Thomas Newby should be made to eat his words when he dismissed the whole of English literature. On the morrow she would make his blood run cold, and India would appreciate the joke.
There was Mrs Rushford to consider, of course. Gina rested her chin upon her hand. She could think of no immediate way of persuading India’s mother to curb her foolish tongue. Perhaps the answer was to make some utterly outrageous statement in the hope of drawing her fire.
In the event, she had no need to do so. On the following day she found the family gathered in the salon at the Grange. Having shaken off the effects of her sedative, Mrs Rushford was in full flow. She broke off to give Gina a sour look.
‘I wonder that you dare to venture out, Lady Whitelaw. Had your husband been alive he would have forbidden it, I’m sure…’
‘Fortunately, I am my own mistress, ma’am,’ Gina said sweetly. ‘As you see, I am unharmed.’
‘Well, I suppose that you are accustomed to a certain lifestyle. My daughters have been brought up in a different way. They do not go racing about the countryside…’
Gina smiled, but she was aware that Giles had gone pale with anger. He was about to speak, but she shook her head at him. She had no wish to be the cause of a family quarrel.
‘You have a letter, my lady.’ India’s butler held out a silver tray. ‘There is also one for Mrs Rushford.’
‘From Anthony?’ India fell upon her letter with delight. ‘Oh, please excuse me, but I must know what he has to say.’ She scanned the missive quickly. Then she gave a sigh of relief. ‘All is well,’ she reported. ‘There have been no more attacks. Bellingham is to be tried, but he has said nothing more.’
She looked round, smiling at her friends, but even as she did so the air was rent by a piercing scream.
‘Mother, what is it?’ Giles was across the room in a couple of strides. ‘Are you ill?’
Speechless for once, Mrs Rushford shook her head.
‘Then you can’t have been listening to India. There seems to be no further danger to your safety…’
Feebly, she waved the piece of paper in her hand. ‘Read that!’ she gasped.
Five pairs of eyes were upon Giles as he scanned the single sheet. His reaction shocked them all. To everyone’s surprise he gave a shout of laughter.
‘Do share the joke!’ India begged. ‘We are all in need of entertainment.’
‘And you shall have it!’ Giles grinned at them, and then his face grew solemn. ‘I am to be adopted,’ he announced.
‘Oh, Giles, don’t gammon us! Won’t you tell us what is in the letter?’ Letty could not hide her curiosity.
‘I’ve just told you. Mrs Clewes wishes me to take her name. She will then make me her heir.’ His eyes were sparkling with amusement and the others refused to take him seriously.
‘Wishful thinking, old fellow. Who could be so lucky?’
‘It’s true!’ Mrs Rushford spoke in a hollow tone. ‘Oh, my boy, who would have thought it?’
‘Certainly not I. I hardly know the woman.’
‘And I have never heard of her,’ India announced. ‘Where did you meet her, Giles?’
‘At Bristol. We played cards with Lady Wells and her other cronies…’
‘The demon gamblers?’ Thomas raised an eyebrow. ‘You must have made a great impression, Giles.’
‘Giles was very kind to the old ladies,’ his mother said with dignity. ‘Mrs Clewes is not, perhaps, the type of person one would meet in the best society. She is extremely wealthy, so I understand, but her fortune comes from trade.’
‘I liked her,’ Giles said simply. ‘There is no flummery about her.’
‘I’m glad to hear it.’ Mrs Rushford beamed upon him. ‘My dear, your worries must now be at an end.’
The full import of this remark did not strike Giles at first. Then he became aware of the hush which followed it. He turned to face his mother.
‘I hope I misunderstand you, ma’am.’ His tone was incredulous. ‘You can’t possibly be suggesting that I give this offer serious consideration.’
‘Consideration?’ she snapped. ‘Consideration? You should seize this opportunity with both hands. Where else will you come into possession of a fine competence? You will not wed to make your way in life…’
Thomas foresaw the coming storm. Excusing himself, he slipped quietly out of the room. His friend’s face had grown dark with anger and he had no desire to witness a serious family quarrel.
