She looked up as the maid entered the room and bobbed a curtsey. “Begging your pardon, my lady,” she said. “I know you told me to refuse you to the Marquess of Eynsford should he call—”
Letty’s gaze turned anxious. “He’s not here, is he?” she blurted out.
“No, my lady,” was the response. “But the Marchioness of Eynsford is.”
Letitia’s eyes widened in shock. “The Marchioness of Eynsford?” she repeated numbly. Isobel had said nothing about the marquess marrying. Had he managed to find himself a bride in the past week? And if he had, what could she possibly want with Letitia?
“I would be most grateful if you would agree to have a few words with me,” said a pleasant voice from the doorway. A handsome woman, with piercing blue eyes appeared, a charming smile on her face. She was clad in a remarkably elegant walking dress of plum silk twill. It sported a spread collar made up high to the neck, and a bodice trimmed with banding à la militaire, while the hem was deeply appliqued with patterns of palm fronds made of the same fabric.
Letitia gave a gasp of relief. As attractive as the woman was, she was clearly too old to be the marquess’ wife.
The dowager moved into the room as though she owned it. “If you don’t mind, Lady Morgan, I would like to have a few words with you. Alone,” she added, glancing at the maid, who reluctantly bobbed a curtsey and left.
Letitia stood up and approached her guest, a tense smile on her face. “How kind of you to visit me, Lady Eynsford,” she said.
“But you are wondering why I am here,” concluded the dowager.
Letitia hesitated. “I don’t believe we have met before, have we?” she asked.
“No, we have not. But after hearing so much about you from my son, I thought I would like to get to know you.” The marchioness smiled warmly at her.
Letitia tried not to let her surprise show. “Please sit down,” she said, remembering her manners. “Would you care for some tea?”
“No, thank you.” The dowager arranged herself gracefully on the settee.
Letitia did her best not to think of the activities she had indulged in with her visitor’s son on that very piece of furniture. “Is there something I can do to assist you?” she asked, sitting down across from her guest.
“Well, if you wanted to make me very happy, you could marry my son,” was the reply.
Letitia gave a quick shake of her head. “I am sorry to disappoint you, Lady Eynsford, but that is impossible. I do not know what Lord Eynsford has told you, but your son and I are not compatible.”
“He disagrees with you most strenuously, as I am sure you know,” replied the dowager. “And it does sound to me as though he has made a dreadful hash of this. Still, I was wondering if you could find it in yourself to forgive him.”
Letitia took a deep breath. “Lady Eynsford, I have no wish to offend you, but there can be nothing between the marquess and me. I have made that quite clear to him.”
“I understand you have,” said the marchioness. “Otherwise, I would not have had to come here. Phillip behaved abominably, and I daresay he deserves that you should never speak to him again. But as you are the first woman he has ever mentioned truly caring for to me, and I had all but given up hope that he would find someone he wished, rather than felt obliged, to marry, I could not let this go without at least meeting you.” The dowager smiled gently. “You are very lovely, as Phillip said.”
“Thank you,” said Letty, a bit stiffly. “While I was honored by Lord Eynsford’s proposal, I fear I cannot accept it. Because of his deception, which I presume he has described to you, I cannot have the regard for him that I would wish to have for my husband.”
“Yes, that was terribly stupid of him, was it not?” said the dowager. She laughed slightly at Letty’s surprised countenance. “I am very fond of my son, but I have no illusions that he is always well-behaved around women. You have doubtless heard the stories, so I need not repeat them. He is unused to being refused, and when he could not meet you in the proper way, he chose a vastly improper path. But that does not mean that his feelings are not now sincere. He is suffering a great deal at the thought that he has hurt you—and, of course, at the thought that he might be denied something he wants very badly.”
Letitia eyed the dowager with surprise. “Did he ask you to come here?”
“Lord, no. He would doubtless scold me if he knew of it, though I don’t care a farthing for that. As though he could order me one way or the other! No, I wished to meet the woman he tells me he cannot do without.”
