The Riddle of the Lost Lover Read Free Page B

lazy self! No use looking so hardly done by. The whole town’s talking and with the gathering of gabblers across the way there’s not a doubt in the world but that Sir Kendrick’s escapades with the Stokely hussy will be the prime topic. I don’t mean to miss it, and so I warn you! Change your dress. I’ll be ready in half an hour!”
    â€œBut—mama,” wailed Hubert. “You said you didn’t want to go out tonight. It’s raining! And besides, you declined the invitation.”
    â€œWell now I’m accepting! Half an hour, Hubert! Stir your stumps!”
    *   *   *
    Mr. Gaylord Wolff had instructed his architect to design a ballroom in the Grecian style, and the results of that talented gentleman’s efforts were much admired in London Town. Despite the cold air outside and the abundance of marble inside, the impressive room was crowded and very warm, and when a quadrille ended many of the guests made their way to the cooler dining and reception rooms where an elegant supper was spread on long tables. Laden trays were borne off to adjacent ante-rooms whose smaller tables, chairs and sofas filled rapidly. The air hummed with polite chatter, aristocratic faces were variously sad or titillated, and on every tongue it seemed was the one name—Vespa.
    Seldom had the ton enjoyed a more delicious scandal. Sir Kendrick Vespa had long been known to have a mistress in keeping, in addition to other ladies believed to have enjoyed his protection from time to time. What had not been known was that the much admired gentleman had lately enjoyed a secret affaire de coeur with Mrs. Esmeralda Stokely. The widow was lovely, but she was young enough to be his daughter, and, worse, had been on the brink of marrying his eldest son prior to the young soldier’s tragic death in battle.
    Mrs. Fortram and Hubert, having made their way to the supper rooms, gathered plates of delicacies and drifted unobtrusively from one group to another, their eagerly stretched ears gathering a choice harvest of gossip.
    â€œâ€¦ and not to speak ill of the dead, my dear Lady Vera, but to think that lovely man could have been so devious! ”
    â€œâ€¦ poor Mrs. Omberleigh. She was never good ton, of course, but my heart bleeds for her.”
    â€œWhat did she expect? The Omberleigh was his mistress for ten years at least, and few gentlemen keep a fancy piece for that long. My sympathies are with…”
    â€œâ€¦ poor Lady Vespa! She knew about the Omberleigh woman, of course, but to then discover the others! My dear! And now…”
    â€œâ€¦ is it truth that The Stokely was betrothed to his own son? If ever I heard of so shocking…”
    â€œâ€¦ and that he was involved with the Widow Stokely even while poor Sherborne was still alive! Can you credit…”
    Having at this point reached an especially fruitful source, Mrs. Fortram drew Hubert to a halt close to one of the sofas set about the fringes of the dining room.
    Mrs. Anne Hersh, seated beside her friend Lady Grey, arranged her sharp features into what she supposed to be a look of piety and said with a sigh as deep as it was insincere, “Now Captain John Vespa is the one I sympathize with. First his brother, and now his father gone, and his mama flaunting off to the other side of the world!”
    Not to be outdone, Lady Grey moaned softly. “How alone he must feel, poor boy. And there is no bride in the offing, as I recall.”
    â€œIf there were, you would surely know of it! You always are so well-informed!”
    Lady Grey smiled patronizingly. “Thank you, my love. One does not care to gossip, you understand. But when one is well acquainted—well, how can one refrain from … hearing things?”
    â€œExactly! So now, do tell me, whatever do you think of this latest ghastly on-dit? ”
    Her ladyship, who had been in the midlands visiting her mama-in-law, knew