Gina made as if to follow him, but Giles stopped her.
‘Sit down, Gina!’ he ordered. ‘This concerns you too. Tell me, shall I accept this offer?’
It was against her own best interests, but Gina did not hesitate. ‘You can’t!’ she said at once. ‘You are the last of the Rushfords. You must not give up your name. It would be like selling it.’
‘Indeed!’ Mrs Rushford was beside herself with rage. ‘And who are you, madam, to advise my son? Will you take him yourself and give him heirs?’
Giles took a step towards her, but India intervened. ‘Mother, you have gone beyond the bounds of what is permissible,’ she said in icy tones. ‘Letty and I will take you to your room…’
It was enough to send Isabel Rushford into full hysterics. She screamed, sank to the floor, and began to drum her heels upon the carpet.
Giles took Gina’s hand. ‘Come into the study,’ he said. ‘My sisters know how to deal with this.’
‘But can’t I help?’ she asked. ‘I have had some experience.’
A grim smile touched his lips. ‘I’m sure you have, but this is no case for a bucket of cold water, or a slap across the face. Knowing my mother, the doctor has left a supply of sedatives. The girls will settle her down.’
‘I should not have been harsh,’ she protested.
‘I know it. I was teasing you, but you have every reason to resort to violence. I must apologise for my mother’s words…’
‘I believe she spoke without thinking,’ Gina replied. ‘It is understandable that she should consider your best interests as she sees them.’
‘At any cost?’
Gina changed the subject. ‘Tell me about this Mrs Clewes. Who is she, Giles, and how did you come to meet her?’
‘Lady Wells invited us to Bristol when her son and Letty wished to become engaged. As you can imagine, Oliver and Letty had eyes only for each other. I spent my time in playing cards with the other house guests. Mrs Clewes was one of them.’
‘What type of person is she?’
To Gina’s surprise, Giles twinkled at her. ‘You’d like her. She’s an original…’
‘In what way?’
‘Well, let me see…In the first place she makes no concessions to the present fashions, apart from a fondness for terrifying turbans. In the Grecian style, she informed me, she would resemble nothing so much as a sack of flour, knotted close to the neck.’
‘She has a sense of humour then?’
‘She has…and it can be withering. Sometimes I was hard put to keep my countenance. She has a way of catching one’s eye when something ridiculous strikes her.’
‘I can see why you would find her entertaining, but how does she come to be a guest of Lady Wells? Your mother mentioned that the lady’s fortune came from trade. Is not Lady Wells a famous snob?’
‘It is a mystery,’ Giles admitted. ‘Mrs Clewes may be a family connection of some sort. Lady Wells was forever trying to keep her in her room. Certainly she did not encourage private conversations with this particular guest.’
‘But you must have spoken to her yourself.’
‘Mrs Clewes and I had a number of assignations,’ Giles said darkly.
Gina bridled. ‘What age of woman is she?’
‘She must be well into her seventies…widowed…and without an heir. I thought she seemed quite lonely.’
‘And what was the purpose of these assignations?’ Gina asked in a casual tone. At least, she hoped that she sounded casual.
Giles grinned at her. ‘
Mrs Clewes is fond of a glass of “flesh and blood”. It is…er…was not available in her ladyship’s household. I managed to get it for her.’
‘Great heavens! What on earth is that?’
‘It is a glass of port, well laced with gin. Don’t be tempted to try it, Gina. I did myself. Believe me, it separates the men from the boys…!’ He caught Gina’s eye and they laughed until they were helpless.
‘I see now why you are such a favourite with Mrs Clewes,’ she teased.
‘It wasn’t entirely that.’ Giles grew more serious. ‘I found her to have a fund of what I can only describe as earthy common-sense. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind.’
‘I’m sorry that I won’t meet her. What will you do now?’
‘I’ll write to her, of course, to thank her for her offer. If she is a connection of Lady Wells she might be persuaded to make Oliver her heir.’
Gina gave the suggestion her consideration. ‘That might be best. Oliver is a younger son. He may not object to taking her name.’ She paused. Then she asked the question that was uppermost in her mind.
