The Beau and the Bluestocking: Romantic intrigue in Regency London

by Alice Chetwynd Ley

  After dinner was over, the older members of the party settled down to cards, leaving the young people to entertain themselves as they chose. They chatted together for a while, and then Calver suggested some music.

  He urged Felicia to play for them, but she had a better notion of her duty as a hostess than to sit down first to the pianoforte. Lydia was soon persuaded to sing a duet with Vivyan; they rendered this in such a melting style, that Alethea laughingly confessed herself quite unable to follow them. Accordingly, Felicia then sat down to play a piece of Scarlatti’s. She was an accomplished pianist, and even the card players raised their heads once or twice while she was performing. When she had finished, the applause was sincere, and everyone begged for an encore; but she shook her head, smiling and saying to Alethea, ‘Now it’s your turn, Miss Newnham.’

  ‘How in the world can you suppose it’s any easier for me to follow that?’ asked Alethea, in laughing dismay. ‘I’ll tell you what — I’ll play some airs for the rest of you to sing.’

  This suggestion was greeted with enthusiasm, and soon the drawing room resounded to their voices. The card party did not seem quite so appreciative of this part of the performance, and were not sorry when lack of breath caused the singers to bring it to an end. Mrs Allerton rang for the tea tray to be brought in, and not long afterwards the party broke up; Vivyan and Calver going off to one of the clubs to finish the evening, which as far as they were concerned was still young.

  ‘Very pleasant — very pleasant indeed,’ pronounced Mrs Manbury, as their carriage bore them homewards. ‘There is nothing so restful as a quiet dinner with old friends.’

  Everyone agreed with this sentiment.

  ‘Did you notice, Mama, how Felicia was making up to Calver?’ asked Lydia, after an interval.

  ‘I would say rather that it was the other way about. She behaved with perfect propriety, as far as I could see.’

  ‘Oh, well,’ said Lydia, with a shrug, ‘I’m not saying she didn’t, precisely. I dare say she fancies he is in love with her.’

  ‘And why should he not be?’ asked her father, indulgently. ‘She’s a charming enough girl, and it’s time Calver was looking out for a wife. I know what it is, puss,’ he added, giving Lydia a playful dig, ‘you want all the young men for yourself! But there are more than enough of ’em trailing after you as it is, so you’ve no cause to fret if one gets away. In my view, you’d best settle on one of ’em soon, and put the other poor devils out of their misery!’

  Lydia dimpled prettily at him, pleased with this speech, then settled back against the seat to consider tomorrow’s expedition.

  She had quite made up her mind to offer Devenish the cold shoulder, and this evening had shown her how easy it would be to start up a counter flirtation with Vivyan. Calver was to join the party, but that was all to the good, for he could evidently be counted on to monopolise most of Felicia’s attention. That would leave Devenish with Clarinda, who bored him, and Alethea, who disliked him and never quite managed to hide the fact. And serve him right, thought Lydia, with relish. He richly deserved a set-down.

  Chapter VIII

  Seated opposite the two young ladies in his fashionable town coach on the following morning, Beau Devenish reflected that there must be many less pleasant ways of passing one’s time. Certainly they presented a picture to charm the most fastidious eye, Lydia dainty and fresh in a white muslin gown embroidered with tiny pink flowers, and Alethea wearing green, which brought out the auburn tints in her hair.

  ‘You may perhaps care to glance at this,’ he said, languidly, handing Lydia a small book and making sure that his fingers touched hers as she accepted it.

  ‘What is it?’ she asked. ‘Oh, a guide book — how can you suppose, Sir James, that I should wish to study anything so prosy? You may have it, Alethea, if you wish.’

  Ignoring the implication of this, Alethea took the book and turned to the section in it dealing with St Paul’s Cathedral. She began to read, knowing that in leaving the other two to talk together she was behaving just as Lydia would wish.

  After a while, she glanced up to study them for a moment, as it did seem that Lydia was not quite so ebullient as usual. Devenish’s manner was, as always, elegantly languid; but his eyes were admiring her cousin in a way that sent a quick tingle down Alethea’s spine. Could this be flirting? It was obvious that Lydia fascinated him, but possibly he was equally fascinated by other pretty girls, and eyed them all in the same way. She acknowledged to herself that she knew nothing of the matter, and, after all, it did not concern her; so she resumed her reading until she had come to the end of the section on St Paul’s. She looked up then to see Devenish’s eyes on her, though certainly not with the same expression in them that Lydia had produced.

