Edith wasn’t alone for long, as Ralph approached her.
“There you are! I thought you were reneging on our dances,” he said with a smile. Noticing Edith’s pale complexion his demeanour changed immediately. “Are you unwell, Lady Edith?”
“I’ve just received a shock. It is nothing really, but I do wish I could swap this glass of negus for a glass of brandy,” Edith said with a sigh.
Ralph laughed. “You never cease to surprise me, Lady Edith. Come, I know your brother has some excellent brandy in his study. We shall make our escape.”
“I shouldn’t,” Edith faltered. Going into a private room with a single man was a sure way of creating even more trouble than she was already in.
“I’ll get your brother,” Ralph said, understanding her reluctance.
“Thank you.”
Miles came across to Edith, who had removed herself to the hallway. One or two persons were milling about but apart from a nod in their direction, Edith had managed to escape entering into conversation with anyone.
“What’s amiss?” he asked.
“I’ve been foolish. Again. And I need a drink to fortify myself. If any of this reaches my mother, I shall need a decanter,” Edith responded dully.
The two men exchanged a glance, but Miles led the way into his study. “We can’t remain here for long,” Miles cautioned.
Edith had seated herself in front of the fire and stared unseeingly into the flames. Accepting the glass of brandy from Miles, she swallowed it in one gulp. Letting out a slight shudder, she turned to give Miles her now empty glass.
“What?” Edith asked, looking at the two astounded expressions looking at her. “I needed that.”
“You drank it without a splutter,” Miles pointed out.
“Yes. You don’t think I could get through three years of being in mourning and caring for mother without the occasional glass of brandy, do you? Times were hard,” Edith answered with a shrug.
Miles looked dumbstruck, but Ralph started to laugh. “Lady Edith, the gamester and hardened drinker,” he chuckled.
Despite the feeling of desolation in her stomach, Edith smiled. “Now you have seen all my vices, my lord.”
“Gamester?” Miles asked.
“It’s a long story, brother. Unfortunately, there are more pressing matters to discuss,” Edith said.
“I should leave you,” Ralph offered quickly.
“This will only take a moment,” Edith said, standing and brushing down her dress. She felt emboldened with the brandy coursing through her veins. “Miles, do not under any circumstances give your agreement to Mr Sage’s proposal. If you see him near mother, please interrupt them, for I’m sure he will try and gain her support. I don’t care what you have to do, but do not give him any hope that he will ever receive my hand in marriage.”
“Edith, you are of age. He knows he doesn’t need my permission,” Miles pointed out.
“I can’t marry him, Miles. Lord Pensby, are you well?” Edith had noticed Ralph had changed colour. He looked like he might actually faint.
Ralph turned to Miles, his expression dark. “Let me throw him out.”
Miles blinked. He’d never seen his friend look so ill and then forbidding within the same moment, but it only took him a second to respond. “No. I refuse to let my mother’s party be spoiled in such a way. The man has done nothing wrong. There’s no crime in asking someone to marry them.”
He turned to Edith. She seemed as struck by Ralph’s expression as he had, but she forced herself to turn to her brother. “He said some things – nothing bad, but I’m confused. All I know for sure is if he’s the one who’s written those words, I’ve been completely mistaken.”
“I have no idea to what your referring to, Edith. I think the brandy has gone to your head. I accept you don’t wish to marry him, so for goodness sake, don’t let yourself be alone with him. If you refuse him, he could try to compromise you.”
“She won’t be alone for a moment,” Ralph ground out.
“Thank you,” Edith responded. Ralph’s appearance of jealousy, or was it just support of his best friend, confused Edith even more. She forced down the feelings of wretchedness which would no doubt overwhelm her when the evening had ended. Until then she would paste a smile on her face and continue.
Crossing over to the decanter, she filled her glass and took another glug of liquid. “Come,” she said, setting her shoulders. “Let’s get through this evening.”
Ralph held out his arm. “We still have one dance. No one will approach you while you are in my company.”
“Thank you. I know I will be protected if I’m with you,” Edith responded.
“Always,” Ralph responded.
“I wish you had sent them. I so wanted it to have been you,” Edith said quietly. There was no acknowledgement that Ralph had heard her as they returned to the ballroom.
Edith tried to place a smile on her face, but it probably looked as false as it felt. For the first few minutes they danced in silence, but eventually Ralph broke the strained atmosphere.
“It’s to your credit that you’re prepared to stand up for what you truly want,” he said gently.
Edith grimaced. “Most people would class me as a fool.”
“Thankfully, I don’t consider myself one of the masses.”
“No. You don’t give a fig what anyone thinks, do you?”
Ralph paused. “I do. Yes.”
“Really? You don’t act as if you do,” Edith responded, her interest piqued.
“Trust me. I do. Which is why I admire your ability to say no.”
“I might not feel so steadfast when my mother has torn a strip off me,” Edith replied with a ghost of a smile.
“Your brother will support you.”
“He does. I detest setting him against mother, but I can’t agree to something I object to so strongly,” Edith admitted.