‘What did you mean when you said that this matter was of concern to me as well as to you?’
‘Did I say that?’ Giles looked at her in wonder. ‘I needed your opinion, that was all.’
‘Not quite all!’ Gina was bitterly disappointed, but her expression gave no hint of it. ‘There is something else which I should mention to you. Has Mr Newby told you that he offered for me?’
Giles nodded, sick with apprehension. Was she about to tell him that she’d changed her mind and would now accept his friend?
‘Then you will know that I refused him. Under the circumstances I think it best if, for the present, you do not bring him to my home again. I’d like to avoid an awkward situation.’
She hoped he would accept the lame excuse, which was only partially true. If Giles persisted in treating her as a stranger she’d be in danger of breaking her heart for a second time, and that, she vowed, must not be allowed to happen. Better not to see him at all than to torture herself with vain hopes.
He made her a formal bow. ‘As you wish,’ he said. ‘We shall not trouble you again.’ He paused. ‘You need not fear to visit India. We shall not be here.’
Chapter Ten
Giles kept his word to her, much to the disgust of Mair and Elspeth.
‘But they promised!’ both girls chorused.
Gina found that she was losing patience. ‘You are no longer children,’ she reproved. ‘You must not behave as if some special treat has been denied to you. Both Giles and Mr Newby have been more than kind, but they have other calls upon their time.’
Then she looked at their downcast faces and relented. ‘Cheer up!’ she said. ‘I plan to do more entertaining. You shall come down to dinner with our guests. Meantime we need to think about new gowns for you.’ She picked up copies of The Lady’s Magazine and Ackermann’s Repository and left them absorbed in studying the latest fashions.
Her visit to India was brief that morning, and she was unsurprised to learn that plans for the subscription ball had been cancelled.
‘I can’t think it would be right to go ahead in the light of recent events,’ India told her. ‘Any celebration would be out of place in view of the assassination.’
‘I agree, and people are still jittery. Have you more news from London?’
‘Not much. There are no new developments, so Anthony tells me. The capital is fairly quiet, but the death of the Prime Minister has led to much rejoicing in the north.’
Gina changed the subject. ‘How is Mrs Rushford?’ she asked.
India gave her a faint smile. ‘Subdued, I fear. She knows when she has gone too far with Giles.’
‘Mrs Clewes’s offer must have come as a shock to her,’ Gina said kindly. ‘Your mother had no time to consider the implications.’
‘It’s good of you to see it in that light, especially as she was so rude to you…’
Gina laughed. ‘I often speak out of turn myself. I can’t condemn it in others. When does Anthony return?’
‘By Sunday at the latest, so he tells me. That wretched creature, Bellingham, is to be tried. If he’s found to be insane, Anthony will try to save him, but he doesn’t offer much hope.’
India’s words were prophetic. When Isham returned a glance at his face told her the result of the trial. She did not question him, knowing that he would not care to distress her, but he spoke to Gina later.
‘Is it all over?’ she asked.
‘Oh yes, justice has been served, or so the authorities would have us believe. Bellingham was tried with indecent haste. The result was a foregone conclusion. He was executed in front of Newgate prison in the midst of ugly scenes. The hangman was pelted by the mob.’
Gina shuddered. ‘When will they stop these public executions?’ she asked.
‘That will come in time. For the present they are regarded as a salutary deterrent. Now let us forget the subject. I am in your debt, my dear, for the way you have supported India. She has come to rely on your good sense.’
‘She has a great deal of her own,’ Gina assured him.
‘That’s true, but I worry about her, Gina. Her mother attempts to fill her mind with fears.’
Gina was silent.
‘Still the diplomat?’ Isham smiled at her. ‘Believe me, I don’t need your confirmation. I was concerned before I left for London.’
Lost in thought he took a turn around the room. ‘I have a little plan,’ he said at last. ‘Sir James Perceval and his wife are in London for Hester’s season. Lady Eleanor is sister to Mrs Rushford. I have an invitation for Letty and her mother to join them. Do you think that it will serve?’
