by Cheryl Bolen
What, then, did he want? He sat pensively while he allowed Glee to take the reins for a placid ride through Bath. He did not want to be married. He never had. He did not want a wife who thought of herself as one of the bloods. He did not want for Glee to ever become heavy with child. He wanted his freedom. Freedom from all the responsibilities that had crashed over him ever since he exchanged wedding vows with Glee. The maddening wench!
What, then, were the merits of being free? he asked himself. He could sleep as late as he wanted. He could find his pleasure in the beds of other ladies. He would not have to curb his drinking. He could even once again join Appleton and the twins in their irrepressible pranks.
Enumerating these things that had brought him no end of pleasure in the past, made him realize how truly empty his life had been. Always. He would soon be five and twenty. It was time he began to act like a man—not a fun-loving schoolboy down from Oxford.
Marriage was a step in the right direction. But his marriage, of course, was no real marriage. And Glee, of course, was not a real wife. Then why did he feel so blasted responsible for her? Why did she elicit such protectiveness in him?
At nineteen, she was much younger. She could profit from his vast experience. The thing of it was, he could not be too demanding of her. It wouldn't do to upset her rather fragile sensibilities. He had been too heavy-handed in his dealings with her up to this point. Subtle persuasion was what was called for.
"I regret that I'm to meet with Willowby again tomorrow," he said.
He didn't think he would ever forget the way she looked at him with such stark pain on her face. Did the chit truly care about him? Good God, but that wouldn't do at all!
Chapter 17
"A pity Blanks has to spend so much time with that blasted solicitor of his," Appleton lamented as he offered Glee a cup of water.
Glee took a sip of the water and grimaced. "Do you realize Blanks hasn't accompanied me here to the Pump Room one single time since we married?" She decidedly missed him. She had worn a new dress that shone like polished copper, and she had collected enough compliments to confirm its success. A pity Blanks could not witness her success.
"An estate as large as the late Mr. Blankenship's must be devilishly difficult to administer," Melvin said in a reassuring voice.
"But I daresay Blanks would rather be anywhere than at the Pump Room this morning," Appleton added. "He neither partakes of the water nor tolerates the genteel females who congregate at these affairs."
"Now that he's married, he don't have to worry about the females trying to get their clutches into him," Elvin said. He tossed a glance at Glee. "Beg your pardon for digging up dead bones and all that."
"I cannot agree with you, Timothy, about Blanks not wishing to be here," Glee countered. "Blanks enjoys meeting his friends and keeping abreast of the happenings in the city. I feel quite guilty for sounding so vexed with him. My poor Blanks is missing out on all the fun." Her glance skimmed over the faces of the trio. "Thanks to you three, I don't have to be divorced from society." While watching them, she noticed Miss Aggremont and a bespectacled companion enter the Pump Room.
"Oh, look," Glee whispered. "There's Miss Aggremont with Miss Arbuckle. Allow me to prove to you Miss Aggremont is a most worthy target for Tuesday night's assembly."
Glee made eye contact with the young lady who thought she was an Incomparable. "Oh, Miss Aggremont!"
The woman being addressed cast a glance at Glee, then a briefer glance at the three undistinguished men and, with her mousy female friend, walked the short distance to Glee.
Miss Aggremont was several inches taller than Glee with a pleasantly rounded body, blonde hair and a face, that while flawless, missed the mark of being beautiful. Perhaps her best feature was her unerring sense of style. She dressed with excellent taste in a steel blue gown and matching pelisse trimmed with white fur.
Turning to the unremarkable young brunette woman who accompanied her, Miss Aggremont said, "Miss Arbuckle, you are acquainted with my dear friend Miss Pembroke, are you not? Her brother, you must know, is Lord Sedgewick."
"Actually, I'm no longer Miss Pembroke," Glee said to Miss Arbuckle, of whom Glee was genuinely fond. The two had met at the lending library and had a great many common interests. “As it happens, Miss Arbuckle and I have met,” Glee said, seething that Miss Aggremont surrounded herself with plain companions. Giving Miss Arbuckle a sincere smile, Glee added, "I've recently married Mr. Blankenship."