Ralph seemed to consider his next words carefully. “Lady Edith, believe me when I say, I wish things could be different. That I long to be able to offer you protection of my own, but I cannot.”
Edith frowned. “I’m not sure I understand your meaning, my lord.”
“Would it sound ridiculous if I said, neither do I?” Ralph laughed, self-mockingly. “I just know I wish there was more I could offer.”
*
Lady Longdon berated her daughter for a full two hours after the last guest had departed. Even her son could not distract her from her mission of browbeating her daughter into accepting a proposal from a handsome man.
“But I don’t love him!” Edith eventually said, after trying time and again to convince her mother that she was justified in refusing Mr Sage.
“Fustian! He’s a charming, handsome gentleman! What else could a girl like you wish for?” Lady Longdon responded cuttingly.
“A girl like me?” Edith asked, her eyes glinting.
“Edith…” Miles cautioned.
“No. Let Mother speak. She obviously has a view of me that I think I should hear,” Edith said.
“You go around, thinking you’re above the company we are in, and yet you remain nothing but a wallflower,” Lady Longdon responded. “How many dances have you sat out over the season? How many men send you flowers, visit this house, trying to vie for your attention? None. It’s been laughable watching you look down your nose at the poor souls who have foolishly tried to be nice to you. And now look at you! Refusing the only decent man you are ever likely to meet! You are a fool, Edith, and I want no more to do with you.”
“Mother, there is no need for this. What you say is wrong and unfair,” Miles said, his tone sharper than normal when speaking to his parent.
“No, it isn’t. You haven’t been here for the last few years, watching your sister become insufferable as she acted the lady of the house.” Lady Longdon responded without the slightest remorse at being taken to task by her son.
“I was dealing with the deaths of my father and two brothers!” Edith defen
ded herself. “You were unable to do anything, so I took the burden from you. I thought I was helping.”
“I had lost my sons and my husband; of course I was prostrate with grief. I didn’t expect you to run roughshod over everything in the process. I only came to London to get you off my hands finally. And now, it looks like you’re even interfering in that plan!”
Tears welled in Edith’s eyes. Never before had she been spoken to in such a manner. She saw Miles was fit to explode at their mother, but she raised her hand slightly to stop him. Standing, she looked at her brother, whose eyes held nothing but sympathy. His expression nearly undid her, but she managed to swallow the lump in her throat.
“Miles, please arrange for me to return home the day after tomorrow. I would like the opportunity to take my leave of a few friends, which I will do in the morning. I will be ready to leave first thing on Saturday,” Edith said, moving to the door.
“Don’t expect me to come with you,” Lady Longdon threw over her shoulder.
“I wouldn’t, Mother,” Edith responded, formally addressing her parent. “In fact, it is my intention to have left Barrowfoot House by the time you return. Miles, I will be seeking the advice of our solicitor about setting up my own establishment. If you could ask him to visit me once I return to Barrowfoot, I would be grateful.”
“Edith, there really isn’t the need—”
“There is every need, Miles. How are we to recover from the words which have been uttered? Far too much has been said,” Edith responded. “I’ll bid you goodnight.”
When the door had closed behind Edith, Miles turned on his mother. “Mama, you are a fool! You will regret this day for a long time to come. Who is going to pander to you in the way Edith has done? Who will do your bidding without question? If you think I am to be the drudge Edith has been, you are to be sadly mistaken,” he scolded. “I might not be in the frame of mind to marry, but if you think I have the urge to spend my time following you around like some sort of lapdog, you have misunderstood my intentions of returning home. I came home for peace, not to be at your beck and call!”
Miles had never spoken to his mother so harshly and she looked stunned for a few moments. It wasn’t long though before she reverted to type and started to cry and remonstrate her son for being a poor being in mistreating his only living parent.
Walking out of the drawing room in disgust, Miles indicated to the butler. “Send my mother’s maid to her, and warn her she’ll have a darned long night. I shall arrange for suitable recompense to be added to her wages. She will earn it over the coming weeks. If my mother puts extra strain on any other member of staff, let me know and I will show my appreciation of their tolerance,” Miles instructed.
“Yes, m’lud,” the butler replied, without showing a flicker of surprise at the words. He’d cleared everyone out of the vicinity of the drawing room when it was apparent Lady Longdon was in one of her moods. He would not allow servants to talk about their employers and Lady Longdon very often gave a poor impression of herself.
Moving away from his master, he noticed with regret the grim expression on Miles’ face as he started to climb the stairs. The poor young man had been through enough and in some respects was still suffering, he didn’t need the angst his mother would now inflict on her family. He was burdened enough.
*
Edith ignored the scratch on the door and groaned when it opened and Miles appeared, a tentative smile on his face. “I can’t apologise,” Edith said, blowing her nose and drying her eyes. “Please don’t ask me to.”
“I would never expect that of you,” Miles said, walking across to his sister and enfolding her in an embrace. “How often has she had explosions like that?”
“Too many to remember every one,” Edith admitted, resting her head on her brother’s shoulder. “This one was particularly spectacular though.”
“I’ve torn a strip off her,” Miles admitted. “She crumbled and is currently wailing downstairs.”
