Victoria laughed in real amusement. “But, my dear, you had been quite clear on the need to display polite boredom. I was prepared to be fascinated, as everything today would be new to me, so it was not overly difficult for me to hide my reaction. Although I freely admit that that room was not at all what I had expected from the handsomeness of the front of the house.”
“It would seem her ladyship’s remodelling was curtailed after the one room,” Bryghton relied drily, which produced laughter all around.
The conversation was briefly interrupted as the butler wheeled in the tea service. Alanna poured and passed the tea around before resuming her seat.
Victoria sipped and sighed with contentment. “This has been such a lovely day, Alanna. Thank you so much for your kindness in my behalf. I truly appreciate it.” With regret she put her tea down and rose to her feet. “I really should be getting on my way.”
Alanna looked up at her with regret. “Must you leave already? You have not even tried Cook’s lovely cake.”
“It does look delicious, but I know the children will be asking for me by now and I want to ease them into this transition. I would prefer they not run complaining to their parents that I have abandoned them. And I truly do not wish for the poor dears to feel as though I have left them completely. So, yes, I really must.”
“Very well,” Alanna allowed with reluctance before she thought of one more thing. “Did you wish to wear those things home with you or were you planning to leave them here?”
Victoria felt the fiery blush climbing her cheeks and could not keep her eyes from straying to the duke’s at this reminder of her straightened circumstances. Feeling suddenly like a fraud, she could no longer face him and headed for the door without answering Alanna’s question.
Bryghton, already on his feet in respect when she stood, made as though to go after her. Alanna leapt to her feet, waved him away, and went after her friend.
“Victoria, wait. I apologize for my gauche question.”
Victoria’s fiery blush had given way to pallor, but she bravely faced the duke’s sister with humour. “I could crush you with an icy stare or accuse you of being a vulgar mushroom.”
Alanna grinned, “But you will not do such a thing because your heart is too soft. Now come along up to my room and fetch your things. You are more than welcome to wear those clothes home, they are yours after all, but if you do not wish for your aunt and uncle to ask questions, you might as well change out of them and leave them here for next time.” Alanna allowed a pause before asking contritely, “There will be a next time, right? I have not given you a disgust of the whole venture, have I?”
Impulsively, Victoria threw her arms around her friend in a warm embrace. “Do not be a mutton-head! Of course I shall be back. You cannot be rid of me so easily.”
The two girls linked arms and hurried up the stairs. A few minutes later, Walter allowed the much less finely dressed Lady Victoria out the front door and watched as Alanna slowly returned to the drawing room.
“Well you rather made a mull of that, did you not?” Alanna’s brother did not mince his words as he took her to task as soon as she appeared.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, your grace,” she prevaricated, but without success.
“Yes you do, and do not bother ‘your grace-ing’ me now. Why did you not warn her about what to expect at Lady Coupland’s? Are you trying to make her an outcast before she even really makes a debut?” Bryghton demanded angrily.
Alanna’s own temper fired up at this. “Do not ring a peel over me. You do not know what you are talking about. I would never try to set Victoria up to fail. She is my friend. And I resent you even suggesting such a thing.”
Bryghton was not mollified by her words. “Well then, why did you not prepare her?”
“Because I have enough confidence in her ability to handle herself beautifully in whatever situation she might find herself. I do not think she needs to be coddled. She is a beautiful, young, well-bred woman who has every right to enter Society and be welcomed by the ton. She will be welcomed and embraced by Society with or without my involvement. She did not need a warning from me. She is bang up to the mark on everything. And you are a clunch.”
“She is a green girl and you are a hoyden.”
“You are acting like a chaw-bacon.”
“What is going on in here?” the Duchess of Wychwood demanded from the doorway.
She received no reply, as the two other occupants glared at one another, their insults traded for silence.
“You look like a couple of children. Do I need to turn you both over my knee in order to gain some cooperation from you?” the duchess asked in deceptively sweet tones.
This rejoinder brought laughter to Alanna who could never hold onto her anger even when fully justified. “No, mama, you do not need to turn me over your knee. I know I was no doubt behaving like a shrew, but I could not help myself. Bryghton was being insufferable.”
The duke did not deign to make a reply to his sister but did step forward and place a welcoming kiss on his mother’s cheek.
The duchess took a seat and beckoned for her children to do the same. “Is this tea fresh?” she asked, attempting to break the ice forming in the room.
Alanna leapt back to her feet, offering to pour. “It is fairly fresh, and very good.”
“I see there are three cups already used. Whom did I miss?”
“Victoria was here but had to hurry away,” Alanna answered without elaborating.
“Poor girl,” replied the duchess. “Did she reconsider coming to stay here with us, do you think?”
“Did you make her such an offer?” Bryghton asked with surprise.
“Of course. She seems lovely, and it would be quite a simple thing for us. I knew her mother, it would be easy enough to explain the relationship, and there would be no awkwardness with her accompanying us anywhere. But the poor dear does not wish to upset her relations. I think she fears what would become of her if they were to cast her out in anger for her association with us.”
Bryghton looked away and would not meet his mother’s eye after that statement.
