Sally James (7 page)

Isabella nodded absentmindedly. 'So do I, but most men enjoy it in the same way as they enjoy pugilism or duelling. I cannot understand it and would hate to watch it myself. Why, I even detest seeing dogs set on to a bear. I always feel so sorry for the poor bear!'

'Lord Fordington was not there. He is either more refined in his feelings, or more adult than William!'

Isabella carefully put away a neat pile of pillowcases and turned to laugh at Georgiana.

'Since he is a dozen years or so older, you could expect him to be more adult! But how did you discover this?'

'Jack, the groom, told me, for he was there himself. It seems,' she added in a puzzled voice, 'that men of the highest
ton
mix freely with everyone, grooms and coachmen and farm labourers, when sport is in question. I find it very odd they seem to ignore servants who are doing a job, and then hobnob with them in some dirty barn or back yard just because there is some wager at issue.'

'Men have their own rules,' Isabella commented. 'Think of the uproar there would be if we wanted to behave in the same manner!'

Georgiana giggled. 'Do you like Ninian?' she demanded.

Isabella looked at her quickly, wondering if she had formed a
tendre
for the young man, but Georgiana was regarding her candidly and it appeared to be an innocent question.

'I find him pleasant enough,' Isabella said slowly, beginning to fold a pile of napkins, 'but from what I have heard and seen he seems somewhat unsteady.'

'Lydia thinks he has formed an attachment to her,' Georgiana confided. 'Myself, I am not so certain. His mother would want him to look higher, I am sure.'

'I hope Lydia will not be foolish, expecting too much.'

'I am afraid she might. I did not think he paid her any extraordinary attentions, for he was equally pleasant to me. Do you think it would be a good notion for me to encourage him, to show Lydia whether he is in earnest or not?' she went on, with apparent lack of conceit.

'Even if you could attract his attention away from Lydia, which is not certain,' Isabella began repressively, but stopped when Georgiana chuckled.

'Oh, I could, I always can get men to pay me attention if I encourage them,' Georgiana declared quickly. 'Even in London, the men I met at Belinda's were only too anxious to please me. Look at Mr Reece! It took me no time at all to persuade him to take me to that masked ball!'

'He was a foolish boy! Not all men are so susceptible!' Isabella informed her tartly, wondering as she did so whether she was right. 'But as I was saying, if you steal Lydia's beau away from her, whatever it proves of his intentions, it will lose you Lydia's friendship.'

'Do you think so?' Georgiana asked, worried. 'I would have been pleased to have been shown a man's true disposition! But I don't want to offend Lydia, for there are not many girls in the district I can be friendly with. I shall just have to hint to her that he might not be serious.'

'Take care how you do it,' Isabella warned, and wondered as she had frequently done before how Georgiana could be so insensitive to the feelings of her friends. She did not mean to be hurtful, Isabella was convinced, but she was totally lacking in imagination and consideration for others. When she was in a good mood she was a charming companion, but when she was determined on getting her own way no consideration apart from her own desires had any effect on her.

* * * *

Georgiana's boast that she could induce any man to pay her attention, a boast made more from innocent frankness than conceit, Isabella judged, seemed borne out that very day when Lord Fordington again arrived at Woodings, this time alone. His ostensible excuse was that he needed to have more consultations with Sir Roderick, but Isabella wondered why, if it were his sole reason for the visit, he had not sought for Sir Roderick at the Home Farm, since he incautiously revealed after some moments of general conversation that he had known Sir Roderick would be there. She concluded he had indeed an ulterior motive and Sir Roderick's hopes were not as vain as she had first thought them.

Watching him, Isabella had to admit the consummate skill with which he made himself acceptable to the ladies, subtly flattering Lady Sharman while discreetly flirting with Georgiana, never forgetting Isabella, whose opinion he appeared to value above everything else.

Georgiana basked in his admiration and behaved admirably. He seemed to have the knack of dealing with her, Isabella thought, unaccountably rather annoyed at the thought. It could prove to be an ideal match, she admitted, if Lord Fordington maintained the somewhat indulgent attitude towards Georgiana that he was displaying now.

