‘Why? Your brother’s already told me he doesn’t give a damn about my feelings.’
‘That’s not what I said!’ Peter was stung into replying.
‘Wasn’t it? Did you not say you would marry her regardless of my opinion? That you would pay no mind to my concerns about her lack of position or breeding?’
‘She may not have a title, Richard, but that doesn’t mean she has no social graces,’ Lady Widdicombe objected. ‘Her appearance and manners are most pleasing and she plays the pianoforte very well.’
‘That’s right,’ Peter spoke up. ‘Because Linette is the daughter of a gentleman.’
‘She is the daughter of a former tutor who lives in a house obtained as a result of gambling,’ the earl threw back. ‘That does not make her a suitable bride for any son of mine.’
Lady Widdicombe gasped. ‘Gambling?’
‘Yes. Apparently, Mr Darling’s older brother was something of a Captain Sharp. He won the house and everything in it at the faro table. When he died in a drunken brawl, it passed to his only brother, along with a tidy sum of cash that enabled him to give up teaching and settle down to the life of a gentleman. Not the most honourable way for a man to acquire the roof over his head.’
‘You can hardly condemn the daughter for something the uncle did,’ Peter said.
‘Ah, but there’s more. Mr Darling has two sisters, a younger sister living in Bath and an older one who lives in London. Both have a known propensity for drink, especially the widowed sister in London, while the husband of the sister in Bath is reputedly engaged in a scandalous affair with the woman next door.’
‘Never!’ Lady Widdicombe said. ‘How do you know all this?’
The earl flushed. ‘Never mind how I know. It is enough that I do. I should also tell you that the son, Mr Ridley Darling, has given up his studies of law to take up painting and that he has set himself up in a studio in London. And you know what they say about the morals of an artist.’
‘In this instance, I can guarantee that whatever you’ve heard are exaggerations,’ Alex felt disposed to say. ‘I have made the acquaintance of Ridley Darling and he is good mannered and extremely affable.’
‘I’m sure he is. No doubt he uses that affability to persuade impressionable young women to come and sit for him in his private studio.’
‘Richard, really!’
‘All I’m saying, my dear, is that the Darlings are not the genteel family they would try to make you believe they are. And if you’ll take my advice, you will stay well away from them. All of them!’ He glanced at his younger son, adding, ‘And you, sir, would do well to take a page out of your brother’s book. He is marrying a lady worthy of him. A woman who can hold her own with dukes and duchesses. Can your little country chit do that?’
Peter raised his chin. ‘I would present her at Court if I could and be proud to do so.’
‘Then you would embarrass yourself and the rest of your family by your efforts,’ the earl said in disgust. ‘Alex, for God’s sake, try to talk some sense into him. Obviously nothing I say is having the slightest effect.’
‘Only because you are being narrow minded and cruel,’ Peter said.
‘You would call me cruel, sir!’
‘I would, because Linette has done nothing to deserve your condemnation!’ Peter flung at him. ‘You’d know that if you took even a moment to speak with her.’
‘Enough,’ Alex said sharply. ‘This evening is not about debating the wisdom of the relationship. It is about celebrating Peter and Linette’s betrothal. And since people know you are here, Father, you have no choice but to make an appearance and to put a good face on it. Unless you wish to bring down upon all our heads the type of embarrassment you fear Peter’s association with Miss Darling will.’
‘Alex is right, Richard,’ Lady Widdicombe said. ‘Whatever your feelings, you must put them aside for this evening. To cut the Darlings in your own son’s home would be the height of ill manners and it would not be forgotten by those who are here to witness it.’
The earl muttered something about that not being his fault, but finally seeing the wisdom in Alex’s words, reluctantly agreed to meet the family and to try to be civil whilst doing so. Alex could see that his mother, while relieved, was also anxious as to exactly how civil her husband was likely to be. He had got it into his head that Linette Darling was unsuitable and Alex knew he wouldn’t give that up easily.
He was quite sure he wasn’t the only one holding his breath as the four of them headed back to the ballroom.
