by R. G. Winter
Victoria’s eyes blazed. She lifted her chin. “You are utterly ungrateful! You’ve a wonderful man who will make a wonderful husband, and you shall be a Duchess! That is so wonderful! That is the thing so many dream of and all you can do is complain and wonder what else you might have if only…if only Mama and Papa did not care so much for you.”
Confused and shaken Madelaine stepped back. “They care for you as well Victoria.”
“Perhaps they will care more about what I want when I am in Season.”
In season. Like a mare who was ready to be mated, whether she wanted to or not. Madelaine contemplated that for a moment.
Reginald appeared at the door moments later. Like them he had changed into riding clothes. Madelaine and Victoria curtseyed, the skirts of their gowns touching slightly and contrasting well. Victoria’s youthful pink-and-white against Madelaine’s more grown up rose and silver.
“Ladies, I shall be considered the luckiest man out driving today.”
His fair hair was covered by a large and tall hot. His body was clothed in tight breeches of a fawn-colored material and his waistcoat was a royal blue covered with pretty stitching. Madelaine regarded that stitching. It looked familiar, those precise and neat little stitches. They were elegant and perfect, not a single stitch out of place.
“We shall be considered lucky to be in your presence, “Victoria murmured.
Oh. She should say something. Madelaine wracked her brain. “I look forward to seeing your horses.”
Victoria hid her wince behind her fan. Madelaine opened hers and let it move, stirring the air a little and giving him time to think of an answer to her rather idiotic statement.
“The horses are magnificent,” he finally offered.
They took the arms he offered and marched out to the gates where the carriage sat. Victoria was excited and smiling. Reginald sat between them and they were off, the horses prancing across the hard-packed streets toward the park.
Hyde Park was a mere shingle of grass and sand but much was made of it. Madelaine hated it. The men dashing around cleaning up behind the horses were always holding their hats out for coins to be thrown into them, and they helped to block the already stalled traffic. The crush of carriages and riders forced them to keep the horses at a bare walk.
Memories of riding across the bluffs came to her, making her long to jump from the carriage, snatch a rider off their horse and flee as fast as she could.
Right to Jonathan.
She would go to him and never look back and if her parents tried to void their approval and drag her back she would tell them that she was spoilt and unable to wed, scandal or no!’
The carriage moved forward, its wheels crushing the sand and rock below. A carriage rode alongside and she saw the Earl of Cumberland and his wife seated within.
Lady Cumberland gave her a frosty glance. She lifted an eyebrow, tapped her husband’s arm with her fan and he called out a hello.
Reginald responded.
Naturally Madelaine and Victoria waited until after the men had spoken to give their greetings to Lady Cumberland.
They rode on, giving and receiving greetings. Madelaine knew that tomorrow there would be calling cards left in the silver tray near their front door. That habit annoyed her. There was a set time to leave the cards, but as everyone was out during those hours dropping off their silly little cards how could anyone expect to be received anywhere they went?
Perhaps that was the whole point. It was easier to politely ignore a person’s card than a person standing on the doorstep after all.
The carriage ride helped anyway. It got her out of the house.
When they returned home Reginald helped her down. Victoria gave them a long look then vanished down the hallway. Reginald gave her a polite kiss on the cheek then left.
“Not very compelling, is he?” Winston appeared, his eyes dark and unreadable.
She looked around. They were the only ones in sight. She rushed him into the parlor. “No, he’s as dull as day old porridge.”
“You should run away again.”
“You must stop putting ideas in my head! Look what happened the last time you said something so outlandish!”
He got a little closer. She took a long sniff. “You’ve been at the sherry early. Tell me, why does it matter so much to you?”
He shrugged then sighed. “I suppose I have a stake in it due to my own circumstances.”
She removed her hat carefully. “Your own circumstances?”
Winston slumped into a chair. “I met a young lady. No, that is not entirely correct. I met a young woman who is most certainly not a lady.”
“Oh,” she sat beside him, scrutinizing his face. “You can’t wed her?”
“Not at all. She’s the daughter of a very minor lord with absolutely no money and four other sisters. My God, we would have to finance all of them coming out! Mama and Papa would die or go bankrupt.”
“Perhaps you could negotiate only one of her sisters a Season.”
Winston laughed. “You should meet Clare. I mean Miss Devon. “
Clare Devon? Is she related to Lord Devon?”
He brushed his hair off his forehead, “Yes, she’s his niece. Have you met her?”
“No, I can’t say I have.” An idea was germinating in her head though.
Winston chuckled. His legs splayed out before him and he lolled back in the chair, an amused look filling his face. “You’d like her. She almost shot me you know.”
Her eyebrows nearly met her hairline. “Almost shot you?”
“Yes, she’s quite the shot. I mistook her for a poacher, you see. And a man.”
She felt a little faint. “Do explain.”
He got up and closed the door before sitting back down. His voice dropped to a whisper. “She had on breeches and her hair was hidden under a hat, a man’s hat to be clear. She was riding along and she spotted some grouse right as I came barreling through the underbrush. So she almost shot me. Of course I accused her of poaching and she threatened to shoot me if I didn’t leave her be. That was around the time I discovered her to be a female.”
