Heir to Rowanlea (10 page)

“Harry is looking for someone to be his passenger in his race with Jack,” she said. “I’m going with Jack, and surely you’d be willing to go with Harry.”

Amanda cast a swift glance at Harry.

“Doesn’t Elizabeth wish to go?”

Elizabeth, Charlotte thought with glee, looked as though she wanted to change her mind, but having been so vehemently opposed earlier, decided to maintain her refusal.

“Mama would not permit it,” she said.

“Oh, in that case, I will come with you, Harry. It sounds fun, and my mama is not—that is, she is not likely to object. When is it to be?”

“What the devil did you mean by foisting Amanda on me like that?” Harry demanded as they rode back to Grosvenor Square. “I could hardly refuse, and now Jack and I will have the bother of looking after the two of you and making sure you don’t come to any harm.”

Charlotte did not reply. Though her first intention of persuading Elizabeth to go with Harry had failed, she thought this might serve even better. Elizabeth would be jealous, and perhaps more inclined to look on Harry with favor. Something had to be done before Elizabeth learned that the true heir to Rowanlea had appeared, and Harry no longer had that prospect.

Chapter 6

Mr Norville almost retracted his decision to remain in Grosvenor Square, and came fuming into Lady Weare’s boudoir soon after midday.

“What is it, Henry?” she asked in alarm, for his face was a dull red and he was breathing heavily.

“The young puppy!” he exclaimed, pacing angrily about the room.

“Who, Claude?”

“Who the devil else? Aye, he’s been questioning Glossop all morning, and that surly uncle of his has been pressing him on!”

“It is his right,” his sister reminded him gently.

“That may be so, but not in such a way, Sophia! Why, at times I felt like a schoolboy being taken to task, and still have the impression they do not believe the accounts Glossop put before them. They want to see all the bills and the receipts, and the wage books, and damn all else. It’s as good as saying they think I’ve been lining my own pocket for years!”

“When instead you have devoted much of your time and energy, and your own money on occasion, to fostering his interests,” Lady Weare exclaimed indignantly, for none knew better than she the tireless way in which her brother had performed his duty. “The estate is more prosperous than it was before Frederick went off to France, leaving you in charge.”

“Well, when Glossop gives them the complete account they have asked for they will see they are wrong. By heaven, Sophia, I’d never have thought a son of Frederick’s could have turned into such a nit-picking, paltry snirp with such nip-cheese ways. Frederick would turn in his grave if he could see the way I’m being treated!”

“Is it Claude, or his uncle, who is most at fault?” Lady Weare asked suddenly. “Is he setting Claude on?”

“Aye, he’s encouraging him, but it’s my belief that precious Claude don’t need any pushing.”

“I expect Claudine will want to check the linen here, and the larder,” Lady Weare said, attempting lightness, but her brother merely nodded in gloomy agreement.

“Then let us remove from here, and leave them to it,” Lady Weare said suddenly, ready to abandon even Charlotte’s ball, but Mr Norville shook his head stubbornly.

“I took the opportunity of telling them the ball was all arranged, and made it plain they would be ill thought on if they caused us to put it off or hire a public room. I recalled that our cousin Selina had her ball here, and she stood in just the same relationship to our father as Charlotte does to Claude. He had to say he was delighted, but I warn you, Claudine will try to take all the arrangements for it out of your hands!”

“That she will not!” Lady Weare promptly declared, the light of battle in her eyes. “Most of the arrangements are fixed, but I’ll see to the rest before she thinks of it. My thanks for the warning.”

* * * *

Claude had in the meantime decided to see over his possessions, and in the afternoon went down to the stables. Here he found Charlotte and James admiring a pony that had just been purchased for James to ride, his mother hoping it would help to keep him out of mischief. They greeted him in friendly fashion, and took him for a tour of the stables. They were crossing the yard towards some loose boxes when Wolf began to bark excitedly. James beamed with pride.

“He always does that with strangers, Cousin Claude. Even though he is tied up in a loose box he knows when a stranger comes into the yard. It must be his sense of smell. Do you know he got loose one day and followed me all the way to Hanover Square?”

