Caroline laughed. "Adam is not known for being accommodating and ‘tis not the way of the world. A woman must be either obedient or very clever. You are not, I know, the former. I strive to teach you to be the latter."
"Neither am I known for being accommodating," said Allegra.
"Yes, I know that," said Caroline. "Let me give you a small amount of advice, which you may use as you will. My brother is good-hearted, and you two may be very happy together. But if you go out of your way to annoy him, things will get worse rather than better. A little flattery may do him a world of good."
"I see no reason to flatter him," said Allegra stiffly. "I believe that perhaps he should attempt to make me feel welcome. He has done nothing but moralize over me and pick at me. I am frightfully tired of him already."
Caroline smiled. "Did he indeed moralize? That must have been annoying."
"He was like a post!" said Allegra. "He told me meekness and docility were desirable in a woman."
Caroline's lips twitched. "I suppose it is too much to expect you to be amused by this, instead of irritated. And yet, you must try to understand him, Allegra. He is in as uncomfortable a position as you are with this marriage; he knows nothing of you, and expects you to be biddable."
"Well, I'm not. If he wants to order a woman about, he can go to Lady Manning!"
Caroline's eyes grew serious. "So you know of Louisa Manning."
"Know of her?" said Allegra. "I saw them together last night. They were quite a charming couple. My husband didn't recognize me, but he was quite capable of going out in public with her!"
"So that's the problem." Caroline frowned, choosing her words carefully. "Try not to be jealous, Allegra. It's most unattractive, and you should know that a mistress is different from a wife. There is no reason you could not charm him away from her; you are beautiful and clever."
Allegra was offended. "Jealous? I'm not jealous of her. She isn't worth my notice. But neither will I try to charm Gravesmere away. If he wants Lady Manning and doesn't care for me, I won't attempt to change him. I've done quite well without him before, and I shall do quite well without him in the future!"
Caroline shook her head. "I don't envy Mama, living in a house with two such stubborn people. If you won't listen to me, Allegra, I wash my hands of the whole affair. But do remember what I've told you; perhaps you will come to realize that getting along with your husband is preferable to warring with him. And a good marriage can be a thing of delight. Now Allegra, do you care to do some shopping with me?"
Allegra sniffed. "I wonder you agree to appear in public with such a wanton as me."
"Don't sulk, you silly child," said Caroline. "I'm very fond of you. I'm merely trying to help you. If you won't take my advice, then at least you can't say it wasn't offered. I believe that you and Adam could be very happy together, and you may still be yet. But I think it will be a rocky road, if neither of you compromises."
Lady Bellamy's rout was not a success for Adam. He was greeted with great joy by his former friends, but soon discovered they primarily wished to speak of his wife, of her beauty, her charm, her skill in the ballroom and her gracefulness on horseback. He was the object of great envy among the men, and some even expressed annoyance at his return, fearing he would monopolize too much of his bride's time.
Allegra, is seemed, had captured the hearts of Society. The Dowagers found her to be refreshing and charming, and though they shook their heads over her escapades, they forgave her because of her great charm and sweetness of manner. The men were openly attracted to her beauty and wit, and swarmed about her at her every appearance. It would appear that only the women of her own age disliked her; many a young miss searching for a husband found her dance card hard to fill and many a young matron was distressed to find both her husband and her cicesbeo dancing attendance upon the Duchess of Gravesmere.
"Adam," declared his old friend Freddie Brocklehurst, "You are a lucky dog. To have captured the fairest woman in London before the rest of us even saw her! You were wise to snap her up so young; I believe you would not have had a chance against me if we had vied for her in a fair fight."
The duke smiled tightly at his friend. He looked across the room to where his wife was having her hand kissed by a gentleman he had never seen before. "She is very much in demand, is she not?"
"In demand!" cried Freddie. "Why no event is a success without her appearance. You are the man of the hour as well. Everyone is agog to meet the famous Duke of Gravesmere, the man who is so fortunate as to share her home. Come to the card room, my dear fellow!"
