Cecilie looked surprised. “But only for a while, Aggie. Then I should have everything my way.”
Aggie shook her head, but Denby burst into laughter. “Well, Cecilie, you are honest at least. Which many women are not.”
Aggie thought this, too, was directed at her, but, as he went right on, perhaps it was not.
“You may just put the idea from your mind,” his lordship said to Cecilie firmly. “You need a husband to keep you from utter disaster and as your guardian I should never consent to a marriage contract that would put you in the perilous position of managing your own funds, even as a widow.”
Cecilie began to pout at this, but Aggie could not help but agree, though silently, with Denby. Cecilie, left to run her own affairs, would go broke in a fortnight!
“Besides,” said the Earl, “you may find it nice to have a husband. And no doubt you will want children. It is far better for your sons to have a father to guide them. So you should have a younger man.”
“I suppose so,” agreed Cecilie, her eyes slipping down to the Earl’s white waistcoat. For once Aggie was grateful for Cecilie’s scatterbrained ways. At least, this thing about chests could be used to keep her from becoming an old man’s toy.
The curtain rose then and Aggie and Denby were spared any more discussion on the subject. By the time intermission came, Cecilie had quite forgotten the matter as she launched into an enthusiastic discussion of the play. “What a wicked, wicked man Iago is.” She said the words softly, almost as if she feared that someone might overhear her.
“Kean plays him very villainously,” agreed his lordship. He turned to Aggie. “I find that I have several matters to discuss with friends. I trust that you and Cecilie can manage till I return?”
Cecilie scarcely heard him, engrossed as she was with the great crowd below, but Aggie nodded. “Yes, milord.”
He rose and bowed, then made his way out of the box, to seek out Lady Alicia, no doubt, thought Aggie bitterly. Then she was called back to the present by Cecilie’s squeal as some new sight presented itself to her fascinated eyes.
Some few minutes passed, the two of them trying to recognize faces they knew. Suddenly from behind them came a voice. “Such lovely ladies.”
Aggie swung around, ready to oust the intruder, but Cecilie had already leaped to her feet. “Lord Parrington! How good to see you again. Do come in and take a chair. Perhaps you can help us put names to all these faces.”
“Anything to please you, lovely lady,” said Parrington, and Aggie decided immediately that she did not like the man. There was something about him that made her uneasy, though she could not put a finger on it. He seemed well enough dressed and Cecilie evidently recalled him from the come out, but Aggie simply did not like him. It was nothing physically visible. He was an attractive enough man, of medium height with fair hair and dark eyes. There was nothing suspicious about his manner either. It was all open blunt honesty, all “hail-fellow-well-met.” And then the thought hit Aggie with a terrifying jolt. Just so did Mr. Kean play the terrible Iago!
As the two continued to discuss the play and the crowd, Aggie watched in silence. There was nothing she could do to rid them of the man; obviously Cecilie was enjoying his company. If only the Earl would return. He would know what to do. She looked out over the theater, searching for him. Perhaps she could attract his attention.
Almost of their own volition her eyes came to rest on the box that held Lady Alicia. And there he was, sitting beside her in a place obviously vacated precisely for him. Lady Alicia was leaning attentively toward him, leaning far too much, thought Aggie angrily, considering the neckline of her gown. She stared at them fixedly, hoping to get his attention to the situation that now existed in his box. But the Earl seemed oblivious of her concentrated looks. Lady Temple elicited all his attention.
Aggie found her hands tightening into fists. Why wasn’t the man here where he belonged instead of dangling after that widow? In pained silence she watched Cecilie giggle and flirt with Parrington. For one dreadful moment she thought the girl might even ask him about his chest, but evidently she had decided that that and the question of children could wait for a later day, perhaps after she had seen him ride and explored the question of animals.
The latter seemed already decided in Parrington’s favor, for the scattered words and phrases that reached Aggie’s ears often had to do with the antics of Dillydums. And, since Parrington sat enthralled through the whole recital, Aggie could only conclude that he very much liked animals or he was a consummate actor.
