Felicity and the Damaged Reputation: A witty, sweet Regency Romance

by Alicia Cameron

  Perhaps she could give herself a new name, like Miss Smith or Miss Flint. For a moment she saw a chink of light in the tale. Perhaps she could remain here (for she knew Lady Aurora’s warm heart would never turn from her) and be a Miss Fleet for her ladyship. A companion who kept her company, who fetched her reticule and found her threads. Who could take some organisational chores from her care. She could leave the room when visitors arrived, she could wear plain clothes and a large poked bonnet so that if she walked at unfashionable hours, she would not be recognised. Almost had Felicity got out of bed, to beg this bounty of her ladyship immediately, but she had not. The disgrace around her would be like a yoke around her wonderful friend’s neck. The reputation of the family, which Felicity could not help knowing was blighted a little by the previous occupation of Mrs Fenton, would be further plunged into disgrace. No, a small school faraway with a new name was the best she could hope for and she would begin by reading the advertisements in the London Post. She would say nothing to the Fentons as yet, but only once she had the position. Then they could breathe a sigh of relief, and let her go.

  It was only that the idyll was ended rather sooner than was expected, that was all. She had been so lucky that she could not repine. Only a few more tears fought the effects of the sleeping draught and soon they were done.

  Felicity was so early awake the next morning that she had to ring for her maid. When that young girl arrived, it was evident that the servants had an intimation of trouble in the house. Susan was so gentle that Felicity, who had thought that all her tears were cried out, nearly became overset again at her kindness.

  ‘I told Mr Ransom before I came up that you had rung and you can be sure that however early, you will find some rolls and chocolate when you go downstairs. I laid out the moss green morning dress with the yellow ribbons, if that pleases you Miss.’ She chattered, not fooled by her young lady’s bright smile, and helped her into her slip and short corset, ‘and shall I awaken Lady Sumner? She is always up in half an hour or so, and I am sure she would not mind—’

  ‘No, no. But I shall be very glad of the breakfast, thank you.’

  ‘I will heat some irons to restore the curl—’

  ‘No really, Susan, I shall wear my hair simply today, if you please.’

  It was evident that the cause of the ructions had not reached below stairs as yet, for Susan said, ‘Oh, but we want you to be at your best for all the young gentlemen who will come calling after the ball.’

  Felicity, who was determined not to further distress her friends with a display of her misery, almost let a tear fall at this. ‘Oh, I doubt there will be so many morning callers this morning.’

  She stood and unexpectedly hugged the maid briefly, leaving the room.

  ‘There’s something up there and no mistake, Mr Ransom,’ said Susan to the butler.

  ‘What happens within the family is no business of yours, Susan.’

  ‘I know sir, but Miss Felicity has been so kind to me, sir. Helping me with my letters and such so that I may become a lady’s maid proper, like I told her I wanted to. And how she lit her own fire sir, when Albert’s back were bad. I just hope that she’s got no trouble about her sir.’ Since Susan’s eyes held tears, and since he really had a soft spot for her, Ransom dropped his height of manner and said, ‘Go off with you girl. I’ve been with Mr Fenton for two years now, and he can deal with trouble, no fear.’ Susan smiled and scuttled away, mopping her eyes.

  Felicity had been quite wrong about the morning callers, however. In the moments after her rolls were consumed, misery having given her an appetite she had not expected, the bell rang in the hall. She jumped, dropping her cup and saucer on the Aubusson carpet, which thankfully did not shatter, but assured herself that Ransom the butler would deny anyone at this hour.

  She heard a raised voice in the hallway, and the more sombre tones of Ransom, and suddenly a young man burst into the room.

  ‘I heard the noise, I hoped it was you—’

  Felicity stood up. ‘Lieutenant Sloane!’

  ‘I’m sorry miss, the gentleman burst in — I can remove him—’

  ‘I must speak to you, Miss Oldfield,’ begged the young man.

  The butler had been joined by a tall and burly footman, advancing slowly into the room, but Felicity said, ‘It is quite all right, Ransom. This is Lieutenant Sloane, who is a friend of Mr Benedict Fenton’s. You and Joseph may go, but you may leave the door ajar, if you please.’

