by Mary Nichols
‘It was my privilege, my lady, but tell me, what were you thinking of to come out alone on such a day?’
‘I was not alone. I had my maid with me and a groom, but I lost them in the mêlée.’ She looked back, searching for a sight of them in the sea of heads. ‘I was carried along, quite unable to make headway, and had to go with the crowd. I had no idea it would be like this.’
‘I advise you to avoid going out on foot while the Queen is in Town.’
‘And how long will that be, do you suppose? I do not like the idea of being confined to the house by a mob.’
‘You need not be. I will be pleased to escort you, whenever you wish to go out. In the meantime, I will see you safe home.’
‘Thank you.’ She took off her other shoe and carried it, as they began walking back down Oxford Street, quieter now, with everyone resuming whatever it was they had been doing before the Queen passed. ‘But I must find Daisy and Tom.’
‘I do not doubt they will find their own way home, my lady. I think you need to be safe indoors before anyone of consequence sees you.’
She laughed. ‘Yes, I must look a mess.’
‘Not a mess in my eyes, my lady, only delightfully unruly, but perhaps others might see the matter differently. Is the Duke at home? Or the Duchess?’
‘No. Papa has gone to another of those interminable meetings to try to resolve the problem of the Queen, and Stepmama has gone to the orphanage, which was why I could not have the carriage.’
‘Perhaps it is as well. You will be able to change and tidy your hair before anyone sees you and then, with your permission, I will return this afternoon to make sure you are none the worse for your little adventure.’
‘Thank you. You are very kind. I must be causing you great inconvenience.’
‘Not at all.’
They were just turning into the end of St James’s Square when they were spotted by James, arriving on horseback to call on her. He leapt from the stallion and strode to intercept them, his expression furious. ‘Vinny, whatever has happened to you?’ And then, without waiting for an answer, turned to Edmund. ‘Wincote, if you have harmed a hair of her head, by God, you will have me to answer to.’
‘James, do not be such a gudgeon,’ Lavinia said, putting a restraining hand on his arm. ‘Lord Wincote has just rescued me from being trampled to death by a mob and I am very grateful to him.’
‘Oh.’ James was only slightly mollified. The sight of Lavinia with her hair all over the place, her dress and stockings torn, with her shoe in her hand, accompanied by a man he did not trust, had frightened him half to death and his immediate reaction had been that Wincote had compromised her, if not actually molested her. It was not easy to change that image of the man instantly into one of knight errant. ‘What happened?’ he demanded. ‘Why were you out unchaperoned?’
‘I was not. I had Daisy and Tom Bagshott with me, but we were separated. I was carried along by the mob; if Lord Wincote had not arrived when he did, I do not know what might have happened.’
‘If that is the case, I beg your pardon, Wincote.’ He turned his mount to shield her from the gaze of the bystanders who were showing more than a little curiosity at the scene being played out before them, and began to escort her towards her home, leading the horse.
‘Granted,’ Edmund said pleasantly, falling into step the other side of her. ‘I think I might have been inclined to the same conclusion if our roles had been reversed—’
‘I would never do anything to hurt Lady Lavinia.’
‘Nor I, Corringham.’
‘Lavinia, I think that you must not go out again on foot,’ James said as they reached the front door of Stanmore House. ‘Not until these troubles are over.’
‘Just what I said,’ Edmund put in, almost triumphantly. ‘I have offered my escort whenever it should be needed.’
‘But you have no carriage.’
‘No, but I intend to acquire one very soon.’
James did not reply to that, as a footman opened the door and stood holding it, his mouth gaping.
Lavinia smiled at him. ‘Dobson, have you seen Daisy or Tom?’
He recovered himself quickly. ‘Yes, my lady. They came home some time ago, but as you had not preceded them, they went out again to look for you. We have all been most concerned and wondering if his Grace should be summoned…’
‘I am glad you did not do that,’ Lavinia said, imagining how angry her father would be at her foolishness. ‘But we must go and look for Daisy and Tom.’
‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ James said. ‘You must go and change you clothes before the Duchess comes home. Lord Wincote and I will go. That so, Wincote?’
If Edmund had been hoping to be invited in, he did not show his disappointment, but bowed to Lavinia and smiled. ‘Of course, my lady. We will bring them both safe home.’
They turned and left together and Lavinia, who had recovered from her fright, burst out laughing. James and Edmund certainly did not like each other and, as she climbed the stairs to her room, she wondered why. Surely they did not see each other as rivals for her hand?
James had never given her the slightest hint that he felt anything more than a brotherly interest in her, and she had only known Lord Wincote a few days, certainly not long enough to form an abiding attachment. But that was not to say she could not or would not do so in the future. His eyes had held hers so that she was unable to look away and his touch sent fire through her limbs. If the romantic novels she was constantly reading were right, that was how love was supposed to strike you, wasn’t it? Is that what Stepmama meant, when she said Lavinia would know when it happened?
But what about James? She adored him, knew she could rely on him without reservation; it did not matter what kind of a scrape she landed herself in, he would be there to haul her out of it. Even today, though he had not been present in the crowd, he had been ready and willing to defend her honour. But surely that did not mean he wanted her for a wife, or that she could view him as a potential husband?
She went into her room, flung her odd shoe on to the floor and sank on to her bed, trying to imagine James married to someone else: to see a woman’s figure beside him, holding his arm possessively, looking up at him with shining eyes and him returning that look as if no one else in the world existed for him. How she hated this imaginary wife of his! It was something she had not thought about before and this feeling was so strong it took her by surprise. ‘You are selfish beyond redemption,’ she scolded herself. ‘If anyone deserves to be happy, it is James.’
Not one to give way to the dismals for long, she left her bed and went to look in the long cheval mirror near the window. The sight which greeted her made her gasp and then laugh aloud.
She looked like a street urchin; her hair was in a tangle where the coils which had looked so shiny and neat when she left the house had become unpinned. Her light spotted gingham gown was decked with more than embroidery and ribbons; it was covered in dust and daubed with mud. The skirt was torn, too, and one white stocking was in tatters, revealing a leg which had several lengthy scratches. She did not know when that could have happened; she had no recollection of being hurt, except that her feet were very sore. Unlike an urchin’s, they were soft and unused to going without shoes.
Stripping off, she flung everything in the corner, then washed in the cold water which stood in an ewer on her washstand, finishing by sitting on a stool and paddling her feet in the bowl. It was such a hot day it was refreshing and soothing. After patting herself dry, she sat in her shift in front of her dressing table and picked up her hairbrush.
She had almost restored her hair to shining strands when Daisy appeared, hot, dusty and worried. ‘Oh, my lady, we thought we had lost you. We searched everywhere and all we found was your bonnet. Someone had trodden on it and it was ruined. When we came home and found you had not returned, we were really afraid. I was so relieved to see the Earl and know you were safe.’ She flung herself on her knees in front of Lavinia.
‘Please forgive me. Please don’t turn me off.’
‘Oh, Daisy, do get up, there’s a dear. No one is going to turn you off.’
Daisy scrambled to her feet. ‘Lord Corringham was very angry. He said it was no thanks to me that you were safe and well and, if I wanted to keep my job, I should look after you better and not leave you to be picked up by any Tom, Dick or Harry.’
‘Did he now?’ Lavinia said, with a smile. ‘And was Lord Wincote present when he said that?’
‘No, my lady. Why?’
‘No reason. Now, you are to take no notice of Lord Corringham. It is not his place to reprimand you and I do not blame you for what happened. We were separated, which could not be helped, so we will say no more about it. I do not think I shall even bother the Duchess with it.’
‘Oh, thank you, my lady.’
‘Now, go and clean yourself up and throw those clothes away.’ She indicated the pile in the corner. ‘Is Tom safely back?’
‘Yes, my lady. He brought your books back, except the one you were carrying. They are on the table in the hall.’
