“Thank you Papa, but I still do not think I can be hostess to such a party.”
Lord Winton would be there. He would know her again.
But if she appeared well dressed, like a grand lady, surely she could outface him?
She made one last attempt.
“There is etiquette and protocol and – and lots of formality that I know nothing about,” she told her father.
“But we have dined with the Lord Lieutenant and his wife. You have seen what she does. She and the other ladies leave the men to their port after dinner. I do not believe there can be much more to it than that,” he added with sublime ignorance.
Bettina ceased protesting. It was not every day that she was offered a new evening gown.
*
The next day the invitations began to go out. All over the neighbourhood, the most notable inhabitants, or at least, those who considered themselves notable, opened the magic envelopes and realised that they were among the lucky few.
Bettina treated herself to a day out in the nearby town of Carwick, where there were several good shops and dressmakers.
But as she moved from place to place, it became frustratingly evident that finding what she needed was going to prove almost impossible.
There was not enough time to have a dress made for her, unless it was simple. But Bettina wanted something very special indeed.
She had almost despaired of finding it, even in the most elegant shop she had yet tried, when she came across a dress on a long stand.
“What is that?” she breathed.
“That,” said Mrs. Tandy, the shop’s owner, “is my tragedy.”
“It should not be tragic,” Bettina sighed. “It is so beautiful.”
It was a ravishing creation of black gauze shot through with thin gold stripes, laid over black silk. It was lavishly draped, ending in a huge fan train, trimmed with embroidery, depicting yellow and white roses.
Some people might consider it unsuitable for a young unmarried girl like herself. It spoke of glamour and sophistication.
But she wanted it as she had never wanted anything in her whole life.
“Why is that dress a tragedy?” she asked when Mrs. Tandy had brought it out and she had walked all round it.
“Because the lady who ordered it was very slim, as you can see. When we had made it to her measurements, the stupid woman discovered that she was pregnant. She refused to collect it or pay for it. And so I lost eighty guineas.”
“Eighty guineas!” Bettina exclaimed.
“Thirty guineas of that was just for the materials and I shall not even receive payment for them. Nor can I sell it to anyone else, because who else is so slim?”
“I am – almost,” Bettina mused.
She made a swift decision.
“I will pay you thirty guineas for it. I can let it out myself.”
Mrs. Tandy gave a little scream at the thought of anyone else touching her precious creation. Some bargaining ensued which ended in her agreeing to let the dress out herself, so relieved was she to recover some of her money.
For another two guineas she loaned Bettina a black velvet cloak and an imitation gold necklace for the evening.
Now Bettina felt she was ready for anything.
She collected her booty two days later and bore it home, where she displayed it triumphantly to her wide-eyed father.
“My love,” he gasped, “that is hardly a dress for a debutante.”
“But I am not a debutante,” Papa. “That is for Society ladies. Anyway, Mrs. Tandy has altered it to fit me and she will never take it back – and it was thirty guineas.”
“Thirty guineas?”
“So I have no choice but to keep it. Besides, Papa, do we want the Lord Lieutenant’s wife looking down on me as a dowdy?”
“Certainly not!” the Major replied with spirit. “You are as good as any of them and when they see you in that gown, they will all know it.”
When she was finally dressed for the occasion he was forced to admit that she was magnificent.
“You look like a very great lady,” he said.
“That is what I hoped. The Earl is so splendid himself that I do not want to appear dull.”
“Splendid? Have you seen him yet?”
“I glimpsed him briefly the day he arrived and thought what a dandy he looked.”
“I cannot say that is how he appeared to me. Ah, I think I hear the carriage.”
The Earl had sent his carriage to collect them. The Major draped the velvet cloak about his daughter’s shoulders and they walked out together.
On the ride to the castle Bettina savoured what was happening to her. To be the hostess for an Earl and know that she looked the part. That, she was sure, was something that could never happen to her again.
The lights were glinting in the castle as the carriage drew up outside the great front door. The Earl had arranged it so that they would be the first to arrive.
Already Bettina could see the difference. The great doors of the castle stood open and there, silhouetted against the blazing lights within, stood two gentlemen.
One was positioned a little ahead of the other and she could see, by his tall, willowy figure that this was the man she had seen at a distance the other day.
He was dressed in white tie and tails, his beautiful fair hair brushed into an elegant style. The other man was indistinct.
Footmen came forward to open the door of the carriage and let down the steps. One of them assisted her to descend.
Then she and her father were advancing. She lowered her eyes just a little as she reached the great stone steps, raising the beautiful dress so that she could climb without tripping. With her attention thus occupied, she could not look up at the Earl until the very last moment.
She heard her father saying heartily,
“Danesbury, so good to see you again.”
“Major and Miss Newton. It is an honour, madam.”
Bettina sank into an elegant curtsy before him. Two hands, edged by snowy white cuffs with gold cuff links, reached forward to raise her.
She placed her own hands in them and lifted her eyes to meet his.
