Jack Chiltern's Wife (1999) (3 page)

So, that was the way of it. He assumed a serious expression; it would not do to laugh at her. ‘Nothing, nothing at all, my dear, I was just teasing.’

‘Then I beg of you to desist. I am not eloping. It is my uncle’s wish that I should marry Edward Lampeter.’

‘Your uncle’s wish?’

‘My guardian.’

‘And you and you uncle have crossed swords over it?’

‘You could say that. On the other hand, it is none of your business.’

‘My, we are sharp, are we not? And so early in the morning too. Have you no liking for Mr Lampeter? I am not acquainted
with the gentleman but I know of him, he is personable enough. And eligible.’

‘I did not say I did not like him. I like him well enough.’

He sighed melodramatically, enjoying the encounter. ‘Ah, then he has done something to annoy you. Stolen a kiss, perhaps?’

She felt the colour flare in her cheeks. How could he possibly know that? ‘Sir, you are presumptuous.’

He chuckled. ‘When a beautiful young lady is in distress, then I do presume, it would be unchivalrous not to. Tell me, if he has not upset you, why have you no wish to marry him? I assume that is what this is all about.’

‘I do not love him.’

‘Ah, love!’ He leaned back in his seat and surveyed her, from her dark curls, tied back with a velvet ribbon because she had had no one to help her arrange them, to flushed cheeks which gave her a sort of gamine charm, from a sturdy little chin to a slim figure which was far from childish. ‘He’s a lucky fellow.’

‘Edward?’

‘No, the man who has your heart.’

‘There is no one.’ With cheeks flaming, she turned to look out of the window again, wishing she had never allowed herself to be drawn into conversation with him, wishing she had refused to enter the coach.

‘Impossible!’ He laughed. ‘Young ladies are always falling in and out of love, that is why their elders and betters have to help them make up their minds.’

‘You do not understand,’ she cried, before she could stop herself. ‘It is not like that at all. I do not want to marry anyone.’

‘Never?’ he teased.

‘Not until I meet the right man.’

‘Then you are going to Lampeter to give him his
congé
. You know, I could almost feel sorry for him, except that it might be a blessing. In my experience, young ladies are not renowned for
their steadfastness. The smallest difficulty and they fly into the boughs and stamp their pretty little feet …’

She gurgled with laughter. ‘Quite a difficult accomplishment, stamping one’s feet while sitting in a tree. I am sure I could never do it.’

He smiled lopsidedly. So the minx had a sense of humour, even when she was in trouble. Unless he missed his guess, she would need it if she really had run away.

‘Is Lampeter expecting you at such an early hour? The house will hardly be astir.’

‘No.’

‘You propose to go alone and ring the front-door bell?’

‘Why not?’

‘Why not? My dear Miss …’ He paused, still smiling. ‘You did not tell me your name, but no matter, I can understand your reluctance. You will set the household on its head if you do anything so outrageous. Do you know what you are about?’ He paused and turned in his seat so that he was almost facing her and his knees, clad in slim-fitting breeches and white silk stockings, brushed her skirts, sending a little frisson of alarm through her. ‘But perhaps that is your intention. Perhaps you want a scandal?’

‘No, of course not.’

‘Then, if you would allow me, I might be able to help.’

‘How?’

‘I could go to the door and fetch Lampeter out of the house on some pretext or other and bring him to you. It would be better than going to him, don’t you think?’ He was looking at her with his head on one side and broad grin on his face.

‘It is not funny!’

He assumed an expression of severity which was even more comical and Kitty, in spite of her annoyance with him, found herself smiling in response.

‘That’s better,’ he said. ‘You have a beautiful smile. I cannot think how Lampeter could fail to be moved by it. Now, will you allow me to come to your aid?’

‘No.’ But it was not a very firm negative.

The carriage turned into Brook Street and slowed to a halt. ‘Where to exac’ly?’ the driver called, leaning over so that his head was hanging upside down above the window.

‘Wait,’ his male passenger commanded, then, to Kitty, said, ‘Well? Do you want me to fetch the lucky fellow out to you?’

‘No … Yes … I don’t know.’ To Kitty, who had not made up her mind how she was going to make the opportunity of speaking to Edward alone, the stranger seemed the answer to her problem. But did she really wish to be indebted to him? She did not even know his name. He might be the devil himself. Come to think of it, he did look rather devilish with his dark looks, dark hair and equally dark eyes. But the eyes had a glint of gold … and would the devil wear an embroidered blue waistcoat and a mulberry suit?

