Lady Brookfield confessed her ignorance, and Lady Sefton was pleased to enlighten her. “I had it from a most reliable source that Miss Southwell is no better than she should be. Such a pity for Miss Amberly, for she is such a charming girl,” she added with spurious sympathy.
Lady Brookfield laughed delightedly. “Wherever did you hear that? Nothing could be further from the truth,” she assured Lady Sefton, although she was not quite sure it was not the truth. Perhaps that explained her brother’s interest in Miss Southwell. Still, it would not do to have Miss Amberly’s chances destroyed.
“I heard it from Lady Conliffe,” Lady Sefton said, slightly indignant. “She had it from a woman who knew Miss Southwell in Brighton.”
“Lady Conliffe,” Lady Brookfield drawled. “Wasn’t there talk of a match between her and Lord Woolbridge before he joined Miss Amberly’s court? I wouldn’t put much faith in her information.”
Lady Sefton still appeared unconvinced, reluctant to give up such a juicy piece of gossip. Lady Brookfield deftly steered the conversation to other channels, determining to notify her brother of the rumours. If Harry had not already heard of them, he might wish to know. They could do serious damage.
As soon as Lady Sefton left, Lady Brookfield rang for her maid and went around to her brother’s town house on St. James, but he was not at home. She left a note, telling him what she had heard and where the rumour had apparently originated.
Lord Stanton was at Brook’s, relaxing in a chair next to a blazing fire and reading a newspaper. He was perusing an interesting piece on Bonaparte’s escalating activities on the Continent when he thought he heard Anne’s name mentioned by some young bucks sitting on a sofa nearby.
“If that is true,” one of them was saying, “then perhaps the Incomparable Miss Amberly would not be that difficult to approach. I wouldn’t mind setting her up in a little house somewhere.”
“I’d prefer her guardian,” the first speaker said. “I like my women with a little more flesh.”
Lord Stanton hesitated momentarily. He could not like allowing such a scurrilous remark to pass, but if a man of his reputation championed them it might bring more unwelcome speculation. A low remark followed by a coarse laugh decided him. He put down his newspaper and walked over to the sofa, standing in front of the low table. The young gentlemen looked up, surprised to be receiving attention from a nonesuch like Lord Stanton. They greeted him with a heartiness that quickly changed to uncertainty as they saw the cold glint in his eye. Lord Stanton addressed the first speaker.
“Sedgewick, could I have heard you impugning the honour of two ladies who shall remain nameless?’’ he asked, pulling off his gloves deliberately.
At the look of steel in Lord Stanton’s eyes, any remaining bravado died in young Lord Sedgewick. Tales of early evening meetings at Primrose Hill and Hyde Park came to his mind.
“N—no, Lord Stanton, I am sure I would do no such thing,” he stammered.
“I rather thought I had misunderstood you,” Lord Stanton said, pulling his gloves back on. “I am glad to find that I was correct, for I would take it very ill to hear of any gently bred woman’s reputation being slandered.”
He inclined his head shortly to the two young men, who had both paled considerably.
“Good day, Sedgewick, Norton.”
“My lord,” Sedgewick said as Lord Stanton turned and walked away. He ran his fingers under his cravat, which suddenly felt much too light. He had the feeling he had had a very close call.
As Lord Stanton left the club and walked up the street, the irony of the situation hit him. He had been about to issue a challenge to a man, no, to a young cub, not to do the very thing he planned to do—destroy the reputation of Miss Southwell. It was no use telling himself that he would not do it so publicly—the end result would be the same.
What ailed him where the Southwell woman was concerned? He still desired her, and still intended to make her his mistress, but at the same time he had an urge to protect her. He strode along the street, swinging his walking stick with such a black scowl on his face that he unknowingly caused several passers-by to give him a wide berth.
