The Chaperone Bride

by Marina Oliver

  'You need not be concerned for me,' she said now. 'I can walk in the Park with Brigid and the twins, for she means to take them there this morning.'

  'I wish to take you,' Sir Kenelm said. 'We were going to show the world how well you have progressed driving my phaeton.'

  'You have been driving Kenelm's horses? His greys? In his phaeton?' Henry asked.

  'Yes, and she has been a most apt pupil,' Sir Kenelm said. 'If you decide to take a break from gossip and uninformed speculation at White's this afternoon, you may see us there.'

  After Henry left them Joanna tried to convince Sir Kenelm he was under no obligation to take her driving.

  'I really do have the headache,' she said, putting a hand to her brow.

  'Then spend the morning lying down. You look as though you have not slept for days now. Is aught worrying you?'

  She shook her head, but veiled her eyes so that he could not read their expression.

  'I will try to sleep,' she promised. 'I hope you discover more about what is happening in Belgium from your friends.'

  She smiled and left the room. He took a step to follow, then paused. He had no right. Sighing, he went to his own room and prepared to go out. Perhaps more news had come since the previous day, more solid information than the vague rumours he had heard yesterday. Where was Matthew? Had there been fighting already? How soon would they hear, either that Matthew was unharmed, or that he was injured, even killed?

  *

  By the time they were driving to the Park Joanna was feeling better. She had cried off walking with Brigid and retired to bed, then had spent a good deal of the time while lying there attempting to sleep scolding herself for caring what Sir Kenelm did. He would not shame her by openly flaunting his mistress, as some men did. Sophia had not known about Selina Kirk, so it was unlikely anyone else in London did.

  He was attentive in public, far more so than she had expected, and spent time with her when he need not have done, escorting her to routs and the theatre, and quiet dinner parties. They had attended no balls, feeling it was not appropriate while Joanna was in mourning for her father, despite the fact she had put off even her half mourning clothes. After just a few weeks she now knew a good many people, was receiving morning callers, and if she wished could make calls herself without depending on Sophia's support. Encouraged by Sophia she went shopping, enjoying for the first time in her life the knowledge she could purchase whatever she wished. She had been overwhelmed by Sir Kenelm's original generosity in Leeds, but there she had been careful to purchase only what she felt was essential. Now, with both him and Sophia insisting she must be frivolous, she gave way to temptation and bought whatever took her fancy.

  When she dressed to drive in the Park that afternoon Joanna had on a new, aquamarine walking dress with a pelisse in a darker shade, and a chip straw bonnet she had trimmed herself with feathers dyed to match the dress. Sir Kenelm handed her up to the high perch seat, climbed in after her and took the reins from Potts.

  'I will drive until we reach the Park,' he said, and asked her if she was feeling more the thing.

  'Much better, thank you,' Joanna told him. She was determined to allow no sign of worry to show itself.

  The Park was busy, but Sir Kenelm handed Joanna the reins and told her she was fully capable of steering a path through the throng of carriages and walkers.

  Everyone they knew seemed determined to stop them and ask questions, desperate to discover any new rumours, and hotly debating the truth of them. Opinions seemed evenly divided on whether Wellington could prevail, or Napoleon defeat the Duke.

  'Wellington has never lost,' seemed to be the main argument of the men, especially any who were former soldiers.

  'If Napoleon defeats him, what will the monster do next?' many of the women asked, shivering.

  Joanna was forced to pull up so often to speak to people hailing them the greys were getting restive, and she offered the reins to Sir Kenelm.

  'Perhaps you had better drive,' she said.

  'Why, cannot you control them? You appear to be managing them so well you will soon be able to come to the Park on your own,' he replied.

  'I wouldn't dare!' she replied, laughing. 'Oh, well, be prepared to take over if I make a mull of it.'

  They reached a less frequented area and the greys settled down into a steady trot, until Joanna suddenly jerked on the reins and the greys broke into an uncoordinated canter. She recovered quickly, and brought them back to a steady trot.

