Dizzy Dilemmas

by Mary Beeken

  Of course he could have sated his lust with his mistress if he had not dispensed with her services just the day before; finding he no longer viewed her overt beauty and abundant figure the least bit appealing. Another option was to visit one of the many bordellos where madams provided a selection of women to cater for a gentleman’s needs whatever his taste. Unlike many of his fellow peers he was not in the habit of frequenting such establishments and as soon as the idea came into his head he dismissed it. Only one woman could satisfy him and she was sat here next to him and yet completely beyond his reach; under the protective eyes of her family who would be rightly furious if he seduced her without having first stood before a vicar.

  At twenty seven and having only recently come into the title, Marcus knew he would have to marry to produce an heir but he had not envisioned taking a wife until well into his thirties; hence his scheme to thwart the husband seekers by fabricating a courtship with Dizzy. But somehow his plans had become a trifle tipsy for here he sat lusting after his decoy and even considering the possibility of wedding her in order to bed her, without any sense of abhorrence which is what he normally felt whenever marriage was mentioned in connection with him.

  “I believe I know why that woman spontaneously combusted,” Dizzy announced, her voice husky and tempting and Marcus understood then how Odysseus had felt when he had heard the song of the Sirens. “Her husband must have been speaking to her as you have been to me and she just burst into flames.”

  Marcus laughed, so unexpected was her response but at the same time complimentary. “Shall I continue then though it may prove dangerous to both of us?”

  “If we set fire to the sofa it will cause a rumpus so it would be best if you didn’t. You pose a real danger to me though and I must guard against it,” she told him, suddenly serious. “I am a modest and decorous young woman and yet when you spoke just now I wanted to pull my dress down and beg you to do those things to me. I have never felt like that before. It was strangely embarrassing but exhilarating all at the same time. Am I then wanton?”

  “No gherkin you must not think that. Your response was perfectly natural.” Marcus was anxious to assure her and would have continued but just then their privacy was ended when Genevieve called down to them, asking if they would like more tea.

  “What has you talking so earnestly?” she enquired when she returned to them bearing refills.

  “I am taking your sister on a picnic to Richmond Park tomorrow and then we are going on to Strawberry Villa where I have arranged for the housekeeper to show us around,” Marcus neatly changed the subject whilst conveying the impression that it had been the topic of conversation all along.

  “Then I am quite envious as I have always wanted to go there,” Genevieve replied, her big expressive eyes begging for an invite even though she did not ask verbally for one.

  Glenmore laughed at her and decided to tease her a little. “I know the family and so have been on several occasions, it is indeed an interesting place and well worth a visit, but I do not want to say too much and ruin the delight of seeing it all for the first time for Dizzy. It will be a lovely day for those who attend.”

  “I am sure it will and I know you will just love it, won’t you Dizzy?” She said turning to her sister who nodded her response.

  “And a picnic beforehand in the fresh air; away from the crowds of the city will be wonderfully relaxing too,” she added. “I expect you are really excited for I would be?”

  Again Dizzy nodded; this time biting her lip to prevent the laughter that threatened to bubble over at her sister’s pathetic demeanour.

  “Oh for pity’s sake!” Marcus exclaimed with a laugh, “Would you like to come with us? Erica and Ross are coming and one or two others so you are more than welcome to accompany us.”

  ”I would love to come!” Genevieve was quick to accept his invite lest he changed his mind and withdrew the invitation.

  “Really? From your lacklustre attitude to our trip, I thought you might need persuading,” he said jokingly.

  “So you were teasing me all along were you?” she asked placing her hands on her hips. “I see as a brother-in-law you will fit in very well with my two brothers. That is the sort of thing they would do.”

  “Then it is fortunate is it not, that he is not going to join their ranks even in law,” Dizzy put in, scowling at Genevieve, “Any more comments like that and I shall insist you be uninvited.”

