"My efforts were not what saved us," replied Isobel. "Without your assistance, I believe that nothing that Harrison and I could have done would have averted injury to that unfortunate fellow."
"That unfortunate idiot will be sorry that he tried to cut a dash while in his altitudes and riding a horse that he couldn't control, when I have finished with him," snapped Lord Francis.
His tone was so severe, and his expression so cold that Isobel shivered and thought that she was exceedingly glad that she would not have to listen to the blistering lecture that his lordship would undoubtedly read Mr. Braithwaite. Instantly, Lord Francis was all concern.
"We must get you home immediately. It is a wonder that you are not having the vapors."
Isobel laughed shakily. "I am not so poor a creature as that, Lord Francis," she said. "Vapors are never attractive, even when they might be called for."
"I can only agree with you, ma'am, and be grateful that you feel this way," replied Lord Francis. "For while I feel perfectly capable of attending to frightened horses, weeping females quite unman me." This was said with such a ridiculous expression of horror on his face, that Isobel gave a genuine gurgle of laughter despite her distress.
"Do not laugh," continue Lord Francis. "I assure you that I am utterly sincere."
"So the great soldier quails before a mere woman?" inquired Isobel, momentarily diverted from her shock by his lordship’s comical terror.
"Not merely the great soldier but all men!" answered Lord Francis. "But now, I must not be telling you our secrets, or you will use them against us."
"Indeed," said Isobel. "It seems I must cultivate tears and hysterics if I am to have my way."
"Perhaps, but tears and hysterics would have availed you naught a few moments ago. If you had not had such a cool head, neither Harrison nor I would have been of much help. I salute you for remaining calm and thinking quickly; the finest whip in London would not have envied the situation, and your handling of it was remarkable."
For the rest of the short drive back to Clarges Street, Isobel was uncharacteristically silent. She had received a severe shock, and was having difficulty regaining her usual clarity of thought. She noticed Lord Francis' strong hands on the reins, and had to be very thankful that they had been present in her moment of need. When they pulled up in front of her house one of the stable boys was waiting to take the horses, and she leaned on Lord Francis’ arm as she walked to the door.
"Pierce, have the footman summon Miss Walcott and Lady Morgan immediately," rapped out Lord Francis as they entered. "Miss Paley has suffered a very nasty shock and is in need of their attention."
Harriet and Letitia appeared moments later, and after Lord Francis had apprised them of the circumstances of the incident in the park Harriet burst into a confusion of speech and action.
"Oh my dear, whatever shall we--I must tell Babbidge--are you quite sure that you suffered no injury? We must put you to bed--I do not know--" Harriet turned to and fro as each fragment of speech emerged, so that she looked rather like a music box doll jerking through its paces, until at last she expressed a single coherent thought. "Charles, tell Babbidge that she will be needed immediately, and have a bed warmer and a tisane of chamomile sent up to Miss Paley's bedchamber," she said to the footman.
Isobel, who was by now suffering the letdown that often follows cool behavior in the face of an emergency, was looking quite ill, and Letitia was hovering over her, untying her bonnet and helping her with her driving gloves.
"Isobel, you look dreadful," said Harriet.
Isobel had to laugh weakly at this. "Really, Harriet, to endure what could easily have been a fatal carriage accident, and then to have you cast aspersions on my appearance is outside of enough."
"But I never meant to, you know Isobel that I would never, it is merely that I am so overset with worry for you that I simply cannot, for you must know that when I was visiting my sister-in-law Emily, that would be my brother Mr. George Walcott's wife," she added for Letitia's and Lord Francis' benefit, "we drove into Meresham, and saw the most dreadful mishap, with a carter's leg broken, and one of the bystanders covered with blood, that I have never really recovered from it and whenever I go for a drive I cannot help recalling it, but there--here is Babbidge now, let us take you upstairs, for I will not rest until I see you abed."
"And if that is not a sufficient threat to make you go quietly, Miss Paley, I will ask her for details about the exact circumstances of the accident," Lord Francis murmured to Isobel with a mischievous smile as Harriet turned away to favor Babbidge with her opinions about what exactly must be done for Isobel's comfort and well-being.