  ‘Do you feel qualified now to act as our guide, Miss Newnham?’ he asked.

  ‘On the strength of ten minutes’ reading, sir? I only hope I’m not so arrogant,’ she laughed.

  ‘It was not my intention to suggest you were, ma’am. But you’ve been reading with intense concentration — no easy matter in a moving vehicle, I may add — so you must be tolerably well-informed on the subject.’

  ‘Oh, my cousin’s a prodigious reader,’ put in Lydia. ‘But there’s no need, Alethea, to concern yourself with such stuff — anything you wish to know, I dare say one of the guides will inform you. Not,’ she added, ‘that we would wish to go round with one of those creatures in tow, prosing on for ever!’

  ‘Will you be content, then, with what information Allerton, Calver and I may be able to supply?’ he asked her, with a twinkle in his eye.

  ‘Perfectly, for I’ve no wish to turn the visit into a schoolroom exercise. I can’t speak for Alethea, of course. She may have different notions.’

  ‘Well, here we are,’ remarked Devenish, evading a reply to this as the coach drew up before the steps of the Cathedral. ‘And there are the others, just alighting — what could be better?’

  He helped the girls down from the coach, and Alethea stood for a moment to admire the majestic building with its great cupola surmounted by a cross. Vivyan Allerton had come over to Lydia’s side at once, and was offering his arm to assist her in mounting the steps. She accepted with a tantalising backward glance at Devenish which he seemed not to notice, and together she and Vivyan began the ascent. Calver had already started up the steps with the Allerton girls, leaving Alethea standing with Devenish.

  ‘May I assist you, ma’am?’ he asked with a slight bow.

  She hesitated, then placed her hand lightly on his arm, feeling as she did so that she was touching fire. This absurd fancy so annoyed her that, by the time they reached the top of the steps, she was frowning heavily. He glanced down at her, thinking wryly that for all his reputed success with women, he had failed singly here. It was evident that Alethea Newnham had taken him in strong dislike. Well, as Allerton had said, it was more of a challenge.

  They passed through the doors into the Cathedral, and were approached by a guide who offered his services. Lydia pouted and tugged at Allerton’s arm, trying to persuade him to turn the man away.

  ‘We shall be here for ever if once we let him show us round,’ she whispered. ‘Do, pray, get rid of him!’

  The whisper was sufficiently loud for it to reach the guide’s ears, and he undertook to be brief, as it seemed that the ladies and gentlemen were pressed for time. With this undertaking, he was allowed to lead them round; but Lydia was not pleased, and showed it by detaching herself from the rest of the group and walking a little way ahead with Vivyan, who had eyes for nothing and no one but her.

  ‘It is a truly magnificent nave,’ remarked Alethea, gazing towards the high altar. ‘Only look at those arches!’

  ‘Yes, indeed,’ Devenish replied. ‘It is melancholy to reflect that at one time it was used as a passageway, with horses being led through, colliers carrying sacks of coal, and so on.’

  They all exclaimed in horror.

  ‘Pray, how do you know that
?’ demanded Lydia, who happened at that moment to be close enough to hear what he was saying.

  ‘Oh, I have been here before, you know,’ he said, in his usual languid manner. ‘On that occasion, I recall being shown round by a guide who was evidently determined that I shouldn’t leave the building without carrying in my memory every smallest detail concerning it.’

  Their present guide, somewhat on his mettle, here interrupted to say that the gentleman was quite right, such had been the practice in the old building; but although it was revived in the new one, Bishop Gibson had put a stop to it some sixty years ago. He then led them slowly down the nave coming to a halt beneath the great dome. Here they all gazed upwards while he talked about the paintings surrounding the inner dome, which represented scenes in the life of St Paul. After a moment, Lydia complained that to look up in that way made her neck ache excruciatingly; so she walked away, accepting Vivyan’s arm.

