by Anne Gracie
“Jane—”
But Jane didn’t want to talk about falling in love, which was all Abby talked about these days. “Watch out,” she said, pulling Abby back as a curricle whizzed past them. “You’re not in the country now, Abby—we have traffic in London, remember.” They crossed the street and mounted the front steps of Lady Beatrice’s house, where Jane and Daisy still lived.
Max, on his marriage to Abby, had rented a town house around the corner. He’d offered to house Daisy and Jane there as well, but Lady Beatrice had objected strongly. “Stealing my gels? Losing Abby and Damaris to you and Freddy is bad enough. What’s wrong with newlyweds today—don’t you want privacy?” Delivered with a gimlet stare magnified by her favorite lorgnette.
Abby and Max hadn’t argued. And Freddy, taking the hint, had also arranged the hire of a town house for the season, within easy walking distance of Berkeley Square.
The front door opened silently before Jane could even reach for the bell. Featherby, their butler, placed a white-gloved finger over his lips in mysterious fashion and stood back to let them in.
Daisy was sitting on the stairs, halfway up. “Daisy?” Jane began.
“Sssh!” Daisy made extravagant shushing gestures. Jane and Abby exchanged glances. What on earth was going on?
Featherby, tapping his finger against his lips to reinforce the need for silence, pointed to the door to the drawing room, which was ajar. Voices wafted out. Lady Beatrice and a male visitor. Nothing unusual there. So why were Daisy and Featherby behaving so mysteriously?
“What—” Jane began.
“Shhh!” Daisy made fierce, emphatic gestures, beckoning to Jane to come up and to be quiet.
Mystified, Jane obeyed. Featherby stepped in front of the sitting room door, blocking them from the sight of the unknown visitor while Jane and Abby slipped past and hurried silently up the stairs.
“What’s going on?” Jane whispered.
“Sit down and listen!” Daisy tugged her down beside her on the stairs. “It’s about you.”
Jane sat. So did Abby. The three girls leaned against the rails, listening intently to the voices coming from the drawing room.
The man, whoever he was, was talking about himself. “Of course, you know my family and my circumstances, Lady Beatrice, and naturally my eligibility is not in doubt—”
Eligibility? “What’s he talking about?” Jane whispered.
“He’s making an offer for you,” Daisy whispered back.
“For me?” Jane squeaked. She turned and stared at Daisy. “Who is he?”
“Lord Cambury.”
Jane gave her a blank stare. “Who?”
“Lord Cambury. He came to the literary society a couple of times.”
Jane shook her head, none the wiser.
“Little fat bloke. Thirty-three or so. Natty dresser. Balding.” Daisy mimed a comb being dragged across a scalp and Jane suddenly remembered. Lord Cambury.
Lord Cambury? There must be some mistake. He couldn’t possibly be offering for her. She’d barely exchanged a dozen words with the man. She leaned closer to hear the conversation coming from the drawing room.
But Featherby, who had been hovering casually near the drawing room door, suddenly turned and gestured urgently. Lord Cambury’s voice grew louder, saying, “Tomorrow then, Lady Beatrice. I look forward to it.”
He was leaving. The girls rose and hurried up the stairs out of sight.
At the landing, Jane turned and peered down cautiously between the rails. She caught a glimpse of a pink and shiny pate, over which thin strands of fair hair had been carefully combed, and then Featherby was handing Lord Cambury his hat, coat and cane.
The front door closed behind him and Jane let out the breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding.
Featherby glanced up and said in a voice that carried up the stairs, “Yes, m’lady, Miss Jane and Lady Davenham are here with Miss Daisy. I’ll call them down, shall I?” The girls hurried downstairs.
“Tea, m’lady?” Featherby asked as they entered the drawing room.
Lady Beatrice nodded. “And something stronger for me.” Featherby bowed and withdrew. Lady Beatrice pulled out her lorgnette and regarded Jane through it. “Well now, you’re full of surprises, miss.”
Jane’s jaw dropped. “I am?”
Lady Beatrice frowned. “You didn’t expect this?”
