Melly breathed a sigh of relief when Lady Ashby disappeared into the workshop area.
Bunny was surveying herself in the glass, tilting her head from side to side to look at the turban. "What do you think of it, my dear? I like it, but everyone wears them… Perhaps we could add a couple of feathers to give a little height?"
"I think you look lovely. Is it comfortable?"
"Very. That's the benefit, you don't need hat pins stabbing your head." She looked at the assistant. "Do you have it in another color?"
The assistant dived underneath the counter and brought out three more turbans, while assuring her that: "It's our pleasure to design whatever you might wish, Mrs. Smythe-Hamill. Some of our ladies bring us their materials when they've ordered a new gown, and we create a matching chapeau."
Bunny clapped her hands in delight. "I must try these on, and if they're comfortable I'll take them. Melly, would you think it very greedy of me if I bought them all?"
Suddenly Madame was at Melly's elbow. "Your pardon Miss Eardley, could I see you for a moment? Just back in the workshop if I may?"
Millie frowned. What on earth was going on? She knew that Lady Ashley was in those rooms. On the other hand, she couldn't make a fuss. The showroom was busy, with at least ten other customers, and as many assistants. "No Madame," she said politely. "It is important? My aunt and I are late already. Bunny, look at how late it is. And Mother asked us to call in and see whether Mr. Potter managed to get that gunpowder tea for her."
"It will only take a moment, Miss Eardley."
Melly stared into madame's black eyed gaze, and relented. The woman looked frightened.
"Please, Ms Eardley," Madame whispered.
Melly allowed her curiosity to get the better of her. "Very well."
As she expected, Lady Ashby was waiting for her in the workshops. Melly glanced at Lady Ashby, then around at the workshop, fascinated by the bolts of material, and boxes with feathers and other materials. Madame Emmeline ushered out the two milliners who were working at two long benches and left, closing the door behind her.
Melly folded her arms and stared at Lady Ashby. The woman was a courtesan. She had been Linton's mistress, and Linton would be very angry if he knew that Melly had had a conversation with the woman. "I assume you asked to speak with me. What do you want?"
She met the woman's gaze frankly. She wasn't frightened of her — she was angry.
"You will never marry Lord Linton."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard what I said. He will never marry a milk and water miss like you. He is making a game of you. Lady Linton has been asking him to marry, but he'll soon see what a mistake he has made."
"He dismissed you as his mistress." Melly smiled slowly. "What a strange woman you are. I wanted to to hear what you had to say, and now I've heard it. I wish you well, but do not accost me again."
With that, Millie turned her back on the creature and reached for the door handle.
"You're making a mistake. He won't marry you – he will marry me. He loves me, and I know what he needs. You don't know anything. You're just an arrogant tonnish little miss. Linton and I laughed at women like you, and your mamas."
Melly stiffened, and inhaled sharply, but thought better of a response, and continued out of the door.
Madame was waiting for her. "Miss Eardley I'm so sorry, please forgive me. She said that she would make a disturbance. I have forbidden her the shop. I will never create a hat for her again."
"Bunny – have you made your purchases?"
Millie couldn't get Bunny out of the shop for another half hour, but she was relieved to see no more of Lady Ashby.
9. The plan
After speaking with Miss Eardley, Lady Ashby went straight home, to her small house in Half Moon Street which Lord Linton had purchased for her.
She found Captain Lord Hexham in her drawing room. That young man was a welcome guest when she was without a protector. But she had a protector.
He was reclining comfortably on a chaise, eating sliced pineapple from a Wedgwood plate. Her pineapple: an expensive gift from Major Grove. Hexham couldn't afford to keep her, so why was he eating her pineapple?
Quite as if he were her protector, Lady Ashby thought crossly. Did he imagine that his latest gift, a diamond and emerald bracelet, bought him special consideration? It didn't. It was a trifle.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. "I didn't expect to see you today. May I remind you that Major Grove is calling on me today — he's paid for my time. A fine thing it would be, if he were to find you here."