Finally, to her intense relief, the man rose and made his good-byes. Aggie had a definite feeling that he wanted to leave before the Earl returned, but again it was only a feeling.
Lord Parrington had only been gone a few seconds when the door opened to admit the Earl. The shadows in the back of the box prevented her from seeing his face clearly, but as soon as he spoke Aggie knew their pleasant evening was at an end. “Was that Parrington leaving here?” he asked.
He attempted to keep his tone even and Cecilie was deceived into answering. “Oh yes, milord. He’s the most amusing man. An excellent dancer. And a great lover of animals.”
“Indeed!” replied his lordship and this time Cecilie, too, caught his mood. “His dancing I can have no quarrel with, but his love for animals clearly does not extend to his horses.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Cecilie’s pink lips made a pout.
“I mean that Parrington’s beasts are ill-treated. And anyone can see it.”
“Oh dear!” cried Cecilie. “And he seemed an excellent choice.”
“That’s no matter,” replied the Earl flatly. “I have already refused him.”
“Already!” By now Cecilie was quite agitated.
“Yes,” replied the Earl grimly. “He was one of those I told you about - a fortune hunter.”
Cecilie said no more and the Earl seemed satisfied, but Aggie was not. Cecilie never gave up this easily. And just because the Earl said Parrington ill-treated his animals that did not mean that Cecilie would believe him. Aggie did, however, and she wondered curiously if the evil in men gave off some subtle kind of vibrations to those around them. Was it the bad treatment of his animals that Aggie had sensed or was it some future evil centering around Cecilie? She found herself very grateful that the Earl had refused Parrington’s offer. But a small niggling fear would not be silenced.
Obviously the Earl’s refusal had not made Parrington give up. He was trying to get to Cecilie in spite of it. And, knowing Denby’s determination, Aggie saw the only recourse left to Parrington if he wanted to marry Cecilie - as he must see it too - Gretna Green! Ordinarily, this would not be too frightening. Parrington was forbidden the house and she was usually on hand when Cecilie went out. But given her charge’s fits of anger and decisions to rush out and walk them off... Aggie decided to speak privately to Bates. He might not be able to stop Cecilie from leaving the house, but he could at least send footmen with her - and with private instructions to prevent her from entering any carriages.
Considerably relieved by this decision, she relaxed a little and turned her attention back to the play. She would very much like to see Mr. Kean as Othello, she thought. The man had a great deal of talent.
Through the remainder of the play and even the afterpiece the Earl and Cecilie both remained silent. It was not an uncomfortable silence. Cecilie appeared to have accepted his lordship’s evaluation of Parrington and the Earl seemed content that the matter was closed. Aggie, however, was not at all sure. Cecilie’s silence need indicate only thought, not compliance. She had seen such behavior before. Indeed, she had been the chief victim of it. And she resolved to be especially on guard.
The ride home was given over to idle chatter about clothes and the play and passed pleasantly enough. The Earl left them at the foot of the stairs. “Good night, Cecilie. Good night, Miss Trimble.” His eyes seemed to look overlong into her and Aggie felt her heart contracting. Then his gaze slid over th
e gown, almost as though he were trying to retain a picture of it in his memory - or compare it with one already there. “I am glad the gown pleased you,” he said softly. “It pleased me. Very much.”
Then, before she could do more than murmur a thank you, he was gone, disappearing into the library with Bates at his heels. With a sigh Aggie turned and followed Cecilie up the stairs to their beds. She would think about his words later. Tonight she must sleep.
Chapter Ten
No mention was made of Lord Parrington in the days that followed. Aggie dared to hope that Cecilie had forgotten him. Perhaps the Earl’s comment about the man’s horses had changed her mind. Where animals were concerned, she would stand for no cruelty. Any man, once condemned on that score, would never be able to worm his way back into her good graces.
Several gentlemen came to call, but Cecilie pronounced them all perfect blocks and the Earl did not press any of them upon her. His lordship, it seemed, was being very polite. Between the two of them, Cecilie and the Earl, Aggie felt sometimes like she was watching a play. It was almost as though they were each playing a part - determined to convince the other that the roles were the real people. To Aggie, who knew them both rather well, such behavior was more than a little peculiar.
