‘But I have a tear in my dress and we look positively shabby!’ she exclaimed.
‘What we are wearing cannot signify much – they would surely prefer not to be kept waiting. However, if you prefer, go and change and come when you are ready.’
‘No, I think I’ll accompany you after all. I want to see their reaction when we appear in these clothes,’ said Letty, chuckling.
They followed Rowberry down the stairs and Alyssa, recalling the scrutiny she had been subjected to earlier in the day, was not completely surprised Miss Nash had called.
Seated in church for morning service, Alyssa had presumed that the young woman near Sir Giles and watching her and Letty intently was the close friend he had spoken of. Caroline Nash was of medium height with a neat, elegant figure and dark hair; her features were attractive, but spoilt by an expression of such haughty severity that Alyssa could well believe Letty’s observation that Miss Nash’s glance could curdle milk. Determined to be friendly, Alyssa acknowledged her with a smile, only to receive another superior glare in response.
She was prepared for some scrutiny following the strange terms of Uncle Tom’s will, but many of the parishioners knew her from past visits, and those who did not were polite enough to study her from the shelter of convenient hymn books.
But Miss Nash made no attempt to disguise her critical appraisal. Alyssa endured it with composure, breathing a sigh of relief when she turned to murmur into the ear of the older lady next to her, presumably her mother. Had the inspection continued, Alyssa might have been tempted to react.
However, when Mrs Nash turned to stare and Alyssa was certain she had been the subject of their whispered conversation, it was too much. She repaid Mrs Nash for her blatant scrutiny with a beatific, simpering smile and fluttered her eyelashes. Unfortunately, Sir Giles chose that moment to glance over his shoulder and caught sight of her exaggerated expression. He raised his brows quizzically and a crimson blush stole into Alyssa’s cheeks; she fervently hoped he did not think she was smiling like a mutton-headed idiot at him! To her relief, she saw his gaze flick to the still-staring Mrs Nash and his lips give an infinitesimal twitch.
Alyssa would have stayed to speak to him at the end of morning service – he was watching from across the churchyard as the congregation dispersed – but Miss Nash and her mother were already heading her way, and unwilling to undergo an inquisition there and then, Alyssa urged Letty sotto voce to make haste to the waiting carriage.
Unfortunately, notwithstanding this hurried exit, it seemed she could not escape an interview with Miss Nash and her mother now. Alyssa opened the door of the drawing-room to hear Caroline announce in cool voice, ‘Ah, Miss Paradise! I am Caroline Nash – Sir Giles mentioned me, no doubt. I decided to call at the earliest opportunity.’ She waved a hand in the direction of the lady on her right, upon whose grey crimped curls sat a flamboyant bonnet with purple trimmings. ‘My mother, Mrs Eugenie Nash.’ Mrs Nash smiled fatuously as her daughter continued, ‘We live at Frampton Manor, five miles from here, and my father is Squire Nash – an important local dignitary.’
‘Sir Giles did mention you,’ said Alyssa smoothly, wondering if she had come on his bidding. ‘You are his close friend, I understand.’
‘Is that how he referred to me?’ declared Caroline, visibly annoyed. ‘We are more than friends – I expect an announcement regarding our betrothal to appear in the Morning Post very soon!’ She gave a clipped smile. ‘I was certain you would not mind us calling.’
‘Not at all,’ replied Alyssa, determined to be civil. ‘This is Miss Letty Ravenhill, my ward.’
Caroline inclined her head graciously. Mrs Nash remarked, ‘A pleasure, I’m sure.’
Sitting down on one of the chaises next to her mother, Caroline observed, ‘We knew you would be anxious to see us.’
‘Anxious?’ repeated Alyssa, puzzled.
‘Why, yes, because of our connections! My mother and I are at the pinnacle of local society and, since you need our patronage to enter it, we decided to call immediately.’
Mrs Nash nodded. ‘There are people you need to be aware of. The Baileys from Dorchester – extremely well connected, you know – Mrs Bailey is a friend of Lady Jersey,’ she cooed. ‘Then there are the Barringtons, of course … oh, and the Westwoods! Indeed, we must not forget the Westwoods – such a venerable family!’
‘Thank you, Mama,’ interpolated Caroline firmly, with a speaking look. ‘There is no need to give a complete list of our acquaintances.’ She turned her hard gaze back to Alyssa. ‘After seeing you in church, I told Sir Giles I would call as soon as possible.’