He ran ahead and released the dog from his imprisonment, but kept tight hold of the rope by which he had been tied. Wolf came hurtling out of the harness room, dragging James after him, and after a cursory wag of the tail at Charlotte, bounded up to Claude and jumped up to lick his face. Claude, with an exclamation of disgust, hastily backed away and fended off the dog with his fists, catching the animal a blow on the side of the head that made him yelp and cower down at James’ feet.

“Well, of all the rotten tricks!” James said angrily. “You deserve he should bite you for that!”

“I have no desire to have my coat or my cravat ruined by an ill-trained animal,” Claude said coldly.

“He is not ill-trained! It’s my belief you were afraid!” James retorted, and dragging the chastened dog after him, precipitously left the yard.

Claude laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

“Small wonder if I were afraid of such a monster,” he said easily. “Where did cousin James find the brute?”

Charlotte eyed him in astonishment.

“But you used to be crazy about dogs,” she said slowly. “At Rowanlea you always had them about you.”

“Yes, I might well have done,” Claude said with an edge to his voice. “The truth is, my dear, that I was badly bitten soon after going to France, and I have always been cautious of strange dogs since. James must have more control over his pets if he means to keep them here.”

“Are you threatening to turn Wolf out?” she asked sharply.

He glanced down at her and laughed.

“Dear Charlotte, as ready as ever to defend those you love. I envy James such devotion, I do really. No, of course I meant no threats child, I spoke idly, so pray do not bite my head off.”

“I am sorry, but Wolf has been in trouble,” Charlotte said, mollified. “You see, he frightened Elizabeth by jumping up at her as he did with you.”

“Who is Elizabeth?”

“Oh, surely you recall her? Elizabeth Maine, she lives at Dennett Place, about six miles from Rowanlea, and when I was used to stay there she was invited to keep me company, for she is only a year older.”

“Ah yes, I recall her, I think. But it was a long time ago. Now will you show me the rest of the stables.”

They inspected the remaining boxes, and the carriage house, and Claude seemed thoughtful.

“There is not a great deal of room to spare,” he commented, just as Harry appeared, dressed for driving. “I was intending to buy several horses myself, and some for my mother.”

Harry stiffened.

“I take it you are objecting to my housing my cattle here,” he said coldly. “However, since you will need the room yourself, I will remove them immediately. You shall not be incommoded by them for a day longer. Pritchard!” he shouted, and strode across to meet his groom, ignoring Claude’s half-hearted expostulations, and gave him loud directions for seeing to the removal of his horses and their rehousing at once.

“My curricle and phaeton had best be moved too,” he added. “No doubt the coach house will soon be overflowing if I leave them there. Charlotte, will you be so good as to tell Willis I intend to remove to my rooms, and will return there tonight. I expect him to be there with all my traps. Your servant, Claude. My room is not one of the best, so I’d not advise you to move into it.”

Unhappily Charlotte watched him, and when he had swung himself up into his phaeton and clattered out of the yard, she turned with a sigh to Claude.

“I am sorry,” she said simply. “He—he has had a—a disappointment lately, and it has made him touchy.”

“Oho! Crossed in love? Poor devil. He should not allow your fair charmers to disturb his sleep,” Claude laughed, and briefly touched Charlotte on the cheek with his fingers before turning to go back into the house.

“I expect he is also nervous about his race,” she added, loth to give Claude an opportunity for despising Harry, and knowing full well Harry was never nervous before any such excitement as a curricle race.

“What race? I haven’t heard him talk of this.”

“He and Jack are testing out their horses. Jack has just acquired a good pair, and challenged Harry to a curricle race.”

“I was unaware Harry fancied himself a Corinthian. “

“When he was for ever driving and riding and partaking of every other sport long before you went to France?”

“He might have grown out of it,” he said with a laugh that sounded to Charlotte suspiciously like a sneer.

“As you have, no doubt!” she snapped.

“I have had little opportunity for indulging any love I might have had for sport,” he said quietly, reminding her that his boyhood must have been very different from Harry’s.

“I am sorry, I did not think,” she said, stretching her hand out to him in quick remorse.

“No matter. Tell me about this race.”

“It is between Harry and my cousin Jack. Jack has recently bought a pair from Lord Pauling, and they are said to be almost unbeatable. Only Harry’s greys have never been matched against them, and so they have made a race of it.”

“Will you be watching it?”

“Oh, no, for it is on public roads, and one could see so little. But I am going with Jack, and Amanda Gregory is to go with Harry. You won’t know Amanda, I only met her this season.”