  'What is it? What have you seen?' Sir Kenelm asked.

  'Oh, nothing, I just lost concentration,' Joanna said, hoping he had not seen Selina Kirk, driving in a smart curricle with the older man she had been with at the theatre.

  Fortunately they were driving away from her and did not appear to have recognised her. She glanced from under her lashes at Sir Kenelm, but he was looking in the opposite direction and she breathed a sigh of relief and began to chatter about other things. She could pay no attention to Selina's actions until she was safely back home and dressing for dinner.

  Had the woman found a new protector? The older man had been with her on both occasions. Who was he? There was no one she could ask, or even confide in. Even Brigid, her best friend, could not be told of the true state of her marriage. If she even breathed a suspicion that Sir Kenelm had a mistress, so short a time after his marriage, Brigid would be both puzzled and angry, and then Joanna would be forced to explain. She knew Brigid would not understand, and her Irish temper would no doubt show itself to Sir Kenelm.

  Joanna sighed, and when Betsy, brushing her hair, asked if she still had the headache, smiled and said she was worried about what was happening in Belgium, and the lack of news from there.

  *

  Neither Henry nor Sir Kenelm had discovered more precise information that morning.

  'Just rumours,' Henry said in disgust.

  He had left White's and come home for dinner, saying he was wearied of all the speculation, based on no more than the fact so many people were fleeing from Brussels.

  'They are cowards, expecting the worst. They have no trust in Wellington and our soldiers.'

  'They flee before there has been any fighting, even,' Sir Kenelm said, but refrained from commenting on the inexperience of many of the soldiers, facing, no doubt, some of Napoleon's crack troops.

  'I mean to go to Brussels,' Henry said suddenly. 'It's the only sure way of discovering what has happened, and finding Matthew. It could be weeks, otherwise, before letters can get through, and we discover his fate.'

  'But it seems as though everyone is fleeing from Brussels,' Joanna said, startled.

  Henry did not appear to hear her. He was deep in his own reflections.

  'Will you come with me, Kenelm?'

  For a few moments Sir Kenelm was tempted but he could not leave Joanna on her own, and it was too risky to take her so close to a potential battlefield. He shook his head.

  'One of us will be sufficient. At least, with everyone else coming the other way you will find carriages aplenty to hire.'

  'And if the lad is injured I can bring him home.'

  Or his body, if he is dead, and provided his body can be found, Sir Kenelm thought.

  'Would you not wish to go with Henry?' Joanna asked Sir Kenelm. 'You need not be concerned about leaving me here on my own. I have Brigid, and will have Sophia's company.'

  He shook his head. 'It will surely only be a couple more days before we hear,' he said, 'and I can endure the suspense for that long.'

  They began to plan the journey. Henry would set off as soon as it was light in the morning, riding one of Sir Kenelm's horses.

  'I'll go via Dover. Potts or one of the grooms can come with me to begin with, to bring your mount home when I have to change.'

  'There will no doubt be plenty of packets, or even other boats, going to Ostend,' Sir Kenelm said. 'If so many are fleeing Brussels there will be profit to be made carrying them back to England.'

  Henry nodded, st
ill concerned with his planning.

  'I can hire a horse there. With luck I can be in Brussels within four and twenty hours. I'll try to send word by anyone returning to London, if I have to wait, if no battle has yet taken place.'

  'Why not take one of the grooms with you, who could carry back a message?' Sir Kenelm suggested.

  Henry nodded. 'It would be more certain than depending on the posts or someone we don't know,' he agreed.

  'I will have sandwiches prepared,' Joanna said. 'Then if you do not wish to, you need not stop on the road.'

  *

  Joanna barely slept that night, for she intended to be up at dawn to wish Henry God speed. She wished she could be going with him, and she was well aware Sir Kenelm had made a big sacrifice in order to stay at home with her. She had seen the sudden flair of longing in his eyes as Henry had asked for his company. He had said he needed to stay with her, but that was mere politeness. Perhaps he really meant he needed to stay with his children. They would have been puzzled and perhaps apprehensive to find their father suddenly absent. Although they knew little of what was happening on the continent, they were aware a battle was imminent. If they understood he had gone to find their Uncle Matthew they could have been frightened, worrying about what was happening to him.