Horrified and fascinated she breathed, “But she didn’t!”
“No but she neatly bagged the grouse. Several of them, in fact. Made for a fine dinner.”
“She sounds quite wild!”
“Oh she is, and she is the middle daughter so her elder sisters must be married first but there is no money. I tell you, she is far too intelligent, and far too talkative, and far too headstrong for a man, anyway. She rides like a man too, and here I thought you rode like a demon. She soils her gown at the hem, wanders all across the countryside in the rain, and she had the nerve to tell me that if I truly loved her I would let her fish for our dinner instead of rowing us into the middle of a lake just to play guitar for her!”
Madelaine tried to hold back laughter but couldn’t. “She sounds wonderful Winston!”
“Oh she is. But there is the problem of her sisters and of course Mama and Papa won’t let me marry someone with no money at all.”
She took his hand. “They’re forcing me into a marriage I don’t want. Surely they can be happy with one well-done match! Oh and Victoria will undoubtedly marry well too, so they will be two for three. Fairly high success rate really.”
Winston chuckled and patted her shoulder. “I can’t believe you are bending so. It seems to me you would be the one to fight tooth and claw for what you really wanted. Really I’m too cowardly and Victoria’s too settled into the line of thinking that they all seem to have.”
They were interrupted by Lady de Winter. She swept into the room with a flurry of skirts. A smile lit her entire face and her blonde and silver hair was showing a slight bit of disarray.
She paused dramatically. “We’ve all been invited to the Earl and Lady of Cumberland’s ball!”
It was one of the most exclusive balls in the city. Madelaine knew that they’d only bene invited because of the duke.
&nb
sp; “All of us Mama?”
Victoria stood in the doorway. Her eyes were wide and hopeful. She advanced into the room. “Oh please do say yes Mama. I should die to go!”
“You shall not die,” their mother said gently. “And you may not go, not this year. No young woman who has not yet been presented may attend. I am so sorry dearest.”
Victoria’s chin wobbled. “I understand.”
Lady de Winter clapped her hands together. “Good. Now, as neither of you have yet to change let us have a few hours of shopping!”
She herded the two sisters before her and into a carriage. They set off down the streets, the other fashionable people rode alongside and called out greetings again. Madelaine knew that tomorrow everyone would gather in parlors and discuss where they had seen each other.
Naturally they headed down Bond Street to a millinery store. They alighted the carriage and made their way inside. Vitoria fell in love with a tall dark green silk hat embellished with black ostrich feathers and netting but was told it was too grown up by the woman behind the counter.
Madelaine stepped forward, angry without knowing why. “No, it isn’t. She wants to try it so allow her to. I will try the royal blue silk, as well, if you please.”
Lady de Winter nodded when the women who ran the shop looked over at her. Madelaine tried on the hat she had picked out. It was lovely and suited her coloring but she did not care for her.
The one that Victoria had picked out was lovely but most certainly did not suit her coloring.
Madelaine took off the one she had been trying on and then helped Victoria remove the one she’d been interested in. She set the royal-blue one on Victoria’s head. She arranged the netting and said, “There, look how lovely that is on you!”
“But it is such a rich hue for one so young,” the clerk pointed out quietly.
It was too rich a hue. Yet it looked perfect on Victoria’s head. It accented her beauty and made her look years older as well. Madelaine asked, “May she have it Mama?”
Lady de Winter considered. Madelaine knew she was playing on her sympathy with her request. Victoria was obviously hurt over not being able to attend the Cumberland’s ball after all.
Lady de Winter nodded her head. “Yes, she may.”
Victoria cried out a thank you. Madelaine bought a smaller hat in striped blue and gold and then they left, their purchases neatly bundled into tall hat boxes that their driver placed in the carriage before escorting them to the next shop.
Madelaine hated shopping. It was boring even if she liked the things she bought. She was actually grateful to get back in the carriage and head home. Besides, the idea that had been in her head ever since she had spoken to Winston had become a full-blown plan she was determined to set into motion.
She fanned herself quite vigorously for a moment. “Mama, dearest, have you ever met Clare Devon?”
Lady de Winter’s brows met. “The name is quite familiar.”
“She’s niece to Lord Devon. The widower, I believe.”
“Oh, but of course. Yes. Her parents are…quite impoverished as I understand, and rotten with daughters. Why ever do you ask?”
Could she pull off such a lie?” She’s the sweetest thing, and a middle child so of course she can’t have a Season, not with her sisters not yet wed but I was hoping you’d let me invite her up for a week. Say, next week. The company would be good for me, and she’s quite amusing.”
Lady de Winter considered, “Well that is before the Cumberland ball, and your nuptials so I suppose it would be all right. We have dinners planned that week, both at home and out—but we do not go to the theatre that week so I suppose…well I suppose no matter how poor her wardrobe we should be able to give her a decent time.”
Madelaine gave her a most casual shrug. “I’m quite sure she is not husband shopping Mama. She’s got those elder sisters after all. I’m also sure one of the maids could, if we had to, take in or let out one of my gowns to make sure she is attired properly for a party or dinner.”
