“I think, my Lord,” Alecia said softly, “that love – true love – which comes from the heart is something that cannot be – enacted well enough to deceive – anyone of any intelligence.”
“That is your opinion,” Lord Kiniston answered, “but not mine! I have therefore thought it over very carefully and I have decided that for your own safety and I am quite certain that it would be your father’s wish that you should marry me!”
If a bomb had exploded at her feet, Alecia could not have been more surprised.
For a moment her body became still, as if she was turned to stone.
Then, as she looked up at Lord Kiniston, her eyes seemed to fill her whole face.
“D-did you – say – “ she stammered after a moment, “that I should – m-marry you?”
“I am certainly no fortune-hunter,” Lord Kiniston replied with a faint smile, “and I can offer you a position as my wife to which your father would have given his blessing.”
“B-but – but I don’t – love you!” Alecia stammered.
Lord Kiniston’s lips twisted faintly in a smile before he replied,
“I think you will find, Lady Charis, that love between two people in the Social world, to which we both belong, comes after marriage. In France marriages are always arranged because the bride and bridegroom are suited both by blood and financially to each other. These alliances turn out most satisfactorily and, as you well know, the same happens amongst most of the aristocratic families in England.”
He paused before he continued,
“I therefore suggest that we announce our engagement, although, of course, there is no hurry for us actually to be married. We can have time to get to know each other first and feel sure that we are well suited, which I am convinced we will be.”
“B-but – I cannot – marry you!” Alecia said desperately.
“Why not?”
“It is – impossible! I cannot explain – but, of course, such an engagement – such an idea is impossible – when we have – only just met.”
She was trying as she spoke to think of a reasonable argument that would convince Lord Kiniston that his idea was absurd and in no circumstances would she agree.
But because her heart was thumping tempestuously in her breast and because she was, in fact, very frightened by what he had suggested, her head felt as if it was filled with cotton wool and it was impossible to think clearly.
“I gather that you have had many proposals of marriage,” Lord Kiniston said, “and you have refused them all. Why?”
That, at any rate, Alecia thought, was an easy question to answer.
“Because I did not love any of the men who asked me to marry them.”
“What you are saying, although you will not admit it,” Lord Kiniston protested, “is that you knew they were not so much in love with you as bedazzled by your immense wealth and, of course, from a man’s point of view, you are a very beautiful woman!”
“If I could not marry them because I did not love them,” Alecia remarked, “then why should I – marry you?”
She thought as she spoke that that was rather clever and Lord Kiniston did not miss the logic of it.
“For the reason I have already stated,” he replied, “that I am quite convinced that you are being pursued by fortune-hunters and bemused by their compliments and their flattery and you may find yourself married to a man whose only interest in you is that you can swell his Bank balance.”
“I think that is not only cynical, but also a very unkind thing to say,” Alecia remarked.
“Nevertheless, I am afraid that it is the truth,” Lord Kiniston insisted. “I am, in fact, acquainted with some of the men who I understand have proposed to you and may I say that I very much deprecate the fact, as I am sure your father would have, that your marriage has become a subject for bets in the Clubs of St. James’s and the members are already speculating as to which fortune-hunter will gain the ‘golden prize’ before the others.”
“You make it sound – horrid!” Alecia said, thinking of Charis and how deeply in love she was with Harry and he with her.
“I am only being practical,” Lord Kiniston said, “and therefore, however much you may protest, however much you may argue with me, Lady Charis, I intend to announce our engagement immediately!”
“But – you cannot do that – it is impossible – !”
“Why?”
Alecia tried wildly to think of a reason why they should not become engaged, but the only idea that came into her head was the truth, that she was not Lady Charis Langley, not the heiress, not the person they were betting about in St. James’s.
“You see,” Lord Kiniston said after a perceptible pause, “you really have no reason for refusing me, except that, as you say, you do not love me. I will therefore concede that if you are definitely not in love with me within six months, then we will terminate our engagement and inform the world that we made a mistake.”
“You mean – then I – would not have to – marry you?”
She felt as she spoke that she was grasping at a straw, trying to make some sense out of this frightening situation in which she felt as if she was swimming against a strong tide and making no headway.
“I promise you that I am a man of my word,” Lord Kiniston replied. “If at the end of six months, you ask to be released from an engagement that has become intolerable, perhaps to us both, I shall agree and then we might think again about your idea of having a racing stable of your own.”
“I-I suppose that would be – all right,” Alecia murmured.
At the same time she was worrying about how angry Lord Kiniston would be when he learned long before the six months came to an end that she was not Lady Charis, and Charis was in fact already married to somebody else.
Again she clutched at a straw and tried to save herself.
“If – if we are – engaged,” she said, “could we please – keep it secret – entirely to ourselves – so that no one will know?”
Lord Kiniston was, however, thinking of Lillian and Elizabeth.