"Oh, I had quite forgotten," Miss Aggremont remarked, still making no acknowledgment of the twins or Appleton.
"You do know Mr. Appleton and the Misters Steffington, do you not?" Glee asked the ladies.
Miss Aggremont haughtily looked down the bridge of her nose at the gentlemen. "I don't recall." Then she did not give them another second's notice.
Seething over Miss Aggremont's unfriendliness, Glee performed the introductions. Of course, Glee thought, Miss Aggremont wouldn't put herself out over mere misters, none of whom were regarded as particularly handsome. Now, if one of them were possessed of a title, a brightly smiling Miss Aggremont would have tripped all over herself hastening to greet them.
This time, Miss Aggremont met them with an incredibly bored demeanor and quickly made an excuse to leave the little gathering to seek more important personages.
Melvin smiled after she left. "I daresay the woman was singularly unimpressed over the three of us! Now, if one of us were possessed of a title, such as Lord Sedgewick, she'd no doubt still be here excessively enjoying our company."
No wonder Melvin was Glee's favorite. His thoughts did so mirror her own.
"How can you malign Miss Aggremont so?" Appleton asked. "Did you not see how lovely were her blue eyes?"
Glee and the twins exchanged amused smiles.
"Daresay, she's above our touch," Elvin muttered.
"You grossly discredit yourself," Glee chided. "It is Miss Aggremont who's not worthy of any of you." It truly was Miss Aggremont's loss that she failed to realize the worth of Glee's dear male friends, each of whom was as solid as Gibraltar. Just because they were reticent with women—other than Glee—and dressed with unremarkable, quiet good taste, women like Sally Aggremont slighted them.
Glee silently perused their clothing. The twins dressed the same in fawn breeches tucked into shiny black Hessians, with shirts made of very fine linen, and well-cut tailcoats. Only the color of the tailcoat distinguished them. Elvin wore navy, his brother brown. Each tied his cravat very simply in the hunting style. Timothy Appleton, like the twins, wore fawn breeches and Hessians and a navy tailcoat.
So busy was she building up the men's confidence, Glee did not notice when Mr. Jefferson strolled across the Pump Room to seek her out.
"How very good it is to see you without your husband," he said, bowing. "For taking a turn about the room with you would make me the happiest of men."
He proffered his arm.
She gave him a long look. How unfortunate that he was such an ungallant when the man was so very good looking with his stylishly cropped dark brown hair, handsome face and quality clothing—except for today's waistcoat, which was of bright orange satin. She gazed into his sparkling eyes. Really! The man felt absolutely no guilt over taking a lady's earrings because of a mere twenty-five pound debt.
Tossing a baleful glance at Appleton, Glee took Mr. Jefferson's arm.
Though her demeanor indicated she was not overjoyed at the prospect of walking with Mr. Jefferson, Glee actually was thankful of the opportunity to discuss her missing earrings with him. With only that thought in mind, she wasted no time on pleasantries. "May I hope you have come here to return my earrings?"
"My lovely Mrs. Blankenship, you may hope for anything you like, but you'll only get the earrings when I get the kiss."
She scowled at him. "You are behaving in a most ungallant fashion. I've a mind to tell my husband of your wicked proposal. I assure you he would hasten to pay the twenty-five pounds."
&
nbsp; If only she had the confidence that Blanks would make everything right while at the same time forgiving her. The thing of it was that his gift of the earrings showed uncommon thoughtfulness, and he would likely be so offended of her careless disregard for the gift he would never speak to her again. Oh dear.
If only she hadn't purchased the phaeton, she'd easily have had the twenty-five pounds with which to repay Mr. Jefferson. After all, Blanks's allotment to her had been more than generous.
She had foolishly and utterly wasted the money. And she had so wanted to impress Blanks's with her capable management of the household and her own affairs.
"I doubt you will allow your husband to know that—in just your first two weeks of marriage—you have run through the money he generously gave you to last the entire quarter." Jefferson lowered his voice and gave her a sly smile. "No matter how well you may pleasure your husband, my dear Mrs. Blankenship, I am persuaded he would be excessively displeased over the loss of your earrings. Such a pity to start off your marriage in so negative a fashion."
