The Devil You Know

by Sophia Holloway

  She clasped her gloved hands together tightly. She ought not to resent that he would turn to other women. After all, was not their marriage but a piece of paper and the memory of a dismal night? That just before she had fallen ill he had given indications of wanting a greater depth to their relationship could be, had to be, set aside, for since then he had chosen to be where he need not see her or think of her. If that spark could have been ignited, they might have had a chance, but it had been doused. Her daydreams were just that, dreams without basis in reality. She ought not to feel resentment, but she knew she would, knew how much she would hate the false smile of whichever woman looked at her with the certainty of knowing that her husband was no husband to her.

  The carriage halted, and the steps were let down. As the groom offered his hand to assist her, the front door of Ledbury House opened, and an elegant brunette wearing a flamboyant bonnet adorned with ostrich feathers emerged. She stopped, eyebrows raised.

  ‘Lady Ledbury? La, how fortuitous. I came to leave my card, thinking that you must already be in residence. As soon as I heard Ledbury House was being opened up “for the family”, I said to my husband that I simply must leave my card for the new bride. And to find that you were not here, how provoking. You have been poorly? Yes, one can see you are not in the best of health yet, or are you always so pale? Well, best you get inside and order a footbath or something, after your tiring journey. My, how surprised Ledbury will be. I would give my best bracelet to see… I shall call tomorrow, or should it perhaps be the next day to let you recover, my dear?’ Her false solicitude grated.

  Without waiting for Kitty to say a single word, for she had left no room for one to be interjected, the dashing hat wearer smiled and raised her hand, thereby attracting a carriage that was being walked about the square to keep the horses warm. Kitty frowned, and was still frowning as she entered the house, where a liveried individual was still holding open the door.

  ‘Is his lordship at home?’ she enquired, stepping into a vestibule with a marble floor and a wide staircase that swept up in a grand curve. She tried to sound as if there by right and not a visitor, and removed her gloves.

  ‘Yes, madam, I mean, my lady.’ The footman looked a little confused. If the other lady had been correct, this was his new mistress.

  ‘Please inform him of my arrival.’

  This was unnecessary, since at that moment Ledbury emerged from a room, the glimpse of which indicated to Kitty that it was some study or library. He stood stock still.

  ‘Good God.’ It was not an expression of unbounded delight. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’

  ‘I am come to save you the trouble of fetching me, my lord. I felt sufficiently well to essay the journey, though I confess it has fatigued me somewhat, and I yearn for a cup of tea. We stopped briefly at Biggleswade, but otherwise I have had no refreshment.’ She attempted to sound calm, though her heartbeat betrayed her she was sure, for it thumped so loud. She was, foolishly, as pleased to see him as he was patently horrified to see her.

  ‘Yes… I… of course. Tea.’ He glanced at the footman. ‘Have her ladyship’s baggage brought in, and arrange for tea in the blue saloon, Thomas.’

  ‘Yes, my lord.’

  Very slightly flushed, his lordship came forward, took her hand, and then, with the smallest of hesitations, kissed her cheek.

  ‘You are cold.’

  ‘It does not signify.’

  He led her up the stairs to a moderate-sized chamber at the front of the house which was evidently the blue saloon. It was very clean and neatly arranged, although the blue damask of the furnishings had lost its once vivid colour and was now a blue-grey. As she began to untie the ribbons of her bonnet there was a knock, and the butler, pink-faced from ascending from the depths far quicker than usual, entered, followed by a maidservant.

  ‘Ah, Syde. My dear, Syde has served this house many years, since I was young enough to be soundly thrashed for sliding down the bannisters.’

  ‘Good afternoon.’ Kitty smiled at the old retainer.

  ‘Good afternoon, my lady, and welcome. It is a great pleasure to have a lady of the house once more.’ The butler bowed, a bow limited by his slightly rotund figure.

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘If I might take your pelisse, my lady?’ He indicated the waiting maid. Kitty removed her bonnet, and gave it and the gloves to the maid. Her lord took her pelisse from her shoulders and handed it to the butler, who bowed again. ‘I can have the tea served almost immediately, my lord.’