  Chapter Eight

  The journey to Richmond was going to take around two hours at a steady pace and therefore it had been agreed that the party would leave at nine o’clock from the Brockton residence. Although the invitation had been extended to everyone it was only the two sisters who were able to go owing to other commitments. Thus it was that they were already prepared and waiting when a deep blue coach with the ducal coat of arms emblazoned on the side, pulled up as the grandfather clock in the hall began to strike the hour. Coulton opened the door just as Glenmore jumped down from the well sprung carriage and came forward to greet his guests.

  “Good morning ladies. We certainly have good weather for our outing and my groom assures me it will be pleasant all day and he is usually right in his predictions. Once you have taken your seats we can be on our way.”

  Genevieve was first to climb in though she nearly backed out again when she noted the occupants of the carriage. As expected the Marquis and Marchioness of Trevellyn were there but unwelcome to her was the man sat opposite them.

  “Mr Prentiss!” she exclaimed though her tone could not have been more frosty. “I did not realise you were to accompany us today.”

  “Lady Genevieve,” he replied; his voice equally lacking in warmth. “Your attendance is as much an unwelcome shock to me as mine is to you.”

  Exchanging glances, Erica and Ross enthusiastically greeted the new arrivals, making room for Genevieve to sit beside them leaving Dizzy to take the seat between Prentiss and Glenmore.

  “We debated going in our curricles but decided it would be better to take one carriage rather than three and of course the travelling carriage is better should the weather become inclement,” Glenmore explained.

  “It also has more luggage space,” added Trevellyn, “which means a bigger, more sumptuous picnic!”

  “Yes it took no less than three footmen to hoist the hamper into place. Cook has no doubt catered for an army so everyone will have to do their duty and eat heartily,” Marcus told them.

  “Never fear, we are invariably ravenous whenever we go on an excursion and eat outside. Mrs Honey Dew says it must be the fresh air,” Dizzy said.

  I remember we used to drive her to distraction when we were younger because whenever she took us out on an educational trip, we would complain of being famished not half an hour into the journey and be forever pestering her by asking when we could have lunch,” Genevieve added.

  “She used to have a secret stash of biscuits that she would produce whenever our whining got too much!” Dizzy recalled.

  “Are you likely to begin moaning in another twenty minutes or so?” asked Robert with a smile. “If you do I will have to recommend that we make you sit up with the driver.”

  “That would not be gentlemanly at all!” exclaimed an outraged Genevieve. “But then I should not expect anything else from you.”

  “Genevieve!” Dizzy was shocked by her sister’s comments, especially as it was so contrary to her normal demeanour. “Robert was only jesting.”

  “I was only jesting, Dizzy but now I believe it would be of benefit for your sister to have a spell up with the coachman; the fresh air may improve her temper; though whether it would be fair on the poor man to inflict her upon him is another matter!” Prentiss said, deliberately provoking Genevieve.

  Ignoring the fact that she had only recently met him, Dizzy elbowed him in the side and directed a frown at her sister but to no avail.

  “The air in here would be fresh enough were you not here to stagnate it! And as for the coachman,
he would no doubt find me witty and charming whereas your dour attitude would likely make the horses bolt! ” Genevieve uttered.

  Dizzy looked to Glenmore for help but he was sat back with his arms folded and a big grin on his face. Trevellyn, she noted, held a similar pose whilst Erica looked on expectantly; waiting for the next verbal barrage. She shook her head at Dizzy whispering, “Do not worry, I am told it is always like this when they meet.”

  “Witty and charming you say! You would not know wit even if it were it to smack your pretty little behind and as for charm; a rat has more charm than you!” Prentiss was quick with his rejoinder.

  “You would know I suppose; being a rat yourself! A gentleman would never be so rude as to mention a part of my anatomy as you have.”

  “Not only do I mention you're behind Lady Genevieve, but one day soon I shall put you over my knee and spank it. If you persist in acting like a spoilt, obnoxious child I might as well treat you like one!” he stated.

  “Lay one finger on me and I will shoot you,” she told him.