Glee gave a cold stare to the man who walked beside her. "How do you know about the generous allowance my husband settled on me?"
Jefferson smiled. "Because you have just confirmed it, my dear."
Her eyes narrowed. "You are altogether quite odious, Mr. Jefferson, and whatever gives you the idea I've spent all my money?"
"Because you purchased a phaeton that cost two-hundred-seventy-five pounds," he said smugly.
She came to an abrupt halt and spun around to face him. "How do you know what my phaeton cost?"
He shrugged. "Bath is a small town in which information is easily transferred."
"If you would only be kind enough to wait until the next quarter," she said, tucking her arm into his and continuing the promenade, "I'll pay you double the amount of money owed," she pleaded.
"I have more money than I need."
"Yet you need the kisses of a happily married woman?"
He was spared from having to answer for he looked up as they came abreast of the Misses Aggremont and Arbuckle, who circled the room in the counter direction. Miss Aggremont smiled happily at him.
He and Glee nodded as they passed the women.
Once they were well past the ladies, Jefferson bent to speak softly. "I believe Miss Aggremont is out of charity with you, Mrs. Blankenship. First, you snared the juiciest plum on the Marriage Mart, and now you appear to have captured me. With your husband's departure from the Mart, I daresay I'm the juiciest morsel left."
"A pity we cannot add modesty to those attributes that make you so highly sought after," she said dryly.
He slanted a glance at her. "If the rest of your body is as saucy as your tongue, I envy your husband."
She held her head high and emanated a confidence she lacked. "He has no complaints."
"Then you won't want to test him. It being so early in your marriage."
That wretched man could read her like the pages of a book! "What is it you want from me?" she demanded.
"I told you. I want a kiss."
"I don't see how I can oblige you. I cannot kiss you in public, and to meet you in a clandestine fashion could bring down on me irreparable harm."
"If you were to be seen. The trick, my dear, is to escape detection."
With lowered brows, she asked, "What are you proposing, Mr. Jefferson?"
"Veiled, you could slip into my house."
"Your house?" she shrieked in outrage.
"My servants are very discreet."
She seethed. Everything Blanks had said about the man was correct. The wicked Mr. Jefferson was, indeed, a conscienceless womanizer. The gall! Trying to lure her into his house. Though she was young and ignorant of sexual matters, Glee knew no woman—married or single—would go unescorted to the house of a bachelor. Not even a woman who wished to appear "fast" to earn Blanks's affection.
To do so would be to sink so low as to never rise back to respectability. Though Blanks no doubt had dallied with women who had been that careless with their virtue, Glee knew he would never countenance such actions in his wife. "And my husband is very jealous," she said. "I will never set foot in your house."
They had completely circled the room, and the orchestra music trailed off as they came back to where Appleton and the twins stood.
"We will see," Jefferson said to her as he smiled broadly at the trio.
None of them returned the smile.
Glee detached herself from Jefferson to join the others as Jefferson bowed his farewells and took his leave of the Pump Room.
"I say, Pix," Appleton mumbled, "Forgot to warn you about Jefferson. The man's a nasty piece of work. You'd best not encourage a friendship with him."
"Blanks won't like it above half if you was to be anything but barely civil with the scoundrel," Elvin said.
"I daresay if Pixie were to give the fellow the cut direct, Blanks would be overjoyed," Melvin added.
"As a married lady, I can hardly cut a man without giving rise to speculative gossip."
"She's got a point there," Melvin said.
"The main thing's that she now knows how dangerous a man Jefferson can be," Appleton said.
Elvin shook his head and began to whisper. "He's very bad form."
Glee peered from Elvin to the other two. "The man's actions and conversations persuade me that you good gentlemen are correct about Mr. Jefferson."
Anger flashing in his eyes, Appleton stepped toward Glee. "What has the beastly man done to you?"
She smiled confidently. "Nothing that I cannot handle."
Elvin, his hands balled into fists, drew closer to Glee. "Are you sure? Nothing would give me greater pleasure than breaking that bounder's pretty nose."