  She rose as soon as it was light, pulled on a dressing gown, and went downstairs. Henry and Sir Kenelm were in the breakfast room, partaking of a lavish breakfast, attended by Firbank and one of the footmen.

  'Joanna! I did not expect you to get up so early,' Sir Kenelm said, springing up to offer her a chair and fetch a cup of coffee for her. 'What will you eat? Eggs, kidneys, mushrooms?'

  'Goodness, is the entire household up?' Joanna asked, surveying the array of dishes set out on the sideboard.

  'Only Firbank and Benjamin, who has proved himself a very competent cook! It's thanks to him we have more than cold beef and ham.'

  'Just a slice of ham and some eggs, please. I will have more at my usual breakfast time.'

  Joanna did not want to eat, but she felt obliged to take some of Benjamin's offerings.

  They did not talk much, but soon Henry said he must be on his way, and they went to watch him set off, accompanied by Potts, who insisted on being the one to go with him to Brussels, and another groom to bring the horses home. As he turned the corner they went back inside.

  'Go back to bed, my dear,' Sir Kenelm said. 'I mean to sleep for several hours, for I could not sleep last night.'

  'Nor I, for fear of missing seeing Henry off. Will he find Matthew, do you suppose? The Duke has many thousands of men, and if there has been a battle there will be considerable confusion.'

  'He will do his best. Don't be concerned. Henry is a resourceful fellow, and determined.'

  Joanna suppressed a yawn, and went upstairs. She had told Betsy not to wake her in the morning, but worry kept her tossing for the rest of the night, and at nine she could bear it no longer and rang for her maid. When, for the second time, she descended to the breakfast room, she found Sir Kenelm there.

  'So neither of us slept?' he asked. 'This will not do. I will drive you out to Richmond. We cannot sit around all day worrying.'

  *

  Before they could set off Sophia appeared. She was ushered into the drawing room where Joanna was waiting for Sir Kenelm.

  'My dear, forgive me for calling so early, but I could not stay at home. Have you heard anything? These dreadful rumours about what is happening in Belgium are so frightening. Mr Langston has been to the Stock Exchange, and he says the brokers are in a great panic. They are selling consols as fast as they can, and the price is dropping. Has Kenelm heard anything?'

  'Come and sit down, Sophia. We don't know anything, but Henry has set off for Brussels this morning.'

  'For Brussels? But that is where the battle will be, everyone says. It's where that monster is heading, from all we can hear.'

  'Yes, and he means to find news of Matthew there. He says it will be more certain than relying on the sort of rumours we have been hearing for the past week or more.'

  Sophia sank onto a chair.

  'Yes, I suppose it could be weeks before we heard anything, and I cannot endure the suspense. I wish I could go to Brussels too!'

  'There would not be a great deal we could do there,' Joanna tried to reassure her, and thrust away memories of the nursing the women had been called upon to do in Portugal.

  Those battles had been minor skirmishes, compared with what was expected of the coming clash between the two generals, both experienced and successful commanders with years of fighting behind them.

  'I shall have to wait. But you are dressed to go out, and I must not keep you. Perhaps, if you have no plans for tomorrow, we could visit a modiste and try to forget?'

  'In an orgy of shopping?' Joanna laughed. 'I would like that.'

  Sir Kenelm came into the room at that moment, and when Sophia heard they were intending to drive out to Richmond, he suggested she and her husband joined them. She shook her head, saying she did not know if she could forget things enough to contemplate such a drive.

  She left soon afterwards, and they set out. Once past the Kensington turnpike Sir Kenelm handed the reins to Joanna.

  'The greys are fresh. It will keep your mind engaged controlling them,' he said, and laughed.