“Oh, dear Lord!” Edith responded. “She’ll never forgive me for turning you against her. It’s a good thing I’ll be setting up my own home.”
“Don’t leave, Edith,” Miles said.
Edith pulled away from her brother and sat down near her dressing table. “I have to. You know I was longing to return home anyway and tonight has just made that wish even more prominent. I can’t stay here, Miles.”
“There are more men than Sage,” Miles cajoled.
“It’s not really about him,” Edith admitted. “He’s just the one who has unintentionally brought everything to a head. I can’t be with Mother. She will give me no support and I can’t bear to have a rift in the family which would be open to public scrutiny. She won’t think twice of telling anyone and everyone how I’ve wronged her. I wouldn’t mind if I was as poor as a church mouse and desperate for someone to provide for me. With what I would bring to a marriage, it shouldn’t be that hard to find someone decent.”
“I want to see you settled, just as much as she does,” Miles admitted.
“But you would not force me into a marriage I didn’t want.”
“No,” Miles acceded. “I don’t want you setting up home on your own though. That’s a step too far.”
“I’m going to think about my options when I return home. I promise I won’t rush into anything, but I will consider which of our wider family would be suitable in being a companion for me. For I will have to set up an establishment at some point,” Edith said.
“Who would you ask?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps Mildred,” Edith said, but started to smile at her brother’s horrified expression.
“Isn’t she about ninety and half blind?” he asked.
“A perfect companion for me then,” Edith said. “She won’t know what I’m doing, but I’ll still be considered respectable with her living with me.”
“You, my dear, are doing nothing without my agreement. You might be of age, but you are completely outrageous and can’t be trusted,” Miles said tartly.
Edith laughed. “You brute. I knew I wouldn’t get away with my wild plans to set up my own gaming hell.”
Miles smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. “I’m sorry you had to wait so long for your come out. Things could have been so different if it had happened sooner.”
Edith became serious and walking to wrap her arms around her brother, she kissed his cheek. “It doesn’t matter. I have you and my friends. I shall prepare to be an aunt to as many children as you and your future wife produce and encourage them all to get into all kinds of mischief. I’ll be an honorary aunt to Susan’s children when she settles down, so my life will be full of little ones. I’ll make sure they are all wild.”
“That, my sweet, I can believe and the thought of it terrifies me,” Miles said, giving Edith a warm embrace before leaving her in peace. They both would get little sleep in what remained of the night.
Chapter 13
Edith walked downstairs late in the morning. She’d requested breakfast in her room and had been told that her mother hadn’t left her bed as she was feeling unwell. Edith would have normally been forced to endure her mother’s chamber for the rest of the day while she tended to her every whim. Today was different. As she was leaving London the following morning, she felt no guilt at leaving her mother to her maid.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the butler brought a silver tray over to her. “A letter, Lady Edith,” he said quietly.
Edith hadn’t expected to receive any more letters, so took it reluctantly. Opening it while she stood in the hallway, her stomach fluttered when she read the words.
Dear Miss S,
You looked beautiful last night. You don’t seem to appreciate the effect you have on those around you. I wish you did, although your modesty does you credit.
There. I have revealed something of myself, I am one in your company, but don’t fear, I would never betray you, or harm you or your reputation. My regard is too high for that.
>
I’m not a man who sends flowers, but believe me when I say, you were most appealing in every sense. There was no one else present who could compete with you in my eyes.
Yours, with admiration,
Mr S
Edith had paled a little at reading the words. He knew who she was. Could it be Mr Sage? She was clinging to the fact that it couldn’t be, surely he would have mentioned something about what they’d exchanged last night. It could mean that if he did try and seek an audience with her brother and was turned down, he could reveal her secret. She would be the laughing stock of society. She sighed, it was a good thing that she was leaving town.
Placing her bonnet on her head, she smiled through the looking glass when she spied Miles walking out of his study.
“Nice to see you up and about,” she said pleasantly, ignoring the fact that they both had dark circles under their eyes, hinting at the rough night both had endured.
“Couldn’t sleep,” Miles admitted.
“Me neither,” Edith responded. “But I am going to visit Susan and say my goodbyes. Is there anything you need whilst I am out?”
“No. Are you going alone?”
“As she lives exactly ten houses away, there is no need to be accompanied. I was trying to decide whether or not to go shopping, but I can’t honestly face it. Spending the afternoon with Susan will be perfect and I don’t need to be escorted for that,” Edith responded.
“In that case, I shall see you tonight. I expect it will be just the two of us dining. I doubt Mother will be ready to face either of us,” Miles said, kissing Edith’s cheek.
They said their goodbyes and Edith left the house. She took a lungful of the smoke-filled air and was thankful she would only be spending one more day in the capital. She longed for the wide-open spaces and fresh, crisp air of her home.
She soon reached the abode of her friend and was greeted with pleasure. When Edith had explained what had gone on after the ball and the result of the argument, Susan sat back in her seat.
Lady Edith's Lonely Heart: A Regency Romance (Lonely Hearts Series Book 1) Page 10