Letty looked away and clasped her hands in her lap. “Lady Eynsford, while I wish I could help you, you must understand my position. I am a widow and have small children. My first marriage was not happy. While I am very lucky to have the support of good friends, I am attempting to stand on my own. I believed I had a friend in your son, and then it was revealed that he had been deceiving me in every way. I cannot marry where I do not trust, and I do not trust Lord Eynsford.”
The marchioness gave her a sharp glance. “I gather things have gone rather farther than mere friendship.” At the sight of Letty’s anguished face, she waved her hands dismissively. “No, Phillip did not tell me that, but I have eyes in my head and can see quite clearly that the two of you are far closer than you wish me to know. Give me some credit, child. That is all the more reason for you to marry him; no, not because he has compromised you—-I have heard no gossip, and as you are a widow you may do as you please in any event—-but because if you can be friendly as well as being intimate with each other, you have more to build a marriage on than most.”
Letitia blinked. Not even Isobel had spoken to her so bluntly, and she had met this imperious woman not a quarter-hour before. “I appreciate your plain speaking, Lady Eynsford,” she said. “However, it does not seem to have occurred to your son, or to you, or to my friends, that I must make my own decisions. While I realize the honor your son has done me in proposing, the deception he practiced is of far greater concern. I do not say that I will never look on his suit favorably, but I cannot be rushed, or harried, or talked into accepting him until I feel comfortable.”
If Letitia expected the dowager to be angered by this statement, she was disappointed, as that lady smiled broadly at her. “Good for you,” she said with approval. “I didn’t think you could be as meek as you seemed; Phillip never had a taste for milk-and-water maids.”
Letitia reluctantly smiled back. “Did you come here to see if you could provoke me?” she asked.
“I never mean to provoke people, though I invariably do,” Lady Eynsford replied. “I have the knack for it. My girl, I hope that you can, in time, forgive my oaf of a son. You would be a most welcome addition to our family.”
Letitia dropped her eyes. “I make no promises, Lady Eynsford. Indeed, until I said those words to you, I had no idea that I might still entertain his lordship’s suit. I have no formed intention to marry him.”
“Well, child, you will have to come to a conclusion sooner or later. Phillip loves you, I believe, but no man waits forever. He owes it to his name to marry, and if he cannot have the woman he wants, I will see that he weds someone acceptable.”
“If we are to continue to speak plainly, I will tell you that a man who cannot wait is a man who cannot have me,” said Letitia firmly. “One cause of his troubles is that he could not wait even a few months to meet, and forced his acquaintance on me when I was ill prepared.”
The dowager rose. “I see that you have yourself well in hand, and have no need of advice from me. Please, my dear, know that you can call on me if you are in need of anything. My son is a very great fool, but for once he has made a wise decision. I now can only hope that you forgive him and make me, and not just my son, happy.”
Letty rose as well, a bit confused. It seemed as though the ruder she was to the marchioness, the more pleased that lady became. “Thank you, Lady Eynsford,” she said. “I will bear it in mind.”
The dowager startled h
er by dropping a kiss on her cheek. “See that you do. You young people have no idea how tiresome you are with your emotions and pride. Think well before you let this slip away.”
The marchioness swept out of the room, leaving Letty confused and doubtful. Until her visitor had pried out of her that she might reconsider Eynsford’s offer, she had felt completely sure that the marquess was banished from her life. But now it seemed that had been deceiving herself, and her resolve was not as firm as she had imagined. She remembered the embrace they had shared in the Exencour’s house, and flushed. She had thought it was only her body that had betrayed her that day, but perhaps her heart had been involved as well.
She sighed. She would leave in two days for Ramsgate with the children, and would spend a pleasant holiday there. If Lord Eynsford truly wished to marry her, he could wait for two months before renewing his suit.