Time stopped.
At exactly the same moment the smiles faded from both their faces. Two pairs of eyes met each other full of shock, horror and dismay.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Miss – Miss Newton,” Michael stammered. “Honoured, madam.”
“My Lord,” she replied, coolly. “My father has told me so much about you and I have greatly looked forward to this meeting.”
“I too, madam – have – looked forward to our meeting.”
Michael cursed himself for not handling the situation better. He had a horrible feeling that he was bumbling, but every sensible thought had disappeared from his head.
He had not seen her face until the very last moment. From a few yards away he had been aware only of her magnificence, so different from the simply dressed girl by the river.
Even now he could hardly believe that this splendid, imperious young lady was the village maiden with whom he had made so free. He was shocked to remember the rudeness with which he had stolen a kiss.
And she too remembered it. That was clear from the look she was giving him, a look in which indignation blended with satire. The wretched female was enjoying his discomfiture.
He forced himself to speak normally.
“Allow me to present my friend, Lord Winton Shriver, madam,” he said, indicating the elegant man beside him.
Win bowed over Bettina’s hand with killing grace.
“Enchanted, madam,” he murmured.
“The pleasure is mine, sir,” Bettina said, giving him her most charming smile.
“I look forward to our better acquaintance,” Win responded and kissed her hand with a theatrical air of gallantry.
By now Michael had managed to regain his composure. There was a long and difficult evening to go through.
“I owe you my sincerest thanks
, madam,” he said to Bettina, “for agreeing to be my hostess this evening. I asked you to come early so that I could make you familiar with the castle as it is now.”
“And, of course, we wanted to meet you,” Win said.
“Yes, yes, naturally,” Michael said lamely. “We – er – needed to meet.”
He wished the earth would open and swallow him up.
“First, allow me to show you the dining room,” he said. “I would like to be assured that the arrangements meet with your approval.”
In the centre of the dining room stood the long rosewood table with fourteen matching chairs around it. The finest crystal, china and silver, rescued from attic cupboards by Mrs. Brooks, were arranged at fourteen places.
Roses stretched down the centre of the table, and miniature roses adorned each place setting.
“Your father assured me that roses are your favourite flower,” Michael declared.
“They are indeed,” Bettina informed him with a smile. “Although I am also very partial to lilies, lilacs and hyacinths.”
He had the grace to blush.
“Have you visited the castle before, Miss Newton?” he managed to ask.
“I have never ventured inside the doors.”
“Then it will be my pleasure to show you around.”
She took the arm he proffered and together they walked out of the room.
As soon as he felt it safe to speak, Michael murmured,
“You are the last person I expected to see.”
“Evidently,” she replied in a cool voice. “And I would not have come here had I known that this was the home of a rake and a libertine!”
“Will you be good enough to keep your voice down?” he muttered, smiling determinedly. “Your father has followed us out into the hall. Let us climb the stairs so that I can show you the picture gallery.”
Together they mounted the broad oak staircase.
“Very well,” Bettina said, “now that we have left them behind, where was I? Ah, yes, rake and libertine – ”
“I think you do me a wrong with such harsh words. At least admit that they are an exaggeration.”
“Not at all. I think they perfectly express the case. Perhaps there is another name for a man who assaults any girl who takes his fancy – ”
“A kiss is hardly an assault.”
“That depends on whether the lady is willing. If she is not, it is an assault. I was not. I believe I made that quite plain.”
“Perfectly plain,” he agreed, resisting the temptation to rub his cheek with the memory.
“Good. I hope you remember it the next time you want to assault a defenceless female.”
“Defenceless?” he said in outrage. “You? Anyone less defenceless I have yet to meet. I have seen prize fighters with punches less impressive than yours.”
Bettina’s eyes sparkled with annoyance.
“Sir, I believe it is my duty to leave this house at once and inform the world why. Everyone around here thinks you are wonderful. What would they say if they knew you were an unprincipled seducer?”
This time he did not even bother to protest. Instead he regarded her warily.
“Are you going to tell them?”
“I have not yet decided,” she replied with dignity.
“Have you told your fiancé?”
“Who?”
“The man to whom you are betrothed. You mentioned him at our last – er – meeting.”
“It is as well that I have not told him,” Bettina said, recovering from the slip. “Well for you, I mean.”
“Is he very fearsome, madam?”
“He would destroy you, sir. He would break every bone in your body.”
Michael’s lips twitched.
“You mean his right hook is even harder that yours?”
“Much harder,” she replied firmly.
“In that case, you are certainly right not to tell him. What a pity he is not here tonight. Will he not think it strange that you are acting as my hostess? Perhaps he will regard it as improper. I tremble at the thought.”
Bettina cast him a sulphurous look.
“He will behave in a gentlemanly fashion,” she asserted. “I only wish the same could be said of every man.”
“I stand rebuked, madam. I ought, of course, to have invited him here tonight and would have done so, if your father had mentioned your betrothal – ”
“He knows nothing of it,” Bettina said quickly.