"Indeed, I had no intention of doing otherwise, Lord Francis. I fear that I am a poor creature indeed, for I find that I have no inclination to do aught but seek my bed."
"It would be quite wonderful if you did. I trust that when we next encounter each other you will be in much finer fettle, Miss Paley." As Letitia helped Isobel mount the stairs, Lord Francis bowed gracefully to Harriet and departed.
Letty hovered about as Babbidge efficiently removed Isobel's carriage dress and swathed her in a lacy nightrail and peignoir. A white lace bed cap covered the auburn curls, and once propped against the overstuffed pillows with the sea green coverlet pulled nearly up to her chin, Isobel looked like a child lost in the enormous bed.
Letitia curled up on the side of the bed, and smiled at Isobel as she drank her tisane.
"How lucky you were, Isobel, that Lord Francis was there to save you," said Letty with a meaningful glance.
"Well, as to that Letitia, I am sure that any gentleman with a cool head and a way with horses would have served as well," Isobel replied.
"Oh no, Isobel, you do not mean that. Such coarse sentiments do you no credit." Letitia looked so distressed, that Isobel had to look a little discomfited.
"I do sound an ingrate, do I not?" she said. "'T'is not what I meant. In fact, I must admit that Lord Francis' prompt actions and extreme solicitude for my welfare was excessively comforting. I suppose that he must have often had occasion in his military career to encounter situations far more distressing than this, but I have seldom been more distraught and truth to tell, cannot think of another gentleman whose assistance could have been more welcome to me."
This outburst amused Letitia, who cried, "Now you are teasing again, Isobel. First you declare that any gentleman might have saved you, and now you are certain that only Lord Francis could have rescued you so comfortably. You are quite ridiculous."
"But Letty, I am not funning at all," answered Isobel, a surprised tone in her voice. "I did find it wonderful to have Lord Francis and only he, present to come to my assistance. Any gentleman might have earned my gratitude under the circumstances, but I must admit that I find that the feelings which I harbor for his lordship are much warmer than I had previously imagined."
Letty was astonished only that Isobel would admit to her feelings, for she had for some time been sure that she had seldom seen a better suited pair than Lord Francis and Isobel. However, knowing her friend's opposition to marriage, she was anxious not to appear too eager to promote the match.
"I'm sure there are many young ladies in London this Season who harbor warm feelings for Lord Francis, with far less reason than you, Isobel," she said.
"Letty, you do not take me seriously. I feel a great confusion of my emotions. I have for so long had no interest in men or marriage, and now Lord Francis has me in a distempered freak. My studies do not set me all at sixes and sevens, why cannot I disregard Lord Francis, and confine myself to those interests which have served me so well thus far? Why must I be forever thinking of him? And now I fear that I will never be able to drive that wretched man out of my thoughts."
Isobel was beginning to sound fretful, and Letitia realized that Isobel's nerves were more severely disordered by the mishap in the park than her independent spirit would allow her to admit. So instead of pursuing the interesting topic of Isobel's sudden wa
rmth for Lord Francis, she took the tisane away, and encouraged her friend to sleep. Nothing loath, Isobel curled into her feather bed, and soon Letitia had the felicity of realizing from her regular breathing that she slept.
Letitia continued to sit some minutes at her friend's side, considering the conversation she had just had with Isobel. She was surprised and pleased that Isobel had expressed a preference for Lord Francis, for Letitia could not but feel the two would make a delightful couple, but she had long feared that Isobel's stubbornness would stand in the way of a happy resolution of the matter. She hoped that Isobel's feelings towards Lord Francis would continue to be warm, and that a good night's sleep would not serve to restore that particular rigidity of purpose which Letitia had so often perceived in Isobel's character.
Determined to foster the romance, she repaired to the sitting room to write two notes; the first to their host for the evening, begging for forgiveness for their absence due to Miss Paley's unfortunate adventure in the Park, and the second, by far the more important, to Lord Francis. On the theory that Lord Francis, as a military man, would appreciate the need to strike when the enemy was at its most vulnerable, she thanked him for aiding her friend and encouraged him most energetically to call in Clarges Street on the following day.
