Even as she spoke, she knew that it would be impossible.
She felt as if everything about him was imprinted on her memory and, if she closed her eyes, she could still see his face quite clearly as she had seen it through the crack in the wood.
“Don’t worry tonight, at any rate,” the Earl said kindly. “Dinner should be ready by now.”
He looked at the clock on the mantelpiece.
At that moment Danvers opened the door to announce,
“Dinner is served, my Lord!”
“On the stroke!” Lord Charles added. “Your house is perfection, Alaric, and there is no use trying to find fault with it.”
The Earl did not reply, he only offered Salrina his arm and she was glad that she remembered her mother had told her that was how ladies and gentlemen in grand houses processed into dinner.
At home her mother did most of the cooking because she wanted to make dishes that her father enjoyed and when they were ready she would say to Salrina,
“Fetch Papa quickly! The soufflé will be exactly right in two minutes and I could not bear it to fall flat!”
Then Salrina would run down the passage to find her father and, pulling him by the hand, would hurry him into the dining room.
Looking back, their meals, however scanty, had always been a time for laughter.
It was only after her mother had died that her father would sit at the end of the table playing about with his food and declaring that he was not hungry, however hard Nanny and Salrina would try to tempt him with dishes he liked.
Sitting in the elegant dining room with its polished table uncovered by a tablecloth, a fashion that Salrina learnt had been brought in by the Prince Regent, she knew that dinner was going to be something very different from any meal she had ever eaten before.
Thinking of it now, she knew that it was not only because the food was delicious and she was offered several dishes that she had never heard of, but also because she was listening to two handsome attractive men, duelling with each other in words and capping each other’s jokes.
Lord Charles frequently teased the Earl, who always had a quick repartee, which made Salrina aware, as she had thought already, that he was very quick-brained.
‘Perhaps the reason why he is bored is that most of the people he meets are not as intelligent as he is,’ she told herself.
Then she remembered that her mother had always said,
“A man will be attracted by a pretty face, my dearest, but to love a woman he wants much more than good looks.”
“What do you mean, Mama?” Salrina had asked when she was quite young.
Her mother had looked serious as she replied,
“To make a man happy a woman has to be loving, compassionate and very sympathetic. But she also has to stimulate his mind and keep him alert and interested. Most of all she has to inspire him to do the best that he is capable of and to try to reach the stars.”
Her mother had given a little sigh before she had added,
“Sometimes the stars are out of reach, but both men and women still go on trying to touch them.”
Salrina at the time had puzzled over what her mother had meant, but later, when she read the books her mother wished her to read and studied the subjects her mother thought would interest and inspire her, she began to understand.
She would hear her father and mother discussing world affairs and the customs of other countries, which had nothing whatsoever to do with their everyday life.
And she knew that in that way her mother kept her father’s mind interested in things that were outside their immediate sphere yet still remained a part of his life, even though he was too poor to travel.
“You are very quiet, Miss Milton,” the Earl said at the end of dinner when he and Lord Charles had been talking animatedly to one another.
“I am listening to your conversation,” Salrina replied, “and I don’t believe that any drama in a Playhouse could be more exciting or indeed more brilliant!”
The Earl looked at her for a moment.
Then he said,
“I think, Charles, that is the most ingenuous and flattering compliment that you or I will ever receive!”
Salrina blushed.
“I was not trying to flatter you, my Lord. It was just that you were talking in a way that I always expected intelligent men to talk, but thought that I would never have the opportunity of hearing it.”
“That is interesting,” the Earl said, “and do tell me, Miss Milton, why should you have thought that intelligent men would talk in such a way?”
Salrina smiled before she replied,
“I have read the Restoration Comedies, my Lord.”
“Of course!” the Earl said. “Now, Charlie, you must be aware of the standard that we have to live up to in future.”
“I think that you have been rather remiss in not letting Miss Milton play a part in these Cheltenham Dramatics!” Lord Charles said.
Salrina gave a little cry.
“No, please – I am very happy to be the audience. I remember my Mama, when she told me how to give a successful party, always said that if one has a celebrity or two or three of them, one must be always certain that they will have enough admirers to make them feel that they are the centre of attention.”
Both the men laughed and then dinner was over and they all moved, although Salrina suggested that she should leave them with their port, back into the library.
“I have a feeling, Miss Milton,” the Earl said, “that you are admiring my books.”
“I was thinking, my Lord,” Salrina replied, “that it would be like walking into Heaven to be able to sit down and read them all or, better still, start with the library you have in the country.”
She did not see the amused smile on the Earl’s face at the way she spoke because she was staring round the room, trying to read the titles on the books and wondering if she ever had the chance to do so, which one she would read first.
All too quickly, it seemed to her, the evening was over and the Earl said that because they had had a long day with so much to do tomorrow, and undoubtedly it would be a nerve-racking evening, they should go to bed early.