To see the Earl, whom she had more than once observed in a towering rage with his ward, behave to her with such extreme politeness gave Aggie a feeling of unreality. And Cecilie’s behavior did nothing to alleviate that feeling. She was so utterly charming and pliable, so deferring to the Earl’s every opinion, that Aggie felt almost nauseated by it. If it hadn’t been so sickening, it might almost have been amusing. And still the two of them persisted in playing out their farce. And there was nothing Aggie could do about it.
After all, she told herself somewhat petulantly, which actually wasn’t like her at all, she had enough trouble keeping in check her feelings for the Earl. He spent most of the days away from the house on Grosvenor Square, but he dined with them almost every evening. When his eyes met hers or lingered on her person, when she was anywhere near him, she was again overpowered by the force of her feelings for him. They were stupid feelings, of course - even dangerous, considering her vulnerable position in his household, but they were also feelings that could not be denied. His simple presence in a room caused her breath to quicken and her heart to flutter strangely in her breast. The warmth in those smoky gray eyes completely unnerved her. Thank heaven, she need not be alone with him! Cecilie’s presence forced her to keep a tight rein on her emotions. Otherwise she might well have been tempted to give way to the terrible longing that consumed her - a longing to feel the strength of his arms around her and the pressure of his mouth on hers. Such thoughts troubled her mind a great deal and, indeed, occupied it much of the time.
It was such thoughts that she was thinking one morning about a week after their excursion to the theater as she and Cecilie sat at breakfast. “Aggie!”
She could tell from Cecilie’s tone that this was not the first time her ward had called her name. She shook herself slightly. “Yes, my dear? I’m afraid I was woolgathering.”
“You do that a great deal lately,” said Cecilie thoughtfully, but before Aggie could prepare herself for an attack of questions, Cecilie grinned and shook the Morning Chronicle she was holding. “Look, Aggie! Mr. Sadler, the aeronaut, is going up in his balloon. It sounds like great fun.”
Aggie shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like fun to me.”
Cecilie’s eyes widened. “Why not?”
“Such ascents can be rather dangerous, as I recall.”
“Oh, marvelously exciting!” cried Cecilie.
Aggie sighed. “I doubt if it is much fun to be half frozen or to be forced to slash a hole in one’s balloon in order not to be landed in the river. Such accidents often happen to aeronauts.”
“But the weather is warm,” said Cecilie.
Aggie shook her head slightly. “I understand it is quite cold up high.”
Cecilie’s face took on a bemused expression. “Just imagine. Floating up above all the housetops. Almost like a bird.”
Aggie eyed her charge sharply. “Cecilie, be sensible. Balloon ascension is a very dangerous occupation! Not an amusement for young ladies.”
“Yes, Aggie, I know.” Cecilie’s face wore an expression of contrition. “But don’t you think it might be educational to watch?” She consulted the paper again. “It says here that Mr. Sadler will make an ascension this afternoon at three from Hyde Park.”
Aggie smiled. “Well, at least he should be out of the way before the fashionables arrive for their ride at five.”
“Oh, Aggie, I should very much like to see the balloon go up. Mayn’t we go?” Her wide eyes pleaded with Aggie. “I’ve been most awfully good,” she continued as Aggie offered no response. “You know I have.”
Aggie had to agree to that. “I know it, Cecilie. But I cannot take you to such a thing without the Earl’s permission.”
She expected a pout and an exclamation of anger, but Cecilie merely smiled. “I’ll just go now and ask him myself.” And she rose from the table.
Aggie was somewhat taken aback by the suddenness of the thing, but Cecilie was gone before she could muster her arguments. Aggie sighed again. She was probably upsetting herself over nothing. Surely the Earl would forbid such a junket. She attempted to lose herself in reading the latest theater reviews, but she could not concentrate. Then she decided she had best be prepared to deal with Cecilie’s disappointment.
