by Anne Herries
Climbing into bed, Susannah dismissed her small doubts. She had another eight days or so before they were due to leave for Bath and in three days it would be her dance. She did not know why, but she felt some thing exciting might happen then….
Susannah emerged from the lending library the next morning. She had been to return some books for her mother and collected two others that she hoped she might have a chance to read before they left town, though she was not at all certain she would even at tempt them. Her maid was carrying a small parcel they had collected for Amelia and Susannah carried the books. She had turned aside to glance in the window of a milliner’s shop when she became aware that more than one person had stopped behind her to look at the bonnets displayed there.
‘When is your engagement to be announced?’ a feminine voice asked behind her. Susannah stiffened as she recognised the voice and the one that answered.
‘Oh, I think it must be quite soon,’ Mary Hamilton said and giggled. ‘He has been most particular in his attentions recently. Mama is certain he will come up to scratch before the week is out.’
Susannah stiffened her resolve and then turned to look at the two young ladies, who were giggling and clutching at each other. ‘Good morning, Jane—Mary…’
‘Oh, I thought it was you,’ Mary said. ‘Are you thinking of buying a new bonnet? I shall be making several purchases soon…’ She looked coy. ‘I cannot name the gentleman yet, though you may guess—but it is not official, you know.’
‘I see. I must wish you happy,’ Susannah said. ‘Excuse me, I must go home. I am expected…’
She walked away, head high, trying not to show that she was feeling agitated. She could only imagine that Mary Hamilton was speaking of Lord Pendleton, for it was he she had been thinking of when Susannah had over heard her at a dance a couple of weeks earlier.
Susannah’s heart was heavy as she walked home, accompanied by her maid. It was foolish of her to feel like this, because, kind as he was, Harry Pendleton had said nothing to her. He had never suggested in any way that he found her more enchanting than any other lady of his acquaintance. It was quite ridiculous of her to feel disappointed or let down. Indeed, she was not. Truly she was not…but it did hurt just a little that the gentleman she thought of as her particular friend should have been intending to make Mary Hamilton an offer all the time.
Susannah decided that she must put a brave face on it. She knew that she would meet both Lord Pendleton and Mary at the dance that evening. She would not let them or anyone else see that she was suffering from a heavy disappointment.
She happened to be wearing white again that evening. It was not a new gown, but one she had worn several times before. Glancing at herself in the mirror as she left Amelia’s house, she knew that she looked very well. However, when Mary arrived, she looked stunning in a gown that took Susannah’s breath. It was obviously very expensive, the silk sewn with diamonds across the bodice and trimmed with Brussels lace at the hem, and the necklace of rubies and diamonds she was wearing was worth a small fortune; she also wore a stunning ring on the finger of her left hand. It was hardly any wonder that she had a look of triumph in her eyes! Susannah’s heart sank as she heard the news circulating. Mary Hamilton had been right to anticipate a proposal and, when it was made, she had accepted.
Susannah had not seen the party come in, but she caught sight of Harry moments before she saw the triumph on Mary Hamilton’s face. It was little wonder that she should look so proud—she had claimed for herself one of the best matches of the season!
Susannah would not let herself listen to the gossip. Instead, she threw herself into the evening, flirting with her partners and laughing at their jests. Her heart was aching, for only now had she realised how much Harry meant to her—but it was too late. He had made his choice and it was not her.
It was not until more than an hour had passed that Harry came to her. She thought how handsome he looked, dressed immaculately in the style made fashionable by Mr Brummell, once the Regent’s favourite, his coat and breeches black, his shirt pristine white and his cravat a masterpiece set off by a diamond stick pin that sparkled in the light of the candles. His simple elegance made him stand out from many of the other gentlemen, who appeared over dressed by comparison. He smiled ruefully. ‘I am late,’ he apologised. ‘I suppose it is too much to hope that you saved a dance for your best friend.’
‘I fear that it is,’ Susannah said in a reserved manner. ‘I did not think you would wish it now—and so I gave them all away.’
‘What do you mean?’ Harry was puzzled, but before she had time to answer, her next partner was there asking her to dance. He watched as she was whisked away and stood frowning as she laughed up at the young man. Devonshire was the heir to a duke, but it was unlikely he would look at Susannah, for he needed an heiress to support his expensive tastes.
Harry took up a position next to the French windows, watching Susannah as she went from partner to partner. He could not under stand what had happened to her. She was always a lively girl, but this evening she seemed almost reckless. Yet he would swear that her laughter was not her usual carefree mirth. She was upset about some thing and she blamed him—but for the life of him he could not think what he had done to distress her.
Could it be that he had been deceived in her? He had thought he was gaining ground, but now it seemed they had gone back to the start. Harry shrugged. He did not care to stay and watch. He would go to his club or perhaps visit the lady who had been his mistress until a few weeks previously. He had finished his affair with Elaine, for it no longer pleased either of them, but he could talk to her—and he was in need of some female advice at this moment. Advice that he would never dream of asking from his mother or his sister.