‘That was kind,’ murmured Alyssa, sitting opposite and making a mental note that he had not instigated this visit after all.
‘Yes, we are well known—’ began Caroline. She stopped suddenly and stared with distaste at her host’s faded, worn dress. ‘Miss Paradise – your gown! It is so—’
‘Shabby?’ suggested Alyssa, with a rueful smile. ‘I apologize for our appearance but we were helping the housekeeper complete an inventory of the linen cupboard when you arrived. There was no time to change as I did not wish to keep you waiting.’
There was silence until Mrs Nash said in a shocked voice, ‘Surely there was no need to assist your servant? Organizing the linen cupboard is not something you should be concerned with.’
‘Mrs Farnell was grateful and it allowed me to say which linen I wanted replaced,’ said Alyssa quietly. ‘Don’t you and your daughter undertake such tasks?’
‘Certainly not!’ declared Caroline. ‘I would oversee the work but nothing more.’
‘Then we differ, Miss Nash. I have never before in my life had so many servants. At home, we often assisted our maid with chores and it will be difficult to break the habit.’
Caroline laughed incredulously. ‘I suppose you will help the kitchen maid with the summer preserving!’
‘Perhaps – I have done so before.’
‘A quaint idea,’ said Mrs Nash, with a titter, ‘but quite unsuitable for a lady in your position, or indeed Miss Ravenhill’s. You must defer to Caroline’s judgement on these matters; she knows exactly how a lady of fashion and breeding behaves.’
From under her lashes, Alyssa saw Letty struggling to contain her amusement and scrupulously avoided meeting her eye in case doing so caused her own mirth to bubble over.
‘Thank you,’ said Alyssa, gravely. ‘I fear I have lacked guidance in recent times. You see, I am often tempted to behave unconventionally.’
‘I am not surprised,’ said Caroline. ‘Giles has told me of your uncle’s will – dining alone with a stranger should disconcert any respectable young woman’s sensibilities and you must be unconventional to agree.’
‘Indeed you must,’ agreed Mrs Nash, nodding. ‘Caroline would not contemplate it! However, if the arrangements cannot be altered, they must be endured, and you must therefore align yourself with Caroline from the start, Miss Paradise. That way no harm will come to your reputation.’
There was a moment’s pause before Alyssa said, in a dangerously quiet voice, ‘I have no idea what you mean.’
‘Mama means you should cultivate my acquaintance as well as follow my advice. Then, by virtue of association, you will take credit from my good name,’ explained Caroline, without a hint of irony. ‘I carry sufficient authority and influence to limit gossip while you meet these ridiculous terms.’
Alyssa stared. Suddenly, a gleam of devilry appeared in her eyes. ‘Oh, dining alone with a man is of little consequence to me,’ she began, insouciantly. ‘Compared to other situations I have been involved in, it is extremely tame.’
‘What situations?’ said Mrs Nash, who was a woman of insatiable curiosity.
‘Alyssa, do you think you should speak of this?’ said Letty. She had no idea what Alyssa was planning but wanted to join in any raillery of these visitors. ‘Miss Nash and her mother might find it shocking.’
‘I am a woman of the world: I doubt I
could be surprised,’ retorted Caroline.
‘Ah! Then I shall be blunt,’ said Alyssa. ‘My past conduct has been deplorable. I had such a wild youth my parents despaired of me. I took to gambling—’
‘Gambling!’
‘Indeed, Mrs Nash. Not by design; I simply found I had passion and a skill for games of chance, and was drawn to them like a moth to a candle.’ Alyssa clasped her hands together and sighed. ‘I indulged in raucous card parties, playing for such high stakes I blush to recall them now. My mother wept and my father berated me, but all to no avail – I won, and then lost, a fortune.’
‘Good gracious!’ exclaimed Mrs Nash, her eyes wide with astonishment.
‘That is indeed an unfortunate story,’ said Caroline in a curt voice, ‘but—’
‘Oh, my dear Miss Nash, there is more,’ cried Alyssa, hurrying on. ‘Now you have allowed me association with your impeccable character, I must tell you the whole! My story did not end there, for I was not sated – my passion became an all-consuming craze and when I travelled to London to stay with a distant relative, there was worse to come.’