* * *
Emma was also doing battle with family issues. Shortly after Alex and the rest of the family had left the ballroom, Ridley had excused himself on the pretext of securing refreshments for her and Lady Glynnis. An excuse that would have been believable had he actually returned with any.
‘I cannot think what has happened to my brother,’ Emma said some ten minutes later. ‘He is usually most attentive.’
‘Perhaps he stopped to speak to someone,’ Lady Glynnis said, avoiding Emma’s eyes. ‘It really doesn’t matter.’
Emma couldn’t help thinking that the lady seemed relieved by his absence and she wasn’t at all surprised when the earl’s daughter bid her a clipped good evening immediately after.
As soon as she did, Linette appeared. ‘Emma, do you mind if I slip upstairs for a moment? I’ve a mind to press a cool cloth to my face.’
‘Are you all right, dearest?’ Emma asked in concern.
‘I’m not sure.’ Linette bit her lip, looking far from happy. ‘I don’t know whether to be relieved or alarmed that Lord Widdicombe is here. Peter didn’t look at all pleased upon hearing of his arrival.’
‘Now don’t start creating problems where none exists,’ Emma cautioned. ‘By all means, go upstairs and do whatever you need to settle your nerves. A cooling cloth will help. Your colour is a touch high. I shall find Ridley and, together, we will deal with whatever happens.’
She found her brother in one of the smaller saloons a short while later. He was standing by the window, staring out into the night. ‘Ridley? What are you doing in here? You were supposed to be bringing back refreshments for Lady Glynnis and myself.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘Then why didn’t you?’
‘Because I thought it would be better if I did not.’ He pulled his gaze from the night and turned, his brow furrowed. ‘Easier.’
‘Easier for whom?’
‘For me.’ He sighed, and raised his head. ‘And for her.’
Emma’s heart did a flip. ‘Lady Glynnis?’
She watched him nod, the candlelight accentuating the blue-black highlights in his hair. ‘I haven’t been entirely honest with you about my dealings with her, Emma. I led you to believe our relationship was strictly a business arrangement. That I didn’t have any…personal feelings for her.’
Emma felt her breath freeze in her throat. ‘So what are you telling me now? That you do have feelings for her?’
He glanced at her, then away. ‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Oh, Ridley. How could you? If you knew she was promised to someone else—’
‘I didn’t. Not in the beginning,’ he said quickly. ‘When she first came to sit for me, that’s all she was. A client who wished me to do a painting of her. We didn’t even talk about anything of a personal nature for the first few days. But as the hours passed and we came to know each another better, I found myself growing more and more fond of her.’
‘Did you ever tell her how you felt?’
‘Of course not! She is the Earl of Leyland’s daughter. Who am I? A man who’d dropped out of Oxford to paint society portraits. Not exactly an equitable match.’
‘So how did you part when the painting was done?’
Again, Ridley shook his head. ‘I wish I could say we parted as friends, but the truth is, the last time I saw her, she was furious with me.’
Emma felt herself go pale. ‘Why? What did you do?’
Ridley breathed a deep sigh. ‘I let someone else see the finished portrait.’
‘Someone else?’
‘A friend. He often comes by the studio to see what I’m working on. Then we usually go out for a bite of supper and on to his club.’
‘And he saw the painting when he came to collect you.’
‘Yes. It wasn’t even that I made a point of showing it to him.’ Ridley’s eyes were dark with misery. ‘It was simply still on the easel when he walked in. I wanted to make sure it was completely dry before I framed it.’
‘What did he say?’
‘That it was stunning. The best piece of portraiture I’d ever done. Frankly, I didn’t think anything of it. Tom’s seen most of my work; as he was personally acquainted with Lady Glynnis’s family, I didn’t think it would be an issue. But when I delivered the painting to her two days later and happened to mention that a mutual friend had seen it, she tore a strip off me,’ Ridley said unhappily. ‘Told me I’d had no right to show it to anyone and that I had completely betrayed her trust.’
Something was missing, Emma thought. It made no sense that the lady would be so angry just because Ridley had allowed someone to see what was obviously a very beautiful portrait of her. ‘You said this fellow was a mutual friend?’
