“We did not want to wait for a large wedding….,” Celestina murmured and then moved on to the next lady wanting to be introduced.
A number of further invitations were issued, but to all of them, Xavier and Celestina insisted they were not intending to make a splash in society at present and could not accept the invitations as they were not ready to entertain in return. When the bell went, they were relieved to get rid of their unwanted flock of visitors and be left to enjoy a glass of champagne together. Celestina and Xavier sat watching the rest of the tragedy in relative good humour. They decided against taking a stroll during the interval after the first act of the operetta. A few more visitors invaded their box, but Celestina doubted they would entice Xavier to drunken debaucheries in gaming hells; as they seemed to be of a more respectable style. A final visitor arrived, a small soft man of around fifty, although he looked as if he had once been a very handsome young man.
Xavier welcomed him as Sir Felton Bathhurst, with a grin but Celestina realised that his presence troubled Xavier. She wondered who or what Sir Felton was, but Xavier’s next words began to reveal what was bothering him.
“I suppose my great-aunt Charlotte has sent you, Sir Felton?”
“Yes my lord, she insisted that I bring you and your lovely new wife over to her box immediately. You know there is no arguing with one of her commands. I apologize for being so peremptory, but she would not be gainsaid.”
“Then I suppose we had best get it over with. Celestina, we have to visit my great-aunt. She is Lady Charlotte, dowager Marchioness of Stangate and was my grandfather’s younger sister before she married the Late Lord Basil Hezell. Apart from my distant cousin and heir Gerald, I have not much remaining family still alive. There is a Northumberland branch of Falconers who seem to be thriving, but we have never had much to do with them,” Xavier said filling her in as they walked between the boxes, following Sir Felton.
Celestina stepped back surprised at her first glimpse of Lady Charlotte, in the soft lighting of the theatre, she thought her a much younger woman, perhaps only a few years older than Xavier himself. As she forced herself forward, she realised that the tiny lady held together the remnants of great beauty with a quiet dignity. Dressed stylishly in a lilac silk evening gown, with a delicate diamond and pearl necklace and earrings, her thick dark blonde hair must have had some help other than nature, but did not appear brassy or artificial. It had been piled into a simple confection with only a couple of curls and some white roses to ornament it. She stood as they approached and addressed Xavier.
“Congratulations, Xavier, you naughty boy,” she declared reaching up to kiss her great-nephew’s cheek. “I despaired for Kittleton Place, but to win Celestina Blighton as your bride, you are truly blessed. I forgive you for not inviting me to the wedding, as I gather it was a trifle hurried affair, but you could have bothered to inform me and not let your neighbours notify me of the news.” She paused for breath briefly while patting the chairs besides her indicating they should sit down. Sir Felton left the box, closing the door behind him.
“Christina Povey gloried in telling me you had married,” she continued on in a gush. “With the details of how Kittleton was being restored. I am afraid I told her I had been party to the negotiations and had been sworn to secrecy. I did consider descending on you for Christmas, but I gather you have kept fairly quiet. So I decided to persecute my son Andrew and his wife Louisa at Stangate Castle instead and spoil my grandchildren. George, their heir, is now all of six and he has two younger sisters Mary and Caroline. Louisa is increasing again, so they don’t attend town much these days.”
“I am glad to hear Lord Hezell’s family is doing so well. Please tender him and his lady my congratulations,” Xavier said correctly, even if Celestina thought he was not that interested in the family news.
“I am pleased to welcome you to the family Celestina, you have chosen well to marry Xavier; he is a much better man than he pretends to be. I believe I saw another of your suitors among those visiting your box. Sir Arthur Devereaux, your instincts in turning him down served you well. There is something underhand about that man and his family before him were bad lots. I heard he does not take his reverses well, so be wary of him,” Lady Charlotte paused before continuing.
“Sir Felton insists you have been declining all invitations, but as your nearest relation I insist you attend my ball and I will be seriously offended if you don’t both come. Besides I have a belated wedding present for you, which you must come and collect.”
Xavier tried to refuse the invitation and Celestina backed him up, but by the time they returned to their own box, Lady Charlotte had squeezed agreement very reluctantly from them. Xavier was hopeful now they were spending more time together, they might establish a good relationship. He was generally pleased with how their first outing together had gone and suggested they went riding in Green Park when she could take a little time off from work. Celestina had missed riding and agreed to take time off in two days’ time to go riding with her husband.
Chapter Eighteen – Assignations
Xavier had been advised when arriving in London to simply leave any bills he ran up, for Celestina to handle and she had given him an allowance which was more than generous for his needs, considering she was paying the servants, his tailors, all the bills for Kittleton House and her own bills. As he was not allowed to drink or gamble, Xavier found he spent little money beyond eating a meal from home or giving a gratuity to someone who had served him.
Celestina had gone to her offices first thing that morning and so the post was brought into Xavier at breakfast. He sorted through the mass of invitations to himself, Celestina and them jointly and put them on one side. He would spend some time after breakfast, politely declining those to himself and to them as a couple. He would not open the invitations addressed to Celestina, but would offer to write the notes declining for her to sign if she wished.
