by Dilly Court
With Dolly’s help Angel completed the flower arrangements in good time for the Westwoods’ arrival, and Susannah waited until her guests arrived before making a grand entrance. She wafted down the staircase, a vision in cream silk and lace, with a tea rose pinned to her gown.
‘Blanche, how lovely to see you again.’ Susannah kissed her friend on the cheek, but her gaze was focussed on the young army officer who stood behind his sister. ‘And, Rupert too. How kind of you to spare some of your hard-earned leave to visit us at Grantley.’
Rupert Westwood was pleasant-looking rather than handsome and about average in height, but his generous mouth and humorous grey eyes made him instantly likeable. He bowed over her hand. ‘It’s always a pleasure to see you, Susannah.’
‘Thank you for inviting us,’ Blanche said sweetly. ‘We had such a pleasant carriage drive that it seems a shame to come indoors.’
Susannah’s smile faded but she made a quick recovery. ‘Yes, of course. I thought we might take tea on the lawn.’ She sent a mute appeal for help to Angel. ‘But first you must come to the drawing room for a glass of lemonade. Angel, my dear, would you be kind enough to check that the table has been set in the shade?’ She uttered a trill of laughter. ‘You can’t always rely on servants to use what little common sense they have.’
‘Absolutely true,’ Blanche said, tucking her small hand through the crook of Susannah’s arm. ‘And I would love a glass of cool lemonade. It’s so very hot outside.’
‘Might I be of assistance?’ Rupert turned to Angel, who was about to slip away to arrange for a table and chairs to be set up outside.
‘That won’t be necessary,’ Susannah said sharply. ‘You must join us in the drawing room, Rupert. I want to hear all about your experiences in the Cape.’
‘It wasn’t a holiday, Susannah.’ His smile faded and his eyes darkened. ‘There are some things it’s better not to talk about.’
Susannah merely shrugged and moved on, turning her attention to Blanche, but Angel could not simply walk away and leave Rupert with his painful memories. ‘It’s almost impossible for us to put ourselves in your position,’ she said softly.
‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’ He proffered his arm. ‘Shall we join my sister and Susannah?’
She shook her head. ‘I’ll come in a moment, but I have to make sure that everything is set up in the garden.’
‘You aren’t a servant.’
‘No, Captain Westwood, but I’m more than happy to help where necessary.’ Angel hurried to the kitchen, leaving him standing in the entrance hall. There were more important things to be done, and he was familiar with the layout of the house. He could find his own way to the drawing room.
A tea table and four chairs were brought from the house and set out in the shade of a tall elm tree, and Dolly rushed around laying a cloth and bringing napkins and cutlery. A silver spirit kettle was brought from the dining room and the best silver tea set. Angel knew that Susannah was desperate to make a good impression on Rupert, as this was only his second visit to the house. She did her best to make the table setting look perfect, before joining them in the drawing room.
Susannah looked up enquiringly. ‘Is everything all right, Angel?’
‘Perfect,’ Angel said, smiling.
‘Then we’ll go outside and enjoy the sunshine.’ Susannah rose gracefully from the sofa, extending her hand to Rupert, who hurried to her side like a well-trained lapdog.
‘I hope there’s plenty of shade.’ Blanche followed them into the garden. ‘My skin is so fair that I burn easily, and freckles are so unbecoming.’ She shot a sideways glance at Dolly, who was standing to attention by the table.
Angel knew that Dolly was sensitive about the sprinkling of freckles on her nose and cheeks, but she had grown into her looks and was really very pretty, although she was still convinced that she was as plain as a pikestaff.
‘Cucumber sandwiches,’ Angel whispered. ‘We’ll have those now, I think, Dolly.’ Angel watched her friend hurry back to the house and she could tell by the set of Dolly’s shoulders that she had heard Blanche’s tactless remark. She could have shaken the silly young woman, but she managed to keep a smile on her face as she took a seat at the table. She covered her annoyance by making the tea, leaving it to Susannah to fill the cups and pass them round to her guests like the perfect hostess.
