“A trying afternoon, indeed, if you think the inhabitants of Fife House are civilized.”
“There, you’ve brought a smile to my face already.”
“You’ve managed to escape from your keeper, I see.”
“Mother’s gone to pay a call on Lavinia Spencer to see if aught transpired with the Duke of Bedford at Chatsworth.”
“Mary, it’s time for your tea. Run along to the nursery while Aunt Georgina and I have a chat.”
“You’re trying to get rid of me!” Mary accused.
“And I intend to succeed. Off you go.”
“I’ll come and visit with you later,” Georgina promised as she followed Charlotte into her sitting room.
“So if the Duchess of Devonshire hasn’t snared Francis Russell, Mother intends to do her utmost to bag him for you.”
“I’m afraid she’s quite made up her mind.”
“You don’t much fancy Bedford, do you, Georgy?”
“Not in the least. But I do intend to engage his interest.”
“Now you’re talking in riddles. Is this solely to amuse yourself? I thought you would have preferred to spar with his brother.”
“What makes you say that?” Georgina demanded sharply.
“Don’t bite my head off.”
“I’m sorry, Charlotte. I don’t suppose you’ve heard the dreadful news that John Russell’s wife died a week ago.”
“Elizabeth? No, I had no idea. We didn’t arrive from Sussex until late last night. Oh, I must write him a letter of condolence immediately. Those poor children!”
“I bumped into him just now in Parliament Square. I felt such remorse over the dreadful things I’d said to him that I gushed something about my heartfelt condolences and concern for his children. Then I babbled on about them not being alone in the Christmas season. I assured him that you and Charles would welcome them here at Fife House, and I invited him to Pall Mall if he felt lonely.” Georgina’s hand went to her throat in a defensive gesture. “I said it in such a clumsy way that he took immediate offense. He coldly informed me that he was not in the market for another wife.V
“Whatever did you say to such a pointed insult?”
“I wanted to fly at him and scratch his insolent eyes out. Instead, I asked him sweetly whatever made him think I’d be interested in marrying a mere lord when I could have a duke.V
“Good God, he might have surmised you were hinting at his brother!”
“In case he was uncertain, I removed all doubt by adding that we both knew which duke I had in mind.” She bit her lip. “Charlotte, what on earth am I going to do?”
“You’ll simply have to marry the Duke of Bedford.”
“Ask a silly question and get a bloody silly answer. However, a thought did just occur to me . . . I don’t need to actually marry the Duke of Bedford. I merely need to become engaged to him.”
“Is that all?” Charlotte asked dryly. “Didn’t Louisa try that route and find it a dead end?”
“I am not Louisa,” Georgina asserted.
“I hear the front door. It’s probably Charles. He’ll have heard the sad news about his relative Elizabeth Russell and will be amazed that I already know.”
“Here’s something else he’ll be bursting to tell you. William Pitt has resigned as head of the Tory government because the king asked Henry Addington to become prime minister.”
“You are a veritable font of information.”
When the Duchess of Gordon swept into the sitting room, Charlotte realized it wasn’t her husband who had arrived but her mother. “I have a soupçon of good news amidst the avalanche of bad. Apparently, the Duke of Bedford made no commitment whatsoever in connection with Devonshire’s daughter on his visit to Chatsworth. And moreover, he is not observing mourning for his lately deceased sister-in-law.V
“View halloo!” Charlotte exclaimed. “From a view to a death in the morning.” The words to Woodcock Graves’s hunting ballad were not lost on either Jane or Georgina.
“Have you decided on a date for your ball yet, Charlotte? I warrant November twentieth would be ideal.”
“That is only a week away . . . hardly time to get out the invitations.”
“We shall write them tonight. I’ll stay and help.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Charlotte murmured irreverently.
“Did Georgy tell you to plan for two hundred?”
“She hadn’t gotten around to that detail. We were discussing William Pitt’s resignation. Why on earth did the king ask Addington to be prime minister?”