  Alethea expressed a wish to go up into the Whispering Gallery, but the other young ladies disliked the thought of mounting so many stairs, so she did not persist. They passed into the choir, and here the guide called on them to admire the handsome carvings of Grinling Gibbons and the magnificent ironwork of Jean Tijou in the sanctuary gates. When they had paused before the effigy of Dr John Donne and finally stood gazing at the high altar, Lydia began to exhibit further signs of impatience.

  ‘Surely we have been here long enough now! I declare we must have seen everything there is to see! If we are to go anywhere else, we’d best be on our way — although, for my part, I’m ready to own that I’ve done more than enough sightseeing for one day.’

  ‘If we might just go into the crypt,’ pleaded Alethea. ‘Christopher Wren is buried there, and I feel that his memory merits some attention.’

  Lydia shuddered. ‘The crypt! It sounds vastly disagreeable, and is sure to be dirty.’

  Felicia and Clarinda were inclined to agree with her; but Clarinda nobly volunteered to accompany Alethea while the others remained seated in the nave to await them.

  ‘No, too shabby,’ murmured Calver. ‘I’ll come, too, Miss Newnham.’

  As they all three turned to follow the guide, they were joined by Devenish, somewhat to Alethea’s surprise. In the south aisle of the crypt they found the simple grave of the architect, and stood there for a moment in silence.

  ‘His son, who was also Christopher,’ the guide informed them, ‘composed this epitaph Si monumentum requiris circumspice — and that, ladies, means —’

  ‘“If you seek his monument, look about you” — yes, how very true,’ said Alethea, spontaneously. ‘This building will be an everlasting memorial to a great architect.’

  As they were making their way back to join the others, Devenish remarked, ‘You must have attended a somewhat unusual Ladies’ Seminary, Miss Newnham.’

  ‘Why do you think so?’ she asked, surprised.

  ‘Because you appear to have some Latin. Not a usual accomplishment for a young lady, I believe.’

  ‘Oh, but I didn’t learn that at school. Papa taught me himself — I am the only girl in a family of boys, you see, and he educated me in just the same way as the rest before I went to the Misses More’s Seminary, later on.’

  She stopped suddenly, thinking that he would be bored. From what she had seen of him with others, she had concluded that he had little interest in details of anyone’s personal affairs.

  ‘So you have been brought up in an all-male household?’ he asked, without betraying any noticeable signs of boredom. ‘Ah, that may account for much.’

  ‘What do you mean, sir? It’s a somewhat equivocal remark,’ she replied, smiling up at him.

  He gave an answering smile that for once seemed free of mockery. ‘I suppose it is, and I ought to beg your pardon for thinking aloud. Let me assure you, though, that my thoughts were wholly complimentary towards you. And since I am quite sure that you won’t now insist on learning what I did mean, I shall take leave to inform you without being asked. I meant that such an upbringing would account for that total lack of female affectation which is charming in you, ma’am. Not to say refreshing,’ he added.

  She turned her head away, hardly knowing how to answer this, and thankful that they joined the rest of the party at that moment, thus relieving her of the necessity. All the same, she felt a little less hostile towards him, in spite of herself. This more favourable impression lasted during a visit to Westminster Abbey which was too short for Alethea, although quite long enough for most of the party.

  Lydia relieved her boredom by continuing her promising flirtation with Vivyan Allerton. From time to time, she would glance covertly at Devenish to see how he was taking it, but he gave no sign of noticing. He chatted now and then to all the others, but he gave most of his attention to Alethea; offering information on what they saw whenever she asked for it, and surprising her by the extent of his knowledge on matters to which she would have supposed him completely indifferent. She could scarcely believe that this was the same man who thought of nothing but dress and the elegant — or perhaps not so elegant, she amended, remembering Vauxhall — pursuits of the man about Town.

  On leaving the Abbey, both Lydia and Felicia insisted that they were much too fatigued to endure any more sight-seeing that day, so it was decided to postpone a visit to the Tower which had been on their list. The Allertons pressed their friends to return home with them to partake of some refreshment; and, after some polite disclaimers, the invitation was accepted. Once they were sitting down to an appetising meal of cold meat, fruits and small cakes, fatigue seemed forgotten, and they were quite a merry party. Lydia still continued to flirt with Allerton, and it was obvious to everyone present that he was rapidly becoming completely infatuated by her. Devenish observed them cynically from time to time, but, greatly to Lydia’s secret disappointment, gave not the slightest hint of pique at having lost her favour.

