Chapter 89. Richard thinks like a businessman…
Richard, thinking like a businessman, felt that the Duke of Devonshire had done so much for Mary that he couldn't possibly expect anything in return. But for William Cavendish, it was merely something he did on a whim.
After that incident, he never took Baron Brooke seriously again. Although nobles were generally promiscuous and no one cared whether Baron Brooke had mistresses or illegitimate children, the public humiliation of his downfall was a disgrace to the Brooke family.
Brooke has already lost the most important thing in high society—his reputation—due to the rumors, and even the merchants no longer trust him. His brother certainly won't let go of this precious opportunity, and Baron Brooke's fate is predictable.
To escape the ridicule and sarcasm of London and the demands of his debtors, the Baron sold his house in the city and slunk back to Hertfordshire, where he found some comfort in a life of debauchery rather than hiding in his manor.
The Duke of Devonshire was now more concerned about whether Miss Price would attend the party he was hosting on Piccadilly, which would be attended by many of his relatives. The Earl and Countess Carlisle, as his sister and brother-in-law, were important guests he could not avoid, and he feared that Mary might not be willing to come.
“Of course I’ll go. If the Countess causes me trouble in front of everyone, it won’t just be me who loses face,” Mary replied in her clear voice when Richard showed the invitation to his sister.
If the ball at Althorp Manor introduced Mary to the extravagant lifestyle of the nobility, then the party on Piccadilly Street truly ushered her into another world.
Most of the attendees at the gathering were prominent figures like the Earl of Carlisle. Although William Price was a naval lieutenant commander and Richard Price was a well-known London businessman, the Price family was still insignificant among them.
“Miss Price, thank you for gracing us with your presence today. I hope this gathering will not disappoint you as much as the ball in Northamptonshire.” William Cavendish said hesitantly, a joyful smile spreading across his face as he saw Mary.
“Your Highness, how could anyone not be grateful for such a warm welcome from your host? Even if I have any unpleasant experiences, they are none of your concern,” Mary said with a nonchalant smile, glancing at Countess Carlisle who was also attending the party.
The Countess, seeing Mary attending the party, approached somewhat impatiently. Miss Price and the others bowed to her, and the Countess's upbringing prevented her from being impolite. The presence of these people, whom she normally had no contact with, in her own family home particularly angered her.
After Mary and the others left their host's side, she couldn't help but complain, "William, why did you invite people like Price here? Don't forget this is the Cavendish family's residence; they are not of the same status as us."
“As my friends, they certainly have the right to be here. My dear Georgiana, as the head of the household, no one has the right to dictate what kind of friends a duke should have.”
William Cavendish paid no heed to his sister's questioning. He warmly went among his friends and introduced the Price family. Naturally, some people, out of respect for the Duke, struck up conversations with William and Richard. Both men were intelligent and quickly earned the respect of some.
Meanwhile, among a group of unfamiliar ladies, Mary and Anne encountered an acquaintance—the Viscountess of Cork.
The Viscountess was stunningly beautiful with a graceful figure. She wore a dark green dress with a Kashmiri shawl draped over her shoulders, the neckline of which was wide open, revealing her fair skin. She looked incredibly charming and attracted the attention of many men.
Holding an ivory Chinese fan in her hand, she slowly and deliberately cast a charming glance at her lover Richard not far away, before gracefully walking to Mary and Anne's side.
“My dear Mary, when I received the Duke of Devonshire’s invitation, I suspected there was another reason. After all, the Cork family and the Cavendish family have no connection. My lovely girl, now you’re really going to be the apple of the eye of all the ladies and young women in London.”
"Just because I attended this party?" Mary found it unbelievable. She had known the Duke for a long time, and apart from the two noblewomen, Margaret Spencer Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Dorothy Howard, the others hadn't shown any obvious aversion to her. Of course, they were also very cold towards Miss Price, whose family had amassed wealth through business.
"What do you think this gathering represents? It means that His Highness the Duke has introduced you into his circle. He specifically invited you and your brothers to his private party. These kinds of events are attended by the Duke of Devonshire's relatives and friends. I was only able to come here because of you and your brothers. What are those ladies and young women going to think?"