Only as Salrina went up the stairs, having said goodnight after Lord Charles had escorted her into the hall, did she wonder if perhaps the two gentlemen were going out to enjoy themselves after what must for them have been a rather dull evening alone with her.
It was a lowering thought, but at the same time she did not linger on it because there was so much else to think about.
After the maid had undone her gown and she had climbed into the large comfortable bed with lace-edged sheets and pillowcases, both embroidered with the Earl’s monogram, she fell asleep almost before she could say her prayers.
Now she thought that, whatever happened in the future, she would have so many marvellous things to remember that she would never again regret that she could not attend the smart balls and parties that her mother had described to her.
‘Meeting the Prince Regent will be the same as being presented at Buckingham Palace!’ she thought and told herself that she was the luckiest girl in the world.
*
She rang the bell and was astonished to find that it was after nine o’clock.
“I must get up!” she exclaimed.
“Oh, no, miss,” Mrs. Freeman pointed out, who had come into the room after the maids had drawn the curtains. “I’ve brought you breakfast in bed and his Lordship says that you’re to rest for as long as possible. He’ll not be back until luncheontime.”
“His Lordship has gone out?”
“Yes, miss, his Lordship’s gone ridin’.”
Salrina wished that she could have gone riding with him and then told herself that she could hardly ride in Rotten Row dressed in her old habit.
Indeed, if she had accompanied the Earl, he would most certainly have been ashamed of her.
‘He is so very smart,’ she told herself, ‘and I expect he has a lovely lady or perhaps seve
ral of them wanting to ride with him.’
She remembered all that she had heard said about him in the country, about his parties and the reputation he had for being pursued by dozens of beautiful women who wanted to marry him.
Of course by the time the tales reached that isolated part of the country where their Manor House was situated, Salrina was certain that they had been distorted and perhaps had no foundation at all in fact.
But having seen him she thought that the tales of his many love affairs were probably not exaggerated but merely to be expected.
She thought in the future that she would be more attentive to everything that was said about him, because she had actually been with him in an adventure that, if they ever heard about it, nobody would ever believe it.
When she had finished her breakfast, Mrs. Freeman had come back to talk about her clothes for the evening.
She was shown several gowns that she might wear that night at Carlton House and was informed that the one she chose would be altered to fit her.
They were all so lovely that Salrina stared at them in astonishment.
The Earl had said that his sister had not taken her most glamorous gowns with her to Ireland and it was not surprising.
The fashion had altered since the beginning of the century when straight gowns with high waists had first come in. But now the hems and bodices of dresses were very elaborate, even though the gowns themselves were still straight and high-waisted.
Lady Caroline’s gowns, perhaps because she was older and very fashion conscious, were, Salrina thought, a riot of lace, embroidery, frills and bunches of flowers.
At first she was a little bewildered by what Mrs. Freeman showed her.
Then she tried to think what her mother would choose for her if she knew that she was going to such an important party.
There was one gown that Salrina was sure would have been her mother’s choice.
It was white and rather less elaborate than the others, but the white gauze had a slip under it of silver with silver ribbons crossing over the breast.
The hem was decorated with white camellias that had silver leaves.
“That one is lovely!” she exclaimed. “May I wear it unless Lady Caroline is keeping it for something special?”
“Now, it’s strange you should say that, miss,” Mrs Freeman said, “because her Ladyship always disliked that gown after she had bought it. Twice she’s put it on to go to a ball only to take it off again!
“‘It does not suit me!’ she says and changes into somethin’ else!”
“But it’s the one I would really like to wear,” Salrina insisted.
“Then I’m sure you’re very welcome, miss,” Mrs. Freeman said, “and I’m quite sure that it’ll suit you.”
It was taken away to be altered and, when Salrina was dressed in a very elegant day gown of pale green muslin like the leaves of spring, Mrs. Freeman produced a very pretty high-crowned bonnet trimmed with small yellow flowers to go with it.
Because she felt so different and almost as if she was in fancy dress, Salrina went downstairs carrying her bonnet in her hand to put it on after luncheon.
She felt that it would be a crime to spoil the elegance of her hair that had been coiffured for the first time in her life by a professional hairdresser.
When it was finished, she hardly recognised herself.
Her curly hair, instead of running riot, now framed her small face. At the same time it accentuated the oval sweep of her forehead, which she had never noticed before and the point of her small chin.
“You looks lovely, miss, and that’s the truth!” Mrs. Freeman was saying. “I’m sure his Lordship’ll think so too.”
Salrina wanted to say that it was very doubtful that his Lordship would take any notice.
But, as she went into the library where the Earl and Lord Charles were having a glass of champagne before luncheon, she saw his eyes flicker over her.
Although he said nothing, she thought that he not only approved of her appearance but was also surprised that she could look so unlike the girl he had brought to London.
Lord Charles, however, was not so reticent.