Adam excused himself, although he reflected later that it might have been better to escape the room in which his wife was holding court. He stood against a wall, his arms folded, a fierce frown on his face. From across the room, Emily watched him nervously, not liking the expression on his face. Soon he sought her out, his eyes following Allegra's movements across the dance floor with yet another of her eager admirers.
"Please give my apologies to Allegra, Mother," he said. "I find I am still weary from travelling. Would you mind terribly if I return home to rest?"
His mother touched his cheek gently. "Not at all, my love. I'm sure Allegra will forgive you as well."
"I doubt Allegra will notice my absence," he said, and turned abruptly away. As he left the house he could hear, faintly, the peal of Allegra's silvery laughter.
Adam did not return to Gravesmere House. Instead, after roaming the streets of London for an hour, he found his way to Lady Manning's charming house. Louisa was waiting for him, wearing a flimsy dressing gown that revealed clearly that she had nothing on underneath it. She was nestled on a chaise longue in her boudoir, reading a book. She had gleaned some information concerning the Duchess of Gravesmere over the past week, and was concerned about how her lover had responded to his sudden acquisition of a beautiful and much-admired wife. Thus she gave him her most welcoming smile as he entered.
"Adam! I hardly dared to hope that you might visit me this evening. I fear my attractions are few compared to those of the Society to which you have returned."
Adam grasped her hand gratefully. Louisa's manifest charms were something he could understand clearly. "Hardly. My entire life has been turned upside down today. I hope you can help me make sense of it."
Louisa moved gracefully to make room for him on the chaise, curling her legs underneath her and leaning forward so the curve of her breasts was attractively displayed. "Come, my love, what is distressing you?" she murmured.
"My wife!" he burst out.
Louisa thought it best to dissemble. "Is she so homely, then?"
"No, she isn't homely," said Adam ruefully. "But I have come to wish she was the dowdy I thought her. She is not only beautiful and clever, she has all London at her feet."
"And is that so terrible?" asked Louisa. "Many people could desire nothing more."
"I do not want a wife who does no more than flirt and dance and laugh and make merry. She is totally heartless, Louisa. I can find no shred of softness in her."
Louisa murmured soothingly as she pressed up against his arm. This was even better than she had hoped. When she had first realized the extent to which the Duchess of Gravesmere held the town in her thrall, she had feared that she would lose Adam to her. She had had few worries about relinquishing Adam to the homely child bride she had expected Adam to find on his return, but she had wondered how she might fare against the Duchess of Gravesmere, Toast of London. Pity could be a powerful weapon, and it would be difficult to bring about a divorce if the woman was blameless. But a woman wise in the ways of society, with many admirers and an adventurous turn of mind, could not only be an irritant to her husband, but could easily be discovered in a compromising situation. She resolved to learn all she could about the duchess's favorites--and to be as tranquil and domestic as possible when around Adam. The contrast between accommodating mistress and headstrong wife should be strong. Perhaps she could achieve her aims even more quickly than she had
imagined.
"Can I make you forget your worries, Adam?" she whispered, drawing his face close to hers. She ran her tongue lightly over his bottom lip.
Adam looked down at her, distracted. His thoughts had been on Allegra, but now he was very aware of Louisa, her naked body covered by little more than a layer of lace, her abundant charms openly available.
"What a good idea, Louisa. How well you know me, darling."
Louisa smiled as she slipped the robe off her shoulders, revealing her full breasts. "Perhaps you can find something soft about me," she purred. "Forget her, Adam. I will make you happy."
"I know you will, Louisa." Adam's finger touched one of Louisa's nipples lightly, and she moaned deep in her throat.
"Come darling, I can't wait to have you inside me," she whispered, sinking back on to the chaise, pulling Adam down with her.
Allegra returned from the rout with a pounding headache. She did not know why, but her enjoyment of the evening had been less than perfect. Perhaps it was because Mr. Berkley had demanded that she dance with him a third time, or perhaps it was simply that the rout was such a crush that she had felt she could scarcely breathe. And Adam's behavior had been impossible. He had glowered at her dreadfully the whole time he had been in attendance, and then had left abruptly, without even offering his apologies personally. It was too provoking. So she had stayed very late, dancing with all the finest gallants and flirting outrageously.