There were flowers from a number of gentlemen to Celestina, some advertising material and a large number of bills from the tradesmen who supplied the house and Celestina personally. He noticed the names of a fashionable modiste and milliner amongst their number. There were a couple of letters addressed to Celestina which he had no desire to open, which he added to her pile of bills and invitations. A number of bouquets of flowers had been delivered and the housekeeper asked about what she should do with them. He suggested she display the flowers as she saw fit in the formal reception rooms, however she should place the cards upon the desk in Celestina’s study. As he ate Xavier continued to work through the post, finding a couple of more personal notes of invitation to himself, one was to attend a racing meet later in the month, with Lord Valentine Shadforth who must have drafted it after leaving the theatre, the night before.
Xavier would have liked to go, if only for the excitement of watching the horses race, but he thought considering Celestina’s ban on gambling it would be sensible to refuse. As he reached the bottom of the pile he found a pink folded paper sealed with the Romshire crest. As he opened the missive, the breakfast room was filled with the sickly sweet smell of Selena’s perfume. He recognised the heady odour of musk with exotic spiced tones she had specially made for her, wondering why he had not found it cloying and excessive before. He furrowed his brow and wrinkled his nose as he read her flamboyant scrawl.
Xavier, my dearest beloved,
That, Xavier thought, was a lie. He doubted Selena Romshire had ever truly loved anyone but herself. Certainly she did not love her sick and aged husband, Lord Percy Romshire. She left him to his sick bed in the country while she spent his money in town. His death had been expected for some time, but Xavier doubted Selena would mourn. Nor did she dote on their heir, George, whom Xavier believed was now about seven, or her daughter, Clara, who was about five years old. Xavier doubted they saw much of their beautiful Mama, either.
“How I have missed your fervent caresses. Oh thou art cruel, lover to deprive me of your kisses for so long. I hav
e longed desperately for your return, only to be devastated to see you come to town with your wife. How could my adored Xavier, debase our tender romance by marrying for filthy money? I could see how embarrassed you were to compare what you had married for the lover you left behind in London. It makes my heart ache to think of you with that freckle faced moneybags. Did you insist on her being veiled because you are ashamed of how she looks? You deserve so much more; do you not still desire the perfection of my unblemished skin?
Perfidious love, I forgive you for your faithlessness, only because I understand how much restoring Kittleton Place meant to you. But I long for your touch and to be enfolded in your arms again. Do not fail me Xavier, visit me at two this afternoon, I have instructed Yeatman to only admit you.
I will await you with longing
Your very own playful little kitten”
There was no signature, not even her initial. Xavier sat fuming, turning over the note in his hands, as he reflected whether that was Selina’s idea of discretion. To send him a note with her crested seal, her perfume and even including the fairly unusual name of her butler. He had been annoyed, when she had forced him to introduce her to Celestina the night before. However she had not said anything that could be thought directly suggestive or offensive. He had feared Selena who was proud of her ancient roots might chose to snub Celestina as an encroaching mushroom, whereas Selena was now bordering on the demi-monde. Her husband’s name allowed her entry into society that might otherwise look down on her promiscuity.
Xavier reread the note, her accusation of unfaithfulness to her amused slightly. He had never made a fuss about them, but she had always had other lovers. Even though the allowance she received from her husband was generous, she always overspent. As Xavier’s pockets had always been to let, she never expected fancy presents from him. He had taken her a few trinkets if he had a patch of good luck, but nothing which would make serious improvements to her finances. So if she chose to bed him for pleasure and saw her other men friends for whatever presents she could wheedle out of them, he had preferred not to play the jealous lover.
Xavier had not expected Selena to want to restart their affair, as it had been two years since he had last been in London. He had not seen her for the last few months before he retired to the country. He had tired of her although she had been an enthusiastic bed partner. He had believed at the time, she had found a lover who was generous but insisted on her fidelity. He would reply to her note politely declining her invitation, but he would write a copy and give the copy together with the note to Celestina. She insisted on his fidelity so it would be better if he was quite open about the matter. Even if she was annoyed at him for Selena’s presumption, it would be better to be totally honest.
Breakfast finished he picked up the pile of mail and retired to the library to deal with his correspondence. He would deal with Selena first. It took several drafts which went through aggrieved, apologetic, and friendly. The first he thought would annoy Selena, the second he felt gave her reason to try again, the third might encourage her to seek his company. He finally settled for terse and formal.
“Dear Madam
I am flattered by your invitation but I must decline. I am now a married man and I will keep my marriage vows.
Your servant
XF”
He copied out the note and sealed the first version with his family seal. He did not think he had been especially rude or ambiguous. His reply gave no encouragement that he would welcome further advances from her ladyship in the future. He wrote a note to Celestina which he pinned to Selena’s note and his copy of his reply.
