It Takes a Lady

by Joan Smith

  “Just have your servant apply the liquid generously, as I am doing. Did I mention they also lay their eggs in the soil under the leaves?” she said, moving the bottom leaves aside. I should give the soil a soaking as well.”

  As Mrs. Galveston was watching every move, Lizzie saw she would have to distract her to allow her aunt to plant the necklace. “Your ferns look quite healthy, Mrs. Galveston,” she said, taking a step across the room. The hostess followed her. “Mine are losing fronds. What is your secret?”

  “Yes, I don’t keep the ferns too close to the window, for they seem to prefer shade, as they do in nature.”

  “That must be what ails the fern in my bedroom. I shall remove it from the window.” She glanced back at her aunt, who nodded to show she had planted the rubies.

  They returned to Lady Gertrude who was pushing aside the dead leaves that had fallen from the tree and vigorously spraying the soil. Lizzie spotted the gleam of the necklace but said nothing. As she hoped, Mrs. Galveston soon noticed it as well. “What is that, Lady Gertrude?” she asked, pointing.

  “No, it’s not a nest. That is just a little pebble,” she said, pretending to misunderstand.

  “No, that shiny thing!” She knelt down, pushed the fallen leaves aside and lifted up the necklace. “Why it is Lady Belmont’s ruby necklace!” she cried in disbelief, holding it out for the others to see. “How the deuce did it get here?”

  “Is it really?” Lady Gertrude assumed an expression of disbelief as she took a closer look. “I believe you’re right. I can’t imagine how it got there. Fancy that! How very odd. It almost seems like magic, a necklace flying about like that.”

  “She was looking at this very plant, don’t you remember, Lady Gertrude? I had had it moved to the salon for my little party as my dancing parlour is not very large. You and I and Lady Belmont were examining it. That is when you offered me the spray. Her necklace must have got caught on a branch and been pulled off when she was examining the tree. I wonder she didn’t feel it.”

  “Well, that is odd!” Lady Gertrude said, apparently mystified. “If the clasp had come undone, it might have got caught in her shawl. That would prevent her feeling it as it was pulled off her neck. Look at this Lizzie.”

  Lizzie and Nick moved closer to marvel at the sight, and wonder how it could have happened. “Lady Belmont will be happy to get this back,” Nick said.

  “Not as happy as I will be to return it,” Mrs. Galveston said in a joyful tone. “She all but told me it was my fault, and I ought to repay her for the necklace. As if I had anything to do with it. I shall take it back to her this very day. Would you like to come with me?”

  “We have a dozen errands,” Lady Gertrude said, “but we will be happy to confirm how you found it, should there be any question on that score. You as well, eh Carbury?”

  “Certainly,” Nick agreed firmly. “Not that there should be any question. You must be eager to return it, Mrs. Galveston. We really should be leaving, ladies.”

  “Shall I leave off a book of tickets for the next draw?” Lady Gertrude said, opening her reticule. “The prize is a charming painting by a new artist.” She could not remember the artist’s name, which would have meant nothing to Mrs. Galveston nor anyone else as he was completely unknown.

  “Make it two books, Lady Gertrude. No, three.”

  “If you insist. Too generous.”

  Mrs. Galveston did not try to detain them when she had handed over the price of the tickets. She wished Lord Carbury were accompanying her, but she had his promise to stand behind her, should Lady Belmont prove difficult.

  “That went pretty well,” Nick said, when they were back in the carriage. “You could do justice to Drury Lane, Lady Gertrude. She didn’t suspect a thing. Shall we stop and tell Tommy he is a free man?”

  “I hope this has taught him a lesson,” Lady Gertrude said. “I do wish he would settle down. You wouldn’t know some decent lady who would have him, Carbury? Preferably one with a good deal of money.”

  “I’m sure Tommy will manage that for himself,” he said.

  “Girls do seem to like him,” she said, “but a younger son with no estate and no income worth mentioning ... It is the parents we have to worry about. A monied orphan is what we require. Like looking for a needle in a haystack. We shan’t go with you, but do bring him over later.”