He stretched, and yawned. That distracted her for a moment, as she eyed his long lean length, and the muscles in his thighs. He was attractive, she gave him that, but his fine looks didn't pay her servants or her bills.
"Relax my darling," he said. "I had some free time so I thought I would call on you. After all our interests are in parallel, are they not? I want little Miss Eardley and you want Lord Linton."
She tamped down her anger. Hexham could prove useful. "I spoke to Miss Eardley in Madame Emmeline's not half an hour ago. I warned her that Linton would never marry her. So — I want you to do what you hinted that you would do. Do it. Get her out of my way."
Hexham shrugged. "She's betrothed to Lord Linton," he said mildly. "You know that. You saw the article in the newspaper. I can't very well call on her and seduce her now."
"Do you think that you can seduce her?" She had her doubts. Hexham was a handsome young man, but Linton was powerful and wealthy. For all she knew, the Eardley chit imagined herself in love with Linton. "We haven't time for that. I want you to compromise Miss Eardley, and you will need to be creative."
"What do you mean?"
The fool sounded worried. She sighed again. Hexham's attraction was in his looks, not in his intelligence. "You've told me that you want to marry Miss Eardley." She sat down beside him, and pulled off her gloves slowly.
He watched as carefully as a hawk watches a mouse when she bared her wrists and fingers to his gaze. "I do want to marry her," he said huskily, still staring, "but I don't see how that would be possible. Lady Linton has arrived from Watton Park, and Linton House is hiring staff. It appears that the dowager countess is pleased with the new connection. It's all very well to talk about compromising her, but how?"
"Spend the night with Miss Eardley. That will force Linton to cry off."
He sat up. "Impossible."
"You forget that I know you. You've done it before." She knew that the previous year, Hexham had been in pursuit of an heiress. He taken her to his home, and the chit had been foolish enough to enter his house. Alone. Only the arrival of her brother had rescued the young woman, who was hopelessly tipsy.
"You can't imagine that I would harm her," he sounded horrified. I told you that I wanted to marry Miss Eardley. The little heiress was a game, I forgot myself. We got caught in the rain, and I took her home, because we happened to be close to my house. I didn't intend anything."
Valerie took off her hat, and pulled out her hairpins. She shook her head, until her mass of chestnut curls engulfed her down to her hips. Major Grove would be calling shortly. She had to get Hexham out of her house.
She wished that Hexham wasn't such a milquetoast, and smiled at him from under her eyelashes. Of course he had intended harm to the heiress. But perhaps he was foolish enough to lie to himself as well as everyone else. However, he was perfect for what she wanted, because he had asked for permission to call on Melly, and her mother had agreed.
Yes, the Eardley chit was engaged, but that didn't mean that Hexham couldn't dance attendance on her. Linton couldn't object if Miss Eardley went riding in the park with a friend, he'd look a fool if he did. Engaged or not, she was entitled to a few harmless beaux.
She decided that Hexham had to do she wanted him to do.
"I didn't mean any harm," he repeated. "What do you imagine I could do with Melly?"
"Entertain her. Ask her to drive in the p
ark with you. You've done that before, and why should she not join you in the park? Take a maid. I don't care what you do, as long as you get her to your house or to somewhere else and keep her overnight."
"Linton would call me out."
"You're frightened of him?" She didn't bother to keep the scorn from her tone. "You're a soldier. You've been at war. You've fought a duel, too. Surely you're not afraid of a challenge? I don't want you to kill him, if that's your concern. Wound him."
"Linton is as capable with a sword as he is with a pistol. If I compromise his betrothed, he might well kill me." He stared at her.
"He won't do that, he has no wish to take flight and leave the country."
"You're quite ruthless, aren't you?"
"I mean to marry Linton."
"He won't marry you," Hexham said. "You're a courtesan, Val. A very charming one, but I don't see you as the next Countess of Linton. His grandmother would never allow it, never mind the rest of his family."
"More than one courtesan has made a great marriage."
