Alissa Baxter (22 page)

Emily shook her head. “I have no family in London — except my uncle, and he is unmarried.”

Looking across at John, who all the while had been standing in the doorway, Alexandra said quietly, “Do you think that Grandmama would agree to having Emily stay with us, John?”

“You could certainly ask her, Alex,” he said thoughtfully.

Emily gasped. “But — but I could not impose on your grandmother in that way!”

“Hush, dear. And try not worry about this. I shall speak to my grandmother after the ball.”

“You are a dear friend, Alexandra,” Emily said, looking slightly bemused. “Thank you for trying to help me. But rest assured that I shall perfectly understand if your grandmother does not extend an invitation for me to stay with her.”

“I shall see what can be done. I think, though, that we should return to the ballroom now before Grandmama comes looking for me.”

Emily nodded. “Do — do I look presentable, Alexandra?”

Alexandra smiled as she stood up. “Your nose is a trifle red, and so are your eyes, but only if one looks closely at your face.”

Emily also stood up, and said shakily, “Well, I hope that no one looks too closely.”

They walked towards the door, and when they came to John, he offered them each an arm. “May I escort you ladies back to the ballroom?” he asked gravely.

“Thank you, John. You are most kind,” Alexandra said.

They returned to the ballroom, and later that evening when they were driving home in the carriage together, Alexandra reflected that her brother had indeed been most kind. He had devoted the rest of his evening to Emily, dancing with her twice, and had looked after her carefully until it was time for her to leave the ball.

When they returned to Beauchamp House, Alexandra asked her grandmother if she and John could speak to her privately.

“Certainly, my dears,” Lady Beauchamp said. “We can speak in the Drawing Room.”

When they were all comfortably settled, Alexandra explained Emily’s problems to Lady Beauchamp, saying in conclusion, “She is so very unhappy, Grandmama, and I am convinced that if she returns home with Mrs Hadley and Jane that they will make her life unbearable.” She looked at her grandmother beseechingly. “Could you not speak to Mrs Hadley, Grandmama, and offer to have Emily stay with us?”

“I would, of course, like to help Emily, Alexandra, but you must be aware that your suggestion is a trifle irregular,” Lady Beauchamp said, frowning a little. “We have no connection to her, and it is rather a large undertaking for me to chaperone another débutante.”

“But, Emily will be no trouble at all, Grandmama. She is two years older than I am, you know, and unlike me, is very sweet and biddable!”

Lady Beauchamp smiled, but she still looked doubtful. “I’m not sure, my dear.” She looked across at her grandson. “What do you think of this, John?”

“I am in agreement with Alexandra, Grandmama,” John said slowly. “Miss Hadley appears to be a gentle soul. I do not think that she has the necessary armour to withstand Mrs Hadley’s cruel treatment of her.”

Lady Beauchamp sighed. “You children have made it difficult for me to refuse — my conscience will not allow it. I shall call on Mrs Hadley tomorrow.”

“Oh, thank you, Grandmama!” Alexandra said, her eyes shining.

“I only hope that Mrs Hadley agrees to allow me to take Emily under my wing. She is a spiteful woman, I believe, and may not want to give Emily the chance of having a London Season.”

The next morning, when Lady Beauchamp called on Mrs Hadley, she found that she had been mistaken in her belief that Mrs Hadley may not wish to release her stepdaughter.

“Take Emily into your home, Lady Beauchamp?” Mrs Hadley said, after Lady Beauchamp had put the suggestion to her. “I would be happy for you to do so. I do not wish to see the little minx again.”

Lady Beauchamp raised her brows. “Indeed?”

“Yes!” Mrs Hadley said, her eyes narrowing. “That child is full of airs and graces, and has always looked down her nose at me. Merely because her mother was the granddaughter of an earl! For years I have had to have That Woman’s child living in my home. The sight of her sickens me.”

“I only hope then that Emily quickly finds an eligible husband in view of what you say.”

“You must force her to accept any offer she receives, Lady Beauchamp. I do not wish to have her under my roof again. She is parading around with the most smug expression on her face at this time, because she has received those wretched vouchers and we have not. It is unjust. Terribly unjust. I cannot abide it.” Her fists clenched tightly in her lap, until her knuckles whitened. But, after a moment, she seemed to collect herself and she rang for the butler.