'I met a friend of yours yesterday evening in Brighthelmstone,' he said, turning to Isabella and looking at her in a rather quizzical manner. 'Sir Frederick Hill. He intimated that he would be calling on you soon.
'

'Sir Frederick!' Georgiana exclaimed in delight. 'Is he staying long, did he say?' she demanded of Lord Fordington, casting a triumphant glance at Isabella.

'He has taken a house there and informed me he considered his children would benefit from the sea air. They are joining him in a week, I understand.'

'He told me he thought Brighthelmstone was a rackety place,' Isabella commented, frowning at Georgiana. 'I am surprised he appears to have changed his mind.'

'Are you? He must have found a strong inducement to overcome his prejudice,' Lord Fordington said smoothly, but with a gleam in his eye Isabella found disconcerting. Fortunately Lady Sharman spoke before she had to reply.

'Is that the rather prosy man who was here in the spring dealing with poor Mr Yorke's affairs?' she asked. 'I was not aware he was a friend, Isabella. You have not mentioned him.'

'He is not!' Isabella replied, too vehemently as she afterwards realised. 'It is simply that we met him once or twice in London.'

'Once or twice! He was in Berkeley Street every day!'

'Georgiana! You exaggerate! The weather appears to be remaining fine, my lord, for our visit to Priory Dene tomorrow,' Isabella said rather desperately. 'We are looking forward to it.'

'I came partly to see if I could not persuade you, Lady Sharman, to join the party. Lady Fordington would be so happy to entertain you, and bade me assure you you need not go anywhere near the ruins if you should not wish it.'

Lady Sharman shook her head apologetically.

'It must seem very impolite of me not to return Lady Fordington's visit,' she said, sighing. 'I am afraid that even so short a ride in the carriage would have a disastrous effect on me. I would be prostrate for hours afterwards with one of my headaches. I do so hope your stepmother understands.'

'Of course, and she charged me to say you must not regret it, but she would be delighted to see you any time you felt strong enough to attempt the journey. She hoped if you could not drive over to see her she might come again. She took a great fancy to you and would be delighted to pursue the acquaintance.'

'As would I, for I see so few people here. Perhaps you will all come to dinner soon?'

* * * *

Lord Fordington presently took his leave and Isabella retreated to her room in an attempt to calm her tumultuous feelings. In the first place there was an unreasonable anger towards Sir Frederick, who had obviously followed her to Sussex to persist in his unwelcome proposals.

He had already shown he would not easily be deterred and she sighed at the unwelcome prospect of attempting to convince him of her determination not to accept his offer.

Then there was Lord Fordington's obvious attraction towards Georgiana. This occupied her thoughts rather more than did Sir Frederick. It was true Lord Fordington was considerably older than Georgiana, but in every other respect he would be an ideal match for her. He was rich, handsome, of an amiable disposition and yet, Isabella considered, eminently capable of controlling her starts firmly while keeping her happy. An ideal husband, Isabella thought with a sudden pang. Fortunate, oh most fortunate Georgiana, with such prospects, while she could expect nothing better than the unacceptable Sir Frederick or, and she laughed ruefully, the unsuitable William! However, remaining spinster companion to Fanny would be preferable to either of her suitors, but she knew she would find it difficult to convince anyone else she really meant it.

This was proved later in the day when Lady Sharman, having questioned Georgiana thoroughly on what she knew, attempted to persuade Isabella of the advantages of an establishment of her own.

'I shall miss you so dreadfully, my dear,' she sighed, 'but I am determined not to stand in your way. I expect Georgiana will be settled soon, certainly by next year after her come-out, and you could not wish to remain here with only my poor company!'

'But you need someone, and I need a home, and would be content, Fanny, pray believe me, to continue our arrangement, even when Georgiana marries.'

'You cannot prefer that to a home of your own!'

'Does not that rather depend on the home?' Isabella retorted rather sharply. 'I wish you would accept I can never consider Sir Frederick!'

'Is it the children? They need be no barrier, my dear!'

'It is not the children! Why, if I loved a man he could have twenty children for all I would care!'

'That would be a little excessive,' Lady Sharman said with a slight smile. 'I thought you always maintained love was not so very important,' she pointed out.