  “You have proved my point,” he laughed condescendingly. “That is such a childish thing to say. You could not possibly shoot me.”

  “Actually Robert,” Dizzy warned “Genevieve is an excellent shot and she has her own pistol. It is probably pointing right at your heart as we speak.”

  “That seems a good point to call a truce,” Erica stated in a tone that brooked no argument.

  “That would be rather difficult as he has no heart; only a shrivelled up, old prune!” Genevieve muttered; determined to have the last word. Prentiss opened his mouth to retort but Erica scowled so ferociously at him that he closed it again and settled for a growl instead much to Dizzy’s amusement as she liked nothing more than a good growl when one was annoyed.

  “Is that your stomach growling, Dizzy?” enquired Glenmore innocently although he knew full well it was Robert.

  “Actually, I am rather hungry!” she laughed.

  ”Never fear,” Glenmore assured her taking a round tin from a compartment hidden in the floor. “I have a secret stash just here. Can I interest anyone in a biscuit?”

  The timely snack restored peace and the remainder of the journey passed uneventfully mainly because the two protagonists successfully managed to ignore each other whilst upholding their ends of the conversation with everyone else.

  As early as the thirteenth century, there had been royal interest in the Manor of the Sheen which was renamed Richmond during the reign of Henry VII, but it was not until the time of Charles I that it became a royal hunting park when he had introduced around two thousand red and fallow deer. In order to contain his deer he had dismissed the claims of the local people whose income came from farming and grazing their cattle on the land, and had built a wall all the way around the two and a half thousand acres. Over the course of time the deer had changed the landscape of the park and in the mid 1700’s the Pen Ponds lake had been created with a causeway splitting it into two. Many ancient trees, including oak still stood; protected from the roaming deer by a technique called pollarding in which they were trimmed regularly to a height of about ten feet. The grasslands and woodlands were home to a wide variety of wildlife from birds to fungi.

  The carriage entered the park through Richmond gate and turned right to stop a short distance further on where, Glenmore informed his guests, they could walk up the hill via the path to reach King Henry’s Mound; a viewpoint from where they could see Saint Paul’s Cathedral which was some twelve miles away.

  Glad to be out of the carriage and able to stretch their legs, everyone was eager to climb the hill and see the spectacular panoramic views the mound had to offer.

  “You can see for miles and miles!” Dizzy exclaimed as she stood as the top and slowly turned around.

  “Here take these,” Glenmore said handing her a pair of binoculars. “You will be able to see so much more.” He then proceeded to point out different landmarks to her. “After lunch we will be heading in that direction through the town of Richmond and on to Twickenham and then to Strawberry Hill.”

  Glenmore watched Dizzy as she surveyed the view. She was dressed in a fashionable gown of sprigged muslin that swirled gently around her as she turned. The breeze teased her rich, red-brown hair so wisps of it escaped its pins and fluttered around her face and neck, sometimes getting in her eyes so that she would have to sweep them away with her hand. In the clear light of a warm, sunny day he noticed a faint white line on her upper arm; a scar no doubt from a childhood accident and he found himself wondering, given her clumsiness, how many similar scars she had. ‘Some day soon,’ he silently promised ‘I shall count them.’

  In actuality he had only known her for a very short time and yet she seemed as familiar to him as his oldest friend and Glenmore realised that there was a very good chance that Trevellyn had been right when he told him it was love. He enjoyed her company and found himself looking forward to any event in which he would see her. She was amusing, intelligent and quietly unconventional and each time he looked at her she became more beautiful. He chuckled when he realised that in setting her up as a decoy to avoid marriage he had actually baited a trap for himself and he was well and truly caught in it. There was nothing for it but to propose because she was the perfect life partner for him; his perfect Duchess. Of-course, persuading her that he had changed his mind about getting married might be a trifle challenging but he was sure he would succeed and he could always call upon her friends and her family to help.

  “You seem mightily pleased about something,” Trevellyn said as he came to stand beside him.

