by Jane Ashford
“Mrs. Castleton.”
“Castleton.” As Lydia considered this information, Anne was irresistibly reminded of one of the Wrenley dogs from her childhood. That hound had been celebrated for its discriminating sense of smell, as well as for the way it delicately tested the scent, then raised its head and seemed to compare it to all the others it had ever tried. “Is that the Dorset family?” concluded the other girl.
“Yes.”
“Ah. A very good line, and extremely wealthy, I believe.”
Anne nodded silently. “Speaking of them,” she said, “we must go. I promised to call there this morning, and we have taken up too much of your time already.”
“Not at all,” answered Lydia, but she rose.
They took their leave of her and of the silent, inexplicable Mrs. Branwell and went downstairs to the carriage. When they had climbed in, Laurence said, “You do like Lydia, do you not?”
Anne hesitated. She had decided that she did not like Miss Branwell at all, and that Laurence was making a mistake. But to say this would only goad him into defending her and keep him from looking squarely at her deficiencies. She contented herself with, “She seems a thoughtful person.”
“Yes.” Laurence leaned forward. “It is very rare, you know, to find a girl who cares about serious things and can discuss them. Most of the London debs I have met are quite empty-headed. Lydia is exceptional.”
“I’m sure she is,” agreed Anne.
“Charles and Edward won’t see that.”
“Well, their opinions don’t really matter, I suppose.” She watched him curiously.
Laurence frowned. “No. No, of course not.”
The Castleton town house was not far away. Again, they were admitted at once, but before they could mount the staircase, Arabella appeared on the landing and came running to meet them. “Anne!” she cried, hugging her. “Oh, how glad I am to see you. It seems an age. I called on you yesterday afternoon, but you were out.” She gazed reproachfully up at her friend.
“I’m sorry. If I had known you were coming, I would have stayed home. Arabella, this is Laurence Debenham. Laurence, my friend Miss Arabella Castleton.”
Arabella held out her hand, flushing a little at having betrayed such exuberance before a stranger. “Come upstairs,” she said. “Mama is there.”
Mrs. Castleton received them cordially, and they had a quarter hour’s pleasant conversation. Anne retold the story of her visit to Tattersall’s, in much greater detail this time, and soon had Arabella and her mother laughing. Laurence looked on appreciatively, clearly finding Anne’s friend very pretty indeed, and occasionally added a comment on his brother’s judgment of horseflesh. A little later, however, he rose. “You will want some private conversation with Miss Castleton,” he told Anne, “and I have some business nearby. Shall I call for you in an hour, perhaps?”
“You needn’t trouble, if you don’t care to. I can go home alone in the carriage.”
“No indeed. In an hour, then.” He took punctilious leave of the Castleton ladies and went out.
“What a nice young man,” said Mrs. Castleton. “So thoughtful. One hardly expects that these days.”
Arabella nodded. “Come up to my room, Anne,” she added, “where we can have a comfortable coze.”
Her mother laughed. “You may have the drawing room. I must speak to Cook. But really, Arabella, you mustn’t dismiss anyone besides me so abruptly. It would be very rude.”
The girl’s dark eyes widened. “Mama! I wouldn’t…”
“All right, dear. Anne, good day. We will see you tonight.”
When she was gone, the two girls settled on the sofa. “How is everything?” asked Arabella anxiously. “Are you getting on with the Debenhams?”
“Well enough. They are not quite…what I expected.”
“What do you mean?”
Anne frowned. “It is hard to say.”
“Well, what did Lord Wrenley say about the parrot? Has he been horrid?” She smiled. “Augustus, I mean.”
“He said almost nothing. I think I made a mistake buying Augustus, Bella. It was a very childish thing to do.”
The other stared at her, astonished to hear this from the madcap Anne Tremayne.
“In fact, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the Debenhams need my help,” continued Anne. She grinned. “They have made a shocking mull of things without me.”
“What can you mean?”
“I think—though I am not yet certain, mind—that I shall set the family in order.” Her dimples showed again.
“Anne! What are you planning? You know it is disastrous when you try to interfere in other people’s lives. Remember Miss Trevor!”
“That wasn’t my fault. I bought her those books because she longed for them so. If she had not told the headmistress, she would not have been reprimanded.”
“But she was asked where they came from. And everyone knew she hadn’t the money to get them herself.”
“Well, she should have said her uncle sent them, or something.”
“The headmistress knew she hadn’t any family either. Anne…”
“Well, it doesn’t matter now. And besides, this is completely different.”
“Yes. You are likely to get in much more trouble this time. Think how angry Lord Wrenley would be if he knew you planned to interfere.”
Anne looked thoughtful. “I wonder.”
“What precisely do you mean to do?” asked Arabella anxiously.
Her friend eyed her. “Have you met a Miss Lydia Branwell?”
“No.”
“Well, I think I shall wait until you do to tell you.” Anne rose. “Now I must go, Bella. I haven’t decided what I will wear tonight, and Crane must do my hair, which takes so long. I shall see you at the party.”