‘It’s doubtful,’ Gina told him. ‘Mrs Rushford sees an assassin behind every bush.’
‘Then we must convince her otherwise. Bellingham is dead, after all.’
‘You might suggest that she spends her time in choosing Letty’s bride-clothes. That is, if…’ She paused, but Isham understood her perfectly.
‘She shall have a free hand,’ he said at once. ‘No expense will be too great if she can be persuaded to leave India’s side. Will you help me?’
‘I’ll do my best,’ she promised.
She wasted no time in setting about her task. In the event, Mrs Rushford needed little persuasion to undertake a trip to London, armed with rolls of bills in high denominations from her son-in-law and letters of credit drawn upon his bank.
Letty’s shy objections were quickly waved aside.
‘Are you out of your mind?’ her mother demanded angrily. ‘Here is Isham prepared to do his duty by you, as indeed he should, and you must make difficulties, you ungrateful girl!’
‘I don’t mean to be ungrateful, Mama, but shall I really need so much?’ Letty thought with horror of the endless lists of proposed purchases drawn up by her mother. ‘I mean…Anthony is paying all the expenses of my wedding…’
‘And what has that to say to anything? Do you suppose that your brother-in-law can’t afford it? Why, Letty, he is rich enough to buy an abbey. Besides, he told me himself that it would be his pleasure…’
Letty was reduced to silence, but she made it her business to seek out Isham in his study and thank him for herself.
‘Nonsense!’ he said warmly. ‘If our roles were reversed would you not do the same for me?’
‘That isn’t very likely to happen.’ Letty was forced to smile.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he teased. ‘I might invest in some dubious scheme and reduce myself to tramping the open road with India by my side. Do you suppose she would enjoy it?’
‘With you, she would be happy anywhere, and under any conditions. You have made her so very happy, Anthony.’
For answer he kissed her cheek. ‘Thank you, my dear. I wish the same for you and Oliver. Shall you see him when you are in London?’
Letty’s face grew animated. ‘Oh, yes. That is one reason why I have agreed…I mean…I don’t li
ke to leave India at this present time.’
‘Letty, you will be doing me a service. You understand me? I think I need not say more. India must have peace of mind. You will oblige me by staying with your Aunt Eleanor for as long as possible.’
Letty understood him perfectly and she gave him a conspiratorial look.
‘You and your mother need not fear the journey,’ he continued. ‘Giles and Thomas Newby will escort you.’
It was with a good deal of relief that he waved the little party off for London at the end of the following week. Then he ordered his horse brought round and set off for Abbot Quincey.
Gina welcomed him with unaffected pleasure. ‘Is all well?’ she asked.
‘All is very well indeed,’ he told her with mock solemnity. ‘Today my prayers are answered. Isabel set off for London this very morning, with enough commissions to keep her occupied for weeks.’
Gina laughed aloud. ‘Your plan worked then?’
‘It did. I wish I could think of another. You don’t suppose that she would care to live there permanently? I could take a house for her in some convenient part of the city.’
‘You could suggest it,’ Gina answered drily. ‘She might agree to live with one of her bosom bows for companionship.’
‘Are there any such?’
Gina laughed again. ‘Now you are being unkind!’ she accused.
‘Sometimes I feel savage!’ Isham said with feeling. ‘And now she is at odds with Giles. He and Newby have gone with them, but he doesn’t want to stay…’ He glanced at Gina’s face through half-closed lids, but her expression told her nothing.
‘When will you come to see us, Gina? India has missed you these last few days.’
‘I was being tactful,’ she told him cheerfully. ‘Now that you are returned from London, India has no need of anyone else.’
‘She values her friends, my dear, and she looks forward to your visits.’
‘Then I will come again tomorrow…’ Secure in the knowledge that Giles would not return for several days, Gina was happy to agree.
Her resolution not to see him had not weakened, but she missed him dreadfully. She’d tried to fill the gap by looking up old friends, but she and her childhood playmates had grown too far apart.
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