Angel remained silent and Rupert said little, although to be fair to him he would have had difficulty getting a word in edgeways when Susannah and Blanche got on to the subject of fashion, and ball gowns in particular. Blanche was describing a garment she had seen in a magazine with expressive movements of her arms when Dolly attempted to place a plate on the table, and she caught Dolly’s hand, sending a shower of dainty cucumber sandwiches into the air. They came down in a buttery rain, most of them landing in Blanche’s lap. She leaped to her feet with a shriek.
‘You stupid, clumsy idiot.’
Dolly clapped her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. ‘I – I’m so sorry, miss.’
‘It was an accident,’ Rupert said calmly. ‘And it was your fault, Blanche. If you hadn’t been swinging your arms like a windmill this would never have happened.’
‘Shut up, Rupert. It’s not funny, and it was that stupid girl’s fault.’ Blanche stared down at the grease stains on her pink silk skirt. ‘My gown is ruined.’
Susannah had apparently been frozen to the spot, but the colour rushed to her cheeks and she pointed a shaking finger at Dolly. ‘You’re dismissed. Pack your bags and leave immediately.’
It was Angel’s turn to rise to her feet. ‘You can’t do that, Susannah. It wasn’t Dolly’s fault.’
Rupert tugged at his sister’s arm. ‘Sit down and stop making a spectacle of yourself, Blanche. I’m sure the stains will come out in the wash. You can’t allow this poor girl to lose her job because of a mishap.’
Blanche sank down on her chair and burst into tears. ‘I don’t care about her.’
‘Well, I do.’ Rupert turned to Susannah. ‘I apologise for my sister’s outburst. You mustn’t allow her hysterics to influence your decision. It was an accident.’
Angel placed her arm around Dolly’s shoulders. ‘Don’t cry, dear. I’m sure that it was said in the heat of the moment.’ She fixed Susannah with a hard stare. ‘Please tell her that you didn’t mean it.’
Susannah’s lips quivered and she nodded. ‘I suppose so, but I am truly sorry about your lovely gown, Blanche.’
Blanche fumbled in her reticule and brought out a hanky. ‘I think I’d like to go home now.’ She mopped her eyes and blew her nose.
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Blanche,’ Rupert said angrily.
‘I want to go home. I’ll go on my own if you wish to stay here, but I need to change my clothes.’
‘I’m sorry, Susannah.’ Rupert sighed and shook his head. ‘Blanche is being extremely childish over a mere trifle.’
‘It’s lucky it wasn’t trifle. That would have made a real mess.’ The words left her lips before Angel could stop herself. She glanced anxiously at Blanche, who was staring at her open-mouthed, but Rupert threw back his head and laughed.
‘That’s exactly it, Angel. You’ve put the whole silly fuss into perspective.’ He turned to Blanche, the laughter fading from his eyes. ‘Come on, Blanche. Stay for tea and then I’ll take you home. Dammit, I’ll buy you a new frock if that one is ruined.’
‘Watch your language, Rupert,’ Blanche said crossly. ‘You’re amongst ladies now, not your common soldiers.’ She pouted mutinously, but sat down anyway.
‘If Blanche can forgive Dolly then surely you must, Susannah?’ Angel held on to Dolly, sensing that she was about to run away.
Susannah threw up her hands. ‘Oh, all right. You can stay, girl, but be more careful when you bring a fresh plate of sandwiches, and you have Captain Westwood to thank for your reprieve.’ She smiled at Rupert and fluttered her eyelashes. ‘You are a fair man, Rupert.’
Dolly bobbed a curtsey. ‘Thank you, sir. Thank you, Miss Susannah.’ She backed away, turned and raced across the grass, her fiery curls escaping from beneath her mobcap.
‘The girl has no finesse,’ Susannah said dismissively. ‘We keep her on because Uncle Adolphus insisted on it, otherwise she would have been sent packing long ago.’ She sent a challenging look in Angel’s direction.
‘You were talking about the ball at Westwood before the accident,’ Angel said, refusing to take up Susannah’s subtle challenge. ‘When is it to be?’
Rupert pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. ‘That was skilfully done,’ he whispered. ‘You’ve deflected the conversation nicely. You’re a born tactician, Angel.’
Angel sat back and smiled. Susannah and Blanche had launched into an animated discussion about the coming ball and Dolly’s mishap seemed to have been forgotten.
The rest of the visit passed off reasonably well. Lil’s dainty cakes were praised and a message was sent to the kitchen complimenting the cook, and Dolly managed to get through the afternoon without any further accidents.