  Ransom pulled himself up, sniffing his displeasure. ‘Meg is in the hall, Miss. Shall I send her in?’

  ‘Eh—? Yes, thank you, Ransom.’

  Lt Sloane, once in, seemed hard put to begin. Meg, an upstairs maid, came in and stood in a corner, bobbing a curtsy as she did so. ‘Mr Ransom says he’s sending word to her ladyship.’

  Felicity walked past her and Lt Sloane, and talked to the butler. ‘Please do not, Ransom, I do not wish her ladyship disturbed.’

  The butler regarded her solemnly. ‘Very well miss. Joseph, stop James from knocking on her ladyship’s door.’

  Felicity re-entered the breakfast room, and Lieutenant Sloane, his long serious face without the smile she had encouraged last night, began, ‘My dear Miss Oldfield, as badly as last evening ended, I want to say that for me it contained much pleasure, for it gave me the privilege of meeting you.’

  ‘You are so kind, Lieutenant Sloane, and I cannot thank you enough for not asking the questions you are bound to want to ask. You show faith in me that I hardly deserve. I quite see that you had to call early, so as not to be seen on a visit, and I assure you that—’

  ‘No! I beg your pardon, but you have that quite wrong, Miss Oldfield. I am early for the chance to speak to you alone. Had you not been awake, I would have had servants summon you from your bed.’

  ‘Lieuten—’

  ‘Please, let me finish. The words that Lady Letitia Fortescue uttered last night in front of Miss — Miss—’

  ‘Friel,’ said Felicity automatically, wishing he had not brought up last night’s disaster while she still had a full stomach. He was a very nice, very intense young man, but what he was doing here was beyond her. Her head hurt and she wished he would leave her alone.

  ‘Yes. Those words have damaged your fair name, and I am here to redress this calumny.’ There was another altercation at the entry and Lieutenant Sloane, afraid that he would be disturbed before he had time to achieve his neat answer to Miss Oldfield’s problem, rushed his fence. He knelt and grasped her hand, and said simply, ‘Miss Oldfield, will you be my wife?’

  Felicity, who had one ear on the noise in the hall — for some other had managed past Ransom’s usually impregnable defences, suddenly realised what he had said, and in her mounting hysteria, she laughed. Quite uproariously. She sat as she gave way to giggles, whilst the shocked Lt Sloane remained frozen, still kneeling, with his hand in the air where hers had been a second ago.

  Two young ladies, with heavily veiled bonnets, had entered the room and one exclaimed. ‘Felicity! We expected to find you distraught. What is this?’ with a terrible arm pointing to the young man.

  ‘Oh, Vivien, Althea, I thought never to speak to you again!’ for the veils had not disguised the very stylish pelisses that Felicity knew well. Althea pushed back the veil to show her face frowning terribly. Then she raised her brows in question at Felicity. ‘That is only Lieutenant Sloane, whom I met last night, who has very kindly been offering for me to save my reputation. I’m afraid I laughed, for which I apologise, sir.’ Sloane stood, red and stunned being regarded by two lovely young ladies with interest.

  ‘Sloane is it?’ uttered Althea, consideringly, ‘I know your mama, and it would not answer sir, though I am loath to say it. Lady Sloane would never accept such a match and would see to it that my friend would be a greater social pariah than now.’ Sloane looked pale but could give no reply to what he now saw was a masterly summation on an angle that he had only vaguely considered. He’d imagined that Felicity�
�s beauty and openness would win Lady Sloane around, but now he understood that these were not characteristics his mother in any way admired. Hence her forcing onto his notice several dull plain girls of steady character. He began to feel relieved.

  Benedict Fenton burst in, hardly looking at any other but his friend when he said, ‘Sloane, what are you about? Did you do it?’

  ‘Yes, if you are referring to making my friend an offer,’ answered Althea Carter-Phipps calmly. ‘But Felicity refused — did you not?’