“Because he’s run mad again,” Jane said matter-of-factly. “We had the whole story from Mary Anne Addington when we visited her this afternoon. Didn’t your sister tell you? Queen Charlotte is the one I feel sorry for. The poor lady doesn’t know if she’s coming or going. No wonder she looks so dowdy as she sits wilting on her throne.”
“You would have made a good queen, Mother.”
“No, I wouldn’t, Charlotte. A queen must play second fiddle to her king, no matter how deranged he is, while a duchess is free to tell her duke to kiss her arse!”
Georgina laughed. “You make the life of a duchess sound irresistible. I believe I’m ready to chase a certain ducal fox from his lair after all.V
“You are a Gordon, darling. You can do anything you put your mind to,” Jane declared, “with a little help from your mother, of course. What time do we eat around here? Then we can get on with those invitations.”
“This would be a good time for me to have that visit with Mary,’’ Georgy declared. “I hope I have a daughter just like her.”
“First things first. The wedding must be planned before children can be considered.”
“I’m already contemplating an engagement.v Georgina winked at Charlotte.
“John, the vultures have already moved in and are circling.v Francis poured two brandies and handed one to his brother.
He cocked a black eyebrow. “You think I’ll need this?v
“Brace yourself. Adair told me today there is speculation that you helped Elizabeth shuffle off her mortal caul.v
“I’m cynic enough to have expected it. My only fear is that the boys might hear the filthy rumors. Gossip can be a feral beast, tearing people and reputations to shreds.”
“I nipped it in the bud instantly. I informed Adair that your marriage was a love match, and that your heart and soul belonged to the lady you wed at nineteen. I told him you were heartbroken. I warrant word will soon circulate throughout the clubs.v
“You needn’t lie for me, Francis,” John said wearily.
“It wasn’t an outright lie. You imagined yourself in love when you first wed Elizabeth.” Francis contemplated the amber liquor in his glass. “Tell you what, though. It has quite put me off marriage again. Till death do us part and all that.”
A picture of Georgina flashed into John’s mind and, perversely, he was happy that Francis had lost interest in marriage.
“Perhaps it’s just as well. If you did wed a young debutante, she’d most probably outlive you.”
“Bite your bloody tongue!v
John changed the subject. “How did Prinny bear up to the news that the government didn’t fall?”
“Carlton House was drenched in bathos. The prince cried like a babe whose mother’s teat had dried up. I poured him a very large brandy to suck on.”
John looked at his own glass with distaste and set it aside.
The Earl and Countess of Lennox, along with the Duchess of Gordon, her son and heir, Lord Huntly, and Lady Georgina, stood in the reception hall of Fife House to greet their noble guests. Charlotte’s children had been banished to their own wing, one story up from the elegant ballroom.
Among the first to arrive were the Hollands. “Beth, how lovely to see you.” Georgina bestowed a radiant smile upon Henry.
“May I offer to partner you in the first reel, unless another has already claimed the honor?”
“Henry, it will be my pleasu
re,” Georgina replied.
Jane Gordon greeted Lord and Lady Spencer and their son, Jack, effusively. “Lavinia, I am so happy you decided to come.” The countess had only agreed to attend on condition that her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Devonshire, had not been invited.
Charlotte was secretly amazed when the Princess Royal arrived with her brother, Prince Edward. The Gordon ladies all curtsied to Augusta Matilda. “Such an honor, Your Highness.”
When the princess was out of earshot, Jane admonished Charlotte, “I hope you set a lavish buffet. Tape-worm Tilly always devours enough food for ten.”
Georgina tried to cover her laughter with her fan. “Gluttony runs rampant in the royal family.”
Lady Melbourne was the next to arrive, escorted by her son, William Lamb. They were Whitehall neighbors of Charlotte, and she felt obligated to invite her.
Jane greeted her with enthusiasm. Lizzie would be able to tell her best friend, the Duchess of Devonshire, that Francis Russell had danced attendance on Lady Georgina. Provided, of course, that the Duke of Bedford showed up. Jane spoke to her daughters behind her fan. “Lizzie is a devoted mother, but not chaste.”