He reached his town house and, after thrusting his top hat and stick at his footman, was handed two messages by his butler. One was from the Prince, who had arrived in London and wanted to see him. The other was from his sister. A thoughtful look came over his face as he read her note. So, Lady Conliffe was at the bottom of the rumour. Such a rumour could be far more damaging than the first, and more difficult to counteract. Why did it bother him, anyway? Wasn’t this what he had wanted, what he had foreseen when he first made the wager with Anne? Then why did he have the desire to wring Lady Conliffe’s slender neck? He sat in his study for a long time trying to figure out the answer before he remembered the summons from Prinny and set off for Carlton House.
Anne did not hear of the new rumours until that afternoon. Captain Leslie called and requested that Anne drive out with him in his phaeton. She was a little surprised, when, after handing her into the vehicle, he dismissed the groom, instructing him to wait until they returned. He drove into Hyde Park, and when they reached a relatively quiet area, he halted and addressed Anne.
“I wished to talk to you alone, Miss Southwell. I hope you do not think me presumptuous, but I believe you know that I take a sincere interest in your welfare and that of your ward.”
“Yes, I know, Captain Leslie, and I appreciate your concern,” Anne said, wondering what had brought such a serious expression to the man’s face.
Captain Leslie was quiet a moment, as though he were not quite sure how to proceed.
“Are you aware, Miss Southwell, that there are rumours being spread about you?”
“Yes. Mrs. Halcott informed me that rumours were going about that we had no money, but they seemed to die quickly, and I have not noticed any ill effects from them.”
“It is not that rumour, but a new one.” Once again he hesitated, then plunged ahead. “The on dit now is that you are not quite what you should be.”
Anne looked at him questioningly, and he appeared very uncomfortable.
“It is nothing concrete, which makes it all the harder to counteract. But I am afraid your behaviour is the basis for the gossip. It is being said that while Melissa is what she claims, you are not what you pretend to be, but an adventuress using Melissa’s position to foist yourself upon the ton.” As Anne sat in shocked silence, he continued. “I fear your seclusion these past years is giving credence to the story. Few people are acquainted with you or your family, and those who are, are not of the highest ton.”
Anne stared unhappily into the distance, not seeing the beauty of the Park.
“I am sorry to have distressed you,” Captain Leslie said apologetically. “If it is any consolation to you, while this may close some of the doors of the ton to you, those who know you will continue to support you.”
“Do you have any advice as to how I may counteract the rumours?” Anne asked dispiritedly.
“I am afraid there is little you can do but continue to appear at those social functions still open to you. In the end, a new on dit will take precedence and this will be forgotten.”
Captain Leslie and Anne sat quietly as he drove slowly around the Park. After a few minutes he spoke again.
“This is not the time or place, Miss Southwell, but you must be aware of the regard in which I hold you. I had intended to speak later, but the circumstances lead me to show my hand earlier than I had planned. Please allow me to give you the protection of my name.”
Anne moved as if to speak, but Captain Leslie waved her to silence. “Please, allow me to finish. Although I am not wealthy, we would live comfortably. I am the youngest son of a baron, but with five older brothers; I have no expectations of inheriting the title. Your cousin would be welcome in our home until she marries, which I am sure she will despite the gossip.”
As Anne searched her mind for the appropriate response, Captain Leslie
came to her rescue. “You need not think I require an answer immediately. It would greatly please me if you would consider my offer, but I shall not press you. You have much to concern you and I am content to wait.
Anne smiled in gratitude but was nevertheless grateful when Captain Leslie turned the horses towards home.
About two hours after Anne left with Captain Leslie, Viscount Woolbridge called at Half Moon Street to ask if Melissa would care to go for a drive with him to Hyde Park. Melissa, who had been looking wistfully out the window at the fine day while she ostensibly worked at her embroidery, looked questioningly at Sanders, who nodded her head briefly.
Melissa went to fetch her parasol, gloves and pelisse and returned shortly with a happy smile of anticipation on her face. As she and Lord Woolbridge prepared to leave, she heard the front door opened as Anne returned from her drive with Captain Leslie. Viscount Woolbridge, with his customary punctilious good manners, asked Anne to accompany them. Anne hesitated before answering, moving Melissa to add her plea.