  ‘Thank you, Syde.’ Lord Ledbury nodded his dismissal, and in a moment they were alone, facing one another.

  ‘You ought to have waited for me to come for you.’ He paused. ‘The house is not yet ready.’

  ‘The house, or you, sir?’ She looked him in the eye. ‘Who was the lady I encountered on the steps as I arrived?’

  ‘Er, I will ascertain. She must have left her card, thinking to pay a morning call.’

  ‘So she said herself, and, after all, she would not have been paying a visit, alone, to a gentleman.’

  ‘No, no she would not.’ He looked uncomfortable.

  ‘My lord, when you offered for me, you said that whatever other faults you possessed, you were honest. I am forced to conclude that was either self-deception or an outright lie.’ There was a hint of steel in her tone. The wave of miserable disappointment had been replaced by anger. She had no sooner arrived than the reality of their empty union was to be put before her.

  ‘It was neither. I am sorry, you deserve the truth, but I doubt you will believe it.’

  ‘Shall we see?’

  ‘I am not given to lying, but… that lady was Lady Yarningale.’ He did not want to face the inevitable questions that must follow.

  ‘I do not know her, do I?’ She could make it so difficult for him, but, seeing his face, she chose not to do so.

  ‘No.’

  ‘But I take it that you do.’

  ‘I did.’

  ‘Past tense?’

  ‘Very.’

  ‘Then there is nothing else to be said.’ She sat down, in part to disguise the knocking of her knees. He had been given an escape, and he knew he ought to say nothing, but he felt compelled to continue.

  ‘Do you believe me?’

  ‘Does it matter to you whether I do so or not, my lord?’ She sighed, and passed her hand over her eyes. He saw the tremor as it did so.

  He did not answer her. It did matter to him, and yet he could think of no logical reason why it should. He did not want to be at outs with her, but there was nothing more between them, obviously.

  ‘My poor Kitty.’ He leaned to take the hand, and squeezed it. ‘You are not so fit as you thought, and I have given you a very poor reception.’

  ‘I was foolish to have come.’

  ‘No, I was the fool not to have come for you.’ He let go of her hand. ‘Now, here is the tea, which will make you feel very much more the thing.’

  As the tea tray was arranged he described the efforts he had made to set the house in order, noting especially that he had commanded that all the chimneys be swept, which drew a small smile from her.

  ‘I think you will find everything in order, but not at all in fashion. I can see that you will wish to be squired about the furnishing warehouses the moment you are recovered from your journey.’

  ‘I am prepared to do so alone, my lord, and I do remember that sphinxes in all forms are prohibited.’

  ‘But would you like me to accompany you?’

  The question, gently put, brought such a blush to her cheeks that she looked away.

  ‘Such things do not interest gentlemen in the general way. You would wish yourself elsewhere in half an hour.’

  This was probably true, he acknowledged.

  ‘But it does me good to remind myself I am a married man with responsibilities.’ He smiled, and meant well, but her face fell.

  ‘Which is something you would no doubt prefer to forget.’ />
  ‘No.’ He frowned. ‘You choose to always think the worst, do you not?’

  They finished their tea in silence.

  *

  The bedchamber to which she was shown had clearly been decorated more recently than the reception rooms, but not in a style or colour she appreciated. It was a pinkish-lilac, and the wallpaper a mass of roses. She halted on the threshold in horror. Wootton was already unfolding the tissue paper in which her gowns were protected.

  ‘I know, my lady. I knew you would not like it.’

  ‘I am not even sure I can sleep in it. Oh dear. Where is his lordship’s bedchamber?’

  ‘There is your dressing room, my lady, and his dressing room has a connecting door to that.’

  ‘Ah.’ She wondered if she dare change rooms. The wallpaper made her feel almost queasy. She rang for the butler.

  ‘There is the best guest chamber, my lady, if you prefer.’

  ‘I think it is more a case of need, Syde, if I am to get any rest.’