  Nick turned to Lizzie, feeling she would want to be there when Tommy received the good news. But she seemed to agree with her aunt that she wished to be taken home. “Tell him to come for dinner,” she said. “We shall serve champagne.”

  Nick felt a wince of anger that he was not included in the dinner invitation. Lizzie noticed the angry twitch of his jaw muscle and added, “Naturally you are included, if you are free, ça va sans dire. I assumed you would be thrilled to be done with us, and all the bother of this business. I fear we have been monopolizing your time.”

  “Strange this scruple only arises when it is time for celebration,” he said, tilting his lips to make it half a jest.

  Her answer was more serious. “You are mistaken, Nick. I have felt the pinch of scruples all along. Had I not known how you feel about Tommy, I would not have involved you.”

  Nick regretted that her aunt was with them in the carriage. It seemed an auspicious time to give her a hint that while Tommy was the reason he had helped initially, he had discovered a more important reason along the way. “I am glad you did involve me,” was all he could say in front of a third party.

  Lady Gertrude fingered the books of tickets in her reticule, but decided to wait till after dinner when he had had a few glasses of champagne before inquiring if he was interested in acquiring a new work of art.

  Chapter Twenty

  Within two hours of their arrival home, Sara came to call on Elizabeth. Lady Gertrude, though eager to hear what she had to say, was officially ignorant of the matter and had to listen from the keyhole outside the door.

  “I had to come in person to thank you, Elizabeth,” Sara said. “Mrs. Galveston brought the necklace to Auntie and told her where she found it. I can’t believe your plan worked.”

  “You haven’t much faith in me!” Elizabeth said, smiling. “My plans usually work. Your aunt must be very happy.”

  “Yes,” Sara said, but she said it rather uncertainly.

  “She didn’t suspect anything?” Elizabeth asked.

  “No, it’s not that. In fact after a while she began to imagine she had felt some little pressure at the nape of her neck when she was looking at that tree. She thought it was a branch scratching her neck.”

  “Then what is the problem?”

  “She never cared greatly for the necklace. I think she would rather have had the insurance money.”

  “She can always sell the necklace, if she is short.”

  “She doesn’t need the money. She is well to grass. The thing is, it seems her husband wanted cash to invest in some acres near his estate shortly before he died and sold off the larger rubies in the necklace. He had paste copies made without informing the insurance company. It would have been dishonest to take the full value of the necklace, but Auntie never cares much about things like that. It’s not like robbing. It’s only the insurance company.”

  Elizabeth was momentarily speechless. When she recovered, she said, “It certainly is robbery, and she could go to gaol for it. I am almost sorry I helped you.”

  “Oh Elizabeth! You mustn’t tell anyone. It’s a great secret. Auntie warned me not to tell a soul, but I thought you would understand. You were so understanding about my taking the necklace.”

  “I understood your being desperate at the thought of losing Lord Buckner, though I do not approve of what you did. That is entirely different from stealing for plain greed. I cannot understand your aunt, nor condone what she planned to do.”

  “But you won’t tell! Auntie would kill me.”

  “I am hardly in a position to tell. Well, never mind. It is done now. I think we have both learned a
lesson.”

  Sara sat, pressing her lips in worry, and hoping she wasn’t asked what lesson she was supposed to have learned. “Thank you anyway. I — I shall never do anything like that again.”

  “I wager that is more than Lady Belmont can say.”

  Sara wisely did not argue the point, nor did she mention her aunt’s plans along that line. “I must go now. I’m sorry I caused you so much trouble. Auntie doesn’t know I left. I just slipped out.”

  She rose and left on a last burst of gratitude. At least she had apologized. The minute she was out the door Lady Gertrude stormed in. “Can you beat that, Lizzie!” she cried. “Paste! That wretched woman. Is there no bottom to what people will do for money?”

  “Apparently not. And it is not as though she needed the money. She is rich as a nabob.”

  “And they bellow about our poor people stealing a pocket hanky to buy bread. What we must do, Lizzie, is find ourselves a good vicar — or better, a bishop, to give a few sermons on the subject. I shall speak to Teddy about this.”

