by Alec, Joyce
* * *
“Good evening, Lady Frederica.”
Frederica smiled back at Lord Merseyside as she rose from her curtsy. “Good evening, Lord Merseyside,” she replied as her host beamed delightedly at her. “I thank you for your very kind invitation. This evening will be quite wonderful, I am sure.”
Lord Merseyside, an older gentleman with grey at his temples and kind, blue eyes, smiled all the more at her compliment. “You are most kind, Lady Frederica,” he told her. “I do hope that you might be convinced to play for the guests later this evening?”
“I am certain you will be able to convince me,” Frederica replied, before taking her leave of him and making her way to where the duke and duchess were waiting.
“You have made an excellent impression upon Lord Merseyside, it seems,” the duke said, a twinkle in his eye that immediately put Frederica on her guard. “He is a little old, perhaps, but I am sure that your father might be more than willing to be convinced.”
Frederica resisted the urge to nudge her uncle with her elbow, seeing how he grinned back at her. “I hardly think I should consider Lord Merseyside,” she stated as the duchess chuckled. “Why, he is almost as old as you.”
At this, the smile faded from her uncle’s face, making both the duchess and Frederica laugh, the sound mingling among the conversations and laughter that came from the other guests at the soiree.
“Very well, very well,” the duke muttered as his wife took his arm and squeezed it gently. “I shall not tease you, Frederica, given that your tongue is razor-sharp.”
“And I know very well how to respond to such teasing, Uncle,” Frederica replied with a smile of her own. “After all, I have been your niece my entire life.”
This made the duke laugh and Frederica exchanged a delighted glance with the duchess, glad to see her uncle in such high spirits. Last Season had been a particularly difficult one for both the duchess and him, and Frederica was all the more glad that they had found such contentment and happiness together.
“Oh, goodness.”
The duchess’ quiet murmur caught Frederica’s attention and she glanced over her shoulder, only to see Lord Wetherby greeting their host.
She turned back to the duchess and shrugged. “It is to be expected,” she said quietly. “It is not as though he will refrain from entering society.”
“No, indeed,” the duchess agreed softly. “But it will prove to us this evening whether or not the gentleman is true in his desire to restrain himself so that he does not behave as he did before.”
The duke, who had heard all that had taken place, including Lord Wetherby’s calling upon them that afternoon in order to apologize, let out a huff of breath.
“In my estimation, it will take a strong character to make entirely certain that one will not behave so again,” he said, and Frederica considered his remark carefully. “We will have to simply wait and see.”
Frederica lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “I care not,” she said as the duchess smiled. “Lord Wetherby is not a gentleman I intend to acquaint myself with further in any way.” Seeing a young lady that she recognized, Frederica gestured toward her quietly. “Might I go to greet Lady Sarah?” she asked, and the Duchess nodded, turning around so that they might walk together. The duke excused himself and the two ladies set out across the floor, with Frederica leaving all thought of Lord Wetherby behind.
* * *
“And then it seemed as though we should never get to London.”
Frederica caught her breath, staring wide-eyed at Lady Nottingham. “But you must have done so, in order to be present this evening,” she said as the small group of guests seemed to lean in closer in order to hear what Lady Nottingham said next. “What happened?”
Lady Nottingham gestured to her daughter, who had, thus far, stood rather quietly, her head low and her hands clasped in front of her.
“My daughter was, of course, very frightened,” she explained as Frederica nodded in understanding. “It was growing late and, what with the stories of highwaymen and the like, we were both becoming very anxious. The driver had not returned, and the tiger was standing by the side of the carriage, waiting for his return.” She smiled then, an expression of relief filling her features as though she had only just recalled all that had occurred. “Another carriage approached and Josephine clung to me desperately, fearing that we should be stolen from or…” She shuddered, leaving them all without doubt as to what the young lady had been worried about. “However, much to our relief, it was not highwaymen. Instead, it was none other than Lord and Lady Sinclair, come from Scotland to London.”
A murmur of relief ran around the group as everyone listened intently.
“We were already acquainted, of course, and I could not have expressed my relief upon seeing them any more than I did,” Lady Nottingham continued, reaching across to squeeze her daughter’s arm. “Within minutes, we were settled aboard their carriage with only the very most important pieces of our luggage taken with us. The rest remained with our tiger, who stayed with our carriage until the driver returned with whomever he had found to fix the wheel. When I told all to my son, Lord Nottingham, he was very upset indeed.”
“I am sure you are now very glad to be back in London, Miss Chalmers,” said someone near to Frederica, and the young lady lifted her head and nodded, although no smile pulled at her lips. “What a great ordeal that must have been.”
Something flickered in Miss Chalmers’ eyes as she nodded again, saying nothing but clearly either still distraught about what had occurred or simply choosing not to speak about it at all. Frederica watched her closely, wondering why the young lady had not said a word about the events that had transpired. Was there something more to the situation that Lady Nottingham either did not want to speak of or had chosen deliberately not to mention again? Or was it simply that the matter had been so very frightening that the young lady did not even want to think of it?