  “I am coming to realise that you might be right,” he replied, though he kept his gaze on Dizzy.

  “I usually am, Glenmore. You should know that. But remind me; what am I right about?”

  “Being in love is not so bad,” Marcus quoted Ross’ words. “In fact it is not bad at all!”

  “No it isn’t,” Trevellyn agreed, placing his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “With the right woman it is marvellous.”

  “Surely it is time for lunch,” Genevieve said coming up at that moment with Erica and Robert. “I am starving!”

  “Mrs Honey Dew must have the patience of a saint if this it what she had to put up with when she was your governess,” Glenmore said “I hope she was paid handsomely.”

  “She was not paid at all!” explained Dizzy, as she handed the binoculars back to Marcus. “She offered to teach us because she loved doing it. Do not be fooled into thinking her a poor relation for it is very far from the truth.”

  “Then I will correct my statement, Gherkin. She is a saint! She must be to have taken on you and your sisters out of love and not necessity!”

  “Oh I don’t know!” Dizzy responded mildly, “We are very easy to love, are we not, Genevieve?”

  Before Genevieve could reply, however there was a snort from Robert and so as Genevieve turned on him, Glenmore grabbed Dizzy’s hand and hurried her down the path with Ross and Erica almost pushing them out of the way in their haste to get past.

  “Sorry, my dear,” Ross apologized as he overtook her.

  “Apologies,” muttered Erica as she scooted past.

  “Poor Robert,” Dizzy uttered somewhat breathlessly as she was almost running to keep up with Glenmore who still had hold of her hand and was tugging her along. “Perhaps we should stay with him in case she shoots him.”

  “No. He brought this on himself so we need to get out of the firing range.”

  “Actually, you brought this on him by your comment and I added to it with mine. He merely snorted!”

  “Yes but there was a wealth of meaning in that snort; it was a snort of a thousand words! Now hurry up because if Ross and Erica get too far ahead they will eat all the food before we get there.”

  “So our leisurely stroll before lunch is really a running race!” she puffed but Glenmore did not reply as he was too intent on reaching the food, and indeed increased his speed which meant Dizzy had t
o run in earnest.

  The servants had set out the picnic near the lake and Ross and Erica were already comfortably ensconced on a blanket sipping lemonade by the time Marcus and Dizzy reached them. Pressing a hand to her side in an effort to ease the stitch, Dizzy flopped down and gratefully took the glass a servant held out to her though it was several moments before her breathing was calm enough to enable her to take a drink.

  “There is nothing like a brisk walk to sharpen one’s appetite,” Marcus said, having sent the servants off to enjoy their own lunch and sitting down next to Dizzy. “We should wait for the others I suppose. I hope they are not too long.”

  “That is if they make it at all. They have probably killed each other by now,” Dizzy stated and then went on to ask; “Why do they dislike each other so much? They are both generally amenable and pleasant people who are well liked and yet when they are together it is open warfare. I cannot understand it.”

  “I do not know how it started but I can tell you that their animosity is of long standing. Before I met your sister, Robert had led me to believe she was a real termagant, so imagine my surprise when I discovered her to be such a pleasant person,” Erica replied.

  “If they have put an end to each other’s existence then there is no need to wait. We should just tuck in,” uttered Marcus.

  “No they are still alive for here they come now,” Ross informed them and then raised his voice to call; “Hurry up we want to start!”

  The picnic was not only bountiful but delicious and so little was said as everyone enjoyed the repast which included several sweet dishes alongside the savoury. Dizzy lay back on the blanket and closed her eyes; listening to the birdsong and enjoying the peace the park had to offer. She was thinking that it would be perfect, with the sun shining and the gentle breeze if it were not for the little insect that kept tickling her face even though she kept swatting it away. A persistent little devil to be sure but she was determined not to open her eyes so when it again flicked against her cheek she snatched at it and realized it wasn’t an innocent insect after all but a piece of grass being manipulated by a guilty Duke.