Chapter 11
The following morning found Isobel feeling much hardier. She took the opportunity to loll about in bed for some minutes, but grew bored swiftly, and soon arose to dress, come downstairs, and consume a large breakfast.
"I am very happy to see that you have an appetite, my love," said Harriet. "For that is the surest sign of health. I vow, you have recovered very quickly; if such a thing were to happen to me I would be prostrate for a week at the very least! I don’t know how you can arise and move about, and I certainly hope that you will reconsider this ridiculous notion of driving yourself about; I cannot consider it to be wholly ladylike, although I know it is quite accepted, and surely you would be safer if you had the coachman take you out in the barouche..."
"I appreciate your fears for my well-being, Cousin," said Isobel. "But the accident was unusual and unlikely to be repeated. I was not at fault, and it would have happened as surely if I had been in a barouche driven by another. I hope I am not such a weakling as to allow this to frighten me away from a favorite pastime."
"I trust not, indeed," said Letitia. "From the description of the incident I received from Lord Francis, I would venture to say that you acted entirely appropriately, Isobel. Of course, you were fortunate to have such an able gentleman at hand to aid you."
Isobel colored slightly. "I realize I am greatly indebted to his lordship," she said somewhat stiffly. "I intend to write him a note this morning expressing my gratitude."
"That would be very proper," said Letitia approvingly.
Before long the ladies repaired to the morning room, where Harriet took up her sewing and Letitia pretended to read while she watched Isobel attempt to write to Lord Francis. To her amusement, she saw that Isobel apparently found the task quite vexing. Any number of starts were made, but each appeared to be unsatisfactory, and very soon a small pile of crumpled paper accumulated on the desk by her elbow. She was just putting pen to paper once more when Pierce appeared in the door.
"Lord Francis Wheaton," he announced, and stood aside to let that gentleman enter. His lordship paused a moment, allowing the ladies an opportunity to view his handsome figure clad in ivory pantaloons and a topcoat of darkest burgundy, his Hessians shining like mirrors, and then swept them all a bow.
"I am very glad to see that your adventure of yesterday has not impaired your health, Miss Paley," he said. "Though, to be truthful, I did not doubt but that you would be in good spirits today."
"I thank you for your faith in me, Lord Francis," said Isobel, rising hastily and sweeping the discarded notes into the desk, after which she firmly closed it. "And I also thank you for your gallantry yesterday. I fear the outcome would have been much less desirable if you had not been present."
"I am certain that many another could have provided the same help, but I must admit to being glad that I had the opportunity to be of service to you," said Lord Francis.
Isobel hesitated. She was a bit embarrassed to recall the feelings she had expressed to Letitia the afternoon before, particularly as, now that she was faced with Lord Francis, she felt no diminution of them.
"Perhaps another gentleman would have been able to help with that situation, Lord Francis, but few would have shown the particular sensibility of feeling which made me so comfortable afterwards," said Isobel, somewhat stiffly. She mentally took herself to task for the awkwardness of her speech. Really, it was as though she were a mere child newly out.
Letitia surveyed the pair with a smile, and turned to Harriet, who was also viewing them with a knowing eye.
"Harriet, were you not going to discuss with Cook the menu for dinner tomorrow evening?" Letitia said. "Pray, let us do that now, for I have some ideas I particularly wish to share with her."
Harriet seemed only momentarily startled, and then a smile sprang to her lips. "Why of course, Letitia, that would be the very thing, and unless we speak with Cook now I may easily forget altogether. I am such a scatterbrain, as I am sure you are all aware, though I do try to collect my thoughts and of course..." Letitia swept out of the room with a murmured apology, carrying the chattering Harriet with her. Isobel and Lord Francis were left surveying each other in the middle of the room.
Isobel made a note to take Letty firmly to task for so basely abandoning her, and then turned to Lord Francis with a polite smile.
