The Noble Life

Fourteen

After exchanging a brief look of wide-eyed alarm, Catherine and Professor Lawes both turned reluctantly away from the starry night and hurried back inside the house. Once there, they found a large group of people clustered around a single figure huddled in a chair, who Catherine could just make out to be Lady Russell. Sir William and Lady Cavendish appeared to be making a valiant attempt to calm the hysterical lady as she clutched a letter in her hand and waved it about dramatically, Mr and Mrs Wilmot looking on with grim expressions. Miss Russell stood next to them, her face stark white, watched anxiously by William from the opposite side of the knot of people.

With all the commotion Catherine and the professor's return to the room went unnoticed. For this Catherine was very thankful, and she seized the opportunity to sneak over to the edge of the circle where Julia stood a little way back from the others.

"Whatever has happened?" hissed Catherine as soon as she was within earshot. She half expected her cousin to comment on her disappearing outside with Professor Lawes, but when Julia turned to face her Catherine saw that her face was as pale and drawn as Miss Russell's.

"Lady Russell has received a letter from a friend of the late Viscount Russell, who resides in Bath," explained Julia quietly, as Lady Russell herself began to sob loudly. "He writes with news of Lord Russell at last – but it is not welcome news, no indeed."

"Lord Russell remains in Bath, then?" inquired Catherine, wondering at Lady Russell's state of distress. If this indeed was the case, surely she should be relieved to finally know of his whereabouts? And if he had remained in Bath the entire time, that meant he could not have eloped...

"He remains there at present, yes," affirmed Julia solemnly, "though not for much longer. He has squandered a large sum of money on gambling and drink, approaching the late viscount's friend a few days ago when he realised he could no longer afford to pay for his accommodation. This friend seems a very decent sort of gentleman, for he has allowed Lord Russell to stay with him for the time being – on the condition that Lady Russell be made aware of his doings these past weeks."

Now Catherine understood Lady Russell's agitation perfectly – and as she glanced again at the crumpled figure in the chair, she felt her cheeks flame with anger towards the abhorrent viscount. She found no satisfaction upon discovering that her suspicions about the man's flighty nature had been correct all along; her heart was too full of pity for these two poor women who were now to suffer because of him. Lord Russell had betrayed them and failed in his duties as viscount in every conceivable way – he was thoroughly undeserving of the title he held.

"How could he have willingly condemned his family to such a desperate situation?" wondered Catherine aloud.

"That is not the worst of it," said Julia grimly. "The late viscount's friend forced Lord Russell to recount all his recent misdeeds in Bath – and he has also admitted to taking a young girl against her will."

"No!" choked Catherine, clapping a hand to her mouth in horror. "It cannot be!"

"Though I most earnestly wish it was not so, every word is true. The girl's parents have visited Lord Russell at his new lodgings, begging for them to be married so that their daughter's reputation might be saved."

Catherine was simply too astounded to speak. Lord Russell's behaviour in Bath was far worse than even she could have believed, and she was unable to imagine the severity of poor Julia's pain at having fancied herself in love with such an odious man. How cheated she must feel; how used, and deceived!

There was, however, one very small cause for comfort – Catherine thanked heaven that Lord Russell had not proposed before departing for Bath, for she felt quite ill at the thought of Julia being tied to such a man. At least Julia had emerged from the acquaintance with her dignity intact, which was more than could be said for that poor young girl. There would be no escaping her fate.