‘Yes. Lady Glynnis knows his sister quite well. That was another reason it never occurred to me that it would be a problem.’
‘Ridley,’ she said slowly. ‘You didn’t harm Lady Glynnis’s reputation in any way by showing this fellow her portrait, did you?’
‘Of course not. She was fully clothed and seated on a garden bench. It couldn’t have been more proper.’
‘Then why did she object so strenuously to his seeing it? Surely it would be no different than someone coming to her house and seeing it hanging on a wall. Portraits are for public viewing.’
Ridley sighed and turned back towards the window. ‘That’s what I tried to tell her, but it didn’t make any difference. She took the painting, told me my professional ethics were lacking and made it clear she never wanted to see me again. That’s why I thought it would be easier if I didn’t linger in her company tonight. She was polite in her greeting of me, but it can’t have been easy. I know it wasn’t for me.’
‘Unfortunately, you will have to see her again, dearest,’ Emma said softly. ‘Even if you manage to avoid her for the rest of this weekend, there’s still Linette’s wedding to get through, and any future family events and engagements we may be called upon to attend.’
Including Lady Glynnis’s marriage to Alex, Emma thought sadly. An occasion that was going to be exceedingly difficult for both her and Ridley.
‘Do you think I haven’t thought of that?’ Ridley ground out. ‘I didn’t want this to happen. In fact, it’s the last thing I’d wish on anybody. It’s just that…sometimes you meet someone at the wrong time in your life. And when you suddenly find yourself developing feelings for them, you can’t just turn them off.’
A chill rippled through her body. ‘Ridley. You’re not…in love with Lady Glynnis, are you?’
He laughed, a harsh sound that was an unconvincing as the words that followed. ‘Of course not. And it wouldn’t matter if I was. She’s going to marry Alexander the Great. And I am going home.’
‘Home!’
‘Yes. I have no intention of staying here and ruining Linette’s special evening.’
‘Now you listen to me, Ridley Octavius Darling,’ Emma said firmly. ‘I don’t care what’s happened between you and Lady Glynnis, you are not going home. Linette needs you right now. She needs all of us.’
Ridley frowned. ‘Why?’
‘Because Lord Widdicombe has just arrived and Linette is absolutely beside herself with worry. She’s upstairs trying to calm herself down, which means you and I have to go back out there and lend her whatever moral support we can.’
‘Shouldn’t Mr Taylor be doing that?’
‘Probably,’ Emma admitted with a sigh. ‘But to be honest, right now, I think supporting Linette is more than even he is capable of doing.’
* * *
Thankfully, Linette had not returned to the ballroom by the time Emma and Ridley arrived back, but a quick sweep of the room showed her that Alex and Peter had. The former was speaking quietly to Lady Glynnis, their heads close together. The latter hurried across the room to join them. ‘Where’s Linette?’ Peter asked straight off.
‘Upstairs,’ Emma told him. ‘She should be down soon.’
‘Is she all right?’
‘Nervous, but fine other than that.’
‘I’m not surprised.’ Peter looked decidedly unhappy. ‘My father wishes to meet her. All of you. In the Chinese Salon.’
Oh, wonderful, Emma thought with a sense of fatalism. A meeting in a room filled with fire-breathing dragons and those sword-wielding warriors. She couldn’t help wondering if the earl had chosen it for that very reason. ‘Very well. As soon as Linette returns, we will make our way there.’
Peter smiled at her and Emma saw the look of gratitude in his eyes. He knew what this was costing Linette—probably what it was costing all of them—but there was nothing he could do. His father was the head of the family. All he could do was stick it out and hope that everything turned out for the best. He bowed and withdrew, likely to make his way to the Chinese Salon.
No sooner had he done so than Alex approached with Lady Glynnis.
‘Oh, hell!’ Ridley whispered.