“Please do come with us,” she encouraged, not knowing that Anne’s hesitation stemmed from the fact that while she didn’t wish to go out driving again so soon, neither did she like to let Melissa go until she had been warned of the new rumours. “You are already dressed to go driving, and Lord Woolbridge’s bays are such sweet goers.”
Melissa blushed as the cant term slipped out, but her guardian didn’t seem to notice.
“Thank you, Lord Woolbridge,” Anne said, “I shall be pleased to accompany you and Melissa.”
The footman, who had been standing nearby, handed Anne back her parasol and gloves, and the three went out to where the groom held the viscount’s horses. Melissa thought her cousin looked rather serious as she was being handed into the glossy blue lacquered curricle, and wondered what had transpired on her drive with Captain Leslie. Well, a drive in the Park at the fashionable hour would restore her guardian’s spirits.
Viscount Woolbridge was a skilled whip, and expertly maneuvered his team through the crush of vehicles in Hyde Park. He had not gone far when he encountered a large carriage with a crest emblazoned on the side. The viscount inclined his head deeply to the Dowager Duchess of Carroll, and she deigned to stop and speak to him.
Melissa had been presented to the Dowager Duchess of Carroll, and found her quite intimidating, but as the dowager finished speaking to the viscount, Melissa looked up at her with a shy sweet smile, determined not to let her fear get in the way of her manners. But to Melissa’s surprise, the dowager looked right past her and ordered her carriage to move one. Melissa looked at Anne with surprise and hurt. Anne seemed unruffled by the dowager’s cut, and smiled at Melissa reassuringly.
Lord Woolbridge’s normally open countenance appeared closed and angry as he flicked his team forward. He was too gentlemanly to refer to the cut directly, but he comforted Melissa as best he could.
“Her grace the Dowager Duchess of Carroll is exceedingly high in the instep. She thinks it below her to acknowledge anyone who does not have a title in their own right.”
“Yes, and think what harm your reputation has been done in her eyes to be seen with the daughter of a baron, and worse, the daughter of a mere Major Southwell,” Anne said lightly.
Melissa smiled uncertainly and tried to hide the hurt she had been dealt by the snub, but the jaunty angle at which she had held her parasol dropped. When Lord Woolbridge stopped his curricle to greet more acquaintances, she shrank back imperceptibly into the squabs and did not look up until she was spoken to. However, the gentlemen were very courteous and complimentary to both Melissa and her cousin, and some of the young woman’s confidence began to return. Lord Woolbridge smiled at her as though to say, “See!” and Anne squeezed her ward’s hand encouragingly.
As they continued around the Park and all the acquaintances they met spoke to them, Melissa’s spirits recovered completely. Perhaps the dowager was simply high in the instep. She chatted happily with her friends, and noted the new fashions being exhibited by the people on the Promenade.
“Look at Miss Armstrong’s bonnet,” she said enviously to Anne as a curricle with that young woman and her mother came abreast of them. She looked longingly at the wide-brimmed bonnet of twist ornamented with a short lace veil.
Mrs. Armstrong exchanged greetings with the viscount and Melissa called cheerfully to her friend.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Armstrong. Where did you purchase your new bonnet, Miss Armstrong? It becomes you wonderfully well.”
To Melissa’s consternation, Miss Armstrong did not reply to her question, but looked down to the floor of the curricle, and Mrs. Armstrong acted as though Melissa and her guardian were not even there. Melissa looked to Anne and saw that her guardian was in her turn behaving as though no one were in the curricle next to theirs, holding herself proudly and speaking only to Lord Woolbridge. Melissa felt she should follow her guardian’s example, but the unkind snub made her want to shrink into herself, not hold herself proudly erect.
The viscount put his curricle in motion without another glance or word to the Armstrongs. As they continued around the Park, Melissa’s eyes shone with unshed tears. No one could say that a plain Mrs. Armstrong was too high in the instep to acknowledge a baron’s daughter, she thought miserably. Something was seriously wrong. She noted gratefully that Lord Woolbridge was taking them back home. Earlier that afternoon she had longed to go out, but now she just wanted to return to the safety of the house on Half Moon Street.