  Teddy was her brother, an aging and largely inactive bishop. “I was wondering if we should tell Tommy about the paste stones. You don’t suppose he would do anything foolish if he knew?”

  “I wouldn’t put it a pace past him. Best not tell him.”

  The ladies soon went abovestairs to prepare their toilettes for dinner. It was to be rather a grand dinner to celebrate the occasion. Liz wore her hair drawn back from her face to rest high on her head, and chose a gown of gold with no ribbons and little lace. Lady Gertrude wore a peacock blue silk gown several years old, but almost entirely covered by a cherry red shawl of shot silk that glimmered in the lamplight. Though neither lady mentioned it in case she was mistaken, they both hoped there might be another cause for celebration that evening than the restoration of the necklace.

  The gentlemen also made careful toilettes, and looked quite the pineapples of perfection when they called that evening. Nick was aware that Tommy looked dangerously handsome in the dark green jacket he had borrowed for the occasion. It was only his hair, worn too long for fashion, that prevented him from being taken for an upstanding pillar of society. And even the lock of hair dangling over his forehead lent him an air of diablerie that must appeal to young ladies.

  Tommy rushed in a pace ahead of Nick and went straight to Lizzie with his arms out. He gave her a big hug, then lifted her off her feet and swung her about, laughing.

  “We did it, Lizzie,” he cried, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “You did it. You and Nick and Lady Gertie. How can I ever thank you all?” He set her down and turned to give Lady Gertrude a hug, though he was too wise to try to get that weighty dame off the ground.

  “Nick told me all about it,” he ran on. “Don’t I wish I had been there to see old Belmont’s face when she got her precious rubies back. It would be like seeing a hippopotamus laugh.”

  The ladies exchanged a look and did not mention Lady Belmont’s lack of joy. When they found seats and Lady Gertrude called for champagne, Nick said, “Have you heard from Sara, Elizabeth?” This struck him as a terribly boring thing to say, after Tommy’s enthusiasm.

  “Yes, she called to thank us. Her aunt was very happy.”

  “It is a load off my mind,” Tommy said. “Now I can —” He caught a warning glance from Nick, who had instructed him to tell Elizabeth of his wedding plans in private, and said, “Er, could I have a word in private with you, Lizzie?”

  “What new trouble are you in, wretch?” she asked.

  “No trouble. Au contraire. It is good news.”

  “You’ve found a position!” Lady Gertrude cried. “I daresay we have Carbury to thank for this. We are all ears. Tell us about it, Tommy.”

  Nick watched in dismay as Tommy ignored all his instructions and blurted out his news in front of them all. “Not a position, exactly, though old Cousens will certainly put me to work.”

  “Cousins, what cousins are you talking about? You mean Uncle Alfie?” Lady Gertrude asked.

  “Not cousins, Cousens,” Tommy said impatiently.

  “That’s what I said, cousins,” Lady Gertrude snapped, becoming impatient.

  “Tommy is referring to Richard Cousens, the brewer,” Nick explained.

  “That’s the fellow. Rich as Croesus. I’m going to marry his eldest daughter,” Tommy announced proudly.

  Lizzie first reaction was astonishment, untinged by regret or heartbreak, so far as Nick could see. “Miss Cousens?” she said, blinking. “I didn’t know you even knew her. One never sees her in society.” She looked to Lady Gertrude, who was just sitting with the wind knocked out of her.

  “Cousens is very well to grass,” she said. “I know nothing to the family’s discredit.” She turned to Nick. “What do you think, Nick?”

  “I don’t give a groat what Nick or anyone else thinks,” Tommy said at once. “I’m going to speak to old Cousens this very night. There’s not much doubt he’ll have me. Mrs. Cousens is eager to get a toe into high society, and while I have no title, I’m up to my knees in noble connections. I’ve already arranged it with Laura — Miss Cousens — that I will be calling to speak to the papa this evening. I dropped by last night — just for a minute — and told her.”

  “Ah, so that is the lady you sneaked off to last night,” Elizabeth said.

  “I told you I called on a lady. I hadn’t seen her for days, Lizzie,” Tommy said, with a witless smile. “We’re in love. Try to understand ...”