“That would be a mistake,” he said firmly. “After all, Charis, you are staying with me in my house, which will inevitably give rise to a great deal of speculation. It is well known that I do not as a rule entertain young ladies here. In fact this is the very first time!”
“But – if people did talk – would it matter?” Alecia argued.
“What I am planning to do,” Lord Kiniston said, “is to eliminate the fortune-hunters, especially the one who has asked you to provide him with twenty thousand pounds to be frittered away on horses that are not worth the price or perhaps on other amusements you know nothing about.”
“How can you possibly know that that is what he would do?” Alecia demanded hotly.
“My dear child, I am considered a judge of men. In fact the Great Duke himself often asks my advice. I therefore know very well the type of bounder who is prepared to sell his title and extort the highest price for it.”
Alecia rose to her feet.
“I think you have – a very cynical and jaundiced view of people,” she said, “and it is – quite untrue.”
“In your opinion!” Lord Kiniston replied. “As I have already said, you are far too young to know your own mind.”
Alecia thought that Charis knew her own mind very well and so did Harry, but how could she say so?
How could she convince Lord Kiniston that they were really in love?
In the meantime –
She twisted her fingers together and in a very small voice she said,
“Please – don’t make me do this – let me stay here for a few weeks then – perhaps we could – talk about it again.”
She was thinking that by that time he would have learnt the truth.
Lord Kiniston shook his head.
“I cannot see any point in waiting,” he said, “and I intend, Charis, whatever you may say, because I am your Guardian, and as your Guardian, I have your best interests at heart
, to announce our engagement immediately. It will undoubtedly, as you are who you are, cause a sensation, but I am sure after all your successes in London you will find that quite familiar and extremely enjoyable.”
He expected her to say something and, when she did not, he went on,
“As I have already conceded, we will be engaged for exactly six months before we review the situation between us. After all, a broken engagement, as long as it is by mutual consent, will not hurt anybody nor will it be the end of the world.”
He spoke a little wryly, thinking that any other woman, especially Lillian and Elizabeth, would be rapturous at the idea of being married to him.
Instead Alecia only looked very pale and he was aware, although he did not want to think about it, that her eyes were frightened and her fingers were trembling.
“It is wrong – I know it is – wrong!” she said. “And – you have – no right – !”
“I have every right,” Lord Kiniston interrupted, “and if our engagement prevents you from receiving quite so many proposals of marriage, quite frankly that will do you no harm!”
He spoke contemptuously and Alecia drew in her breath and to her own surprise she heard herself saying,
“I think you are behaving very badly and, if this is the way you trample over the French now that you have defeated them, then all I can say is that I am sorry for them – very very sorry – indeed!”
Her voice broke on the last word and she turned and ran from the room, leaving Lord Kiniston staring after her in sheer astonishment.
Chapter five
Alecia sat in her bedroom, forcing herself not to burst into tears, as she wished to do.
She felt as if she had suddenly been drawn into a whirlpool and was being spun round and round until she could not think.
All she was conscious of was the dread that everything she might say or do would be wrong and Charis would suffer because of it.
She could not imagine what Charis would think when she read of her engagement to Lord Kiniston, unless she understood that it was subterfuge forced upon her in order to play for time.
It was all so complicated and so frightening that Alecia could only sit with her hands over her face trembling until she realised that it was nearly luncheontime and it would seem strange if she did not appear.
She was frightened of the questions that those staying in the house would ask if Lord Kiniston told them of his engagement and she could only pray that he would not say anything for the moment.
If only he would wait, perhaps for a few days, by which time she might have fled to Paris and could escape home.
She was not quite certain how she could do that – for every conceivable means of extricating herself from an unpleasant situation seemed to flash through her mind and, almost before she could consider one, another took its place.
Finally she tidied her hair and thought when she looked in the mirror that she was extremely pale.
Then she went slowly downstairs to the large salon, where she knew that Lady Lillian and the other members of the house party would be assembled.
To her relief Willy was there and he immediately came to her side to say,
“Good morning, Aphrodite! And let me tell you, you are looking more beautiful than you did yesterday!”
As she knew that he was teasing her by using the nickname by which Charis was known in London, she managed a brief little smile.
Then, as she and Willy walked together to join the others, Lady Lillian said with a sharp note in her voice,
“I understand, Lady Charis, that you have been out riding this morning! As I am your hostess, it would have been polite to let me know where you were going.”
“I am so sorry,” Alecia answered humbly, “but you had not been called and I did not like to disturb you.”
“You would not have disturbed me,” Lady Lillian replied disagreeably, “except that I would have cautioned you about risking your reputation as a young and unmarried girl by riding alone and unchaperoned.”
As it had never struck Alecia for a moment that she should have been chaperoned, she could only look at Lady Lillian in surprise.