“But, Anne…”
“Good-bye.” Waving a hand, Anne fled. Only when she was walking down the stairs did she remember that Laurence was to fetch her. “He can take a hack,” she murmured to herself. “I want to go home.” And giving these instructions to the Castletons’ butler, she climbed into the carriage and did so.
***
All three of the Debenham brothers gathered in the town house drawing room that evening, prepared to escort Anne to her first London party. And their mood was much lighter than they had predicted only three weeks ago. Indeed, Edward was ebullient, Laurence quietly optimistic, and even Charles blandly pleasant. Anne, pausing unobserved in the doorway to look at them, thought what a fine picture they made in their evening dress. Though Charles was by far the most elegant, Laurence was very handsome, and Edward had a certain careless grace that almost rivaled his oldest brother’s austere perfection. The three seemed more in charity with one another than Anne had ever seen them as they stood before the fire discussing the latest political clash between supporters of the Regent and those of the poor old King.
Anne took a breath, smoothed the skirt of her dress, and said, “Good evening.” The brothers turned as one and surveyed her. Crane had dressed her red-gold curls in an airy cloud around her head, with tendrils floating beside her face and softening it. She wore a gown of deep rich violet satin with an overdress of silver tissue and silver and violet ribbons. This combination, which had come to her dressmaker as a “revelation,” echoed the shifting tints of her eyes admirably and set off the warm hue of her hair. Around her neck she wore amethysts and silver, and though her toilette could not impart classical beauty to her features or make her any less tall and slender, it was so enchanting that these flaws seemed to fade, leaving only the impression of glorious hair and eyes in a cloud of color.
“Whew!” exclaimed Edward.
“You look lovely, Anne,” said Laurence.
She turned to look at Charles. For some reason, his opinion seemed more important than the others’.
“A stunning outfit,” he responded with a nod.
“You’ll break hearts tonight,” added Edward. “Upon my soul, Anne, who would have thought you would turn out so elegant, after the way you used to race about the fields covered with mud and—”
“Tactful as ever, Edward,” interrupted Lord Wrenley dryly.
“I’m sure it is a surprise,” answered Anne. “I would be surprised myself, if I were not all in a quake over meeting so many strangers tonight.”
“You?” Edward laughed. “You’re roasting us. You’ve never been afraid of anything in your life.”
“I assure you I have. But never as much as this. Do you really think I will do?”
“More than that,” Laurence promised. “You will outshine them all.”
“Come now, Anne,” said Captain Debenham, “you don’t mean to say that you are really nervy? Why, the girl who used to throw her heart over every fence as if it were nothing should snap her fingers at a mere evening party.”
“Unless the reason for that throwing was that she was quaking in her boots.” Anne laughed. She noticed Charles gazing at her with peculiar intensity. Probably he despised her for her fear. “But I shall do it again tonight. The ton cannot be any more frightening than the ditched hedge behind the squire’s barn.”
“It’s a deal less so,” answered Edward feelingly. “And when I recall how you took that jump on Dumpling—Dumpling!”
“And fell!”
“Yes, the first time. And the second. But you made it on the third try, by God. I don’t think I’ve ever admired anything more than that last go.”
Anne looked at him in surprise as Mariah entered the room.
“That was extremely dangerous,” put in Laurence. “You should have stopped her, Edward.”
“I? Stopped her? A Guards regiment might have done so; I could not.”
“Well, I have learned something since then.” Anne laughed. “If you tried to stop me from going to this event tonight, I should agree at once.”
“You haven’t begun refusing your jumps!” exclaimed Edward.
“Alas, I may.”
“Never!”
Anne laughed again. “Well, I shall go. But you must all help me over.”
“That is our intention,” replied Charles, in so serious a tone that the others all looked at him. He was a little surprised himself at his reaction to this new side of Anne. He had never thought her capable of such sensitivity, and seeing it now was something of a shock, for it suggested that he might have been mistaken about other facets of her character. Fleetingly he recalled her passionate pleas not to be sent to school. He had dismissed them as merely more evidence of her stubborn intractability and refusal of any guidance. Might he have been wrong? He shook off the thought impatiently. The school had done Anne a world of good.
“Dinner is served,” said Fallow from the doorway. The viscount offered his arm, and Anne took it, gazing up at him curiously. The others followed them into the dining room, and the Debenhams sat down to a family meal with more cordiality than they had shown one another in years.
Two hours later, Anne stood in the center of an admiring circle of Guards officers, recounting another equestrian anecdote. “And so when Edward’s horse wouldn’t take the five-barred gate, it was really too much. He put her at it four times, but she was tired out, poor creature, and kept refusing. The hunt was well away by that time, but my mare had thrown a shoe, and I was leading her back. I came upon Edward just as he was promising the horse anything she could name if she would but try the gate. Of course, she couldn’t name anything. I always wondered if he counted on that.”
The gentlemen laughed. “For shame, Edward,” said one. “Cheating a poor dumb beast.”
Captain Debenham was smiling crookedly. “She didn’t take me up. I had to open the gate and lead her through.”
This was received with derisive snorts.
“It is too bad of them not to have dancing tonight,” blurted a very young subaltern. “I should have asked you straightaway, Lady Anne.”