  ‘I hadn’t quite gotten that far,’ said Felicity, ‘but I might assume he knows so. How kind you are Lieutenant Sloane, but—’

  ‘It hasn’t come to that quite yet—’ said Benedict, summing it up brutally.

  Althea turned to him with all her regal calm. ‘It is bad as it can be, Captain Fenton — isn’t it? — if what we heard in the ballroom last night begins to generally be put about. But we now wish to speak to our friend and you may take yourself off.’

  She held out a determined hand, which Benedict shook automatically. ‘I wish to talk to my uncle,’ he protested.

  ‘Well, I must suppose he is still abed, for he is not here. You may come back in an hour, when you may hope the household has arisen.’ She turned to Lt Sloane and held out her little hand once more which he too grasped and she shook it warmly. ‘You are a man of unusual gallantry and morality, Lieutenant Sloane. Of good manners and good heart. I admire those qualities very much. Miss Althorpe and I shall be at Almacks Assembly Rooms this evening and shall be pleased to dance with you and Captain Benedict Fenton where we shall further discuss with you what is best to be done. For the moment, leave us.’

  Felicity was amused to see the two gentlemen devoid of speech in face of the regal determination of her friend. They bowed.

  Vivien and she curtsied to the gentlemen, who left in order, Samuel Sloane having to be dragged by Benedict to release himself from Miss Carter-Phipps extraordinary eyes. That young lady moreover shooed away the very interested maid.

  ‘Now!’ she said turning them to a wide-eyed Felicity, ‘You know that you must not waste time denying allegations or telling us more than you wish to of the circumstances. Vivien and I are sure that you are the most naive girl we have ever met, and that such charges as were made against you are nothing less than lies. Would that our mothers agreed. But we are here in spite of being forbidden, to assure you that we remain your friends, and will do all in our power — clandestinely of course — to help.’

  Felicity hugged her impulsively, and Althea quickly responded then returned to her dignified posture.

  ‘There is nothing to be done,’ sighed Felicity, ‘— but it is so nice to see you one more time, my true friends.’

  Vivien could at last speak and she drew her friend down to the sofa. ‘But you must tell us everything you can, my dear.’

  Another girl might be afraid to give yet more fodder to the rumour mill, but Felicity’s big heart knew not a second’s hesitation. ‘There is no need for concealment any longer, but I pray you will never mention Lord Durant’s role in this. It was innocent enough, and he would not like the purpose to be known. It was like this…’

  Chapter 8

  Making the Plan

  Whatever Lady Aurora meant to do about uprooting Felicity to her Aunt Ellingham’s was a moot point. For even as Cécile, her maid, was dressing her hair, Ransom knocked and entered her dressing room with a letter bearing the Ellingham seal in the wax.

  ‘This arrived with instructions to be placed into your own hand, my lady,’ said Ransom, grimly. He, along with the entire household had a rather better idea of events of last night, due to Meg’s presence in the morning room, and now the Ellingham’s footman, James, who had listened to his mistress’s shrieks when she read the Viscountess Swanson’s letter, detailing the rumours raging about her niece. Felicity’s aunt had also received a preternaturally early visit from Mrs Frampton, all commiseration at the dreadful scandal to befall her niece, and to seek, of course, further details. Her impertinence almost caused an apoplexy in Lady Ellingham, so much so that she threw a roll at her, causing a rift in their years’ long friendship (which was primarily based on their judgement of others) that would be hard to repair.

  In the kitchen, over some chocolate, some hot rolls and no more than five slices of bacon, the tall footman relayed the story with glee. No one in Lady Ellingham’s household was especially loyal to the “ol’ devil” as James the footman called her.

  While deprecating such a household where servants spoke of their Family — he himself guarding the secrets of the Fentons with an iron will — Ransom was happy to encourage the whole tale. Their young Miss Felicity had been denounced as fast, and moreover was accused of a liaison with Lord Durant. Her reputation was in ruins. And the “ol’ devil” was “mad as hell”.

  Now Lady Aurora, with her hair half in pins, and her gauze robe tumbling from her shoulders, took the letter and opened it eagerly. She had a fair idea of the contents, but still she had hoped for a different outcome.