  ‘Yes, my lady. You see, his lordship did permit Lord and Lady Erewash, who had the house three Seasons, to make what her ladyship termed “minor decor changes”.’

  ‘This is minor?’

  ‘In her ladyship’s view, yes. She, er, has a decided penchant for roses.’

  ‘In gardens they are beautiful, but here…’

  ‘Exactly so, my lady.’

  ‘Well, I shall remove to the best guest bedchamber until such time as this room can be redecorated. I shall seek suitable materials and papers tomorrow.’

  ‘Of course, my lady. I shall have your things transferred immediately.’

  Coming upstairs a few minutes later, Lord Ledbury found a footman bearing a large valise towards the back of the house.

  ‘What is going on?’ He did not sound pleased.

  Kitty, who was directing the placement of small items in her new room, came to the doorway and looked along the landing. He frowned.

  ‘Is this some “penalty” you are imposing, madam?’

  ‘Not at all, sir. It is simply that I wish to sleep at night.’

  ‘I see.’ His lips compressed in an angry line. ‘That is meant to be insulting?’

  ‘Insu… Oh!’ She realised her words might be mistaken.

  ‘Or is it a command that I keep away?’

  ‘Oh dear. No, I did not mean that. But… have you actually seen the bedchamber adjacent to your own?’

  ‘No, why should I?’

  ‘In this case, sir, it explains everything far better than words. Come.’ Kitty approached, passed him and opened wide the door into the lilac rose room. ‘Now, do you see?’

  ‘What the devil…’ He had not thought to enter the room before.

  ‘Lady Erewash, I am informed by Syde, has a predilection for roses, and lilac.’

  ‘It is revolting.’

  ‘It is, and I regret that I cannot imagine sleeping in it. In fact, from preference I would commence ripping the paper from the walls with my own hands before dinner.’

  ‘I might join you.’ The flash of anger had been replaced by a rueful smile. Their eyes met, and there was a moment of complete understanding. ‘Wait here.’

  He turned about, and left the room. She stood, taking his words literally. A minute later he returned, bearing something in his hand. He took both of hers and pressed it into them.

  ‘I had one cut, as for Melling Hall,’ he said, softly. She blushed, as her fingers curled around the key, and her bosom rose and fell more swiftly. ‘I had hoped…’ He let the sentence hang.

  Her throat felt dry and tight.

  ‘Perhaps I will take up your offer to accompany me to seek furnishings, tomorrow, my lord. We might find something we both like, and if the removal of this ghastliness commences straight away…’

  ‘You wish me to wait?’

  She dropped her gaze and nodded.

  ‘I want it to be a fresh start, and this would be in a new room and…’

  He lifted her chin, and kissed her on the lips. On their wedding night she had been unresponsive, but he felt her react now, the slight quiver that ran through her. Had they been properly alone then he would have been tempted to take it further, but Wootton was pointedly facing the other way and taking a long time to fold a shawl.

  ‘Until our fresh start then.’ He pulled back, stroked a finger casually down her cheek, and smiled. ‘Oh, and I was dining with Inglesham tonight, but I will cry off.’

  ‘Do not think you must give up your evening, but perhaps Lord Inglesham might care to dine here. His company is very welcome.’

  ‘I will send round to his lodgings.’ His lordship’s smile lengthened. ‘When we arrived he stayed here for a few nights, but that was before the chimneys were swept and he muttered about smoked fish.’

  Kitty laughed.

  *

  Lord Inglesham received the note of the change of plan, and the consequent invitation to dine at Ledbury House, with a smile. So Lady Ledbury had taken matters into her own hands. It might not be a bad thing, but he hoped that she was truly well enough to have made the journey.

  When he met her he decided that she was travel weary and perhaps a little pale still, but she put on a brave face, and her delight at seeing him again was clear. It lightened her mood.

  ‘I hear you deserted a “smoking ship”, so to speak.’

  ‘A smoking… Ah, the chimneys. You know about me and chimneys, ma’am.’