Georgina almost choked on that one.
When Charles Lennox’s friend the Earl of Winchilsea arrived, Georgina tucked her arm beneath his. “George, I’ve been waiting for you. Lead the way to the ballroom.”
It was another two hours before Francis Russell arrived with his great friends the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Lauderdale. The trio had been gambling at Devonshire House, and to get away, made the ambivalent excuse that they had business at Whitehall.
Georgina and Prince Edward had just finished a rousing strathspey when Russell and Lauderdale approached. Francis raised a bold eyebrow. “No kilt tonight, Georgy?”
“Only my dearest friends call me Georgy, Loo.” She taunted him with his own nickname. “Why the sudden interest in kilts?v
With a knowing leer, Lauderdale quoted Robert Burns.
“She kiltit up her kirtle weel
Tae show her bonie cutes sae sma’
And walloped about the reel
The lightest louper o’ them a’!’’
Georgina laughed wholeheartedly. “The words are most apt, though I doubt His Grace understands your brogue, James.”
“I could hazard a guess at what your bonie cutes are,” Bedford drawled. He elbowed his rival, Prince Edward, aside.
“I have been warned that you are a womanizer.”
“that why you are attracted to me?”
“Actually, it’s the manse more than the man that attracts.”
“Woburn and Bedford are inseparable—you cannot have one without the other.”
“Pity.” Georgina found that she was enjoying the banter.
“Och, Francis, mayhap ye’ve met yer match in the wee Scots lassie.” Lauderdale gave her a broad wink.
“And making matches is the primary purpose of these debutante balls. Run while you have the chance, Bedford,” she urged.
“I never run from a challenge,” he drawled.
“Ah, I hear the overture to another reel. Which one of you gentlemen shall I choose as partner?” She looked the three men over. “Just as I picked an Irish racehorse over a Scottish one, it only stands to reason that a Scot can dance a reel better than an Englishman. Shall we, James?”
Though Francis appeared to take the teasing in good nature, Georgina guessed that the arrogant duke wasn’t amused.
When the reel ended, Lauderdale escorted her back to Bedford. Georgina did not demur, but gave Francis a sweet smile. He did not offer to partner her in another dance, however.
“Shall we take a stroll and see what refreshments our lovely hostess has provided?”
“An excellent suggestion.” She placed her hand on his arm and allowed him to lead her to the supper room. “I believe we could both use a drink.”
“Champagne?” Francis suggested.
“Perfect.” Georgina raised her glass in a salute to him. She took a few sips and set it down. “I know you will excuse me. I promised to take a petit four to my favorite niece up in the nursery. I warrant Lady Mary will refuse to go to bed until I arrive with her treat.”
“A stubborn little wench like her aunt, no doubt.”
“Exactly like her aunt, I am pleased to say.”
“Enticing a noble lady to bed requires certain skills only a few of us possess.’’
“Lady Melbourne and I were discussing that very subject earlier,” Georgina said with an innocence that belied the pointed dig and the wicked sparkle in her eyes.
“Georgy! Georgy! I knew you would come!”
“And I knew you would be standing at the door in your bare feet.” She handed Mary the treat, picked her up, and carried her to her bed.
“You look as pretty as this cake,” Mary declared, picking off a sugared violet and licking the icing.
“And you look as pretty as a princess . . . actually far prettier than the royal princess in the ballroom.”
“Is she wearing a crown?”
“A tiara, I believe.’”
“I wish I had one,” Mary said wistfully.
Georgina removed the crown of rosebuds from her hair and placed it on Mary’s head. “Your wish is my command, Your Highness.”
“Can I keep it, Georgy?”
“May I keep it,” she corrected. “Oh, what the devil . . . yes, you can.”
“Did you dance with a prince tonight?”
“Yes, and he’s been paying me outrageous compliments.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Thank you for coming.”