Lady de Winter tapped her fan into her gloved palm, her face screwed up in concentration, “This is true, However I should not like to have very many of your gowns let out or taken in. The seams start to show it, you know.”
“I do and I shall not loan her more than one or two.” Her smile was genuine.
Maybe someone in their family would get a chance at happiness after all.
No matter how much she disliked her current situation she loved her brother, and she knew he was not speaking lightly. Winston had a yearning for adventure—the same yearning she herself had. If he had fallen for Clare Devon then he deserved some small happiness with her, even if they could not wed.
“I shall write to Clare this very evening.”
She would. Her grin was wide. Maybe a little mischief would take her mind off Jonathan, if only for a little while.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“By God you didn’t!”
Winston stared from Madelaine to the letter crumpled in his hands. He smoothed it out, read the words again and then looked back at her face. “Why…I’m speechless! I cannot fathom how you pulled it off!”
“It was simple. I asked Mama if she might come to visit, wrote a lovely letter to her expressing how much I enjoyed meeting her last spring, and asked her to visit.”
He blinked, frowned, blinked again. “You didn’t meet her last spring.”
“No. But she knows exactly who I am. Her parents or sisters may read her letters too. Mama and Papa may read mine, at this point I can’t say I would blame them. She wrote back, as you can see, that she truly enjoyed my company as well and is thrilled to say she will be able to visit us starting tomorrow.”
He ran his hands through his hair, hugged her, tripped over a small footstool, righted himself and dashed off, muttering about a barber.
She watched him go with a smile but her smile quickly dropped away when Reginald was announced. She righted the footstool and took a seat, expecting to see him and one of her parents enter the room she was pleased to see that it was Victoria who would be chaperoning them that afternoon.
Reginald came to her gave her hand a brief and perfunctory kiss then took a seat. Victoria rang for refreshments and asked if he would like sherry rather than tea, to which he said no.
Madelaine sat helpless and exhausted in her chair. She could not summon up even the slightest bit of care or regard for him. He was a nice man, and he deserved better than a wife that had little more than two words for him at any time.
He asked her how she was. “I’m fine sir. How are you?”
“Equally fine.”
The silence deepened. Panic set in. Was this how she was going to spend eternity? Sitting across from someone she was unable to speak to?
Oh how she longed for the long conversations that she had had with Jonathan!
Victoria cleared her throat. “Your Lordship, you were talking about the tenants on your property yesterday…”
He smiled. “Yes, my tenants. They are quite reasonable people.”
Victoria leaned forward. “I imagine your home to be so grand!”
“So it is. Now that my parents are settling more into life in the country and away from London they are finding much to enjoy there.”
“Your parents?” Madelaine put in.
Reginald nodded. “Yes, but of course. My father was not directly in the line to inherit as he married my mother after she was widowed. Her title did not confer to him, only to me, but he was a wonderful manager of our affairs and things have grown under his care.
“My mother has had enough of London, however. She’s had to live in the city for far longer than she would have liked every year due to my father’s business interests. I’m glad that I can live in London longer in the year. I rather prefer the place out of Season.”
“I would like it just as well out of Season as in.” Victoria put in. “London is so lovely! So modern! Why it is the grandest city in the entire world!”
Reginald gave her an indulgent smile. “I traveled abroad you know but I found no joy in it. It simply doesn’t please me to aboard ships or stuffed into carriages for days and days on end just to look at buildings or meet people who do not even speak our language.”
Madelaine leaned forward, “Oh but that sounds…”
“Dreadful!” Victoria shuddered. “I would like to travel some within the country of course. I hear the waters of Bath are wonderful, but to cross ocean and…my goodness! Why would anyone do so?”
Madelaine wanted to beat her head into the wall. She sat there, wondering for the millionth time in her life if she were, perhaps, the consequence of a tricky faerie who’d decided to dump a changeling into the De Winter household.
She had so little in common with any of them that it might not be as far-fetched as it seemed. The only one she seemed like, in any way, was Winston.
Reginald gave a dismissive gesture with his shoulders. “Perhaps because it is considered so fashionable.”
“I don’t consider it fashionable. I consider it necessary.” Madelaine’s hands squeezed together and she managed a smile as their faces turned to her. “Travel! It is so exciting!”
“I have found it only to be exciting in theory,” Reginald said.
They were interrupted by the arrival of the refreshments. Victoria took up the tray and served them all tea and offered the clever little tray of tiny, triangle-shaped sandwiches.
Madelaine took two as she was famished. Luncheon had been beyond light and her breakfast had consisted of nothing more than a simple piece of toast and a cup of unsweetened tea.
Victoria took only tea. Reginald nibbled at the corner of a single sandwich wedge. Feeling greedy but still hungry Madelaine ate a third. Reginald turned a brick-red as he watched. Victoria squirmed.
The visit ended as dismally as it began. Reginald checked his watch and said he must go. She and Victoria walked him to the door and bade him goodbye.
She closed the door and turned to Madelaine. “Well thank goodness that’s over!”