Before she could defend herself Willy said,
“Really, Lady Lillian, I think the conventions of Rotten Row are unnecessary here in Cambrai and you can be sure that anywhere that his Lordship and Lady Charis went, they were not alone, but watched by hundreds of curious and, of course, admiring eyes.”
Lady Lillian gave him a sour look, but before she could say anything, Mrs. Belton came into the room, greeting everybody effusively and telling anyone who would listen to her what a good night she had had.
“Such comfortable beds, dear Lady Lillian,” she gushed. “I can assure you to lie on the one you have given me is like floating on the clouds!”
“You must congratulate the owner of the château,” Lady Lillian said as the Duc de St. Brière was announced. “I am sure he will appreciate how pleasant you find his home.”
The Duc, looking very elegant and un-English, kissed Lady Lillian’s hand and said something to her in a low voice that obviously pleased her.
Then he went round, greeting every woman in the room until he reached Alecia when he said,
“I admired you, Lady Charis, when I saw you in London at a ball at Devonshire House. Now you are even lovelier than I remember and I am very honoured that my house should be a background for such beauty.”
Because Alecia was embarrassed by the compliment, she blushed a little and was looking extremely shy as Lord Kiniston came into the room.
He said good morning to some of the guests and, holding out his hand to the Duc, said,
“I am delighted to see you, St. Brière. I hope you don’t find it disconcerting to have so many strangers invading your château.”
“On the contrary,” the Duc replied, “I am exceedingly honoured that your Lordship should be here. I only hope that you have been supplied with everything you desire.”
“I have no complaints,” Lord Kiniston said, smiling, “and now that you are in the neighbourhood, I hope that I may have the pleasure of entertaining you whenever you have no other engagements.”
“Your Lordship is extremely gracious,” the Duc said.
He spoke with what seemed complete sincerity, but, watching the two men standing facing each other, Alecia suddenly had the strangest feeling that the Duc was in fact not as pleased with his tenants as he pretended.
She did not know why she should think such a thing and yet as she watched him she thought that, while his lips smiled, his eyes were hard.
However, no one could have been more jocular or more amusing than the Duc at luncheon.
There were ten people present and yet he managed to hold the table with his anecdotes and his condemnation of Napoleon Bonaparte and everything he had done to France.
“A monster who has destroyed our young men and left the country so impoverished that it will take at least a generation to put it right!”
“I can understand your feelings, St. Brière,” Lord Kiniston said, “but before we become gloomy and depressed, may I give you some cheering news of my own?”
There was silence as he spoke and everybody looked expectantly towards him as he sat at the head of the table.
Then he said,
“I want you to congratulate me on being a particularly lucky man. I have today persuaded the beautiful Lady Charis to become my wife!”
For a moment there was a stunned silence and then Alecia saw an expression of fury in Lady Lillian’s eyes.
Willy stepped quickly into the breach and, rising to his feet and holding his glass high in his hand, said,
“Bravo, Drogo! Even though you have pipped me at the post, I can only congratulate you whole-heartedly! And to you, Lady Charis, my good wishes and may you both be ecstatically happy to the ends of your lives.”
Because he was standing, everybody else with the exception of Lady Lillian rose to their feet and toasted Lord Kiniston and Al
ecia.
Because she felt deeply embarrassed and very shy, Alecia could only sit with a fixed smile on her face, hoping that once the toasts were over she would be obliged to say as little as possible.
Then, as they all sat down again, the guests’ voices rose in a kind of crescendo declaring how surprised they were, how they had no idea that Lord Kiniston knew Lady Charis before she arrived and, of course, asking how soon the Wedding would take place.
This was a pertinent question, and to Alecia’s relief she heard Lord Kiniston reply,
“Unfortunately we are unable to hurry over that as Charis wishes to be married in London, but it will be impossible for me to get away from here for some months, especially as the Duke of Wellington is talking of going to Cheltenham for a rest and at the same time to have discussions with the Cabinet over the number of troops we should keep in the Army of Occupation.”
This started the inevitable arguments, which Alecia had already heard before, as to whether such a large Army was really necessary and if in fact the Russians were a menace or not.
Alecia noticed that the Duc took little part in these discussions in which Major Belton and a Colonel, whose wife was also staying in the house, became very heated.
She found herself wondering what the Duc really felt about his château and his country being occupied by foreigners and whether, although he had helped the British against Napoleon, he resented their now having so much authority in his native land.
Watching him, she thought that, when he looked at Lord Kiniston, his features seemed to sharpen and, when the luncheon was over, he went to Lady Lillian’s side and began to flirt with her in what seemed to Alecia an almost outrageous manner.
She told herself that it must be because she had seen so few sophisticated Society beauties in Little Langley that she thought her behaviour with the Duc was somewhat immodest and would certainly have shocked her mother.
It appeared as if, while the Duc was making advances to Lady Lillian, she was in her turn inciting them and flirting with him in a manner that seemed remarkable bold and unladylike.
Love Casts Out Fear Page 8