“I’m not entirely sure what ‘this’ is.” She glanced at Daisy. “Daisy said Lord Cambury was making an offer. Of marriage. For me.”
Lady Beatrice nodded. “Nothing wrong with the gel’s ears. Not that any of you should be listening at doors.”
Daisy gave her an unrepentant grin. “Best way to keep up with all the news.”
“Minx.” The old lady shook her head, sending her vivid red curls bobbing. “But you’re quite right.” She turned to Jane. “Lord Cambury has made a formal offer for your hand.”
So it was true. Jane stared at her, stunned. “But . . . he hardly knows me.” She tried to remember the times she’d spoken to Lord Cambury, and could recall only the most commonplace exchanges—a comment about the weather on one occasion, and her partiality for cream cakes on another.
“And from the sounds of things, you don’t know him either,” Abby pointed out.
“Nevertheless, it’s an excellent offer,” Lady Beatrice said. “He’s rich, as rich as Golden Ball they say, only without the vulgarity. Lord Cambury prides himself on his exquisite good taste.”
William, their footman, brought in the tea tray with a large pot of tea and a plate of cakes and other delicacies. Featherby followed, bearing the brandy decanter. Under Lady Beatrice’s supervision, he poured her tea—more brandy than tea.
Abby poured for the rest of them, just tea with a little milk. For a few moments the silence was broken only by the clattering of teacups and spoons.
“What did you tell him?” Jane blurted out as soon as William and Featherby had left.
“That it was your decision, of course.”
“It’s ridiculous,” Abby declared. “As if Jane would even consider such an insulting offer. So he’s rich and a lord. Does he think he is so rich and important that he doesn’t even have to bother courting her?” She looked at Jane expectantly.
Jane said nothing.
“Ridiculous, perhaps,” Lady Beatrice said after a moment, “but it’s quite a coup for your sister. The caps that have been set at Cambury these past ten years—you have no idea, my dears—and he’s offered for Jane before the season has even begun!”
She drained her cup and signaled for Abby to refill it with tea this time. “Whether or not you accept him, your success is assured, my dear. What a season this is going to be! Two of you brilliantly married already and now, a magnificent offer for Jane—and from Cambury, of all men.”
“What do you know about him?” Jane asked.
There was a sudden silence.
Abby put the teapot down with a thump and turned to her sister. “You can’t be seriously considering him, Jane. You don’t even know him—you said as much yourself.”
“That’s why I asked Lady Beatrice what she knows about him,” Jane responded tranquilly. “I’m curious.” She glanced at Abby. “I have a right to know, after all.”
Abby bit her lip. “Of course.”
The old lady picked up her teacup and regarded Jane for a thoughtful moment. “Good family, of course—been here since the conquest. I’m fairly sure I attended the boy’s christening.” She took a sip of tea, grimaced and signaled for Abby to add some brandy to it.
“As for Cambury himself,” she continued, “I’ve heard nothing to his detriment. His aunt, Dora, Lady Embury, comes occasionally to my literary society.” Nobody said anything and the old lady added, “You gels must know her. Large lady, lives on the other side of the square. Often dresses in purpl
e—not the shade I’d advise for a woman of her high color—and could talk the leg off an iron pot. Owns a herd of little yappy dogs.”
“Oh, yes, I know who you mean,” Jane said. She’d seen and even patted the dogs in the park.
Lady Beatrice continued, “According to Dora, her beloved Edwin—Cambury—is a perfect paragon—a dutiful nephew—his parents died some years ago—visits Dora often enough to keep her happy but doesn’t appear to be tied to her apron strings. Even walks those dratted little dogs for her on occasion.” She shook her head. “As for what he does with himself, from what he said, his passion in life seems to be collecting beautiful things. He told me he considers himself ‘a connoisseur of beauty.’”
She snorted. “In fact, it’s more or less how he referred to you, Jane—said he wishes to acquire a beautiful wife to complete his house full of beautiful objects. Houses,” she corrected herself. “He has three that I know of. One in London, another his country seat—Cambury Castle—”
“A castle?” Jane echoed.