Letty put all further thoughts of the marchioness and her son behind her, and soon had the satisfaction of departing Kensington for Ramsgate with her children and Violet, the nursery maid, in a hired chaise. As they slowly clattered out of the busy city and into the countryside she sighed with satisfaction at the notion of a few weeks of seaside quiet.
Chapter 35
Letitia was pleased with the rooms she had rented in Ramsgate. They were small yet comfortable and there was little likelihood of meeting anyone tonnish enough to remark upon her living arrangements. Society spent its summers in Brighton or at their country seats, and no one with any pretensions to fashion appeared in Ramsgate. This pleased Letitia; for she knew very well that not only was she unlikely to meet the Regent, the gossipy Lady Jersey or censorious Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, but she could also be assured of not encountering the Marquess of Eynsford.
Once the children were well settled, she knew she had to inform Isobel of her change of direction. She sat down a week after their arrival to take the task in hand.
“Dear Isobel,” she wrote,
“I know that you will be surprised to hear from me at this address. The heat in town became unbearable, and the children were sorely affected by it, as was I. Through some juggling of my funds (I have become remarkably able with mathematics and am very proud of my talent) I managed to find enough money to bring us here to Ramsgate for a month or two, to escape the worst of the summer heat. I know you will take me to task for not coming to Scotland, but I did not feel capable of supporting the social obligations that must attend upon you and Lord Exencour, especially when Lord and Lady Glencairn are in such close proximity. Do give my love to dear Harriet when you see her; I miss her greatly.
I am glad to be away from town, as I am sure you will understand. I will return in the autumn and resume my life with a clearer head and the new perspective that a change of scene brings. I think with some time away I will forget my distressing memories of Kensington and recall only the healing qualities of the Gardens and the pleasure I feel in being able to care for myself and my children on my own.”
Letitia paused a moment, her pen hovering over the page. She wished to assure Isobel of her wellbeing, but she also hoped to prevent her from attempting to further Eynsford’s suit. And yet she did not want to offend Isobel by implying that she might clumsily attempt to bully her friend into an unwanted match. She put her pen to paper once again.
“I know you are concerned about me, but please feel assured that all is well. I am not such a ninny as to dwell on what has happened and I consider the whole lamentable episode to be a thing of the past, as surely as is Alfred. I am sure you will understand and respect this.
Enjoy your summer and do not worry about me; I find the sea breeze very refreshing and the change of venue a great pleasure. The company is certainly not fashionable, but at least I am not importuned by bishops and solicitors. Please give my affectionate greetings to your husband. I will write again soon.
Letitia”
Letitia reread the letter, sighed, then sanded and sealed it. She knew Isobel would write back quickly, scolding her for not coming to Scotland, but also understanding her need for solitude and time to think. However, Letty was not entirely certain that she wished to be alone with her thoughts. She had been quite sure, given the perfidies of the Marquess of Eynsford, that Mr. Markham would be easily forgotten. But somehow he persisted in her thoughts. She remembered not so much his extraordinary beauty, although that lingered in her mind, but rather the concern in his blue eyes and the warmth of his smile. Letitia shook her head impatiently.
“What nonsense,” she murmured aloud. “As though I need nothing more than someone with charm and manners!”
She resolutely put Mr. Markham out of her mind, and asked Violet to prepare the children for a walk. Emily and James seemed to thrive in the sea air and they would doubtless enjoy a stroll along the shore, while Letitia felt she could benefit from a breeze that might blow the remnants of Mr. Markham’s presence from her mind.
The children were ushered into the room, and Letitia looked at them with pleasure. James was growing quickly now and it was clear he would be a very handsome boy. Her daughter was still unformed, all chubby arms and rosy cheeks, but Letitia thought Emily resembled her mother, a notion that pleased her. For a moment it seemed that Emily was a bit flushed, but the little girl’s forehead was cool, and she seemed to have boundless energy. Letty took their hands and they were walking out the door, when she perceived a gentleman coming up the steps to the building.
“Good morning, Letitia,” he said, and Letty started.