The perceptive mother rightly surmised that Victoria had been the subject of her children’s argument and continued her questions. “Did the two of you have a good afternoon making calls?”
“It was quite lovely,” Alanna’s replied, still uninformative.
The duchess continued probing. “Do you think Lady Victoria enjoyed the experience?”
“I believe so, but she does not prattle on about such things, so it is sometimes difficult to tell what she is thinking.” Alanna huffed. “And Bryght has made me worry that I put her in an awkward position. I got angry at him because he may be right.”
Bryghton could not keep the surprise he felt from being written on his face, which made his sister laugh with renewed delight. “Yes, Bryght, I will admit it—as annoying as it is, you may be correct. I did not think it was unkind not to warn her. I thought it would be diverting. And it was, but I suppose if I were a true friend I would not seek amusement at my friend’s expense.”
“You have now lost me in this discussion, my dear,” the duchess gently complained.
With a little laugh, Alanna explained, “Victoria and I called on Lady Coupland. I did not tell her anything about what she would see when we got there. Bryght thinks I should have in case she was not able to contain her reaction. I told him I trusted she would maintain her composure under any circumstances. I was right that she handled it beautifully, but he was right that I should have told her. But mama, it was so droll to see her eyes widen ever so slightly while keeping that pleasant half smile upon her face that makes one wonder what she is thinking. She seemed like an expert at handling the ton.”
Her grace shifted her eyes between her son and her daughter, assessing both of their countenances. Alanna’s was by far the easiest to decipher. Bryghton, on the other hand, was steadfastly keeping his thoughts to himself. T
he doting mother had a few questions for her firstborn.
“If it had been Eloise accompanying Alanna this afternoon, would you have expected a similar warning to be given?”
Bryghton offered a negligent shrug. “Probably not,” he replied somewhat grudgingly.
“Why not? She is even younger than Victoria, and therefore her reactions could be even less restrained.”
“But she has been making calls since she was in the schoolroom,” Bryghton answered impatiently.
“So do you think it is a mistake for us to introduce Lady Victoria to the ton? Do you think she is beneath us?”
“Of course not,” Bryghton replied, with a touch of horror colouring his tones. “She is a lovely young woman who deserves the best in life. The ton does not deserve her, not the other way around. I simply didn’t want to see her embarrassed by any situation she might face while in Alanna’s company.”
His last bit of explanation seemed a bit weak to his mother, but she allowed the subject to drop, leaving time for his own words, and what they had revealed, to sink into his thoughts. Hoping Alanna had not caught on, she expertly turned the subject.
“Alanna my dear, do not refine upon it too much. I can see your brother’s point about Victoria’s inexperience, but you are right in realizing the dear girl will instinctively handle herself well. Even though her aunt has not taken her about, Victoria was well trained from infancy by a dear woman. Neither of you have anything to fear on her behalf. Now tell me, what do you and Victoria have planned for the future?”
“We are planning to make some more calls on the morrow so that she will know a few people when she attends my ball at the end of the week. By the by, your grace, have you consulted with the housekeeper about all the plans?”
“It is all well in hand, have no fear on that score. The responses have been pouring in; I think you will be quite happy with the turn out. It has been quite some time since we have had such a grand entertainment here. I think the staff are excited about it.”
Getting restless, the duke stood to take his leave. “I will leave you two ladies to sort out the details. I wish you a good day.”
Bryghton bowed over his sister’s hand with an elegant flourish. “No hard feelings, little chick?” he asked.
“Of course not,” Alanna said loyally. “You might be a clunch, but I love you anyway.”
The duke was still grinning as he stooped to kiss his mother’s cheek. “You are a good boy,” she said fondly, if somewhat inaccurately, causing his grin to broaden.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next few days flew by as Victoria continued trying to fulfill her duties as governess while accompanying Alanna on calls and helping with the last-minute preparations for the ball. The earl had still not produced a governess to replace her but thankfully seemed unconcerned about her activities. The children had finally accepted the new nursery maid and did not lament Victoria’s absences overly, much to her relief.
Victoria had accepted Alanna’s invitation to stay over for a couple of nights in connection with the ball and she was relieved when her aunt and uncle did not ask too many questions when she told them she would be absent.
“Good afternoon, Walter,” Victoria greeted as the butler opened the door to her.
“Good afternoon, Lady Victoria, it is a pleasure to see you again. Let me take that bag from you, it looks to be too heavy for you to be lugging around.”
Victoria laughed easily. “I am not nearly as fragile as I might look, Walter, but thank you. I will admit that after carrying it from home I do not mind setting it down now.”
“I understand you will be staying with us for a while.”
“Yes, for a couple of nights. It will be that much easier to help Alanna and the duchess with all the preparations for tomorrow night. And then, of course, if we dance until dawn I cannot walk home after that,” she said with an eager grin.
“I will have a footman deliver your things to your room, then, my lady.”
“Thank you. I believe Lady Alanna is expecting me.”
“That she is, my lady. I will take you to her now.”
After a short walk from the foyer, Walter announced formally, “Lady Victoria to see you, my lady.”