Anne, after all, had aristocratic blood and was more familiar with this situation: "The Viscountess is right. Even though the Duke of Devonshire has not shown any interest in marriage for so long, he has always been the most sought-after bachelor on the marriage market. His preferential treatment of us will definitely make people resentful, and there will always be people who isolate you out of jealousy."
"His Highness the Duke clearly doesn't understand women. If the men will show Mary more respect because of his attitude, the ladies will be even more resentful afterward. Isolation is a good thing, but I'm afraid they'll slander you, spread rumors, and defame your character, making it impossible for you to be accepted into their circle." Viscountess Kirk was all too familiar with these tactics.
"What should we do?" Annie asked anxiously.
“Unless a lady of high status and virtue stands by Mary’s side and speaks on her behalf, I can’t be of much help in that regard. It would be good if Countess Carlisle would accept you.” The viscountess’s reputation among women is not as good as her reputation among men, so she cannot provide Mary with protection.
“If this is all the revenge they can think of, it won’t do much good for me, because I don’t care whether they accept me or not.” Mary laughed. “This kind of tactic only works on people who accept this set of rules.”
Mary's resolute stance earned her a higher regard from Countess Carlyle. Generally, girls of this age are very concerned about the opinions of others, and some even live their entire lives according to the evaluations of others. Mary Price was clearly not one of those people.
While Mary and her companions were talking with Viscountess Kirk, Countess Carlisle grew increasingly angry and complained indignantly to her lady-in-waiting, "I never imagined I would meet a businessman at a party at home. Cavendish is supposed to be the epitome of elegance."
“You’re right, Georgiana. If only my aunt, your mother, had arranged the engagement for His Highness when she was still alive. That’s what happens when a family lacks a mistress and the men do as they please. In this respect, you have to admit that those old traditions make a lot of sense. I’m planning to find a noble wife for my William ahead of time,” said Lady Cavendish, Countess Carlisle’s cousin from her maternal family.
The phrase "a noble wife" stirred a ripple in Countess Carlyle's heart. She remembered that her nephew was fifteen years old, the same age as her daughter Blanche, who was not yet engaged.
In May of this year, her second daughter, Harriet, married George Sutherland-Leverson-Gall (the future Duke of Sutherland) and became the Countess of Goall. Next up is Blanche.
If her brother William doesn't marry, according to the law, the Duke of Devonshire's heir will become her cousin. If Blanche marries William, she might one day become a duchess.
Lady Cavendish was delighted to see that the Countess of Carlisle was interested. The Duke of Devonshire's words about succession had already reached the ears of those who were interested. Since her husband's health had been deteriorating, this lady was eager to arrange a marriage between her son and the Countess of Carlisle's daughter to secure her son's potential inheritance.
Lady Cavendish then flattered Countess Carlisle, praising her two daughters, Lady Russell and Countess Gower: "My dear Georgiana, I envy you for raising your daughters so well. Caroline and Harriet are outstanding even among all the old families in England, and their sister is certainly no less so. When she comes of age, she will surely cause a sensation in social circles when she meets the King."
“You flatter me too much,” said Countess Carlisle, though in her heart she took it all for granted that her daughter had received such praise.
Although the engagement was not yet finalized, the two ladies were mutually attracted and naturally found themselves getting along better and better, while their dissatisfaction with Miss Price grew. At this point, their dissatisfaction stemmed not only from prejudice but also from their own unchanging interests, making it even more difficult to eliminate.
If Miss Price were of noble birth, it wouldn't matter, but unfortunately, she was of humble status and might tarnish the Cavendish family bloodline. They were unaware that this young lady had already rejected the Duke's proposal once, and instead, they assumed that no one could refuse the title of Duchess.
Although William Cavendish was the initiator of the gathering, he couldn't fathom the participants' thoughts, let alone understand the undercurrents raging behind the scenes.
His Highness no longer avoided suspicion and took the initiative to introduce the Price family for a simple reason: to elevate their status, fearing that Miss Price might encounter another suitor as tactless as Baron Brooke.
With his current wealth, Richard Price would have no problem running for local councilor. With the Duke as his sponsor and political donations, becoming a member of parliament is not out of the question. Once he becomes a member, a few years later, he could even be knighted.
After introducing Richard to his friends, William Cavendish went to Mary's side, while Anne and Viscountess Kirk went elsewhere.
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