‘Good. I must remember to thank him.’
‘The Earl is downstairs, my lady. He said he wanted to speak to you.’
‘I’ve no doubt he means to ring a peal over me, but he will find himself mistaken if he thinks I will pay any attention,’ she said. ‘Daisy, pass me the blue silk pelisse-robe and a fresh pair of stockings. Then go to your room and rest for a while, you must be exhausted.’
Five minutes later, with the robe tied about the waist with a wide sash and her hair lying loose about her shoulders, she went down to the drawing room on the first floor. There, James stood with his back to the room, gazing out on to the parched garden.
He turned on hearing her enter and caught his breath at her creamy loveliness. Her green eyes sparkled and her hair shone from its recent brushing and hung in a curtain of rich chestnut brown, which contrasted beautifully with the pale blue of her gown. The wonder of it was that she seemed totally unaware of the devastating effect she had on her beholder.
‘Vinny, are you all right?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘I am sorry I was angry with you.’
‘And I am sorrier still that you should have redirected that anger at Daisy, my lord. You have frightened the poor girl to death. She is under the impression you have the authority to turn her off.’
‘I apologise for that, but when I came upon her and that groom, they had their arms about each other and were laughing immoderately. I told them it was not a joke that their mistress was missing.’
‘I was not missing, James. It was an unfortunate incident, but no harm has been done and I would as lief forget the whole thing…’
‘By that, I suppose, you mean I am not to mention it to the Duchess.’
‘No, nor Papa. They both have too much to concern them at the moment without having to worry about me.’
He came towards her and, stopping in front of her, took both her hands in his own. ‘I will not say a word, my dear, but only if you promise not to go out alone until this business with the Queen is over.’
She looked down at their hands clasped together and wondered at how small her hands were in his and yet how tenderly he held them safe, just as he would always hold her safe from harm. He was a dear, dear man and she was lucky to be so protected. ‘And when do you suppose that will be?’
‘I don’t know. Until she tires of it, I suppose. Or she is divorced. Whichever it is, I hope it will be soon, for I am heartily sick of the way the population forgets her transgressions and hails her almost as a saviour of the country.’
‘And you are a cynic, James. But I promise not to go out without an adequate escort in future.’ She smiled and reached up to kiss his cheek. ‘There, will that do?’
He smiled ruefully, rubbing the spot her lips had touched. ‘It will have to. Now, unless you intend going out again today, I will take my leave of you.’
‘No, I shall stay in. I am going to read A Midsummer Night’s Dream right through and see if I can cast the main characters; by then Mama will be home. We are going to the play at Drury Lane tonight. You may join us in Papa’s box, if you wish.’
‘No, thank you. I have other fish to fry.’
‘Oh, and am I permitted to know her name?’
‘It is not a lady, it is business which cannot wait.’
‘Very well. But can you be here tomorrow afternoon? I want to give everyone their parts.’
‘I thought there were to be no rehearsals until after Lady Graham’s ball.’
‘It isn’t a rehearsal, simply a preliminary meeting, so that people know who they are to be and can begin to learn their words.’
‘I will be at your service,’ he said, describing a flourish with his right hand while bowing from the waist, making her laugh. “‘By all the vows that ever men have broke/In number more than ever woman spoke/In that same place thou hast appointed me?/Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee.’”
She laughed. ‘I did not know you were so familiar with the play, James, but those are Hermia’s lines.’
‘I once took the part when I was at school. There were no ladies and the boys had to take the female parts too.’
‘Which they did in Shakespeare’s day, but I cannot imagine you as a woman, James.’
‘No? I was young and slim then. A few petticoats and a wig and the transformation was effected. But I sincerely hope you had no such plans for me now. I am grown tall and broad-shouldered and have hairs on my chin. Besides, I can no longer speak in a falsetto voice.’ He attempted it as he spoke, making her laugh.
‘No, I will not embarrass you, James. You will come, won’t you?’
‘Of course,’ he said, bowing over her hand. ‘Until tomorrow.’