  “I do, but what I cannot understand is why you made such a secret of it.”

  “I knew Nick would try to talk me out of going.”

  “I think you chose the timing of that visit unwisely, but the match might very well be the making of you,” Nick said. He examined Lizzie for signs of dismay, and found only agreement and approval.

  “Well now,” Lady Gertrude said, “that calls for a toast and another round of champagne. When do you plan to get married?”

  “Pretty soon. Laura and I — did I say her name is Laura? — have discussed it a little,” he admitted, blushing. “Laura says her folks will want a largish do, probably St. George’s at Hanover Square, with any of the ton I can convince to come. My family, you folks, of course, and Nick, and a dozen of my men friends. Laura has two sisters they want to see bounced off as well.”

  Until dinner was called, they heard a good deal about Miss Cousens, who was soon Laura to them all. Her blue eyes, her golden hair, the sweet dimples when she smiled were all extolled ad nauseum. They also heard about her sisters, old Cousens himself, and the brewery business.

  Dinner was a merry meal. Lady Gertrude was mentally calculating how she could put old Cousens’s millions to use. Nick was taking note that Elizabeth was pleased that Tommy was marrying someone else, and Elizabeth wondered why Nick kept looking at her in that strange way, as if he thought she might disapprove of Tommy’s match.

  Nick’s thought ran in quite a different direction. When Tommy knew what he wanted, he went after it. He wanted his Laura, and didn’t care tuppence what anyone else thought of her. He, on the other hand, had been equivocating for days, wondering if Elizabeth was in love with Tommy.

  What if she was? A true lover would fight for his lady. He had been a romantic laggard, and had waited long enough.

  After dinner the gentlemen spent less than ten minutes over their port. Tommy couldn’t wait to go and propose to Miss Cousens. He thanked his hostess, gave her and Lizzie a hug and a kiss and told Nick not to wait up for him. With luck he would be home late. Lizzie thought Nick might leave as well, but he resumed his seat and accepted a cup of coffee, as if in no hurry.

  After a little discussion of Tommy’s marriage, Lady Gertrude said, “I have asked Doctor Tom to call this evening to discuss the clinic, but don’t feel you must leave, Carbury. I can trust you two to behave yourselves.”

  “I’d like a word with you, Lady Gertrude,” he said, and rose to follow her out of the room.

  Lizzie sat alone on pins a
nd needles wondering what Nick had to say to Auntie that he couldn’t say in front of her. He wouldn’t require privacy to discuss donating some money for their work. He had expressed approval of Tommy’s engagement. After rapidly conning half a dozen other possible reasons, she was left with the delightful possibility that he was asking for permission to marry her.

  The discussion took place right outside the door. It never occurred to Lady Gertrude that Carbury would ask her permission to marry her niece.

  “What is it, Nick?” she asked impatiently, for she had heard the door knocker. “Please don’t tell me you are against Tommy’s marriage. You know it will be a wonderful thing for him.”

  “Yes, I agree. It is not Tommy’s marriage I want to discuss.”

  “Well, what is it?” she asked impatiently.

  “I want to ask Elizabeth to marry me.”

  “Really? Well done. You have my approval, not that you need it. Lizzie is not a child. She has taken responsibility for her own life, as is only proper. Anyhow I know you are not after her money, and I know enough of your character to know you are no worse than the others she might marry. In fact a deal better than some. Was there anything else?”

  “No, that’s all,” he said, stunned at the brevity of gaining approval.

  “You are making a wise choice.”

  “I know it.” He frowned and asked uncertainly, “Do you think she’ll have me?”

  “The best way to find out is to ask her,” she said, and hurried away, smiling, in a rustle of red silk. She would miss Lizzie, but no doubt she would continue with her work until she began her family. Now, who could she get to replace her? She had other nieces and cousins galore.

  She would miss Lizzie’s company though. Doctor Tom was good company. Hmm. He was widowed, like herself. Though a perfect gentleman insofar as pedigree went, he was poor. Very likely he would be happy for a good home. And it would be handy not to have to send the carriage for him every time she wanted to speak to him. Yes, she would give that some thought.

  Chapter Twenty-one