As her maid helped her out of her sumptuous gown she stifled a yawn, thinking how welcoming her bed looked. Then someone knocked gently on her door.
"Whoever could that be?" she asked, denying the sudden jump of her heart.
The door opened, and Emily stepped inside. "You were very merry tonight, Allegra," she said.
"It was a fine party and the company was amusing," answered Allegra. "It would have been difficult not to be merry. Though I noticed that Adam looked excessively grim. Has he always been so stern?"
"He said he was still weary from travelling," said the dowager. "But I'm afraid that you worry him, Allegra."
I worry him? I don't see how I possibly could, when he pays not the slightest attention to me. He did not approach me even once tonight, not even to ask me to dance."
The dowager sighed. "The two of you seem determined to be at cross purposes. I wish you would try to understand one another."
"I understand him well enough," said Allegra. "He doesn't want me, and yet he wishes to bend me to his will. He won't find that an easy task."
There was a soft step outside in the hallway, and the unmistakable sound of the door to the duke's chamber opening and closing again. Anger and disappointment flared in Allegra's eyes.
"You see! He pleaded weariness and yet he is just now coming in. He preaches propriety to me, but I can guess where he's been these last few hours. Weary indeed! I am sure he is weary now!"
Emily hugged her daughter-in-law. "You must try to be patient, Allegra. You are quite a shock to him. Perhaps I should have prepared him better, but I was sure he would be happy to see you so lovely. Please try to be more accommodating."
Allegra shrugged. "I would do all I could for you, Mama, but I will not humble myself for His Grace the Duke. He will have to understand me a little, too."
Chapter 5
A Night at the Opera
The next days passed swiftly, as Adam and Allegra pursued their personal interests, each to the disdain of the other. Adam sneered at the constant parade of fashionable men who came in and out of the house and clustered around Allegra at every gathering. Allegra pointedly ignored Adam's wishes regarding her conduct and looked coldly upon his frequent visits to Half Moon Street. Their conversation, to Emily's dismay, was limited to commonplaces over dinner and the occasional quarrel in the drawing room afterwards. And the door connecting their two bedrooms remained firmly closed each night.
One fine evening Allegra emerged from her boudoir perfumed, with a toweringly elegant coiffure in which a tiny garden complete with a miniature statue, perched among her powdered curls. She was dressed in a stunning gown of deep blue silk over a gold-embroidered underdress. She carried a fan designed expressly for the ensemble, and pearls were stitched across her delicate satin slippers. Allegra was attending the opera with her husband and the Dowager, and she had reason to think the evening might be less than enjoyable, as Adam had expressed extreme annoyance with her that afternoon over the matter of her lap dogs sleeping in his study. If she was not to have a good time, she reasoned, she could at least look as elegant as possible.
She entered the dining room to find that her husband was its only occupant. He looked at her coldly, her magnificent toilette apparently leaving him unmoved. "Where is Mama?" Allegra asked, hoping Emily would be arriving soon so as to prevent her from having to spend much time alone with her husband.
"My mother is suffering from a headache," answered Adam. "I'm afraid she won't be attending the opera with us this evening." Adam was astounded to see Allegra's expression change abruptly from distant politeness to one of great concern.
"A headache! Is that all that it is? Are you sure she is not ill? Have you called for a doctor?"
"I didn't think a doctor was necessary," said Adam. "And my mother didn't ask for one. I'm sure that she'll be well soon."
"I must go to her!" Allegra tossed her elegant fan heedlessly on the table and ran towards the door. "Perhaps I can be of some help."
Adam, mystified, signaled to a servant to hold dinner and followed in her wake. He was amazed by Allegra’s sudden metamorphosis from lady of fashion to concerned daughter. He found his wife in Emily's room, kneeling by her bed and pressing a perfumed cloth to her temples. His mother was gazing at her fondly, and attempting not to laugh.
"Really, child, there's no need to fret. It's nothing more than a headache, indeed, and I shall very soon be well again."