When it was time for the Westwoods to leave, Blanche and Susannah were again the best of friends and as Dolly handed Rupert his hat and cane, he leaned over to whisper something in her ear. Dolly’s cheeks reddened and she smiled shyly. ‘Thank you, sir.’
Angel waited until the Westwoods’ carriage had driven off before challenging Dolly. ‘What did he say to make you blush?’
‘He said he hoped I wasn’t too upset and it weren’t my fault. He’s such a lovely gentleman and so handsome, too.’
Angel stared at her in dismay. ‘Don’t get any ideas, Dolly. He’s a gentleman through and through, but he’s not for you.’
Dolly tossed her head. ‘I don’t see why it’s so impossible. I’m just as good as he is, and a sight better than his sister, if you ask me. Why shouldn’t a girl like me raise herself in the world? He likes me, Angel. He treated me like a lady.’ Dolly flounced off in the direction of the servants’ quarters.
Angel watched her with a sinking heart. She could see endless problems arising in the future.
Chapter Eight
Rupert Westwood rode over from Westwood Hall every day. Sometimes he was accompanied by Blanche, but she preferred a genteel carriage ride, whereas her brother liked to exercise his horse and keep them both in trim. It was understood that he had only short leave, but the details were never discussed in front of Angel, and Susannah was either unaware of this or had chosen to put it out of her mind. She was convinced that Rupert had fallen in love with her and nothing Angel could say would bring her out of her state of euphoria. All she could talk about was the coming ball at Westwood Hall and the fact that Rupert had already claimed her for the first dance. She fully expected him to propose and had already decided where she would like to go for their honeymoon.
Angel liked Captain Westwood well enough, but she was suspicious as to the motives for his frequent visits. At first she had accepted Susannah’s assumption that the gallant captain came to see her and her alone, but a chance encounter one hot afternoon in early August had shattered that illusion. Angel had been in the walled garden picking lavender and allowing it to dry for use in the long winter months, when she heard voices. Recognising Dolly’s light tones, she opened the gate and then closed it again. She leaned against the wall, shocked by the sight of Dolly and Rupert Westwood in a tender embrace. They were standing in the shade of the oak tree, out of sight of the main house but clearly visible from the walled garden.
Dolly had tried to deny it when Angel challenged her later that day, but it was obvious that she was lying and in the end she had to admit that she had fallen in love with Captain Westwood, and that he returned the feeling. Angel had tried to convince her that it could only end badly, but Dolly had become sullen and mulish and refused to listen to reason. Angel could only hope that the infatuation would pass, that Rupert would consider the difficulties that such a relationship would create for both of them, and would realise that Susannah was being used in a heartless fashion. Having failed to convince Dolly, Angel decided that she would have to face Rupert. The ball was only two days away and Susannah was blissfully unaware of the dual life that Rupert was leading.
He arrived, as usual, soon after luncheon but Angel was waiting for him outside the stables. He dismounted, flinging the reins to a groom, who hurried out to take the horse.
‘Angel, this is a pleasant surprise? You aren’t dressed for riding, so am I to assume that you came to meet me?’
She did not return his friendly smile. ‘Yes, I did.’
‘Is anything wrong?’ He took off his hat and tucked it under his arm. ‘Is Susannah unwell?’
Angel glanced over her shoulder. ‘We can’t talk here. Will you walk with me?’
‘Of course. I’d be delighted to have your company for a while. I hope you don’t feel that I’ve been neglecting you.’
‘No, why should I? You come to see Susannah, don’t you?’ Angel started walking towards the parterre garden and he fell into step beside her.
‘I do, but I am always pleased to see you too.’
Angel came to a halt, just out of sight of Susannah’s bedroom window. A tall magnolia leaned against the wall of the house, its huge creamy blossoms shedding saucer-like petals onto the gravel path. ‘I saw you kissing Dolly. She’s in love with you, Rupert, and you’re not being fair to her or Susannah.’
He recoiled as if she had slapped his face, and he dropped his gaze. ‘I know, Angel. I can’t deny it and it’s been tormenting me.’
‘Then do something about it, or you’ll break both their hearts.’