“Goodness!” she exclaimed. “Bainstall! Whatever are you doing here?”
“I have come to speak to you, dear Cousin, because I am alarmed at reports I have received of your activities.”
“My activities?” said Letitia. “You make me sound very busy, Cousin. Who, pray tell, has been reporting on my actions?”
“Do not be offended, Letitia,” said Bainstall. “You know that I act only from motives of concern, as does Dr. Wolfe. He felt that I should know of the problems you have gotten into; I can only say that you should be grateful for his interest in you.”
“Ah, yes,” said Letitia. “Dr. Wolfe, the gentleman you have chosen as my next husband. Do you not think I might have been consulted in this matter?”
“I saw no reason to consult you when the advantages of the match are so obvious,” replied Bainstall. “I believe you to be a sensible woman, despite your occasional frivolity, and Dr. Wolfe is of a fine family, with a respectable fortune and a sober turn of mind. A woman in your circumstances, all but penniless and with small children, cannot afford to be finicky in these matters.”
Letitia took her children's hands and marched down the steps. Bainstall turned and walked with her. There was a brief silence.
“What makes you think that I wish to marry again?” asked Letitia. “I am managing quite well on my own.”
“It was all very well for you to say you will not marry again when the pain of Lord Morgan's death was still fresh,” said Bainstall. “I can appreciate a widow's sorrow. But some time has passed, and you must be aware that a woman alone is not natural. You have managed to get yourself into a great deal of trouble in the past months.”
“I am in no trouble that I can think of,” said Letitia. “I made an error of judgment in trusting someone, but no harm has come of it.”
“No harm!” exclaimed Bainstall. “You dismiss this very lightly, upon my word. You are very lucky that a great deal of damage was not caused by your thoughtless behavior, and that Dr. Wolfe was not driven away. Your acquaintance with Eynsford, whose reputation when it comes to the ladies is questionable at best, was most ill advised. That the Bishop still wishes to wed you is a blessing indeed.”
“You are in great haste to see me married, Cousin,” observed Letitia. “Surely you recall that my husband has not yet been dead a year?”
“There is no need to announce the engagement until the year is up, and then you can be swiftly wed,” replied Bainstall. “There will be no comment about that. Your cir
cumstances are well enough known for the necessity of a second marriage to be recognized.”
They had reached the strand, and Letitia looked out towards the water. She let go of the children's hands and urged them to play, watching as they ran towards the water, laughing merrily.
“It seems the world knows a great deal about how I am placed,” she said rather sharply. “If you think that Dr. Wolfe is such a catch, why do you not champion Lord Eynsford as well? He is far wealthier and vastly more important.”
Bainstall laughed. “Eynsford was amusing himself, Letitia,” he said. “That man will not wed a widow with children. He will never make you an offer.”
“But he has,” answered Letitia coolly. “Did not Dr. Wolfe inform you of that as well as every other detail of my life to which he is privy?”
Bainstall turned to her, a look of astonishment on his face. It gave Letitia a small thrill of enjoyment to see the Baron, customarily totally composed, so astounded.
“Do you mean to say that the Marquess of Eynsford has offered you marriage?” he asked. “Then why are you here, living in rented rooms? Surely you should be at Milverton?”
“I said he proposed, I did not say I accepted,” responded Letitia.
Bainstall sat down heavily on a convenient bench. “Do you mean to say that you turned down Lord Eynsford?” he demanded. “What sort of folly is this? He is as rich as Croesus, Letitia!”
“And just a few moments ago he was a hardened libertine with suspect motives,” observed Letitia. “Surely you would not wish me to marry such a man?”
“That he had the grace to propose after placing you in such an awkward compromising situation, surprises me very much,” said Bainstall. “But that you did not accept is astounding. Letitia, he is the greatest catch in England. His past reputation by no means makes him an undesirable parti.”
An Indecent Charade: Letitia's After Dark Regency Romance Page 21