“William doesn’t have any money? From his mother?”
“Oh no, my father kicked her out not long after William was born, didn’t give her a sou. I have paid for Oxford, for tutors.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, Thomas. It should keep him in line.” She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his mouth, running her fingertips over his black, black eyebrows. “If I were the girl’s father, I’m not so sure I’d want William as a son-in-law.”
“I think Teddy MacGraff will be quite pleased. He’ll see William as being completely in his power, which he will be.”
She thought about that a moment. “Is Teddy MacGraff big and tough?”
“Very.”
“Let’s do it. We can announce it this evening.”
“Perhaps we can even tell Aunt Libby that she will shortly be a grandmother. It will rile her no end to have a grandchild before Madeleine.” He laughed.
“Good heavens, why?”
“She is very vain, just like my mother. Only thing is, Libby is younger than my mother by two years. Yes, my mother is going to be delighted.”
Lord Kipper came to dinner, as he did nearly every evening since he and Libby had become involved in an affaire. At the end of the meal that still wasn’t very good, even though Cook swore she’d followed Mary Rose’s recipe for the stewed mutton down to the dash of thyme, Thomas rose and tapped his fork on his wineglass to gain everyone’s attention. “William,” he said to his younger brother, “you look less dead this evening than you did this morning.”
William raised hopeful eyes at the sound of his half-brother’s jovial voice. “Yes, I am fine now, Thomas.”
“You will be more than fine very shortly. Actually, very shortly you will be a married man. You will wed Jenny MacGraff right here next Sunday. You and Jenny will live here, of course. I will provide Jenny a dowry.”
With surprising agility, Libby jumped to her feet, nearly knocking her chair over she came up so quickly. “You cannot mean this, Thomas. It is absurd. The idiot girl’s pregnant, who cares? It happens all the time. Give Teddy MacGraff a couple of pounds, he’ll go away happy.”
Madeleine said, “Thomas, Libby’s right. This can’t be the best way to solve this problem. The MacGraffs are nothings—nobodies! Goodness, Teddy MacGraff is a merchant! Oh, wait a moment—goodness me, can you believe it? Libby, you will be a grandmother! Ah, what a terrible thing, just terrible.”
“No, I will not be a bloody grandmother! I do not recognize this child as William’s. Indeed, I imagine he isn’t the father at all. She drew him in, seduced him. He is a boy, incapable of producing a child.”
Thomas laughed, he just couldn’t help himself. He looked over at William, who was pale as the tablecloth, his fingers clutched around his wineglass, his eyes glazed.
Thomas said, “Yes, you will indeed be a grandmother, Aunt Libby. And yes, Thomas is the father. The wedding will take place next Sunday right here at Pendragon or—please listen to me, William. Are you?”
William jerked his eyes up from the wine that was such a lovely red. “I am listening, Thomas.”
“You will marry Jenny MacGraff. You will be a good husband to her and a good father—at least better than our own father, which isn’t saying much at all—or you will never again be welcome here at Pendragon. I will also cut you off without a sou. That is your choice. William, it is your decision. What say you?”
William looked from his mother back down to his wineglass. He picked up his fork and played with it, then slumped down in his chair. He raised pitiful eyes to Thomas. “Perhaps it isn’t my child, Thomas. Perhaps Jenny has bedded many men and—”
“Don’t be a fool, William. She was a virgin. Or will you try to tell me that she wasn’t?”
“Perhaps a girl can have many virginities, perhaps she can develop a new one to lure in young men—”
“Which will it be, William?” Thomas asked with great patience, his voice implacable. Thomas had said earlier to Meggie that he couldn’t imagine why any girl would want William, but the girl did. As for her father, Teddy had rubbed his hands together and smiled. It hadn’t been a nice smile. “I’ll see to it the lad behaves himself,” Teddy had said, and Thomas believed him. He then gave Thomas a ferocious smile and shook his hand to seal the bargain.