Susannah did not see him leave, but she became aware that he was missing just before supper. Glancing round the supper room, she thought he might be found there, but he had disappeared. How ever, she saw Mary Hamilton, Lady Hamilton and a gentleman of about fifty years she recognised as the Marquis of Stavely. He was wearing a puce coat, tight breeches that showed off his rather large stomach and a black wig that was really rather odd. As if aware of her interest, he lifted a gold lorgnette to his eye and looked her way. Susannah blushed and hastily averted her gaze.
She had turned her attention to the food and was deciding what to eat when Mrs Hampton came up to her. ‘It is good news concerning Miss Hamilton, is it not, Susannah? Have you taken the opportunity to wish her happy?’
‘No, Mama—I met her this morning. She told me she expected a proposal, but I did not expect it this evening…’ Her voice quavered a little and her mother gave her an odd look. Her look of distress was plain and Mrs Hampton frowned. ‘He said nothing of her to me even this evening…’
‘Are you thinking…?’ Mrs Hampton smiled all at once. ‘Susannah, my dear—Miss Hamilton is engaged to the Marquis of Stavely.’
‘The marquis…’ Susannah stared in dismay. ‘But I thought…I knew she had thoughts of…another gentleman.’ How could Miss Hamilton have accepted an offer from a man nearly old enough to be her grandfather?
‘I imagine that is the reason for your be ha vi our this evening.’ Mrs Hampton looked a little disapproving. ‘I knew there was some thing. I told you once I did not think Pendleton was interested in Miss Hamilton. I believe you should go and congratulate her, Susannah. It may look as if you are jealous of her good fortune if you do not.’
‘Yes, Mama, of course,’ Susannah said. She went at once and said everything that was proper, ignoring the smirk on Mary’s face. It was clear that the young lady was very pleased with her bargain—indeed, the marquis was wealthy and titled—but Susannah did not envy her one little bit. She would rather remain a spinster than marry the man Mary Hamilton had accepted.
After congratulating her, Susannah went back to the ballroom. She looked for Lord Pendleton, but could not see him. She ventured to the open door of the card room and glanced in, but he was not there. Obvi
ously he had left at some time earlier and she had not seen him go. What must he think of her?
‘If you are looking for Pendleton, he is visiting his mistress,’ a harsh voice said behind her. She swung round to find herself looking at the Marquis of Northaven. ‘I heard him give the address to a cab driver as I got down from one myself.’ Northaven sneered. ‘I know the lady well. She is not particular in the company she keeps.’
Susannah bit her lip. She would not trust herself to answer such a remark, for it was said spitefully and not worthy of notice. ‘Excuse me, I must find my mama.’
She walked away from him, her heart racing. It was not her affair if Lord Pendleton had gone to visit his mistress. She regretted refusing him a dance when she might have given him a choice of two had she wished, but it would not have made any difference if he wished to spend the evening in the arms of his mistress. Susannah felt close to tears, because she had been foolish. She should have made sure of her facts before sending Harry Pendleton away. He must have thought her most rude, as she had been, a fact she now bitterly regretted.
Susannah did not see Harry the following day. He called while she was out walking with some friends and left her a posy of flowers. He renewed his promise to see her at her dance, but nothing more. She knew that she could not expect more. Indeed, she had not expected as much after her be ha vi our the previous evening. He must think her a flighty creature who changed her mind at the slightest whim.
She had, after some thought, decided to forget what the marquis had told her. She had no way of knowing that it was true—and even if it had been, Harry was a single man and entitled to visit any lady he chose.
Susannah knew that she cared for him more than was proper. He had not declared himself and she had no reason to expect it. How ever, if he should propose, she would make it clear that she would not wish him to visit other ladies if they married.
But she was foolish to consider it. Harry might not even be thinking of taking a wife. It was quite improper of her even to think such things! Yet she had begun to think of him as hers, and she could not help feeling jealous of the woman who had taken him from the ball.
It was a glorious day for her special dance. Susannah was al lowed to sleep a little later than normal before Iris brought in her break fast tray and a pile of notes and small gifts.
‘What are all these?’ Susannah asked, staring at them in surprise. ‘It isn’t my birthday for ages yet. I knew I might receive some flowers, but I didn’t expect anything more.’
‘Why don’t you open them?’ Iris asked. ‘See what you’ve got.’
Susannah picked up the first parcel and looked at the card. ‘This is from Mama—what can it be?’ She tore off the pretty wrapping and found a small velvet-covered box. Opening it, she discovered a pretty pearl-and-diamond clip for her hair. ‘Oh, that is lovely. It must have cost Mama some guineas to buy it for me.’
‘Well, it is a special day, miss,’ Iris said, smiling at her. ‘Go on, open the other two.’
Susannah knew her maid was excited and curious, so to oblige her she picked up the second parcel, which was from Amelia. In side that she found a pair of pearl-and-diamond drop earrings, which she held up for Iris to admire. Picking up the third box, she looked for a card, but found none.
‘How odd,’ she remarked. ‘There is no card with this one. I can not think who sent it.’
‘Perhaps it fell off,’ Iris suggested. ‘I’ll look for it when I go down, miss. Open it and see what’s inside.’