"It seems that Letty and Harriet have housekeeping tasks to take care of," she said. "Will you not be seated, Lord Francis?
"Thank you," he replied, suiting the act to the words. "I wanted you to know that I have sought out the man who caused the accident yesterday and have had strong words with him. Although he was rather sulky, I believe I was able to make him understand not only the stupidity, but also the dangerous nature, of his actions." A stern look came over his face as he considered Mr. Braithwaite’s iniquities.
"Almost I pity him, if you looked at him as severely as you are looking at me now," said Isobel.
Lord Francis broke into a smile and waved his hand gracefully. "Am I frowning?" he inquired. "I am afraid that I take horsemanship quite seriously, and do not like to see either animals or people endangered. Particularly when the person in danger is someone I have come to respect as highly as I do you, Miss Paley."
Isobel blinked at this, opened her mouth to respond, and then hastily turned the subject. "I think that I will very soon feel myself again, Lord Francis. The accident was not of my making, and I performed respectably. I expect that before the week is out I will be driving in the Park again."
"I hope so," said Lord Francis. "You look very dashing when you do, and it would be a shame if Society were to be deprived of the sight."
"However, next time I will endeavor to remain away from irresponsible gentlemen," said Isobel.
"A very good notion, Miss Paley. You would do better to seek the company of older and more respectable gentlemen, such as myself," said Lord Francis gravely.
"Oh no, Lord Francis, you are still much too young to be considered respectable," said Isobel firmly.
"Alack," said Lord Francis. "Well, if I am not of an age to be considered a grey-beard, then I must be young enough to be a dance partner. May I solicit you for the waltz at the Perchingham ball next week?"
"I am honored, sir," said Isobel, ignoring the leap her heart took at his asking. The waltz was still considered by the very highest sticklers to be vastly improper, as the woman was held so close to the man, but Isobel found herself looking forward to experiencing it with Lord Francis.
"It is I who am honored," said Lord Francis. "I have had some opportunities this year to observe your skills as a dancer and thus I eagerly await this opportunity."
"It is the least I can do for the man who came so gallantly to
my aid," said Isobel.
"That was also my pleasure, and not to be considered any further," insisted Lord Francis. "Your own skill contributed greatly to the favorable outcome, and that must not be forgotten. Please do not think of it again."
Isobel was so pleased by this speech that she was able to relax, and when Harriet and Letitia returned some few minutes later, the two were conversing quite merrily on the topic of the next evening’s soiree. Lord Francis stayed long enough to secure Letitia’s hand for the quadrille at the approaching ball, and then departed, saying he was looking forward to the next week’s proceedings.
Chapter 12
It was agreed by all the ton that the Earl of Perchingham’s ball was likely to be the crowning event of the Season. The Countess was launching a young and attractive daughter, who, while not a great beauty, was generally accounted to be charming in addition to being well-dressed and well-dowered. Isobel and Letitia were looking forward to the occasion, and when they met in the drawing room to wait for their carriage to be brought around, they were Snow White and Rose Red indeed. Letitia wore a dazzling silver dress, open over the front of a white petticoat which was embroidered all over with silver and caught with deep blue flowers, each winking with a brilliant in its center. The daring silver fabric could never have been worn by a young miss, but the whole had the effect of making Letty appear to be an innocent maiden floating in an incandescent cloud. Her blonde curls tumbled seemingly artlessly about a silver and blue headdress of ribands threaded through her hair and she wore a strand of pearls about her swanlike throat.
In contrast, Isobel was garbed in a deep carnelian gown. It derived its elegance from its cut of masterful simplicity. Made of a heavy silk charmeuse, it clung to Isobel’s curves lovingly, with no need of vulgarly dampened petticoats to hint at the charms beneath. The hem and bodice were heavily embroidered with gold and the dress itself sported tiny embroidered hummingbird motifs, which shone as she moved. Heavily worked gold and rubies, inherited from her mother, ornamented Isobel's slender neck and wrists, and she wore golden roses in her glossy curls to show off its auburn glints.
The Secret Bluestocking: Isobel's Traditional Regency Romance Page 10