‘What can I do? I was genuinely attracted to Susannah. Who wouldn’t be? She’s beautiful and intelligent and she comes from a family who can trace their lineage back to William the Conqueror, but Dolly is an original. She’s sweet and uncomplicated and she makes me laugh.’
‘She came from a poor family and was forced to live on the streets until I brought her here, but I agree with you in every other way, and I love Dolly as if she were my sister, which is why I can’t allow you to use her for your entertainment. You’ll go away and forget about her.’
He bowed his head. ‘That won’t happen.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘I intend to take her with me. She knows that and she’s willing to face the rigours of life in camp.’ He looked up, his grey eyes pleading for her approval.
‘So you intend her to live as a camp follower. You don’t want to marry her but you’ll make her your mistress, an object of scorn for all your fellow officers and friends to snigger at behind her back.’ Angel could barely contain her fury. ‘And when you’re tired of her or you decide to marry a woman from your own class, you’ll abandon Dolly to the next man who will take her on.’
‘No, that won’t happen,’ he said earnestly. ‘I promise you that I’ll love her and take care of her.’
‘You might think I’m naïve, Rupert, but I was brought up by a respectable couple and I know the ways of society. One day you’ll succumb to pressure from your family to marry and produce an heir to Westwood, and that woman won’t be your mistress. You might set Dolly up in rented rooms somewhere out of the way, but she would be an outcast. Better leave her now, while she has a chance to make something of her life.’
‘I really do love her, Angel.’
‘Then prove it. Tell her the truth and finish it here and now. She’ll be devastated, but she’s young and she’ll get over you eventually.’
‘Are you going to tell Susannah about this?’
She thought for a moment and then shook her head. ‘No, I’ll say nothing if you settle matters with Dolly. You must be completely honest with her, and I just hope she’ll understand.’
‘My father wants me to marry Susannah,’ Rupert said sadly. ‘I admire her greatly, but the thought of marrying without love is abhorrent.’
‘That’s something only you can decide. Susannah is a go
od person and I’m very fond of her. She’d make you a dutiful wife and everyone would approve of the match, but it’s your choice.’ Angel met his tortured gaze with an attempt at a smile. ‘I know you’ll do the right thing, Rupert.’ She walked away, bracing herself for a stormy session with Dolly later in the day.
But everything went on as before. Dolly was dreamy-eyed and barely conscious of her surroundings and Susannah spent the afternoon in Rupert’s company with no outward sign of distress. It was obvious that he had either ignored Angel’s warning or had given himself time to think about how he would go about telling Dolly that their brief affair was over. Either way, it led to a sleepless night for Angel and a nerve-racking day prior to the ball.
Rupert did not pay his usual visit, but neither Susannah nor Dolly seemed to be upset or worried by his absence. Susannah was too busy sorting out which fan she would take to the ball and whether to wear a tiara or silk flowers in her hair, and Dolly went about singing at the top of her voice, until Lil told her to shut up and Cook threatened to throw a bucket of water over her. Angel happened to be in the kitchen at the time, discussing the menu for dinner due to Eloise’s continuing bout of migraine, which had kept her in a darkened room for yet another day. It should have been Susannah who took over when her mother was incapacitated, but Susannah had no interest in the running of the house and, as always, it was Angel who took up the reins.
She left the servants discussing the ball, with preparations for dinner a secondary concern, and she was about to go upstairs to check on Eloise when a loud hallooing outside preceded the rumble of carriage wheels. Angel ran to open the door and her heart thudded uncomfortably against her stays at the sight of Hector, handsome as ever in his uniform as he dismounted from his horse. Thor and Juno appeared as if from nowhere, moving as swiftly as their ageing bones would allow, and they greeted him enthusiastically. Toby leaned out of the carriage window, shouting and waving to Angel with Humphrey looking over his shoulder. They practically fell out of the vehicle as it drew to a halt and Humphrey rushed over to hug her. At fifteen he had grown tall, having lost his youthful chubbiness, but he still possessed the boundless enthusiasm for life that had led him into scrapes at school. Toby, on the other hand, had matured into a good-looking young man, who was in his third year at Oxford, studying law, which always made Susannah laugh. She had teased him when he announced his choice of career, calling him the poacher who had turned gamekeeper, referring to the fact that he too had always been in trouble at Rugby, and was constantly being gated for playing pranks that all too often backfired.