‘Courage, dearest. Remember, you’re not the only one suffering over this,’ Emma said, knowing her brother would think she was referring to Lady Glynnis—but she wasn’t. She was talking about herself—about having to face the painful truth that the beautiful woman on Alex’s arm would soon be his wife. A realisation that was causing Emma more pain than she would ever have believed possible. Her feelings for Alex were such that she could not bear thinking about him being with any one else. The thought of the tender moments they would share and the loving words they would exchange was tearing her apart because, in her heart, she wanted to be the one Alex turned to for intimacy and warmth. The one he turned to for love.
But that wasn’t going to happen. She’d had the misfortune to fall in love with the wrong man at the wrong time. And sadly, there was never going to be a right time for her.
‘Mr Ridley, Miss Darling,’ Alex said now. ‘My father has arrived and wishes to meet you and the rest of your family in the Chinese Salon.’
‘Yes, so your brother just informed us. Ridley,’ Emma said, ‘why don’t you go and find Papa and Aunt Dorothy and tell them what is happening?’
Clearly relieved to have a reason for making himself scarce, Ridley nodded. ‘Yes, of course.’
After he left, Lady Glynnis said, ‘Where is your sister, Miss Darling? She should be here, mingling with her guests.’
‘I know, but she is not used to being the centre of attention.’
‘If she is to marry into this family, she will have to get used to it,’ Lady Glynnis said, though not harshly. ‘She will be expected to take her place in society.’
Emma looked up and saw the expression of sympathy on Alex’s face. Did he know how she was feeling? She had to believe that Lady Glynnis knew of his opinion with regard to the relationship between Peter and Linette, indeed how the entire family did. So was her question now an indication that she agreed with his assessment of the situation, even to wondering why the engagement was proceeding?
Emma managed a smile. ‘I’m sure she will be fine once she gets used to it. This is all so new to her.’
‘Emma?’
And then, thankfully, Linette was there. Her cheeks were still pale, but she held her head high and wore a valiant smile. No one looking at her would ever guess that her knees were knocking beneath her gown. ‘We are to meet Lord Widdicombe,’ Emma said. ‘In the Chinese Salon.’
Linette’s eyes went wide. ‘All of us?’
‘Yes. Ridley has gone to find Papa and Aunt Dorothy.’
‘We may as well head that way now,’ Alex said.
With an encouraging smile at Linette, Lady Glynnis put her hand on Alex’s arm and the two of them turned to lead the way. Stifling the pain the sight of the proprietary gesture caused, Emma linked arms with her sister. ‘Are you ready, Linny?’
‘I don’t have a choice,’ Linette whispered. ‘This is the meeting I’ve both longed for and dreaded. What will I do if he doesn’t like me?’
‘Of course he’s going to like you. And Peter will be there to support you and you know he loves you madly. And really, in the end, that’s all that matters.’
‘I know it’s all that should matter,’ Linette said, her face softening. ‘But will it be enough?’
* * *
Lord and Lady Widdicombe were standing by the taller of the two lacquered cabinets when Emma and her sister walked into the salon. Alex and Lady Glynnis had entered ahead of them and, glancing to the left, Emma saw that Ridley, her father and Aunt Dorothy had also arrived and were standing by one of the ornate Chinese pagodas.
Peter, who had been standing beside his mother, came towards them as soon as they entered. Lady Widdicombe touched her husband’s shoulder and, slowly, the earl turned to face the assembled group.
The Earl of Widdicombe was an impressive-looking man. Tall and somewhat gaunt as a result of his illness, he was still a commanding and authoritative figure. He was faultlessly dressed, a tribute to the finest tailors in London, and his colouring was as dark as Alex’s. Emma saw his gaze touch briefly on his eldest son before moving over to her, and then finally to Linette. Peter took Linette’s hand in his and gave her a reassuring smile.
But it was not Linette or any other member of the Darling family to whom Lord Widdicombe spoke first. It was the lady at Alex’s side.
‘Lady Glynnis,’ the earl said warmly. ‘I am very pleased to see you again.’
‘Lord Widdicombe.’ Lady Glynnis executed a perfect curtsy. ‘I’m glad you were feeling well enough to join us.’
‘Thank you. Are your parents here?’
‘They are, but I don’t believe they have come down yet.’
Improper Miss Darling Page 14