“Welcome, welcome,” Alanna jumped up from her seat and ran to greet her friend. “I was just reviewing our guest list and ensuring we have enough of everything for the numbers. I am so glad you are here now. I am heartily bored of being inside for so long. Would you mind terribly if we went for a brief stroll?”
Victoria did not remind her aristocratic friend that she had just walked here, and instead smiled kindly and murmured, “Not at all. It is a lovely day and you will no doubt enjoy some fresh air.”
“You are already dressed for walking. Give me a few minutes and I will be changed and ready.”
With those words Alanna left her guest alone in the morning room. Victoria paced to the front windows and was rewarded with the sight of the duke pulling up in his fancy carriage with the matching bays. Flustered, Victoria did not know what to do with herself. Should I run after Alanna and allow the duke to cool his heels on his own? she asked herself rather frantically before shaking her head in denial of that necessity. Do not be a silly gudgeon. No doubt he is here to see his mother and he will not be concerned about your presence in the slightest. With that bracing thought, she turned back to the window to entertain herself with the passing traffic.
Bryghton denied Walter the need to escort him. “No need, my good man. No doubt my sister is in the morning room like always. I will just see myself in.” The duke strode purposefully into the room, pulling himself up short when he saw that it was occupied only by Victoria with her face to the window.
“Hullo, my lady, I did not expect to see you here.”
Victoria started at his words. “Oh, your grace, you startled me. I saw you pull up and thought you must be here to see your mother. Alanna and I are about to go for a stroll and she had to run up to her room to change her attire.”
“How fortuitous for my timing,” he grinned, causing Victoria’s heart to flutter, much to her dismay. “I swung by to see if Alanna wished to accompany me for a drive. We could join our forces and drive to the park for a walk if you would like.”
Victoria smiled shyly, and hesitated before replying, “I am uncertain what exactly Alanna has planned for the rest of our day. I just arrived a few moments ago.”
“Have you been for a ride in Hyde Park at the fashionable hour?” Bryghton asked curiously.
“No, your grace. I have watched from afar, I will admit, while there with the children.”
“Well, I am sure it is bound to be a much different experience. I promise we will stay far from the Serpentine.”
They smiled at each other rather intimately at the shared remembrance. Alanna walked into the room at that moment, interrupting the unsettling moment, much to Victoria’s relief and Bryghton’s uncertainty.
“Bryght, what a delightful surprise, I did not think to see you until my ball tomorrow.”
“I thought you might need a breath of fresh air and stopped by to invite you for a ride. Lady Victoria told me you planned to take a walk. Would the two of you like to accompany me to the Park?”
“What a perfectly delightful suggestion,” Alanna said, quick to accept. “It is the exact right time of the day for Victoria to be seen by virtually everyone, so there will be an opportunity to introduce her around or at least show her off so people will be expecting her tomorrow. It will ensure the success of my party.” Alanna was gleeful until she turned to Victoria with a look of dismay. “I apologize, my lady. I should ask you if you wish to go. I do not mean to use you as bait to ensure the success of my ball, I assure you.”
Victoria gurgled with laughter. “Have no fear, I do not feel like bait. I have always wanted to know how it would feel to be one of the pretty people riding around the park. Certainly let us go. It is just as well that his lordship has offered to drive us. It would
not do for you to overtire yourself the day before the ball.”
Alanna laughed. “But what about overtiring you?”
Victoria dismissed this concern with a negligent wave of her hand. “I rarely tire. Nothing the ton does could be as tiring as chasing after Daniel.”
Bryghton looked at her pointedly at this reminder of her usual life, and wondered if she was having second thoughts about venturing into Society. “Are you sure you are up for this adventure?” he asked gently.
“Absolutely,” she replied. “Lead on, your grace.”
With an ironic bow, the duke led the girls out to his carriage and impatiently waiting horses. “I will apologize in advance for my cattle. These two have been cooped up in the stables for too long and are anxious to be put through their paces.”
“Do not hold them back on my account, your grace,” answered Victoria with a shiver of anticipation. “Although I am unsure if the traffic will allow you to do much more than a walk.”
The duke grinned arrogantly as he anticipated demonstrating his skills with the ribbons. “You had best hold on, ladies, as we will certainly be going faster than a walking pace.”
He put the beasts in motion and was surprised by the giggle of pure delight that erupted from the usually very contained Victoria.
“What beautiful goers they are, to be sure,” Victoria said, and added shyly, “You handle the reins with considerable skill.”
Bryghton grinned widely while throwing his little sister a quick wink. “Clearly our friend is more experienced than we had thought, little chick.”
Victoria coloured at his teasing. “I may not have gotten about much in Society but I have observed much as I have gone about Town with the children.”
“Quit teasing her, Bryght,” Alanna admonished. She reminded Victoria, “Now wipe that delighted grin off your face. Remember, you must look politely bored. We are almost there.”
Victoria allowed another peal of laughter to escape her lips but dutifully schooled her features into what she hoped was the appropriate expression.
The Reluctant Debutante: A Sweet, Regency Romance (Ladies of Mayfair Book 4) Page 24