“Does your mother approve? I would not have thought it the sort of thing respectable young ladies were permitted to indulge in.”

“If mama has no objections that is all I care about,” Charlotte replied, and feeling even more uncharitable to Claude than she had before, she turned abruptly and went back into the house. After a moment he followed.

Lady Weare was sitting in the drawing-room when they went upstairs, and she explained Lady Norville had wished to go shopping.

“The news of your return has spread fast,” she said to Claude. “There are already several invitations for you all, and Mrs Maine sends to say she trusts you will be able to accompany us to her dress party tomorrow evening.”

“Maine? The same Elizabeth?” Claude asked. “The one who lives near Rowanlea?”

His aunt nodded, and Claude smiled at her.

“Then I shall look forward to meeting them, and seeing whether I can recall them. I believe I remember going to Dennett Place one afternoon. Did we not ride there?” he continued, turning to Charlotte.

“Yes, many times, but do you remember the time Jack disturbed the wasp’s nest?”

Claude laughed.

“Indeed I do. Poor Jack, dancing about more nimbly than he has done since, I’ll hazard.”

“But—why, yes,” Charlotte agreed, and soon made an excuse to leave the room, for she had many things to consider.

* * * *

The slight awkwardness of Harry’s departure from Grosvenor Square was smoothed over by Lady Weare speculating, at dinner that evening, about his forthcoming race, and saying no doubt he wished for time to prepare himself and his horses.

“For he takes such matters so very seriously,” she explained with a laugh. “Almost as much as he does his farm. In any event I have suspected he was finding living in Grosvenor Square irksome, for you know we have not been in the habit of spending above a sennight in London in previous years. It is only on account of Charlotte’s come-out that we are here for longer this time.”

“Ah, the young men, they like their freedom, no?” Lady Norville responded. “Harry no doubt drinks and gambles all night when he has no papa and aunt to watch him.”

“Harry ain’t a loose fish,” Mr Norville said somewhat truculently, and Lady Norville shook her head at him playfully.

“Most papas would say the same, my dear sir. Now, Charlotte,” she went on, turning to the girl, “I understand you had planned to hold your ball here. On no account must our return upset that. Indeed, I propose to take all the tedious arrangements out of dear Sophia’s hands so that you may both concentrate on looking beautiful. My dear friend Maria Rowley recommended some excellent caterers yesterday, that she vows are becoming even more fashionable than Gunter’s, and charge much less.”

“Thank you, Claudine, but all those arrangements have been made,” Lady Weare said, mentally congratulating herself on her hurried completion of such details on the previous day. “They have to be, you know, for everyone is spoken for long before the actual date. As for expense, well, only the best will do for my dear Charlotte, and I would not care to be thought penny-pinching under any circumstances. What do you propose to wear to the Maines’ party tomorrow? I have a new silk dress in the most enchanting pale green.”

Lady Norville, inclined to be offended her advice was not to be taken, allowed herself to be diverted onto the topic of her gowns, and indeed, when she appeared on the following night she positively glistened with a magnificent set of sapphire necklace and earrings, and a matching brooch which caught up the cunningly draped folds of her bodice. The dress was of a cerulean blue, but although she looked every inch the Viscountess, privately Charlotte considered her own mother, in a simple but most elegantly cut green gown with a single emerald pendant about her neck, and delicate small earrings, looked far lovelier. Indeed, Lady Weare appeared to such advantage that her brother, not normally one to take notice of female attire, told her she would be in danger of having people think her Charlotte’s sister. Lady Weare blushed, disclaimed, and turned her attention to inspecting Charlotte and ensuring she had her fan, and that the shawl she carried would be warm enough for her when they came home.

Charlotte herself was wearing a dress of pale primrose, and wore only a single rope of pearls. The skirt was edged with slightly darker ruched ribbon, and this ribbon also decorated the neck and sleeves, and slotted through golden loops to form a belt under the bodice. Proudly Lady Weare thought she would outshine any other girl there, and was already beginning to wonder which of the various men who had begun to pay attentions to Charlotte would find their interest returned. She did not think the girl herself had formed any decided preference as yet, for she seemed totally unaware that she was becoming exceedingly popular with the young men, and treated all of them with an easy, unaffected friendship.