As the cousins entered their townhouse and handed their wraps to Sanders, Melissa looked at Anne questioningly, and Anne told her to go into the drawing room where they could talk. Anne watched her miserable ward with compassion. This was what Captain Leslie had warned her about. She wished she could have spared Melissa the experience, for she could see that Melissa was deeply hurt. Although, Anne thought wryly, the cuts they had experienced were nothing to what they could expect in the future if the rumours became widespread. She followed her ward into the drawing room.
“What is it, Anne?” Melissa asked, her eyes still filled with tears. “Why were we cut by the Dowager Duchess of Carroll and Mrs. Armstrong?”
Anne drew Melissa down on the settee beside her.
“I am afraid there are rumours going around about us again.”
“The ones about our finances?” Melissa questioned.
“No, they are much worse this time,” Anne explained. “Someone is saying that I am no better than I should be.”
Melissa looked shocked, startled out of her misery at the cuts for a moment. She knew her cousin’s upbringing had been unconventional, but no one could say Anne was not proper.
“Who would say such a thing?” she asked in bewilderment.
“I do not know,” Anne sighed. “I would have warned you, but I did not know myself until Captain Leslie informed me of the rumours this afternoon.” She looked gravely at her ward. “I must prepare you. The cuts we experienced this afternoon on the drive with Lord Woolbridge were mild compared to what we may expect in the future. Most likely the viscount’s presence spared us some today.”
Melissa was silent for a moment, her fingers unconsciously pleating the material of her gown. The experience of being cut had hurt her deeply. If that was what they could expect when they went out, she would rather stay in.
“What can we do?” she finally asked.
“There is very little we can do, I’m afraid,” Anne admitted. “But although we shall be excluded from many of the ton’s entertainments for a while, our real friends will continue to invite us to theirs, and in time another on dit will take precedence over this one and it will be forgotten.”
As soon as she said the words, Anne wondered if she had done the right thing to give Melissa much hope. It was possible these rumours would not pass as quickly as the last. It was true that their friends would not desert them, but the question was how many friends they had. Well, even Captain Leslie had said it would pass with time. She hugged Me
lissa closely and, taking a handkerchief from her reticule, dried her ward’s eyes.
“Don’t worry, Melissa, it will come right in the end,” she said. That at least she could say with confidence, Anne thought.
Melissa smiled and returned her guardian’s embrace. “I know it will,” she replied with a quaver in her voice that belied the brave words.
Not far away, Lord Stanton relaxed with Prince George in Carlton House, the Prince’s preferred residence when he was in Town. The Prince did not get along at all well with his father, particularly since the marriage George III had arranged for his son with the Princess Caroline. When in London, the Prince of Wales chose to live in his own palace, surrounded by his intimate friends. They sat together companionably, drinking some of the Prince’s favourite cherry brandy. “Enlighten me concerning the latest on dits” commanded the Prince. “What’s this I hear about the latest Incomparable being chaperoned by a woman who’s no better than she should be, eh? Miss Amberly, I think her name was. Never got to see her, and now it’s unlikely she’ll be attending many functions. Is she as beautiful as they say?”
Lord Stanton thought that perhaps here he would have a chance to aid Anne and Miss Amberly. He organized his thoughts carefully.
“Yes. It’s a pity, for Miss Amberly is truly beautiful, and good as well. She and her cousin, who is her guardian, came to Town so she might have a chance to make a good match. The guardian, Miss Southwell, is the daughter of Major Southwell. He and his son were both killed in Egypt while serving under Abercromby. It’s a pity the rumours are ruining their chances, for there’s not a speck of truth to them.”
“How’d they get started?”
Lord Stanton played his trump card. “Believe it was Lady Conliffe. One of her court, the Viscount Woolbridge, transferred his affections to Miss Amberly.”
The Prince shifted his considerable bulk and his chair creaked. He glowered angrily at the mention of Lady Conliffe, for he disliked her intensely. Some cutting remarks she had made about his weight during the Season last year had been overheard and repeated.
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