When the man entered the room, she said, “Send Miss Hadley to me, Forbes.”

The butler bowed, and withdrew, and a few minutes later, Emily crept into the room.

“You — you wish to see me, Stepmama?” she asked.

“Yes. Be seated.”

Mrs Hadley nodded in Lady Beauchamp’s direction. “Her ladyship has been so kind as to offer to take you into her home. You will leave here as soon as possible, and take up residence for the remainder of the Season with her.”

Emily stared wordlessly at her benefactress for a few moments. Finally, she took a deep breath, and murmured, “Thank you, Lady Beauchamp. I — I am most grateful. I shall try not to be a burden to you.”

“It will be my pleasure to have you stay with me, Emily,” Lady Beauchamp said gently.

“I have told her ladyship that it is imperative that you find a husband, Emily,” Mrs Hadley said, frowning at her stepdaughter. “You are virtually on the shelf now and must not turn up your nose at any offer of marriage you may receive. I trust I make myself clear?”

Emily swallowed nervously. “Yes, Stepmama.”

“Very good.” Looking at Lady Beauchamp, Mrs Hadley continued, “The house that we are staying in is a hired one, and we are giving it up within the next day or so. Will you be able to receive Emily into your home tomorrow?

“Certainly, Mrs Hadley. The sooner that Emily can come to stay with me, the better.”

Rising from her seat, Lady Beauchamp nodded coolly. “Good morning, Mrs Hadley. I trust that your journey home will be a safe one.”

“I hope so indeed,” Mrs Hadley said, standing up as well. “Thank you, Lady Beauchamp, for taking Emily for the Season. I give you my permission to deal with her very strictly if need be. What that girl needs is discipline.”

Lady Beauchamp gave Mrs Hadley a measuring look, but said nothing in response, merely smiling at Emily as she left the room. Reflecting later on her distasteful conversation with Mrs Hadley, Lady Beauchamp resolved that she would do whatever she could to find Emily an eligible husband during the course of the Season, because if anyone needed rescuing from a dire situation, young Emily Hadley did, she thought grimly.

A way from the domineering presence of her stepmother, Emily blossomed in the congenial atmosphere of the Beauchamp household. Alexandra took Emily firmly under her wing, and as the days passed the already close friendship between the two girls deepened. However, being of a far less energetic nature than her friend, Emily was more than content to live life at a slower pace, preferring to stay at home, working on her embroidery or playing the piano forte, than accompanying Alexandra and Letitia on the their numerous shopping and riding expeditions.

John became a frequent visitor to Beauchamp House, and after a while, Lady Beauchamp and Alexandra began to suspect that his presence there owed less to any duty he may feel towards them as a grandson or brother, and far more to his obvious appreciation of Miss Hadley’s charms. He treated Emily with unfailing gentleness and courtesy, and Emily responded to his attentions like a flower opening to the warmth of the sun.

Lady Beauchamp began to suspect that a betrothal was in the air, and chided Alexandra about it when they were comfortably ensconced in the Rose Salon one rainy day. “At this rate, my dear, your brother will be betrothed before you are!”

Alexandra laughed. “Oh Grandmama! You must not concern yourself over my unattached state. I am perfectly happy, I assure you!”

“You are far too independently minded, Alexandra,” Lady Beauchamp said, pursing her lips a little.

“I prefer it that way, Grandmama. It makes life far less complicated, you know.”

“But why are you still so intent on remaining unmarried, my dear?”

Alexandra considered her grandmother thoughtfully. “I grew up with a father who treated me as an intelligent individual, Grandmama, which ill prepared me for the attitude that so many gentlemen have towards women in our Society. I cannot bear being treated as if I have no mind of my own.”

“Your father was indeed an exceptional man, Alexandra. But not all men believe women are inferior beings, you know. You must not think that. Your dear Grandpapa, for one, treated me with the greatest deal of respect and consideration.” Lady Beauchamp paused for a moment, before continuing delicately, “What of your friendship with Robert, my love?”

Alexandra smiled. “You, yourself, warned me against him, Grandmama. I would never be so foolish as to take his attentions seriously. He is merely amusing himself by keeping me in fashion.”