"Not to a Ward. High sticklers, my dear. Talverne surprised me when he chose Lady Burnley. Suspect breeding there. I thought Linton would refuse… You would have more hope of marriage if you set your sights on Talverne, rather than his uncle."
Valerie looked at him for a moment. He'd gone pale because he believed that Linton would call him out.
Would he? She couldn't imagine it. Linton was so calm and relaxed. However, he was betrothed, and she'd always imagined that he wouldn't allow himself to be trapped into marriage with a young girl. Now he'd done it, and she had no idea why. Yes, the Eardley chit was pretty in her own way, but only she knew what Linton liked — she'd spent enough with him to know.
Hexham was so dense that she wanted to shake him. She kept her temper, but only with great effort. "Hexham, don't you realize that if you compromise Miss Eardley she will have no choice but to marry you? Linton will cry off. You will be there, to comfort her, and assure her that you mean to marry her."
He looked hopeful. "She would marry me?"
She sighed. How simple-minded was he? She forced patience into her tone. "What other choice would she have? Remember that Mrs. Grove — that witch — is her sister. Catherine Grove would force her to marry you, there's nothing surer. She's in a snit because her husband's my protector —now, will you agree to compromise her, or not?"
If he wouldn't do it, she would need to find someone else to manage. That might be better, too. And what if Melisande Eardley were to disappear? But no, that wouldn't answer. Then there would be no end of official enquiries from assorted aristocrats, including Linton, as well as the army, and Bow Street Runners too no doubt. It didn't bear thinking of.
Hexham sat forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. He washed his face with his hands.
She waited.
Finally he looked up at her. "All right, have it your way — I'll do it."
"Good. Now please leave — you may call on me tonight, and take me to Vauxhall. Major Grove won't take me out because he's terrified of his termagant of a wife. Well? What are you waiting for? Leave, and don't use my front door. Go out the back door — use the lane."
Durham Ward Lodge
Her betrothal wasn't what Melly expected.
She saw Linton, but rarely, and then always in company. He took her to ride in the park at the fashionable hour twice. When he called on Melly, she never saw him alone — either her mother, or Bunny, or Catherine, or Anne were present.
Since most of the ton was out of town, evening gatherings were small. Melly went with her mother, Bunny, and her sisters to musicales and dinner parties, none of which Linton attended. He attended sporting gatherings, often out of town — she read about these events in the newspapers.
He didn't forget her. He sent her pretty things. The first of these was the filigreed, heart-shaped locket, with its small diamond, that he'd chosen for her at Rundell, Bridge & Rundell when he'd met her there. She tucked a tiny miniature of her father into the locket, and wore it every day.
His other gifts included a crystal perfumery set, a lap desk with silver ink wells, and diamond and pearl combs for her hair. Although his gifts pleased her, he withheld the best gift: his attention. He truly did think of their betrothal as being all pretense. That thought made her miserable.
Melly saw more of Captain Lord Hexham than she did of Linton. Hexham often met her and Bunny when they went shopping. He escorted her to the park several afternoons each week. She suspected that he had a spy in Eardley House, because he knew where she would be.
Catherine said that she was pleased that Melly had someone to squire her into the view of the ton.
Melly felt like a fraud. Whatever she had imagined her betrothal would be like, she hadn't expected this. Besides, Hexham was becoming too familiar with her.
"Perhaps I should refuse Hexham's invitation to go riding again," Melly whispered to Catherine one evening at dinner. "He's taken me to the park three times this week, and he wishes me to accompany him tomorrow as well."
"Why would you refuse him?"
"It seems strange to spend so much time with him when I am betrothed to Lord Linton."
Catherine laughed. "You may be betrothed, Melly, but it would be thought odd in you if you demanded that Lord Linton to escort you everywhere. You must remember that he has his own life… and that your betrothal is merely a distraction for the gossips. I hope that you're not expecting —"
"I'm not!" Melly said hurriedly.
"Well then, of course Hexham may drive you in the park. He's very taken with you, and why not?"
Millie shrugged mentally, and accompanied Hexham the park again.