‘What kind of an answer is that?’

‘Very well. I shall be much obliged if you would fetch Mr Lampeter here, to me. The house is the one on the far corner.’

Having told the cab driver to wait, he disappeared, leaving Kitty to contemplate her folly, a course which left her feeling more lonely and vulnerable than ever. She sighed heavily. The die had been cast and the only thing she could do was carry through her plan with all the resolve she could muster.

The wait seemed interminable, but just when she thought Edward must have refused to come, or he had perhaps not returned to London after the ball, although he had told her that was his intention, she heard the sound of footsteps and he climbed into the carriage beside her and shut the door.

‘Where is …?’ She did not know the dark stranger’s name and surprised herself by even mentioning him, when there were more important things to be discussed.

‘Gone on his way. I must say, Kitty, you do have the most extraordinary calling cards.’

‘He seemed a perfectly ordinary gentleman to me.’ She was conscious of the irony, even as she spoke. The man was far from ordinary.

‘That waistcoat! Did you ever see such a garment? Not one to hide his light under a bushel, is he?’

‘You know him?’ She was sorry he had not returned; she had not thanked him properly for his trouble. But this was no time to be worrying about a stranger; she had some persuading to do.

‘I’ve seen him at the gaming tables on occasion,’ he said. ‘Devilish lucky fellow, too, and known for a hard man. The ladies seem to like him, though I can’t say why they should. Ain’t sure he’s even a gentleman. How did you come to meet him?’ He looked at her, as a suspicion crossed his mind. ‘He’s not … Oh, Kitty, I never took you for a …’ He paused, unwilling to utter the word.

‘Edward! I hope you know me better than that.’

He smiled with relief. ‘To be sure I do. But what are you doing here? And so early in the day? Have you been to bed?’

‘No.’ She turned to look at him and noticed he was still wearing the gold satin evening suit and white stockings he had worn at the ball; his fair hair was tousled and there was a distinct stubble on his chin. ‘Then, no more have you.’

‘And you chastise me for that! Kitty, I wonder you have the effrontery, considering where you are. Last night was bad enough—do you wish to ruin your reputation entirely?’

‘Last night was your fault,’ she snapped. ‘And it is because of what happened last night that I had to see you today.’

‘Can’t it wait? I went on to White’s for a few hands after the ball and have only just returned home. I’m deucedly tired.’

‘You can go to bed when you’ve heard me out. You know my uncle is most displeased? In fact, he is furious.’

‘That much I deduced at the time, but an apology to him and to your good self when he calls on me today will surely set everything to rights. He must know I meant no harm.’

‘Whether you meant it or not, it has certainly been the result. He is determined to see us married.’

‘Married!’ He sat up with a jerk. ‘That’s going too far!’ He leaned forward to search her face. A very pretty face, to be sure, and one he was very fond of, but … ‘It’s a hoax, that’s what it is.’

‘It is no hoax, I promise you.’

‘But why? You ain’t a bad-looking girl. I’d go so far as to say you were one of the handsomest, and your grandpapa is a Viscount and wealthy too, so why pick on me? You can have any of the young bloods in town this year.’

‘I don’t want any of them.’

‘Just me?’

‘Not you, either.’

‘You don’t?’

She laughed at the comical mixture of relief and indignation on his face. ‘No, I don’t. It is Uncle William’s idea and he will brook no argument, possibly because if he does my stepmama will insist on him sending me to my great-aunt in Scotland.’

‘No, don’t believe that. You’re bamming me.’

‘No, I’m not. Did you know he is meeting your father this afternoon to discuss arrangements for a wedding?’

‘No, by Jupiter, I did not. My father will skin me alive.’

‘But he will agree with what my uncle proposes?’

‘Very likely,’ he said morosely. ‘He has been rattling on at me to marry and settle down this past year, but I’m only twenty-one, for heaven’s sake, and I want to see something of the world before I do.’

‘Why didn’t you do as James did? You could have gone with him.’