“Ah! A secret engagement.”
“Precisely.”
“You have entered into a secret alliance with a man of whom your father disapproves? Fie, Miss Newton!”
Bettina drew herself up to her full height.
“I decline to discuss the matter any further, sir,” she declared loftily.
“I understand the delicacy of your situation. Perhaps we should make a bargain.”
She eyed him suspiciously.
“What kind of a bargain.”
“Miss Newton,” he said solemnly, “we each hold the other’s fate in our hands and must solemnly pledge ourselves to conceal the truth at all costs.”
“Indeed?”
“I will vow never to reveal your illicit love to the Major, if you will promise not to reveal my disgraceful character to the neighbourhood.”
Then, seeing by her fulminating eye, that he had strained her patience to the utmost, he added hastily,
“Now I believe it is time that we rejoined the others.”
Despite being so out of charity with the Earl, Bettina could not deny that she felt a slight quickening of excitement as she descended the great staircase, her hand lightly resting in his. For a thrilling moment she was the Mistress of this beautiful castle.
More carriages were beginning to arrive, the steps being pulled down by footmen and the doors opened to disgorge ladies and gentlemen dressed up in their party finery.
But none appeared as fine as the lady standing beside the Earl to greet them. They all noticed and reacted in their various ways.
The gentlemen gave her a second and third appreciative glance, reflecting that they had always known that Miss Newton was a ‘dashed fine girl’.
The ladies were more doubtful. Mrs. Paxton, the Vicar’s wife, felt crossly that one of her own brood or even herself, would have been more suitable. The Mayor’s wife felt much the same, but more charitably.
Lady Lancing, the Lord Lieutenant’s wife, was in a fury at what she considered to be an insult. She should have been the hostess and not this upstart little nobody whose father had obviously seized the chance to push her forward.
She greeted the Earl with her head imperiously high. He welcomed her graciously, but when she appeared not to notice Miss Newton, he said, with a touch of iron behind his smile,
“Of course you know Miss Newton, who has so kindly agreed to help me tonight.”
Thus constrained, Lady Lancing was faced with no choice but to murmur a greeting, which Bettina returned calmly.
Michael, remembering the advice from the Major, paid Sir William much flattering attention and sent him on his way happy. Win also played his part beautifully, bowing low over every lady’s hand, even the three plain daughters of the Vicar.
Plainest of all was Katherine, the eldest, spectacled, thin-faced and nearly thirty. While her two younger sisters had a tendency to simper, she had clearly resigned herself to her unmarried status. Her air was quiet, dignified and pleasant.
When the last guest had arrived and been shown into the drawing room by Brooks, Michael murmured,
“Well done, so far, Miss Newton. To the manor born.”
“But I wasn’t to the manor born and Lady Lancing will never forgive me. You should have asked her, you know.”
“But I would much rather have you.”
As they entered the drawing room, Lady Lancing rose and addressed Michael with an air that made it plain she considered herself to be speaking for everyone.
“Lord Danesbury, we are all so g
lad that you have come to live amongst us.”
She looked around for assent and there were dutiful nods of approval.
“We know that you will add greatly to the district,” Lady Lancing continued magisterially, “and make this dear old castle as magnificent as it was in years past. Of course we realise that it will take time, but we will force ourselves to be patient, given the importance of your work.”
More murmurs of assent. Then Bettina said,
“Lord Danesbury has already done an astonishing amount.”
Lady Lancing’s smile faded.
“You have seen it?”
“He was kind enough to show me some of the castle earlier.”
It was a fatal thing to say. Lady Lancing’s patience evaporated with the discovery that Bettina had already been thus privileged.
“I did not realise that visitors were already being shown round the castle,” she commented icily. “In that case – ”
Bowing to the inevitable Michael smiled, saying,
“We should all go at once, before the light fades.”
They all trooped eagerly out into the hall. Michael spared a moment to give Bettina a glassy stare, hissing through gritted teeth,
“It was a pity that you mentioned that point, madam.”
“I was only trying to be helpful,” she protested.
“Well, you can just come and help me deal with them all.”
“I do not see why you should blame me for everything,” she muttered, falling into step beside him. “You should have planned to show the place to everyone and not just me.”
“I singled you out because you are my hostess,” he growled, “and now I wish I had been struck by lightning before I ever thought of it.”
“You cannot wish it more than I do,” she snapped.
“Then we understand each other.”
Possibly to their relief, they were afforded no further chance to converse. Lady Lancing swooped on Michael, taking him over with a completeness that Bettina would have found insulting if she had not been so glad to be rid of him.
Win, ever soft-hearted, caught up with her and talked to her pleasantly, making sure that she was not left out, until the Major came to her rescue.
“That was so kind,” said a soft voice at Win’s shoulder.
Turning he looked at Katherine, smiling at him myopically through her spectacles.
Royalty Defeated by Love Page 5