  When the party finally broke up, he conveyed the two cousins home in his coach.

  ‘I trust, Miss Newnham,’ he said, smiling lazily at her, ‘that you feel able to say now that you’ve seen something of London.’

  ‘Indeed I do, sir, and I’m most grateful to you and to the Allertons for taking the trouble to show me round,’ she replied warmly.

  He bowed. ‘A pleasure, I assure you.’

  ‘Well,’ remarked Lydia, stifling a yawn, ‘it wasn’t near such a dull day as I had feared, I must say. But then, anything can be amusing in the right company, would you not agree?’ she added, with a touch of malice.

  ‘Undoubtedly.’ There was a cynical look in his eye.

  ‘I had forgot how entertaining Vivyan can be,’ she went on. ‘As our families are such close friends, we were often together as children, but we haven’t seen much of each other more recently.’

  ‘You must certainly renew your acquaintance,’ he answered, smoothly. ‘He is the best of fellows.’

  She gave a petulant little shrug and turned to Alethea. ‘I knew it would be dusty in those places! See, the hem of my gown is quite soiled — how tiresome!’

  ‘Is it? But then, a white gown soon soils. I didn’t notice any dust.’

  ‘If we chance to visit the Tower,’ remarked Devenish, ‘we must send first to request that the building should be thoroughly swept and dusted.’

  Lydia’s eyes flashed. ‘If you think to make game of me, Sir James —’

  ‘I, make game of you?’ He raised his hands in horror. ‘My dear young lady, I wouldn’t have the temerity to attempt anything so abominable.’

  ‘Ay, so you say, but I don’t believe it! Do you, Alethea?’

  Alethea hesitated. Undoubtedly Devenish was poking fun at her cousin; but this was a lovers’ quarrel in which she had too much good sense to become involved. At least, they were not precisely lovers, she corrected herself; there was more of vanity than love in their association.

  ‘How can I say?’ she temporised. ‘Sir James Devenish and I have only just met. But I know you are fatigued,
Lydia, and I’m sorry for it, as it’s on my account.’

  ‘Pray don’t regard it,’ replied Lydia, snappishly. ‘We shall soon be home, thank goodness.’

  After this ungracious remark, there was silence in the coach for several minutes. Devenish broke it by picking up the guide book from the seat beside him and handing it to Alethea. With this young lady, he was careful to see that their fingers did not make contact.

  ‘Perhaps you may care to keep this, Miss Newnham.’

  She took the book with a quick smile. ‘How very kind of you, sir! It will be most useful. It was stupid of me not to have provided myself with one before coming to London, but it was something I forgot.’

  ‘I dare say Papa may have one in the library,’ put in Lydia. ‘I do not know I’m sure — such things don’t interest me.’ She put up her gloved hand to stifle a second yawn.

  Another silence fell over them, and Alethea took the opportunity to glance through the book. She noticed what she had missed before, a name inscribed on the fly leaf ‘James R. Devenish’. She glanced across at Devenish in some dismay.

  ‘But this is your own copy!’ she exclaimed. ‘I cannot take it.’

  He dismissed her objection with a wave of his hand.

  ‘Pray do, ma’am — Assure you I shall be much honoured.’

  Lydia looked daggers, and Alethea found herself blushing. She was conscious of being used much as Vivyan Allerton had been and she disliked it extremely.

  Chapter IX

  The next morning was not far advanced when the two Allerton girls came to call in Curzon Street accompanied by their brother Vivyan. Caroline Fothergill, who had just looked in upon her mother on her way to do some shopping, raised her eyebrows when the callers were announced.

  ‘Well, ’pon ’rep, haven’t you just been telling me that you were with the Allertons most of yesterday? And since when has Vivyan Allerton started squiring his sisters about Town? Have we you to thank for this, Alethea? You must have made a prodigious impression upon him, my dear cousin — and in St Paul’s Cathedral, of all places!’