“Ho, listen to Krebs,” replied another officer. “This is a new start.” The subaltern blushed hotly.
Anne smiled and thanked him, bringing on more rallying remarks. And though she felt sorry for Krebs, she could not help but acknowledge that she was enjoying herself very much. She had not dared hope to be a belle of the season; she knew she had little in common with conventional debs. But she was finding that her improved appearance, combined with her frank manner and humorous intelligence, was quite as effective as beauty in capturing the interest of young men. She had all the attention she could desire from Edward’s friends, and had already received two invitations to ride in the park and several requests that she reserve a dance at the first ball she attended. “Oh, there is Arabella,” she exclaimed suddenly. “I must go and speak to her.”
There were protests from all sides. But one very enterprising lieutenant had the wit to ask which lady she referred to, and when Arabella was pointed out, to promptly offer his arm and his services as escort. He was heartily cursed when Anne accepted and started across the room toward Miss Castleton.
The two girls chatted with him for a few minutes and then escaped for a private conversation. When they had expressed mutual satisfaction with the party, Arabella said, “Now, where is this Miss Branwell? I haven’t forgotten what you said, Anne.”
“There she is, talking to Laurence.”
Arabella looked in the indicated direction. “She is quite pretty.”
“If you like the cold, chiseled type.”
“Anne!”
“Well, come and I will present you. You can judge for yourself.”
This was accordingly done. Miss Branwell received them with a sweet thin smile, and Laurence looked genuinely grateful for Anne’s pointed notice of his fiancée.
“Have you ever endured such a tedious evening?” asked Lydia when the introductions were concluded. “I had thought the music might save it, but the little we have heard has been indifferently played.”
“I must admit I have enjoyed meeting people and talking with them,” replied Anne.
Miss Branwell’s habitual smile turned pitying. “Oh, of course, Captain Debenham’s fellow officers. They are considered very amusing by some, I believe.” She gazed up at Laurence. “I myself find the military mind a trifle…vulgar.”
Anne blinked. She did not know what she had done to earn Lydia Branwell’s ire, but this was a clear slap at her. Laurence too seemed a bit taken aback.
“You have often said the same,” added Lydia when the effect of her remark became obvious. “I remember how you deplored your brother’s decision to join the Horse Guards regiment. You called it, let me see, ‘one of the least sober and sensible.’”
Laurence looked self-conscious.
She turned to Arabella. “I understand that you too were fortunate in your morning callers today,” she said archly. Anne’s eyes narrowed. Could the girl be angry because she took Laurence to the Castletons’? Why?
Arabella appeared confused. “Fortunate? Well, of course, Anne called, with Mr. Debenham.”
“Yes, they visited us as well. So charming of them, don’t you think?”
Arabella merely gazed at her, puzzled.
“Bella,” put in Anne, “I must present you to Mariah, my chaperone. If you will excuse us.” There were no protests this time, and Anne led her friend across to where Mariah was sitting with the older women.
“What a very odd girl,” said Arabella as they walked.
“Now you see what I mean.”
Miss Castleton frowned doubtfully, but they reached Mariah before she could protest.
They spent a quarter hour talking to Mariah about her garden, which was taking shape rapidly now. And when they left her again, Arabella said, “I shall call on you tomorrow, Anne, without fail. I
want to see that garden.”
“It is unusual, certainly.”
“Unusual!”
Anne laughed. “Come and meet Edward, and then you will be finished with the Debenhams for tonight.”
“What about Lord Wrenley?”
“Oh. I…I forgot him.”
Bella stared at her.
“I mean, he went to the cardroom almost as soon as we arrived. I haven’t seen him this evening.” She looked away, then added hurriedly, “Here is Edward.” Introductions were performed. Anne grinned wickedly when Captain Debenham threw her a nervous glance. Evidently he had not forgotten their conversation on the way to Tattersall’s. And when Arabella was called away by her mother to meet some family friends, Anne said, “A charming girl, isn’t she?”
“She’s well enough,” replied Edward. “Not really the type I favor, you know.”
“Really? You are hard to please. What sort of girl do you prefer, so that I shall know?”
“Anne! I told you…”
“Celestial blonds, perhaps, like Miss Clayton? Or terribly intelligent ones, like Miss Archer? I admit I think Arabella perfect, but she is my best friend. I do not insist that you agree with me.”
“You are not to be throwing girls at my head, Anne,” protested Edward feverishly. “Miss Archer, good God!”
“As if I should do anything so pushing! But to give you the opportunity to meet a number of charming girls…”
“I’ve met all I want to. Anne, you must promise me…”
His companion burst out laughing. “Oh, Edward, you look so hunted and miserable.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “And so would you, if you were in my place. Good Lord, Anne, I haven’t any interest in marriage. Shan’t have for years!”
Anne suppressed her laughter. “But that is only because you have not yet met the right woman. When you do—”
“No, it isn’t,” interrupted Captain Debenham. “It’s a…a flaw in my character.”
“Well, I’m sure it can be mended,” answered the girl sweetly.
“Anne!”
“Look, there is Miss Georgia Daniels. I met her earlier. She seems a very sweet creature. Let us go and talk to her.”