“A terrible situation indeed,” she heard someone say, recognizing the voice but being uncertain as to whom it might be. “We are, I am sure, all very glad that you are returned to society again.”
Frederica lifted her brows in surprise as the change in Lady Nottingham’s expression was both immediate and obvious. Her eyes narrowed just a fraction, her lips thinned, and when she responded, there was a tightness to her voice that had not been present before.
“I am grateful for your concern, Lord Wetherby,” she said, catching Frederica’s attention all the more. “My daughter is, as you can see, still a little shaken by the experience.”
“But of course, that is most understandable,” Lord Wetherby replied, making Frederica realize why she had recognized the voice. “I do hope you recover yourself soon, Miss Chalmers. A few more days in society and you will have forgotten all about it.”
Someone else began to ask Lady Nottingham something more about what had occurred, and it was only then that Lady Nottingham’s dark expression began to ease. Frederica watched with interest, wondering at the change and, in particular, wondering why it seemed that Lady Nottingham appeared to be so at odds with Lord Wetherby. Had he done the same to Miss Chalmers as he had done to Frederica? Perhaps there was a dislike there, an awareness that he was not the very best of gentlemen, and that was why Lady Nottingham did not much want to continue speaking with him.
Why are you thinking of Lord Wetherby again?
The quiet voice in her head berated her severely and Frederica turned her interest back toward what Lady Nottingham was saying, glancing across at Louisa, who seemed just as intrigued as she.
“Lady Frederica?”
Her head turned and she smiled at Lord Livingstone, who was bowing toward her. “Good evening, Lord Livingstone.”
“Good evening,” he replied, drawing her into conversation and away from Lady Nottingham. “Might I enquire as to whether or not you are enjoying the soiree thus far? I have heard,” he continued, a twinkle in his eye, “that you might soon be convin
ced to play the pianoforte for us, which, I am sure, would be very gratifying indeed.”
Frederica laughed and, seeing the duchess watching them with a gentle smile on her face, continued on with her conversation without hesitation.
The rest of the evening passed in much the same manner. Frederica spoke to various ladies and gentlemen and did end up playing the pianoforte for the guests, as one of many young ladies who were asked to perform. When she caught Lord Wetherby’s eye, she smiled gently and nodded at him before turning her head away and making no attempt to converse with him. She also noticed that he had a glass of brandy in his hand and felt herself relieved that she had chosen not to further their acquaintance. It was not that she wanted to give him the cut direct or to do anything so cruel, but rather to simply make certain that he was aware there could never be a friendship between them. Not that such a thing mattered, given that she was convinced that his interest in being introduced to her was simply to make certain he could say that he now knew the Duke and Duchess of Ellsworth.
“You enjoyed this evening, then?”
“I did, very much,” Frederica replied, sitting back against the squabs as the duke and duchess sat opposite. A contented sigh escaped her as the duke rapped on the roof, telling the driver that they could move away. “It was a very pleasant evening.”
“And you have continued to make an excellent impression, my dear,” the duke replied kindly. “I have not heard anything but praise for you, and your performance at the pianoforte was lauded by many.”
Frederica smiled to herself as the first fingers of dawn began to wrap themselves around the night sky. “I was very grateful for the compliments that followed,” she said quietly. “There were a good many young ladies who played this evening. I think all of them very fine players indeed.”
The duchess smiled back at her, her features only just illuminated by the lifting of the night’s darkness. “Miss Chalmers played well, I thought,” she said as Frederica nodded. “Such a quiet young lady.”
“Of whom are you speaking?” the duke asked, with the duchess then going into a long explanation of who the young lady was and the difficulties both she and her mother, Lady Nottingham, had endured as they had attempted to make their way to London. Frederica listened with only half an ear, her eyelids already drooping with tiredness. A small frown caught her brow as she heard what sounded like more horses’ hooves coming along the road, only to hear the driver curse loudly.
“Good gracious.”
Frederica was forced to brace herself as the carriage pulled sharply to the left, with both the duke and duchess searching for purchase as the carriage came to a sudden stop. A hackney rushed by them, so close to their own that had the driver not pulled them away and into the side, then Frederica was quite certain there would have been the most dreadful accident. The whinny of horses broke through the air around them, leaving Frederica panting for breath with the shock and the fright that had caught her.
“My greatest apologies, Your Grace.”
The driver appeared at the window, his eyes wide.
“There came a hackney from behind us,” he explained as the duke righted himself. “Thought they would have gone into us.”
“I think they might well have done,” Frederica replied as her uncle nodded slowly. “You did well.”
The driver’s expression of worry returned to one of relief as he clasped his cap in his hands, twisting it this way and that. Frederica looked pointedly at her uncle, who, after a moment, nodded, his jaw tight.
“That is understandable,” he said as the driver let out a breath of relief. “You have done well. I thank you.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Your Grace.” The driver nodded his head and then turned to climb back up to his seat, leaving the three of them in the carriage to catch their breaths, with Frederica’s heart still pounding furiously.