“Yes, quite a magnificent estate—and a place in Brighton—he’s a member of the Prince Regent’s set.”
“Coxcomb! I don’t care whose set he’s part of or how many houses he owns, or how much his aunt dotes on him,” Abby said hotly. “Jane deserves better than a man who doesn’t even bother to get to know her before offering for her hand, a man who wants to add her to his collection of beautiful things—I’ve never heard of anything so outrageous—and I hope you told him so, Lady Beatrice.”
The old lady made a vague gesture. “It’s not for me to say who Jane will or won’t marry. She must decide for herself. Cambury’s coming back tomorrow at three to speak to her.”
“Good. Jane can tell him herself, then.” Abby turned to Jane. “And I hope you send him away with a flea in his ear. The arrogance of the man!”
Jane didn’t respond. She couldn’t think straight. She’d expected—well, hoped—for an offer of marriage from some eligible gentleman, but not before the season had even started. And certainly not from someone she’d barely exchanged a word with. Or anyone so . . . rich. With a castle.
“Jane?” Abby said, frowning. “You will send him away, won’t you?”
Still Jane said nothing. She had no idea what she would do. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her.
“It’s what you’ve always said you wanted, isn’t it, my dear?” Lady Beatrice asked after a moment. “To make a good marriage to a wealthy man?”
“Oh, but that was before,” Abby said. “Back then, when we were destitute and quite horridly desperate. I’d say any one of us would have agreed to marry a virtual stranger then, just to get a roof over our heads and to know where our next meal was coming from.”
“And to be safe,” Jane added.
“Exactly. But now we’re in a completely different situation. We’re not in need of anything. And Damaris and I are married and so very, very happy—more so than either of us dared to dream of.” There was a catch in her voice as she said it.
Jane was in no doubt of her sisters’ happiness. Abby fairly glowed with love and joy and so had Damaris as she’d left with Freddy after Christmas on their honeymoon trip to Venice.
Abby continued, “So there’s no need for anyone to make a marriage of convenience now. Everything’s set for Jane to make her come-out, and over the next few months she’ll meet dozens of eligible and handsome young men, and I just know she’s going to fall in love with one of them, and be happier than she’d ever dreamed of.”
Jane smiled. She knew what her sister wanted for her. Abby wanted Jane to have what Abby had—everything her heart desired. But Jane was different from Abby.
“Is he a kind man, do you think?” Jane asked Lady Beatrice. It sounded like he was, seeing he walked his aunt’s dogs for her. His liking dogs was promising.
“Jane, you can’t possibly be taking this offer seriously,” Abby burst out.
“Why not? It was made seriously, wasn’t it?”
“But—” Abby began.
“Now, Abby,” Lady Beatrice said warningly.
“But she’s thinking of accepting him—can’t you see?” Abby turned back to her sister. “What about love, Jane? You can’t marry without love. You simply can’t. You can’t imagine how wonderful it is, Jane, to be in love and to know that you’re loved in return.”
Jane swallowed and glanced away.
Abby gave her a narrow glance, then her tone changed. “Look, you don’t need to decide now; there’s plenty of time to meet the right man, to fall in love. You’ll have dozens of eligible offers, just wait and see. Isn’t that right, Lady Beatrice? Once the season gets started, she’ll be knee-deep in suitors, all clamoring for her attention.”
Jane didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to be knee-deep in suitors. The very idea made her uncomfortable. Men always seemed to want something from her—she’d never quite understood what. They seemed to imagine she was someone different, someone who matched her face.
She didn’t want dozens of men clamoring for her attention; she just wanted to be . . . safe. And comfortable.
She’d been so looking forward to her season, wearing pretty dresses and going to balls and parties and concerts—after twelve years in the Pillbury Home, wearing cast-offs and hand-me-downs from the older girls, what girl wouldn’t? She’d looked forward to dancing with a succession of handsome young men too. She hadn’t thought much beyond that.