“When I have a little girl and you’re all grown up, you can return the favor. Good night, sweetheart.”
Georgina returned to the ballroom and encountered her mother.
“I thought you went to the supper room with Francis Russell.”
“I did, but then I excused myself to go upstairs and see Mary for a moment.”
“You actually walked out on the Duke of Bedford?v Jane asked with disbelief.
“He is a man who enjoys the chase, I warrant.”
“Return to him immediately and apologize.”
Georgina shrugged a shoulder. “If you insist.”
She found Bedford in the company of Prinny, who was making inroads into the smoked salmon. “There, that didn’t take long, and I made a little girl very happy.” She looked for an iced cake and found they were all gone.
Francis was holding a linen napkin, which he folded back to reveal the treasure it held. “I saved you one.”
Georgina took it and licked off the icing. “You do know how to tempt a noble lady,” she acknowledged with a secret smile. When she finished, she said, “I’m ready to dance, if you are.”
“I am unable to resist further temptation,v he said gallantly. On the way back to the ballroom, Francis pulled her into an anteroom used for the guests’ coats. He took her into his arms and captured her lips in a lingering kiss.
“Your kiss tasted of sugared violets,” he murmured.
“I wager that’s a first for you.”
“Not a first for you . . . you’ve been kissed before, haven’t you, Lady Georgy?”
“I have indeed, Lord Loo,” she murmured, then added wickedly, “Fortunately, I am able to resist further temptation.”
Chapter 15
“I am very encouraged with the way you conducted yourself at the ball, Georgina.” Duchess Gordon, her son, and her youngest daughter were in their carriage leaving Charlotte’s in the wee small hours of early morning. “The duke paid you quite a bit of attention. I know I advised you not to waste your time with Prince Edward, but perhaps Bedford noticed the young royal’s interest in you, and it stirred his own.”
“Bedford’s a womanizer,” George cautioned, as usual.
“All men are womanizers, if they are normal. It simply takes the right woman to tame them,” the duchess declared.
As you did with your duke, Mother?
Georgina did not voice her cynical question aloud.
Jane ignored her son and turned back to her daughter. “Yes, I am quite pleased. Capturing and holding the interest of a man like the Duke of Bedford will not be easy. As a matter of fact, you are setting yourself a gargantuan task. But if you succeed, the rewards will be beyond your wildest dreams.”
Georgina weighed the pros and cons of raising her mother’s hopes. Pure deviltry put her thoughts into words. “Francis Russell kissed me tonight.”
“Oh, my dear girl! See what you can achieve when you apply yourself?” Jane looked as if she could hear wedding bells.
When Francis kissed me, for one moment I pretended it was John. Georgina had felt decidedly wicked when she did that. Now she shivered at the memory and went off into a reverie. Mother thinks bagging Bedford would be a gargantuan task, but luring and capturing John would be a thousandfold more challenging. He totally disapproves of me and, I warrant, detests the sight of me. The mere thought of such a provocative and stimulating achievement fires my imagination and takes my breath away.
“It’s snowing! Look how thick the flakes are,” Huntly said.
Georgina suddenly became aware of her surroundings. “Oh, how lovely! George, have the driver stop the carriage. I want to get out and walk in it.”
“Are you mad, Georgy?” Jane pulled her cloak close about her.
“Indulging an impulse is good for you.” Huntly banged the silver head of his cane on the carriage roof. “Georgy and I can walk home from here. The morning traffic has already begun, and it will soon turn the pristine snow to sludge.”
“Thank God I’m no longer young and foolish,” Jane declared.
Georgina climbed from the carriage and raised her face so that the snowflakes could fall on her lips and eyelashes.
Her brother warned her again of Bedford’s loose morals.
“George, it’s only a game! It serves two purposes—it pleases Mother and it amuses me vastly.”
“What if Russell’s affections become serious?” He heard her laugh. “You don’t give a feather or a fig about him, do you?”
The Decadent Duke Page 17