  Mrs Fenton,

  I cannot write. Miss Fleet pens this for me since the shocking news that I have received of my niece’s conduct has sent me to bed, where I may be at last brought to the place where I join my poor husband in the grave. I should have known that when you foisted that girl on me unheralded, that something was deeply wrong. You brought me — me! — a creature so steeped in vice, hiding so dark a secret, that by association with her, my husband’s ancient name is tainted. I might have known, by the source of such an introduction, the kind of person I was harbouring within these walls.

  My generous spirit responded to your pleas on her behalf, though it was a hardship to me, and only see how I am paid. Viscountess Swanson has told me all. She was under your protection — could you not at least have stopped her making a scene at a ball? Your laxity is unpardonable. I might have known it, for your reputation and that of your rake of a husband goes before you. I thought at least Lady Sumner could be depended upon. But even had you stopped her wicked display of evil temperament at the ball, you could never have erased the blackness of her soul.

  You need not write to me of pardon — I could never consent to give her depravity countenance, it is an affront enough that I suffer so much from her disgrace already. And you may not think to foist her upon me once more, now that she brings such shame to your door, for I never shall see her again. I insist she be sent back to Oldfield, or to work in some charity school in a distant place. I hear most young persons who take up such places succumb to the consumption and die within a year. This fate would be too good for her. If she stays here, she will undoubtedly be bandied about as Stanford or Durant’s mistress, then later end up on the streets plying her wicked trade, and my torture will continue. I will not allow it!

  And as for you, madam, I shall never again turn my head to you or acknowledge you in any way.

  You receive no compliments from me,

  Lady Ellingham

  Lady Aurora threw a crystal rouge pot at a wall. There was a tiny piece of paper tucked into the letter, which her ladyship nearly let fall. She opened it, however. It read thus.

  Dear Mrs Fenton,

  I have no time, but I must apologise for the evil words I had to pen, and please to tell Miss Oldfield that I and all her friends at Ellingham House believe nothing of any accusation made against her and never could.

  Euphemia Fleet

  Her friends at Ellingham House? thought her ladyship. But then she understood. Felicity had endeared herself to the household of course, as she had here. Servants had been Felicity’s only friends and support during her strange childhood with her distant father, and she still wrote a letter once a week to her old housekeeper, Merryweather. She noticed the services that the servants performed in this house too, and was at once ladylike and appreciative. She had ventured to the kitchens and told Lady Aurora how well the new range was working for Hervé (the chef) in the kitchen, and how proud Daniel the groom was of M
r Fenton’s new greys. Lady Aurora, who had no idea what her own kitchens looked like, and had never considered whether a groom should be proud of his master’s horses or not, had been surprised. Not, however, shocked. Her own maid Cécile had been her firm friend during her days when she was cast out from society and her butler Ransom her protector. But she understood that Felicity had made them all love her, as she no doubt had in her short stay at Ellingham House.

  Her husband arrived from his dressing room, alerted by the noise of the crystal projectile.

  ‘My lady?’ she held the letter out to him and he read it, raising an eyebrow. ‘A vile old battle-axe.’ He said calmly. ‘How have you permitted yourself to be upset by such a witch? It is exactly as I predicted.’

  ‘I know, Wilbert. But how could I expect she would say such things of our dear girl? She might have closed many mouths just by having her live at Darlington House again. It would not have saved the day, but it might have helped. And there is no thought of Felicity, only of herself.’

  ‘We knew all this, my dear. Can it be that you are concerned by what she says of you?’

  Lady Aurora waved that away. ‘It is just that I was going to beg her to have Felicity, despite what we agreed last night, to slow the dreadful rumours. A high stickler such as she being seen to support her niece would call it into question—’

  ‘She’s a fool. If she dreads the scandal, she could have helped herself and Felicity by denying it. But as for me, I think that to send our young friend into that poisonous atmosphere would have been cruel.’ He pulled her near him, and the maid left the room quietly. ‘We have wit and the will, my dear, we will come about yet.’ His wife burrowed her head into his arms.