‘Worse …’ murmured Mrs Nash, faintly.
‘Much worse!’ said Alyssa, with dramatic emphasis and casting her eyes upwards momentarily.
‘What happened?’
‘When I was no longer satisfied with the stakes and company open to a woman, I disguised myself as man and visited the gaming hells of St James’s!’
Mrs Nash’s mouth fell open. ‘Disguised yourself as a man! Extraordinary! And gaming hells – how awful!’
Alyssa shook her head. ‘On the contrary, I enjoyed the excitement; there was no end to my yearning for adventure. With my adopted disguise of a rich novice from the country, Mr Jack Esidarap’ – she giggled like a schoolgirl, adding confidingly – ‘that is Paradise backwards, Mrs Nash, and I thought it exceedingly clever of me to think of it – I continued on my path to perfidy. Disguised as Mr Esidarap, I attended prize fights, all-night Faro and Hazard games and even walked down St James’s past the bow window of White’s Club.’
‘Good God!’ cried Caroline, spurred into speech.
‘Oh, no one saw through my disguise,’ said Alyssa, with an elegant shrug. ‘I knew what it would mean for a woman to walk in view of the gentlemen’s clubs – she would be ostracized forever – but dressed as a man, I was nothing out of the ordinary. Of course, I only did it for a bet!’
Mrs Nash made a curious strangled sound and dropped her reticule.
‘Oh dear,’ said Alyssa, in a concerned tone. ‘Do let me retrieve your reticule, Mrs Nash. You are not finding my revelations too shocking, I hope? I warned you my past is colourful.’
The elder woman’s complexion had turned puce. She took her reticule from Alyssa, shook her head and valiantly managed to stammer in a choked voice, ‘Oh n-no! Indeed, it is m-most illuminating!’
‘Well, to return to my story’s conclusion, I realized it was time to stop when I unintentionally found myself in – er – perilous circumstances.’
‘Not a – not a duel, surely?’ squeaked her main inquisitor, leaning forwards.
‘Please, Mother,’ exclaimed Caroline, revolted.
‘Bah! Nothing so tedious!’ said Alyssa, with a nonchalant wave of her hand. She lowered her voice to murmur conspiratorially, ‘No, Mr Esidarap found himself at a most unsuitable revelry at a private club and was forced to leave immediately.’
‘Oh! Gracious! Can you mean … surely you cannot mean an – an orgy!’ said Mrs Nash in awed whisper, pressing her handkerchief to her mouth in a vain attempt to smother a gasp.
Alyssa nodded slowly. ‘I see I need say no more – you are obviously a woman of great understanding, Mrs Nash,’ she declared, with a guileless look. ‘I leave the details to your imagination. The experience brought me to my senses, and I left London. Fortunately, my parents welcomed my return and even were willing to forgive my sins. Mr Esidarap was no more from that day onwards. He disappeared, vanishing forever into the folklore of notorious London gamesters. My parents and I – we never spoke of it again.’ She shook her head sadly, ‘I settled down to the quiet life I now enjoy although occasionally some remnants of that unconventional character come to the fore and will not be gainsaid.’
‘I won’t hear a word against you,’ said Letty, with a grin. Turning to their visitors, she added sweetly, ‘Alyssa is the dearest, kindest creature.’
‘You are very good, Letty,’ replied Alyssa, with a heavy sigh, ‘but perhaps Miss Nash, having heard my story, does not think even her reputation can save my tarnished character.’
‘I have never heard such a tale,’ said Caroline. She was more sceptical than her mother but it was too much, even for her, to accuse Alyssa of telling a Banbury story.
‘Nor I – the most extraordinary thing,’ agreed Mrs Nash. ‘How fortunate you came to your senses in time.’
‘Indeed it was, but I must ask you never to mention this to anyone. It pains me to remember, and I only recounted it because of your generous offer to protect me from gossip.’
‘Oh, I will not breathe a word,’ declared Mrs Nash.
Caroline protested. ‘But Giles will want to hear this!’
‘You may, of course, tell Sir Giles – I would not ask you to keep it from him.’
‘Naturally, I shall tell him. I expect he will have much to say to you on the subject.’
‘Oh dear, do you suppose so?’ asked Alyssa, with another innocent look.
‘He will deliver some words of wisdom on your behaviour!’