‘James is older than me by more than a year, as you know, and he was sponsored by Viscount Beresford. I have no means to finance a protracted tour. I planned to enter the navy as the next best thing. But to be leg-shackled …’ He paused, contemplating the prospect. ‘I would make a terrible husband, what with drinking and gambling and staying out all night.’

‘I am well aware of that, Edward. If I loved you, I might overlook it, but as I do not love you and never will, not in the way of a wife for a husband, I do not propose to saddle myself with you.’

‘You are going to refuse me? Oh, you darling girl, I could kiss you all over again. In fact, I think I will.’ And he reached out towards her.

She pushed him away. ‘No, Edward, I do not think you should.’

‘What would you have me do?’

‘You need do nothing, except to act the jilted lover, if you want to. I shall not mind.’

‘I say, that’s coming it a bit brown, ain’t it?’

‘You are a nice man, Edward, and we have been friends since we were children and I used to trail after you and James. I would like to think you are still my friend.’

‘Always, dear girl, always.’

‘Then give me money, as much as you can manage. I want you to buy me off …’ She sounded perfectly calm though, inside her blue wool gown, her heart was beating furiously.

‘Buy you off?’ He was visibly shaken that such a suggestion should come from a young lady who had been carefully nurtured. ‘Has your uncle put you up to this?’ Noticing the look of consternation on her face, he checked himself. ‘No, he would not do such a thing, being a man of the cloth and an honourable one. Your stepmama, perhaps? Now,
she
might.’

She ignored this slur on Alice. ‘No one put me up to it. It was my own idea. They do not know I have left the house,
though when Judith goes to my room to wake me she will see the letter I left and take it straight to my uncle. I have no doubt he will look for me, but I do not want him to find me.’

‘You surely do not expect me to hide you? God in heaven, the Reverend will scalp me.’

‘There is no need for you to hide me or even for my uncle to know I’ve been to see you. I shall be gone long enough for any scandal to die down, but I must have funds. You do understand, don’t you, Edward?’

‘And if I can’t lay my hands on any?’

She shrugged. ‘We will be condemned to a loveless marriage.’

He sighed heavily. ‘Very well, I will do my best. Go home and wait for me.’

‘No, I am never going home again. And I dare not go to any of my known friends because Uncle William is bound to go looking for me. I want you to take me to an hotel and book a room for me.’

‘Out of the question,’ he said firmly. ‘Do you take me for a mountebank? You are a gentlewoman, you cannot stay in a hotel alone. Nor yet with me. We should never live it down—’

‘My stepmama has already said we should never live down what happened last night either. It seems I am to live the rest of my days with my folly. I am past such considerations. Surely you know a discreet little rooming house tucked away somewhere?’

He laughed suddenly. ‘You know, Kitty, you really are the most extraordinary girl. I could almost fall in love with you.’

‘Well, don’t,’ she said crisply. ‘Just do as I ask.’

‘It’s unthinkable you should go anywhere unaccompanied,’ he said. ‘Take a companion or a maid. Ask Judith. Ten to one, your stepmama will turn her off without a character.’

Kitty sighed. He was right and she had been thoughtless to leave without making provision for the servant, who had been nurse and companion to her and her mother before her. Alice
would be glad of an excuse to be rid of her. ‘I couldn’t ask her. It would mean taking her far from home and goodness knows how many adventures we shall have.’

‘Far from home,’ he repeated in alarm. ‘Kitty, where are you going?’

‘Better you do not know.’

‘Then let me fetch Judith to you.’ If anyone could dissuade Kitty from her folly, it would be Judith and, to be honest, he was out of his depth and needed to hand her over to someone more competent to deal with her.

Kitty’s bravado was all on the surface and the idea of having a companion on her travels grew on her. Would Judith come? ‘Can you ask her without letting anyone else in the house know?’

‘I will do my best.’

It was not until she was alone in a bedroom of a small, unfashionable hotel that the enormity of what she had done came to her, and she began to shake uncontrollably. And the thought of what she had yet to do almost made her turn from her resolve and rush straight back home.

But the memory of the scene with her uncle and stepmother in the small hours of the morning, and the countless pinpricks of unkindness meted out to her by Alice over the years, stiffened her spine.

She would not stay where she was not wanted and she would not marry a man she did not love, however many young ladies had done so before her and would do so in the future; if it meant loneliness and hardship, then so be it. She would endure it stoically. Quite how much hardship she was not yet to know.