But when Cecilie returned some moments later, her face was wreathed in smiles. “His lordship says it’s a capital idea, very educational.” From the look of triumph in her eyes Aggie knew that this must have been one of Cecilie’s arguments for the trip. “He says Winters will go along as well as the grooms. To keep an eye on us.”
Aggie nodded. The ways of his lordship were past understanding.
“He even says I may take Dillydums,” Cecilie chatted gaily on. “As long as I keep him on the leash.” She clapped her hands together in excitement. “Oh, Aggie, it will be just capital. I can scarcely wait. I wish it were time already!”
In the next hours Aggie, too, wished for a way to speed time by. First they must decide on a gown for Cecilie, then on a bonnet and slippers. Then Aggie was plied with question after question about the nature of balloons and the miraculous gas that allowed them to rise, and their behavior after they had risen. To all of which Aggie had perforce to reply, “I’m sorry, Cecilie, I really don’t know.”
“But Aggie, it is all so interesting!”
* * * *
The afternoon did finally arrive, in spite of Cecilie’s protestations that it obviously was never going to, and Cecilie, her blond curls hidden by a straw gypsy hat tied by a wide blue scarf, looked very young and pretty in her blue-sprigged muslin. Aggie herself wore yellow-sprigged muslin and a more sedate bonnet of woven straw which was kept in place by two broad ribbons tied under the chin. Dillydums, attired in his usual blue trousers and red jacket, was perched on Cecilie’s shoulder. His little black eyes seemed to take in everything he saw. Aggie would have really preferred not to bring along the monkey. Cecilie alone was more than enough to handle. But Dillydums was there and to insist that he stay behind might bring on a tantrum. And right now Aggie wished only for peace.
She wondered momentarily where this terrible tiredness she so often felt was coming from. She had never before been so utterly weary, except - She shook her head. She was not going to think about those days anymore. Or the grief she had felt. She would never feel such grief again. She had promised herself that. Yet -
“Aggie! You’re woolgathering again,” Cecilie eyed her curiously. “Whatever are you thinking about these days?”
Aggie managed a smile. “Nothing important. Shall we go?” And picking up her reticule and gloves, she followed Cecilie down the stairs and into the carriage.
The streets of the city were full of people and Cecilie’s bright eyes darted everywhere.
“Look, oh look!” she called repeatedly, until Aggie thought her neck would break from the constant motion. She turned down requests for baked apples, sticky buns, and tea, reminding Cecilie of the difficulty of eating anything with Dillydums perched on her shoulder, ready to reach out and pinch a piece.
“Oh, all right. But Aggie, you put such a damper on things. Smile a little. You’re terribly glum these days.”
Cecilie turned immediately back to the fascinating street and so did not see the color that rose to Aggie’s cheeks at this accusation. She must get hold of herself. She could not bear having Cecilie after her with questions like this.
By this time they had reached the park, where a considerable number of people had gathered to see the brave aeronaut take to the skies. Off in the distance a small herd of deer and several cows could be seen grazing, on occasion raising their heads to contemplate with mild brown eyes the antics of these strange humans.
Winters threaded their carriage skillfully through the others until they were fairly close to the great balloon. Cecilie clapped her hands in glee. “Oh, this is wonderful. Just capital!”
Aggie had to admit that the balloon was rather exciting. It seemed quite large, hovering high in the sky above them, and decorated with bright designs in gay colors. A network of rope attached it to the colorfully decorated car below. And the whole was held to some sort of anchoring platform on the ground with more ropes. The bright and brilliant colors and the gay cheerful mood of the crowd gave the occasion a very festive appearance.
“See!” cried the excited Cecilie. “They are handing in things. Oh! It’s so exciting!”
Then a rising tide of sound announced the approach of the intrepid Sadler, his youthful face wreathed in smiles. To Aggie’s surprise, the young man actually looked happy.
“Isn’t he handsome?” cried Cecilie. “So brave.”
Aggie held back the question that had sprung to her lips. She dared not ask if Cecilie had just added aeronautical exploits to the list of prerequisites for a husband. Aggie did not at all like the look of this and she wished fervently that the Earl had denied Cecilie the trip, or at least had had sense enough to come along.
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