‘I hope most sincerely that he does,’ said Alyssa solemnly. ‘Now, may I offer you refreshments?’
‘Thank you, no – we have another call to make and must not detain you any longer.’
‘That is a pity! Now I have secured your confidence, I hoped to give further details of Mr Esidarap’s adventures; I declare there is enough to write a novel. Are you certain you will not stay a little longer and take a glass of ratafia?’
‘Well, I would like to hear—’ began Mrs Nash.
‘No, Mother!’ snapped Caroline, glaring. ‘Have you forgotten the other engagement we have planned?’
‘I must have because I cannot recall anything.’ She suddenly caught sight of her daughter’s face and blustered, ‘Oh! Now I remember. Yes! Yes, we should be going at once, my dear!’
‘Making your acquaintance has been enlightening, Miss Paradise,’ said Caroline drily, rising to leave.
‘For me also. Should I look forward to further guidance soon?’
‘I shall offer advice whenever I think it necessary.’
‘Then I must learn from you, Miss Nash.’ Alyssa turned to Letty, saying, ‘We may rest easy, Letty. Thanks to Miss Nash and her mother, we have every hope of being accepted into society.’
‘How reassuring,’ said Letty, smiling benignly at their visitors and then murmuring, ‘So pleased to meet you.’
‘Good day,’ said Caroline, turning on her heel and urging her mother to hurry.
Not until Alyssa heard their guests depart did she allow herself to dissolve into laughter and tears were soon streaming down her face.
Letty, too, was helpless and when she could speak, said, ‘Oh, Lyssa! You should not have done it, but it was extremely funny, all the same! How on earth did you invent Mr Esidarap? I thought Mrs Nash was going to choke on her astonishment.’
‘I c-could not endure such appalling conceit any l-longer without exacting a little revenge,’ said Alyssa, wiping her eyes as her laughter finally began to subside. ‘But, in spite of finding it amusing, I am also angry. How dare they suggest we need their patronage? Such pompous nonsense! And I was determined to be civil at the outset too.’
‘What will Sir Giles say? Will he guess it is all a fabrication?’ asked Letty.
‘If not, then he doesn’t possess the intelligence I credit him with. How unfortunate he has chosen such a disagreeable, arrogant woman to be his partner. I suppose I shall have to apologize at some p
oint – I would not like him to think I make a habit of inventing stories – but he shall also hear of the behaviour that provoked me.’
‘Should you explain to Mrs Nash and her daughter?’
‘No. If Miss Nash decides to apologize for her arrogance then I will do likewise, but since I don’t anticipate an apology, I shan’t enlighten them. Caroline Nash is no fool; she may have guessed but was unwilling to question me.’
‘But won’t her redoubtable mother tell half the county?’ said Letty, still chuckling.
‘No, poor Mrs Nash will have to keep quiet when she would rather tell the world! They are too nosy and meddlesome to stay away, Letty, and if the story became known, they could no longer associate with us.’ Alyssa laughed. ‘Let us see how Sir Giles reacts; it will not be long before he hears.’
Sir Giles heard that afternoon. He had called at Frampton Manor and was discussing farming business with Squire Nash in his study. The squire was jovial of countenance, ample of girth and renowned for his easy good humour. He loved his wine, billiards and even the occasional card party, but irritated the distaff side of his household with his blithe refusal to appreciate the importance of social nuances, saying while he did not enjoy tinkling teacups and gossip, he had no objection to his wife and daughter indulging as much as they wished.
He breezed in to the social gatherings held in his drawing-room, smiled, murmured a vague greeting at the ladies gathered there and ambled out again, happy to leave the wagging tongues wholly to his wife and daughter. Living in a female-dominated family, he was always pleased to snatch any opportunity for male conversation.
So, that afternoon, when there was an imperative knock at the door to interrupt his conversation with Sir Giles, he said ‘Come in,’ but his face evinced annoyance at finding no refuge, even in the sanctum of his study.
Mrs Nash, agog with excitement, rushed in, exclaiming, ‘My dear, you cannot conceive what we have just heard! Indeed, it is too shocking and never was I in greater need of my smelling salts!’ She hesitated, having suddenly noticed the visitor sitting in the winged chair opposite her husband’s desk. ‘Oh, Sir Giles. I-I am sorry, I did not realize … I came straight in without speaking to the servants. So foolish of me.’
The Paradise Will Page 7