Susannah removed the wrap pings and discovered a beautiful posy holder. It was fashioned of basket work gold filigree, very delicate and pretty, and it had a large diamond set into the rim.
‘Oh, how charming,’ she said. ‘Do you see how it works, Iris? You can insert a small posy into this and wear it pinned to your gown if you wish.’
‘It is lovely,’ Iris said. ‘It isn’t just a trinket, miss; that’s a real diamond and a nice one. I expect your mama bought it for your dance.’
‘Yes, perhaps,’ Susannah agreed.
However, when she went to her mother’s room later to thank her for the clip and show her the other gifts, Mrs Hampton immediately asked who had sent the posy holder.
‘I thought it might have been you,’ Susannah said and looked thoughtful as she tried to imagine who else might have sent it. ‘There was no card. Iris thought it might have fallen off and she means to look for it. Amelia gave me the earrings. I do not think she would also have given me the posy holder, do you?’
‘I am very sure she did not, for we discussed what we should give you,’ Mrs Hampton replied with a little frown. ‘The trinket may have come from a secret admirer, Susannah. If there is no card, he may not have wished you to know he had sent it.’
‘Oh…’ Susannah felt a thrill of excitement as she looked at the posy holder. A secret admirer! ‘Do you think so, Mama? What should I do? I had thought I might use it to pin flowers at the waist of my gown, but now I am not certain….’
‘Well, I should do so if I were you,’ Mrs Hampton said. ‘It is a little difficult to be sure, for you would wish to thank whoever sent it—but if there is no card you cannot.’
‘Perhaps whoever sent it will mention it,’ Susannah replied. ‘Be sides, I cannot return it if I do not know who sent it, can I?’
‘I imagine you may receive other gifts as the day goes on,’ Mrs Hampton said. ‘You will almost certainly have lots of flowers, though that holder is rather valuable and I would usually tell you to think carefully about accepting such a valuable thing.’
Susannah nodded—she knew that it was not usual for gentlemen to send such an item unless there was an understanding. She could not think of anyone who would send her such a thing secretly. Had a card accompanied it from—say, Lord Pendleton, she would have taken it as an indication of his intentions to speak. It really was such a pity that there was no card, though if Iris were right… A little shiver went down her spine. She had put the incident in the garden with the Marquis of Northaven from her mind, and he had not been invited to her dance. He would surely not have sent it? No, of course not!
She smiled as she pondered on the identity of her secret admirer, but after a moment or two an odd thought occurred to her. There really was no one other than Harry Pendleton that she wished to send her some thing like this beautiful trinket.
Now that was very strange, wasn’t it? Susannah wondered why he had become so firmly fixed in her thoughts as the only gentleman she really wanted to admire her. She wasn’t at all sure of his feelings. At times, she felt sure he would make her an offer before her Season was over, but at other times she thought that they were just very good friends. The un certainty made her a little cautious, and yet she believed that if she were to encourage Lord Pendleton he might speak. She was beginning to think it might be pleasant to be married to a man she could really trust and like.
If Susannah were in doubt of the identity of the giver of the posy holder, Mrs Hampton was not. She felt quite sure that only one gentleman would have sent the holder and there fore she had no qualms about allowing Susannah to keep it. If it was discovered that it had come from a different source, it could be returned at a later date with a polite note explaining that the card had been missing.
Flowers and tributes poured in during the day. Susannah received several small gifts of sweet meats in beautiful boxes, flowers and cards wishing her a lovely evening, but nothing that compared to her posy holder. These gifts were the acceptable trifles commonly sent on such an occasion, and she noted with pleasure that Lord Pendleton had sent both chocolates and a wonderful little posy of roses, which would fit very well into her holder.
She deliberated over what she ought to do as she dressed, but eventually decided that she would use the delicate trinket to hold the flowers Harry Pendleton had sent her. Wearing a gentleman’s flowers was often an indication of the lady’s preferences, and Susannah would not wish to give any of her other admirers the wrong impression. She knew
that one or two of them might have spoken had she given them reason to think she would be pleased with an offer, but none of them had touched her heart. Only Lord Pendleton had become a true friend, one she would wish to know better than as a casual acquaintance. Therefore she would wear his flowers—and if the giver of the holder hinted at his gift she would thank him and explain that the card had gone missing.
It was very odd, for Iris had searched everywhere for the card and questioned the other servants, but no one had seen it. The only explanation was that it had become detached on the way to their house, and that was a nuisance. Unless of course it was from a secret admirer?
While it was exciting to think that she might have a secret admirer, Susannah had begun to under stand that such a thing would only be pleasant if that admirer turned out to be someone she truly liked. The idea that a gentleman of the same nature to Northaven might admire her from afar was chilling and she almost changed her mind about wearing it. However, she decided that it must have come from a friend, because it was so perfect for her.
It might just have come from Lord Pendleton.
Harry looked for Susannah as he entered the ballroom that evening. She was wearing white, as she had been the first time he had seen her. Her gown was cut so that it wrapped about her body in swathes of silk and lace—and at her waist was pinned the posy of pink roses he had sent.