'Nor is it, but respect is! And could
you
have respect for Sir Frederick? Would
you
be willing to spend the rest of your life with him?'

'I would take anyone if I had to,' Fanny admitted frankly. 'When I accepted Sir Roderick it was in the knowledge that the man I would have preferred to marry could not afford to take me without a portion, while Sir Roderick was so willing! I could not have endured the life of a companion or governess!'

Isabella shrugged. 'We are different, Fanny. Besides, you are all so kind to me I do not feel like a poor relation. I beg of you, if Sir Frederick comes here, do not favour him! It will make it more difficult for me to discourage him.'

Lady Sharman refused to give Isabella such an assurance, saying that she might change her mind when she came to know Sir Frederick better, and she would not be responsible for allowing Isabella to throw away such an eligible opportunity.

'For you must recognise, my dear, there are few enough of them! Although you are very pretty you
are
six and twenty, and have almost nothing, and besides, we entertain so little you meet few suitable men. There is always, I suppose, the possibility you might meet someone next year when Georgiana does the season, but that cannot be depended on and you will be a year older!'

'It would only be men like Sir Frederick who would consider me,' Isabella said lightly, and added to herself that if her suspicions about Lord Fordington were correct Georgiana might be married before the next year in any event. She wondered whether it was the notion such a marriage would, as Lady Sharman had pointed out, ruin any chance she might have of meeting a possible husband while she accompanied Georgiana during her London season that caused her to be so melancholy, and had to remind herself somewhat firmly she had renounced all romantic notions long ago, did not anticipate ever falling in love and had little expectation of meeting a man who would offer for her and whom she could respect.

* * * *

On the following morning they set out for Priory Dene. William rode beside Isabella and chatted eagerly about the possibility of seeing some of Lord Fordington's land.

'He had very advanced ideas on some of the new methods,' he told Isabella, 'and promised to show me what he intends doing now he is at home to take charge.'

They were to collect Lydia and Diana, and Mark Westerson had also been invited. Priory Dene lay some miles nearer to Brighthelmstone, and their way was by the post road until a mile from the house when they had to follow a little-used lane that meandered southwards. They had almost reached this turning when a man driving a sporting-looking curricle towards them slowed down, scrutinised them eagerly and then hailed them. It was, to Isabella's dismay, Sir Frederick Hill.

'Well met!' he exclaimed. 'I was driving to Woodings to visit you, Miss Isabella, Miss Georgiana. How disappointing it would have been if I had driven all that way only to discover your absences!'

He was introduced to the Westersons and they stood around making forced conversation for a few minutes until Lydia, who was thinking only of how soon she would be in Ninian's company, mentioned they had better bid Sir Frederick farewell.

'It would not do to be late the first time Lady Fordington has invited us to Priory Dene,' she added.

'You go to Lord Fordington's house?' Sir Frederick asked quickly.

'Merely to see the ruins of the old Priory,' Georgiana said with a mischievous glance at Isabella, who was not taking much part in the conversation.

'I believe they are most interesting,' Sir Frederick observed. 'I have never seen them myself as I am not familiar with this part of the country, but I understand that they compare very favourably with some that are very well known.'

'Yes, they do,' William said curtly. 'I'm afraid we must leave you, Sir Frederick, but your journey will not be entirely wasted as my parents are at home, and since my mother sees very few people she will welcome your visit.'

'As I look forward to making her acquaintance, dear boy,' Sir Frederick replied smoothly. 'Yet I do not feel it right to impose on her while there is no one else apart from Sir Roderick there. I have a better plan. I had been intending to call upon Lady Fordington, an old acquaintance of mine, some day soon. I will come with you and pay my respects now.'

'Oh, we have been invited for the whole day,' Isabella said hastily. 'I believe Lady Fordington has made some arrangements for us that you might not enjoy. I am sure she would prefer to be able to devote more time to you some other day!'

'So like you, my dear Isabella, to be considerate,' he responded smoothly. 'But pray do not fear, I will not inconvenience her ladyship, and I am sure I can accommodate myself to any arrangements made for the rest of your party.'