"I wouldn't want it to be anything more than that," said Allegra. "Please, let me send for Dr. Monson. I would be much easier if he reassured me."
"There is no need for a doctor, Allegra. I'll be fine in the morning. You mustn't hover so, child. Go out to the opera. Enjoy the entertainment."
"Be entertained? As though I would go traipsing about town while you are unwell. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. Adam, please ask the kitchen to send my dinner up here, and have them send some toast and tea for your mother as well."
Adam silently obeyed her commands. This woman was unknown to him; he had thought his wife interested in nothing but her own amusements. And yet she continued to sit at his mother's bedside, attempting to feed her toast, no matter how the older woman urged her to attend the opera.
"Adam can go without me if he wants," she said. "I will take no pleasure in it if I think you are uncomfortable."
Emily looked at her son. "Please Adam, make Allegra go to the opera. She wastes all her finery here attending to me."
Adam smiled. "Her concern does her credit. Perhaps we should stay until we're reassured that you're feeling better."
"You children," Emily said. "Carrying on so. Very well, I'll try to go to sleep, and then you must leave." She closed her eyes and leaned back on her pillows, and soon her even breathing told Allegra that she slept. Adam looked at his wife as she sat clasping Emily's hand.
"She's asleep, I believe," he said softly. "Are you easier in your mind about her now?"
Allegra looked up at him. She gently disengaged her hand from the Dowager's hold and approached him. "You probably think I'm very silly for carrying on so over a headache," she whispered. "But I'm very attached to your mother, and this is how my own mother's illness started two years ago, and she died of it. When your mother has pains, it frightens me."
Adam bit his lip. He had not known that his mother-in-law had died in his absence, nor had he bothered to ask about Allegra's parents since his return. "I'm very sorry to learn of your mother’s death. But I truly believe this is nothing more than a headache. My mother is a very strong woman, and
she would not hide something serious from me."
"Perhaps not," said Allegra, looking with worried eyes at the bed where Emily slumbered. "But I can't help being concerned. She's very dear to me."
"Come," said Adam, holding out his hand. "You mustn't be so melancholy. Mother wants us to go out, and I believe if we leave now we may be in time for the second act. Will you accompany me?' Allegra hesitated. She was clearly reluctant to leave the Dowager's side.
"My mother will certainly ask for details of the ladies' dresses, and if you cannot supply them, she may have another headache," said Adam playfully. Allegra's mournful expression made him wish to lift her spirits.
She smiled reluctantly at his remark. "Very well. Since I'm already dressed and your mother is asleep, I'll go. But I wish to return early. I'll worry until I know she is well."
"Come along them," said Adam. "We shall sally forth in a quest for gossip to amuse my mother."
Allegra gave a gurgle of laughter and fell into step beside him. "You are so gallant, sir." They swept down the stairs and into the waiting carriage.
They arrived at the opera in good humor, as Adam was kindly disposed to Allegra because of her concern for his mother, and thus Allegra found his manner to be unusually friendly. This was how she had thought their marriage might be, she reflected as they rode in the carriage: Adam sprawled easily in the seat across from her, telling her a tale about his stay in Venice. Friendship could lead to affection, and affection to something more, perhaps. Adam was so very handsome, and when he chose, he could be more than charming. It was only the presence of his mistress, and his propensity to think that he could dominate his wife that came between them. At the thought of Lady Manning, Allegra's heart sank. How could she compete with someone to whom Adam was so clearly devoted? She knew that he had visited her every night since his return to Gravesmere House. She would lay in bed awake, sometimes until almost dawn, until she heard his footsteps in the next room.
As Adam escorted Allegra into their box, many eyes turned their way. It was unusual to see the Duke and Duchess of Gravesmere together unaccompanied by his mother or one of Allegra's gallants. Many a whispered word was exchanged behind a fan as the Duke politely escorted his wife to her chair, seated her, and placed himself next to her with every indication of attentiveness. He even leaned his head closer to her with a smile as she addressed a remark to him. They looked stunning together, his length of limb and handsome face setting off her dimpled beauty to perfection.
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