“Whoever was driving like that was utterly foolish,” the duchess said as the duke nodded gravely. “They could have caused an accident.”
“It is just as well your driver is as aware as he is,” Frederica replied. “For I am sure that the hackney might have knocked into us completely, had he not taken such action.”
“Indeed,” the duke stated, sounding still rather upset and angry. “If I should ever find out who was driving that, I will—”
“You will not be able to do so,” the duchess interrupted calmly. “Be still, now. Do not allow what has been a remarkably pleasant evening to be spoiled by a fit of pique at someone else’s foolishness.”
Frederica smiled to herself as she sat back against the squabs once more, her fright leaving her entirely as tiredness once more washed over her. She was eager to retire, eager to rest her weary head down upon the pillow. Aside from that very unsettling incident with the carriage, this evening had been very pleasant indeed.
* * *
Frederica sat up straight, her bedsheets pushed down all around her as her heart began to clamor furiously. What was it that had awakened her?
She frowned and swung her legs to the side of the bed, wondering what time it was. Making her way to the window, she pushed back one of the heavy curtains, wincing at the sunshine that shone in at her cheerfully. Turning her bleary eyes toward the clock on the mantlepiece, she read it as just after ten in the morning, meaning that she had plenty of time to rest before afternoon calls would begin.
But what woke me?
The question would not leave her, and Frederica frowned hard, rubbing one hand across her eyes as she turned back to look around the room. Nothing was unsettling in her bedchamber, nothing that would have startled her from in here. So where else had the sound come from?
Pulling on her dressing gown, Frederica rang the bell and sat down in one of the chairs by the fireplace, which had a very small fire beginning to burn itself out already. Evidently, the maid had decided that there was enough of a chill in the air this morning to merit a fire and Frederica was grateful for it.
“My lady.” The maid bobbed a quick curtsy before closing the door behind her—but not before Frederica had heard a great hubbub of conversation coming from the hallway.
“I have your morning tea,” the maid continued, setting it down in front of Frederica. “Might I fetch you something else? Do you wish to break your fast in the dining room or should I bring you something here?”
Frederica hesitated, then looked up at her maid. “Is there something wrong?” she asked as the maid’s cheeks began to color. “Something woke me this morning and as yet, I am not certain what it was.” She held her maid’s gaze steadily, seeing the young lady drop her eyes to the floor.
“I am very sorry if it was I that woke you, my lady,” the maid said hastily. “It is only that I got something of a fright this morning.” She shook her head and spread her hands. “I can only apologize.”
“What was it?” Frederica asked, pouring her tea into her china cup and watching in satisfaction as steam began to rise from it. “What was it that frightened you so?”
The maid said nothing, opening her mouth to speak and then closing it again, her eyes darting all across the room as though she was not certain whether or not to speak of what had scared her. Frederica said nothing but let her brows knit together as she turned her eyes back to the maid, making it quite clear by her appearance that she would be given an answer to her question. Eventually, the maid’s shoulders slumped, and she shook her head again.
“My lady, I do not want to trouble you,” she said abruptly, “but there is a gentleman in the bedchamber next to your own.”
Frederica’s mouth fell open, her hand poised with the teacup close to her mouth as the maid nodded fervently, as though to encourage Frederica to believe what was being said.
“A gentleman?” Frederica repeated, astonishment rolling through her. “Are you quite certain?”
The maid nodded. “I could not find the poker in your room, my lady, and so I went into the guest bedchamber that is a little away from your own.
When I went inside, there was a gentleman lying on the bed!” Blinking rapidly, she placed one hand over her heart. “I got such a fright, I think I must have screamed.”
“I am not surprised,” Frederica replied, getting to her feet. “And is that what is being discussed at present?”
“The butler is not certain whether or not we should waken the master,” she said as Frederica hurried to the door. “But the gentleman is still sleeping—my scream did not waken him at all—and so the staff are not sure what to do.”
Nodding, Frederica walked to the door and pulled it open, seeing the butler, the housekeeper, two footmen, and a maid standing congregating together a short distance away. They all jumped to attention the moment they saw her, although Frederica did not feel any irritation or anger at their standing around.
“I hear we have an unexpected guest, Mister Jamieson,” she said, speaking to the butler. “Might I ask what has been done thus far?”
The butler inclined his head. “My lady, I do apologize if we woke you,” he said as Frederica shook her head. “There is a gentleman asleep on the bed in the guest bedchamber. It is only by chance that Mary found him, and even though she let out a very loud scream indeed, it did not appear to waken him.”
Frederica turned her eyes toward the door, which was only a little ajar and not open wide enough for her to see into. “A gentleman, you say?” she asked, and the housekeeper and the butler nodded. “How can you be certain?”
“By the cut of his clothes, my lady,” the housekeeper replied, her eyes wide with the evident shock of finding such a gentleman present. “And his boots, which, I must say, have been placed very neatly by the fireplace.”