“We may appear together.”
Julian studied her.
“And spend the evening asking questions?”
“Not all evening.”
She smiled.
“We should allow time for dancing.”
Lady Honoria looked from one to the other.
Her expression softened.
For the first time, she seemed to perceive something that neither younger person was ready to acknowledge.
“Very well,” she said. “The dinner shall proceed.”