  How could he appear so lighthearted when he must be worrying about his brother, Joanna wondered. He talked easily, not once mentioning the wars or the Congress, but recalling incidents from the time before he was married to Maria, incidents which always seemed to place him in a ludicrous situation so that she was kept in a bubble of laughter.

  'You have not yet visited your school mistress,' he said. 'Perhaps you could go tomorrow?'

  'Sophia wishes to go shopping, to forget,' Joanna replied.

  'Then perhaps the next day. You could go with Brigid, and Sally can take charge of the twins.'

  He seemed intent on filling her time, and she was grateful. She had liked Matthew, wished him well, and would be sad if he were killed or injured, but he was not her brother, and Sir Kenelm and Henry must be far more concerned than she could ever be.

  It was a pleasant day. They stabled the greys and walked in the park, watching the deer which seemed almost tame. Then they ate luncheon, and set off back to town. As they entered the house Sir Kenelm caught Joanna's hand and stopped her from mounting the stairs.

  'My dear, would you mind if I left you to go to White's for an hour or so, to see if there is any news?'

  'I would hope you might. I am as anxious to hear what is happening as you are.'

  'You are an excellent wife,' he said, raising her hand to his lips. 'I will be back in time for dinner.'

  He then turned away, and Joanna, bemused, went slowly up the stairs to change.

  *

  There was still no news at White's, but more rumours of Napoleon's advance towards the border. Some thought he had crossed it, others that he had broken through Wellington's lines and was in Brussels already.

  'The stock market thinks all is lost,' one man said. 'Everyone is selling. Do they know more than we do?'

  'Some of the bankers have better intelligence systems than the government,' another said. 'I believe Nathaniel Rothschild has a whole army of spies covering the movements of both the armies, and private ships to bring the news back.'

  Sir Kenelm could discover no definite news, and soon went back home where he could dine quietly with Joanna.

  'Shall we go to Lady Ormerod's musical evening?' he asked. 'It will take our minds off pointless speculations.'

  Joanna agreed. 'I would like that. I have not been able to settle to anything while you were at White's. I intended to read more of Lord Byron's poem, but even that did not retain my attention.'

  'I'm sure he would be devastated to hear it.'

  She chuckled. 'Even a bad soprano would be better.'

  The performers were, in fact, more talented than they had expected, and during the supper interval m
ost people concentrated on discussing the music. Only a few mentioned Napoleon, and Sir Kenelm noticed they were for the most part ignored. Clearly tonight people wanted to forget their apprehensions.

  *

  Sophia and Joanna, the following morning, were in Bond Street, debating the merits of two poke bonnets, when another customer entered the milliner's. Joanna looked round in surprise when she heard the woman speak, and to her dismay found herself being surveyed by Selina Kirk.

  The woman smiled, ignoring the milliner who was asking her what she wished to see, and strolled across to Joanna.

  'Lady Childe, what a surprise to see you here,' she said, 'so far from Rock Castle.'

  Joanna was unable to reply for a moment. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry. What did the woman want? Did she intend to create some distasteful scene? She swallowed, and found her voice.

  'Mrs Kirk,' she muttered, and did not know what else to say. Ought she, she wondered in a panic, to introduce the woman to Sophia? Could she say please meet my husband's, and your brother's mistress?

  Selina smiled. 'Not Mrs Kirk any longer,' she said. 'I am married now, to a Mr Elias Peabody. You saw me with him at the theatre. He is a merchant, an India merchant,' she added, and waved one hand, covered with rings, in front of Joanna's face. 'I met him in Harrogate. He expects to receive a knighthood soon. Even, perhaps, a baronetcy.'

  She did not need to explain he was very wealthy. Her gesture, and the opulence of her jewels, showed that without her needing to say anything.

  'Oh, are you? Married, I mean,' was all Joanna could manage.

  'He is thinking of buying an estate near Leeds,' Mrs Peabody said. 'I really prefer to be closer to London, though, so I don't expect we will become neighbours in Yorkshire. Well, I see I am late meeting my dear Elias. I will come and select a few hats another day,' she said to the milliner, and with another condescending smile, swept from the shop.