Glee looked at Elvin's nose, then at his twin's identical nose. Unfortunately, their noses were excessively long. A pity. With less obtrusive noses and more hair on their heads, the twins could have been rather handsome. In a bland sort of way.
Melvin's brows lowered and his voice trembled with anger. "It's my belief that vile Jefferson is planning revenge against Blanks for that business with Miss Douglas."
"By Jove! That's it!" Appleton exclaimed.
"What business with Miss Douglas? And who is Miss Douglas?" Glee asked, her anxious eyes darting from one man to another.
"It's not a matter we are at liberty to discuss," Melvin said.
They did not need to discuss it. Glee had a fairly good notion that Miss Douglas had most likely angered Mr. Jefferson by preferring Blanks over him. Really! What woman wouldn't? And knowing Blanks's propensity for fast women, Miss Douglas, no doubt, had a very light skirt, indeed. Still, Glee wished she knew more about the mysterious Miss Douglas. What had she looked like? What had happened between her and Blanks? Had he loved her? With a thud in her heart, Glee wondered if Miss Douglas and Blanks still saw each other. Oh dear.
Her gaze skimming to the other two, Glee smiled and said, "I'm greatly obliged for your concern. Consider me warned about the singularly unacceptable Mr. Jefferson."
"I say," Appleton said, his vision directed some distance behind Glee's shoulder, "Is that not your sister and the nabob she's married to?"
"Thomas Moreland," Melvin said.
Appleton nodded. "Just so."
A smile on her face, Glee spun around and saw Felicity and Thomas walking toward her.
Wearing wrinkled merino traveling clothes, Felicity fairly shot toward her sister and secured both her hands. "I knew I should find you here, my pet!" Then her glance scanned the crowd. "Where is that dear husband of yours?"
Glee shrugged. "Poor lamb. He's having to pour over his father's books with that dreadful lawyer."
Still holding Glee's hands, Felicity stood back and studied her sister. The bodice of Glee's copper colored gown was much lower than anything Glee had ever before worn in front of her sister. "I declare I shall cry," Felicity said, "for my baby sister is now a full-fledged woman."
Exactly what Glee wanted Bla
nks to think.
Felicity kissed Glee's cheek. "A very beautiful woman, to be sure."
Now Thomas Moreland moved to Glee and pressed the obligatory kiss upon the back of his sister-in-law's hand, then he and his wife greeted the trio.
"Why did you not tell me you were coming to Bath?" Glee asked.
"We just decided," Felicity said. "I couldn't bear being so far away from you when—as a new wife—you might need me."
"I'm happy, indeed, that you've come!" Felicity said. "You will stay at Winston Hall?"
Thomas nodded. "In fact, George and Diana will follow shortly."
"How wonderful!" Glee exclaimed. She had missed her sisters dreadfully. Unfortunately, their mates' adoration would only make Glee hunger for similar devotion from Blanks. And underscore the perfidy of her own marriage, she thought gloomily.
Chapter 18
Despite the chill in the air, Archie was waiting on the pavement when Gregory arrived at Willowby's office that morning. The lad tipped his battered cap. "Mornin', guvnah. Need yer 'orse watched?" he asked hopefully.
Gregory dismounted. "I do, indeed."
Archie smiled up at Gregory. "Will I get to earn another crown?" the lad asked.
"Most likely more. My business today will take several hours, so I'll need you longer."
"Fancy that," Archie exclaimed. "I'm only eight years old and makes more in a day than me mum makes in a month."
Instead of pleasing Gregory, such knowledge only made him feel guilty for being party to a society which did little to compensate its hardest workers. The lad confirmed that cleaning women made a pittance of little more than a penny a day. No wonder the boy was so wretchedly thin. He was unlikely to get one square meal a day. And what of toy soldiers and riding ponies? Gregory thought with disgust. Of course, such privileges of the privileged were denied those of Archie's class.
Patting the boy on his fair head, Gregory moved into the building. It was bad enough he was having to dredge through his dead father's most personal affairs, but now Archie's misery also weighed on him. This would not be a pleasant day.