Oh, she knew marriage was the aim of it all, and she wanted to be married, of course she did; you had to be married to have children, and Jane wanted children more than anything.
But it had all been a bit vague in her mind. She’d vaguely imagined she’d meet a nice eligible gentleman and he would propose, and she would accept and then, at the end of the season, she’d get married.
And then her life—her real life—would start. She’d have a husband and a home and soon, she hoped, she’d be blessed with her own little baby. It was all she’d ever wanted—a home of her own and children. And of course, a husband made all that possible.
But dozens of suitors . . . staring . . . and clamoring . . .
“Jane—” Abby began again, but Lady Beatrice held up a magisterial hand.
“Hush, Abby! I know you want what’s best for your sister—we all do—but it’s Jane’s decision and she needs time now, to think it over. In peace.”
Abby gave a rueful smile. “Of course. I’m sorry, love.” She rose and gave Jane a hug. “I didn’t mean to be telling you what to do. It’s a bad big sister habit—I forget sometimes that you’re eighteen and all grown up now. You’ll do the right thing, I know you will.”
Jane hugged her back, grateful not to have to explain herself while her thoughts were still in turmoil.
“I’d better go,” Abby said. “I said I’d meet Max at four, and I’m already late.” She kissed Jane. “Don’t do anything rash, little sister.”
“I won’t.”
Daisy stood as well. “I got work to do, so I’m goin’ too. See you upstairs, Jane?”
Jane nodded. “In a few minutes.” She wanted to talk to Lady Beatrice alone.
Abby took her leave in a round of hugs, and Daisy hurried away upstairs. Jane sat down again, facing Lady Beatrice. There was a short silence while she organized her chaotic thoughts. Lady Beatrice sipped her “tea” and nibbled on an almond cat’s tongue.
“I’ve never had a marriage proposal before,” Jane said eventually. “It’s a little daunting. So I have until tomorrow to make up my mind?”
“Not at all. He might press you for an answer, but if he does and it makes you uncomfortable, refer him to me. I have no intention of letting anyone rush you into a decision. Marriage is a serious matter, my dear, and this decision will affect your entire life. So take as much time as you need.”
“But if he’s coming back tomorrow
. . .”
“You can tell him you need more time to think it over. It does men good to be kept waiting—how often do I have to tell you gels that? Men want what they can’t have. They’re hunters by nature, and the harder the thing is to catch, the more they value it. Keeping them waiting and guessing is part of the game.”
Jane gave her a troubled look. “It’s not a game to me.”
Lady Beatrice reached across and patted Jane’s hand. “I know it isn’t, my dear. It’s all very serious, isn’t it—and you’re quite right to take your time and think it through very carefully. And even if you decide to refuse Cambury, it won’t hurt your reputation at all when it gets out that you’d been asked.”
“Oh, but I’d never tell anyone—”
“Pish-tush, who is talking about telling?” The old lady gave an airy shrug. “But such things often happen to get out—I can’t imagine how—but I assure you, it won’t hurt your chances for it to be known that Cambury made an offer for you before the season has even started.” Lady Beatrice grinned. “Every eligible miss—and her mother—will be ready to scratch your eyes out. I’ve lost track of the number of dazzling beauties that have set their caps at Cambury—and failed. So whether you accept him or not—either way, it’s a triumph!”
She chuckled gleefully, then saw Jane’s worried look and assumed a solemn expression. “But there, I don’t wish to put any pressure on you, my dear. It’s entirely up to you. If you don’t want him, tell him so, and if you’re not sure, simply tell him you need more time.”
“But if I make him wait, he might change his mind.”
The old lady eyed her shrewdly. “He might. Would that distress you?”
Jane bit her lip. That was the trouble; she didn’t know.
Chapter Two
I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him.
—JANE AUSTEN, EMMA
“Gawd, I’m fair knackered.” Daisy stretched and groaned. She and Jane were getting ready for bed.
“‘Vulgarity, Daisy, m’gel, vulgarity,’” Jane said in Lady Bea accents. “Turn around and I’ll get you undone.”