Lady Beauchamp stared at her granddaughter blankly, at a loss for words. Finally, she murmured, “So you are in no danger of losing your heart to him then?”

Alexandra rolled her eyes. “Of course not, Grandmama. I would be a fool to do so.”

“Your defences are much stronger then than most women, my child. Robert’s deadly effect on impressionable young ladies is legendary.”

“I took the advice you gave me at Grantham Place seriously, Grandmama. His grace and I are merely friends — of sorts.”One morning, Alexandra had just put the finishing touches to her toilette, when a message was delivered to her that her brother and Lord Denville had called and were awaiting her downstairs. Alexandra received the message with pleasure. She had not gone riding in the Park with the Duke this morning – his grace had scheduled an urgent meeting with the bailiff of Stanford Court, who had travelled up to London in order to see him – and she had been wondering how to fill the hours before her grandmother eventually emerged from her bedchamber. Emily, unfortunately, had developed a slight chill, and was confined to her bed, and had sent a message to Alexandra, a little earlier, telling her that she was not desirous of receiving any visitors today, in case she infected them. Poor John would be so disappointed, Alexandra thought now as she left her bedchamber and hurried downstairs to the Morning Room to see him. She was about to push open the door of the room, which had been left ajar, when Lord Denville’s voice, raised in speech, gave her pause.

“By gad, John!” he was saying. “Charles Fotherby is the last man I would have expected to call someone out! I believed him to be a peaceable man.”

“Well, you would not have described him as peaceable last night,” John replied. “Winters made some disparaging remarks about Lady Letitia Beaumont. Fotherby, who I believe is a close friend of the Beaumont family, took exception to the remarks, and demanded that Winters retract what he had said. Winters refused to do so, so Fotherby called him out. The meeting is tomorrow on Westbourne Green.”

Alexandra stood in frozen shock outside the Morning Room. After a few moments, however, she recollected herself and entered the room. John looked up and, seeing his sister’s face, said uneasily, “How much of our conversation did you hear, Alex?”

“Enough,” she replied shortly. Turning to Lord Denville, Alexandra greeted him, before saying to her brother, “John — this is dreadful! Can anything be done to stop the duel?”

“In an affair of honour, Alex? Nothing can or will be done, of course. Winters was extremely offensive in what he said about Lady Letitia. I don’t think that the seconds will even attempt to bring about a reconciliation.”

Alexandra frowned. “But, something has to be done, John! Either man could be killed in the encounter. And the damage done to Letty’s reputation will be considerable if it becomes known that a duel was fought over her. Besides,” she continued seriously, “I thought duelling had been outlawed.”

John, knowing of old the look in his sister’s eyes, said directly, “This is a gentleman’s affair, Alex, and doesn’t warrant any interference. So try to forget what you overheard.”

Alexandra looked doubtfully up at John. She knew, of course, that gentlemen took their Code of Honour very seriously and that, once a challenge was issued, it was rarely retracted, but she was of the opinion that it was pure folly for a man to risk his life in such a way. She realized, however, that John was reluctant to discuss the matter further with her so, after asking him to call on her tomorrow morning with any news that he might have about the duel, she allowed him to turn the conversation, telling him about Emily’s indisposition when he inquired about her absence.

When John and Lord Denville left half an hour later, however, Alexandra’s thoughts returned to the problem at hand. If only she could do something to prevent the duel from taking place, she brooded. An idea suddenly occurred to her and, jumping up from the chaise-longue where she was sitting, Alexandra rushed upstairs to her bedchamber and requested Hobbes, who was setting the room in order, to bring her her writing materials. A short while later, Alexandra hurried downstairs again, and handed a sealed letter to Leighton, with the direction that it was to be taken to Stanford House immediately, and that the footman who delivered it was to wait for a response.

Twenty minutes later, Leighton entered the Morning Room, carrying a letter on a silver salver. Alexandra broke the seal eagerly, and quickly scanned the brief missive: “Dear Miss Grantham,” the Duke had written, “I will call on you in half an hour. We can discuss the urgent business you mentioned in Hyde Park. Yours
etc.
Stanford.”

Alexandra breathed a sigh of relief. It would considerably lessen the burden of knowledge she felt if she could share what she knew about the proposed duel with the Duke. He would, in all probability, know the best thing to be done.