After he had gone, she sat on a sofa for a little while, thinking about him, the conversations they had had, things he had said, the offhand manner with which she treated him and the way he took it all in good humour. She pondered on the strange feeling of restlessness which assailed her when he was near, making her want to shout, to laugh, to pace about, even to quarrel with him. She had not been aware of it before but perhaps it signalled that she was now a woman and ought to be wary of too much familiarity with a man, even one she knew and trusted.
She stood up abruptly and hurried to the ballroom to begin on a new piece of scenery, telling herself she was being fanciful. She was still there when Frances returned.
‘Vinny, there you are. I have been looking for you.’
‘Sorry, Mama, I did not hear you come in.’ She stood back, paintbrush in hand. ‘What do you think of it?’
‘Very good. But you know, I begin to wonder if it is such a good idea. By all accounts, the bother over the Queen and the coronation has yet to be settled and no one can think or talk of anything else. I am quite worn out with it all and as for your papa…’
‘I know, Mama, but it will be resolved soon, surely?’
Frances sighed. ‘Let us hope so.’
They were interrupted by the butler who came to inform them that Lord Wincote was in the hall, enquiring if her Grace was at home.
‘What, again?’ the Duchess murmured, then, aloud, ‘Very well, John, show him into the drawing room. I will be there directly.’ She turned to Lavinia. ‘No doubt when he asked for me, he really meant you, my dear, so go and ask Daisy to put your hair up and come and join us.’
When Lavinia returned to the drawing room, she found Frances and Edmund ensconced over the tea cups. He sprang to his feet when she entered and sketched her a bow. ‘Lady Lavinia, your servant.’
‘Good afternoon, Lord Wincote. How do you do?’
‘Very well, my lady, and you?’
‘Excellently, my lord.’ She suppressed the urge to smile at this coded repartee as she sat down beside Frances and indicated, with a wave of her hand, that he should return to his seat. ‘To what do we owe the pleasure today?’
‘I have acquired a ligh
t carriage and pair, my lady, and came to beg the favour of your company on a short ride. With her Grace’s permission, of course.’ He turned to Frances. ‘Perhaps you might care to accompany us.’
The suggestion put the Duchess in a fix, as he well knew. Going with them would solve the problem of a chaperon, but to do so would certainly give the tabbies something to talk about; it would be tantamount to telling the world she approved of Lord Wincote and sanctioned his pursuit of her stepdaughter. And all that without the Duke having met the man. She could not take so much on her own shoulders.
‘Thank you, but I am otherwise engaged this afternoon,’ she said. ‘And I need Lady Lavinia’s company. Perhaps another time.’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘It was only a whim to ask her ladyship to be the first to try the phaeton. It is the latest model.’
‘A phaeton?’ Lavinia queried. ‘Is it a high-perch one like James’s?’
‘No, my lady, it is more modest than that and safer. Perhaps tomorrow?’
‘Fie, my lord!’ she said. ‘You will have the tattlemongers commenting on the frequency of your visits.’
He bowed. ‘I would not wish to make your ladyship the subject of gossip.’
‘But call tomorrow, by all means,’ she went on. ‘Indeed, I wish you would.’ His look of pleasure made her smile and the Duchess frown. ‘We are going to have a meeting to allocate the parts for the play.’
‘Oh.’ His disappointment that he was not to have her to himself was quickly stifled. ‘I shall look forward to it, my lady.’
Lavinia stood up, obliging him to get to his feet and bringing the interview to an end. He took his leave of both ladies and left, slightly subdued.
‘Vinny,’ the Duchess said after he was out of earshot and Lavinia had resumed her seat. ‘Do I detect a slight tease on your part?’
‘He is so serious, Mama, and so correct.’
‘Is that not good?’
‘Yes, but is it real?’
‘Possibly. But time will tell. I am glad you have not been entirely bowled over by him.’
‘Why, Mama?’
‘We know nothing of him. And until we do, you would be wise to hold back a little.’