She learned from her mother, who'd rapidly become a close friend of Lady Linton's, that Linton House's refurbishment was almost complete. It would be ready for a ball which Lady Linton was giving a week after the Newmarket races.
Lady Linton had asked Melly to Linton house several times. She wanted to show her what had been done with the rooms, as well as the ballroom, and asked Melly her preference in colors for curtains, as well as for new furniture which was being made for the house. Millie was slightly embarrassed at this. It didn't seem right, and only the thought that Lady Linton knew that the betrothal was a pretense comforted her.
The elderly lady was aware that Melly was uncomfortable. "What is it my dear?" She'd asked her one day, when Melly called to see the new floor in the ballroom.
"You know that this betrothal is not real," Melly said.
Lady Linton smiled archly. "I don't know what you mean, my dear. As far as I'm concerned, you and Randall are engaged. You are the future Countess of Linton. Of course you must have everything to your liking in Linton House, and in Linton's other homes as well."
"I wish –" Melly pressed her lips tightly together. At times she wished that the betrothal were real. "I think I should tell Linton that I don't wish to be betrothed any longer."
"Calm yourself my dear. Linton wishes it, and you do too… Perhaps your betrothal will become real. Would you agree to marry Linton?"
Melly didn't respond. How could she? He'd asked her to be betrothed, not married. He had his own life. She didn't want to marry Lord Linton. She didn't.
Bunny and Henry remained in London, rather than attend the July races at Newmarket. Bunny had no interest in sporting events. Henry claimed she was too busy. She was thrilled that Linton trusted her enough to ask her to exercise two hacks for him each day. "I can go to Newmarket on your next visit — I daresay you and Linton will be often at Durham Ward Lodge when you marry."
Henry didn't know that the betrothal was a sham.
"No — she must never know. She's no more idea of discretion than one of her horses," Catherine had ruled. Now Henry's blithe belief that a wedding would result from the betrothal made Melly wince.
July arrived. Melly, her mother, Anne, and Catherine, were at Linton's Newmarket house, Durham Ward Lodge, to attend the races. Hexham was at Far Crossing, and
told Melly that he insisted that she stand beside him when his horses were running — she would bring him luck.
Talverne and Lady Burnley were also staying at Durham Ward Lodge. Pierce owned a horse which was running in one of the races. When Melly learned that Pierce and Lady Burnley would be there, she eyed Catherine nervously. "What will you say to Lady Burnley?"
Catherine laughed. "What would you have me say? I intend to be all politeness, I assure you."
That didn't reassure Melly. Catherine could be at her most dangerous when she was being polite.
On the day they arrived at Durham Ward Lodge, Melly was the first person, other than Lady Linton, to come down for dinner. Lady Linton was alone in the drawing room. Linton was still in London, and was due to arrive late that night.
"There you are, my dear — you look lovely in that pale blue gown," Lady Linton said, handing Melly a glass of Canary from a tray. She studied her carefully. "I know what that dress requires. Sapphires — that's it. You need sapphires. I'll ask Randall to send the family sapphires to be cleaned so that you may wear them. The collection has an elegant tiara I adore — I insist that you wear it for your engagement ball."
Melly could hardly say that she didn't want the sapphires, and was saved from responding when Pierce entered the room. He'd been very polite to her ever since he arrived that afternoon, and flushed whenever she spoke to him. No doubt he was remembering how she'd roasted him at The Oaks. She had been severe on him.
Pierce knew that Melly was betrothed to his uncle. She would, he thought, become the Countess of Linton. As soon as she bore Linton a son, he would no longer be Linton's heir.
She watched him from underneath her lashes as he spoke with Lady Linton. How could she ever have imagined that she wanted to marry Pierce? He was a child. It occurred to her, for the first time, that she needed to be grateful to Christobel.
Reminding herself that he had been her friend for many years, and was still her friend, she set herself to charm him, and saw him slowly relax. Lady Burnley, on the other hand, ignored Melly completely.
The Lady and the Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement (The Eardleys of Gostwicke Hall Book 1) Page 11