Dear Wife
I received this note from Lady Selena Romshire with today’s mail. I attach a copy of the reply I had sent round. I apologize for her bringing herself to your attention last night. I should have preferred for you not to have to acknowledge her, but I felt pressured to introduce her to you out of politeness. I admit we were lovers for some time, but the affair had terminated several months before I left London for the country, which was over two years ago. I had no expectation of her wishing to restart our dalliance. I have no wish to continue it, as I am perfectly content in my marriage and wish to keep my promises to you. I wish to be transparently honest over my dealings with Lady Selena and any other former lovers. I am truly sorry if this matter upsets you in any way, and seek your forgiveness for my former mistakes.
Your loving husband
Xavier
Having dealt with the most troublesome of his post, Xavier worked through the invitations politely declining them. When he had answered everything except the letter from Lord Valentine Shadforth, which he felt could wait. He put his reply to Selina and the other replies on a tray and called a footman to arrange their delivery. Then he placed the letters together with the invitations addressed solely to Celestina on the desk in her study. Feeling his conscience was now clear, he called for his curricle to drive to Soho for some fencing practice at his preferred fencing salle.
Xavier went through his day imagining his wife’s face and hair. Had Lady Selena seen Celestina before he pondered? Ladies who had freckles were usually red heads. Xavier admitted to a particular preference for redheads and her so white skin did make that a logical possibility. Xavier suspected the veil was something she adopted purely when he was around, so a few enquiries would solve that mystery, but Xavier felt that asking questions about his own wife, showed a lack of trust. He would feel like “Le Barbe Bleu” or Bluebeard in the story by Perrault, checking up on her. If she did not wish him to see her face, then he had no intention of pressuring her into doing anything she did not want to do. No matter how curious he was, he would not try to discover what she did not want him to know.
He enjoyed his workout at the salle and Lord Valentine stepped in to observe for the latter part of his session. Xavier fenced with the master himself and was making him work for his guineas. Xavier however was barely shiny; all the hard work he had done on his estate had built up his stamina. He might be a little rusty at fencing, but he did not tire easily.
“Xavvy, will you come and have a coffee with me?” Lord Valentine requested. It seemed an innocuous enough request so when Xavier had redressed and tidied his long hair, Xavier sent Robert Avery back to the mews with his curricle and the two friends stretched their legs strolling through Mayfair towards Bond Street glancing at the shops along the way.
“I got your note about that racing meet, Val. I’d like to join you but it would be only on the understanding that I will not be gambling. Were you intending to organise a large group to go with you?”
“No I just wanted to get you on your own. You see the thing is I want to get married. I’ve met a lovely lady, Miss Anne Clavershaw, she’s everything I could wish for, beautiful, elegant, and acts just like a lady, although her father is a factory owner. She has even got a decent dowry which would help my finances considerably…” Valentine paused and coughed.
“Congratulations Val, I wish you happy. I’d love to come to your wedding.”
“It’s not as simple as that. Anne likes me and said she would happily accept my proposal, but when I called on her father, he said I was a wastrel and a fortune hunter. He said all I had to offer was my title and a mortgaged, rundown estate which would swallow up Anne’s dowry. He refuses to countenance the match.”
“I’m sorry, Val. Do you think you can change his mind and get him to agree?”
“I don’t know, but your wife has a good name in the business community. I wondered if she could give me some advice about how to persuade the old man. I gather she has done quite a lot of business with him.”
“We are only just settling in together in London, she rarely discusses business with me. But I will ask her for her advice as to how to handle the situation. However I suspect she will be as critical of you, as Mr Clavenshaw. But if even one of my friends were to stop gambling, it would make me happier. Are your estates really in that bad a shape?”
“Moderately
bad, I’m not bankrupt or anywhere near it. I still own The Grange and my townhouse, even if it is rented out for the season. I thought keeping it open just for me, was an unnecessary expense so I rent rooms.”
“Have you talked to Anne about whether she wants to live in London or would be happy in the country?”
“We never thought he would object, so we really have not discussed the practicalities. Now I can only meet her at society events and we are restricted to standing up for only two dances. I suppose I am lucky that he has not forbidden her to talk to me or insist she refuse to dance with me.”
“We’re not really attending many society events this year. Celestina works so hard that expecting her to entertain and attend society events as well would totally exhaust her. My great aunt, the dowager Marchioness of Stangate is determined we will go to her ball next month. Are you both invited?”
“I am, but I am not sure about whether Anne is invited, Lady Charlotte might not have included an industrialist’s daughter. She is being brought out by Lady Pamela Purcell, who is quite respectable, but not really top drawer.”
“I will see if I can get Lady Charlotte to invite Anne and Lady Purcell for you. Perhaps you can speak to my wife there too.”
***
Lady Celestina returned from a hard day’s work to Kittleton House. She changed for dinner and then went to her study and examined the post that had been left there. Xavier having bathed and redressed, came downstairs and knocked on her study door.
“Enter,” she replied thinking one of the servants wished to ask for instructions. She was surprised when Xavier entered although she had taken the precaution of wearing her veil.
“Have you reached the note from Lady Selena Romshire yet?”
The Purchased Peer Page 19