  ‘And smoked fish.’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  She laughed. Her laugh did not ‘tinkle’, nor did it grate off key. It was a very honest, low laugh, and Lord Ledbury decided that it pleased him. He had not considered the matter before, but it did. Without thinking, he placed it as an advantage she had over Louisa Yarningale.

  ‘So, what do you think to Ledbury House? Extensive, is it not?’ Lord Inglesham was clearly out to quiz her.

  ‘I can certainly see why my lord “rattled” in it and put it out to rent. However, it will be a fine house in which to entertain in style, once suitably adorned…’ she paused, and cast what could only be described as a sly glance at her husband, ‘with a suitable number of objets d’art in the Egyptian manner.’

  ‘Minx.’ The earl raised an eyebrow, though she was not sure whether it was at the comment or that she had dared to make it.

  ‘There, now just what I was thinking, ma’am. Sphinxes, that is what this place lacks.’ Lord Inglesham, well aware of his friend’s abhorrence, entered into the spirit of things.

  ‘I see. You gang up on me. So much for my “nearest and dearest”.’

  Kitty felt a pang. How near and how dear could she be to this man?

  ‘No, no, my dear fellow, your horses never join against you.’ Inglesham’s lips were twitching.

  ‘I was referring to the bipedal variety, Henry, and if you look at me like that I shall hope you choke on the apple fritters.’

  ‘See, ma’am, he has no consideration for his guest.’ The viscount’s features assumed those of the saintly, much maligned.

  ‘Ah, but I am all consideration, my lord. I do not wish you to choke on so much as a crumb.’ Kitty contrived to look even more saintly.

  ‘The duty of a wife is to support her husband, ma’am, and you are signally failing to do so. I demand that you retract that statement.’ The earl’s words were forceful, but the tone gave them the lie, and he was smiling, but the smile became a frown as he saw Kitty stiffen.

  ‘I seem to fail, signally, as a wife on all fronts, do I not?’

  There was an awkward silence. Lord Inglesham could say nothing, and what husband and wife might choose to say would be best said in private. When Lord Ledbury spoke again it was very calmly, and he looked directly at her.

  ‘No. That is a misconception of which I would dearly like to disabuse you, my lady. We would both be the happier for it.’

  ‘I am sorry,’ Kitty murmured, and lowered her eyes to contemplation of her plate.

  Lord Inglesham
tried to repair the situation.

  ‘Well, all I can say, ma’am, is that you have been a remarkably successful châtelaine for Melling Hall in the short time you have had the running of it, and I have no doubt the same will be true of this great pile, with or without Egyptian decor. Have you any real preferences? Something floral? Ladies seem to like floral.’

  ‘Not roses,’ husband and wife chorused in unison, and Lord Inglesham blinked in surprise.

  ‘Well, that is certainly agreed. Why such vehemence, might I enquire?’

  ‘Lady Erewash had the mistress of the house’s bedchamber redecorated with lilac roses, huge cabbagey things. They are so awful I have evacuated it until they can be removed.’ His hostess shuddered.

  ‘She is quite correct, Henry. It is enough to make one feel ill. I can think of little worse.’

  ‘Except lilac sphinxes?’ Lord Inglesham thought he had manoeuvred things quite well, for this brought more laughter, and he returned to his lodgings at the end of the evening in the belief that the union, though still fragile, showed great promise.

  *

  Lord Ledbury went with his friend to the door, and came back up to see his wife looking down into the square and watching Lord Inglesham’s retreating figure.

  ‘You are very fortunate to have Lord Inglesham as a friend,’ she murmured.

  ‘I know it.’

  ‘And he you.’

  ‘Ah, upon that I reserve judgment.’ He was looking at her profile. She had a very straight little nose, he thought, inconsequentially, not a retroussé one like Louisa Yarningale, or her predecessor in his liaisons, Lady Minsterley. Both had played off ‘kittenish’ looks, and by the end he had to admit he had found their posing unedifying. This particular ‘Kitty’ was not a creature who would pout and pose. Her playfulness at dinner, albeit a brief glimpse, had not been of the sort which cried ‘admire me’, but unselfish and more cerebral. Cerebral; now there was a term not applied to Lady Yarningale.