“There is no need to tell you, Miss Milton, how lovely you look!” he said. “I am sure that your mirror has done that for you.”
“I thought that there must be something wrong with the glass!” Salrina replied. “And I remembered how my Nanny always said, ‘fine feathers make fine birds and it’s your character that counts not your face!’”
Both men laughed.
“I can remember my Nanny saying very much the same thing,” Lord Charles said. “I am sure that your Nanny did, too, Alaric?”
“My Nanny always said, ‘I’ll make you into a gentleman if I have to beat the devil out of you!’,” the Earl replied. “And she did!”
They were still laughing when luncheon was announced and once again it was a meal at which so many things too brilliant to be forgotten were said that Salrina wished she could write them down quickly so as to preserve them for all time.
When they had finished, the Earl asked Salrina what she would like to do.
“Do you really mean I can choose?” she asked.
“Within reason,” the Earl replied cautiously.
“Then could we possibly go to Tattersalls?”
“Tattersalls?” the Earl exclaimed.
“Perhaps it would be impossible,” Salrina said, “but I have always heard that the best horses are sold there and it would be wonderful for me to see them.”
As she spoke, she remembered how often her father had said,
“If only I could afford to go to Tattersalls and buy a really well bred stallion and a few fine mares, I know, although it would take time, that I could make a fortune!”
“Well, of course, we can go to Tattersalls,” Lord Charles said. “I happen to know that there is a sale on tomorrow and the horses will be on view today, so there is no reason why Miss Milton should not see them.”
“I have no wish to go if it would bore you,” Salrina said anxiously.
“As a matter of fact it is something I want to do anyway,” the Earl answered, “because I have just remembered who will be putting his stable up for sale.”
He looked at Lord Charles as he spoke, who said,
“That is another thing you forgot when we rushed off to the country in that precipitate manner.”
“It was obviously Fate that I should do so,” the Earl agreed. “Don’t forget, if we had not been in the country, Miss Milton would not have come to ask for our help, and anybody else she had gone to would not have been efficient as we shall be in saving ‘Prinny’!”
Salrina gave a little cry.
“Touch wood! Please touch wood! You are boasting and it is always unlucky!”
The Earl looked surprised, but he touched the polished table with his fingers and remarked,
“You have accused me of quite a number of things since we have known each other, Miss Milton, and now we must add boasting to the list!”
She looked at him a little shyly to see if he was angry.
Then she laughed.
“I think, my Lord, you must be excused because you have indeed so much to boast about.”
“My possessions?” he asked.
“Those you inherited, but Mrs. Freeman told me that you won a medal for gallantry when you were in the Army and that is more important than anything else.”
For a moment there was silence as if the Earl was astonished by what Salrina had said.
Then, as he felt slightly embarrassed, he rose saying,
“If we are to go to Tattersalls we must go at once, otherwise there may be such a crowd that we cannot get near to the horses we want to see.”
They drove in the Earl’s phaeton as they had done on their way to London and the next two hours were a delight to Salrina that it was hard to express.
She only kept wishing her father was with her, for she knew that he would find the horses so excitin
g and certainly very different in every way from the untrained wild creatures he bought on the selling of which, after training them, he made a living.
Salrina had not forgotten the very precious package she had received for Orion and, when she undressed, she had put it in a drawer of the dressing table.
As she did so, she had realised that it was too fat to be a cheque, and as the farmers preferred to deal in notes since the majority of them did not trust banks, this was what she might have expected.
She wondered as she walked round the stalls, the Earl and Lord Charles arguing over the horses and pointing out each animal’s defects, whether if she saw an exceptional bargain she should buy it on her father’s behalf.
Then she realised that anything she saw in Tattersalls would fetch far too high a price, and what was more, the first things that had to be paid for with the three hundred guineas were their debts.
And above all they must purchase more food for the animals they already had in training.
Without meaning to she showed herself to be so knowledgeable about the animals they inspected that the Earl raised his eyebrows, although she was not aware of it, and Lord Charles listened to her in surprise.
As they drove home, she said with a sigh of pleasure,
“Thank you very very much! Now I have seen Tattersalls, the most famous sale rooms for horses in the world, and I can understand why customers often spend more than they can afford there.”
“What do you know about it?” the Earl asked.
“My father has a friend who told him that he had bankrupted himself buying hunters that cost far more than he should have spent. Funnily enough when he sold them again, they had doubled in value in the six months he had owned them!”
“That is certainly a success story that Tattersalls would enjoy!” Lord Charles exclaimed.
“Nevertheless, it’s a risky way to gamble,” the Earl said dryly.
They drove back to Berkeley Square and the Earl insisted that Salrina should go to lie down before the evening.
“You must look your best and feel your best,” he explained, “and be on the alert from the very first moment we step into Carlton House.”
“I know I must do that,” Salrina said in a low voice, “and I am – praying very very hard that I shall not – fail you.”
Paradise Found Page 10