Love for Lucinda (7 page)

Ferdie took a fresh assessment of her and altered his tack. He smoothed his sleeve. “Yes, perhaps you are right. There are many hypocrites in society, dear cousin. You surely know the kind. Those who will pretend friendship when all they really wish is for your kind bounty to be bestowed upon them.”

Miss Blythe yanked so hard on her thread that it snapped. She began searching for her scissors. All the while, her piercing eyes were fixed upon the foppish gentleman who was seated across from her. He was smiling at his fair cousin in a way that made her palm itch to connect with his bloodless cheek.                                      

“Oh, indeed,” said Lucinda, almost fascinated to hear next what her cousin might utter.

Ferdie leaned forward with an earnest expression, his hands resting lightly upon his elegantly attired knees. “Dear, dear Lucinda, allow me to protect you from such beings. You can have no notion how others will attempt to take advantage of your largesse. Believe me, I have been long enough in society to know just how to steer you clear of such personages. I would be most happy to establish myself as your gallant.”

“I am not some young untried miss that you may pull the wool so easily over my eyes, Ferdie,” said Lucinda dryly.

“Why, I do not know what you mean,” said Mr. Stassart, straightening, and a slightly wary expression coming into his eyes.

Lucinda smiled and shook her head. “Oh, Ferdie, how many years have I heard you pitch your gammon? Why, your own father refused long since to have anything to do with your excesses, while mine handed over huge sums into your hands only because you were his heir. You would have had to enter the army or flee to the colonies long since to escape your creditors if that had not been so.”

“You were a child, Lucinda. You do not know of what you speak,” said Ferdie loftily.

“Don’t I just?” retorted Lucinda. “My unfortunate marriage was made in part to fish you out of the deep waters that you had leaped into.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “While it is true that I benefited from your marriage, Lucinda, I utterly deny that you were made a sacrifice for any troubles of mine. Lord Mays was incredibly generous in the settlements. It quite moves me to recall how his lordship provided for us all. And you did not precisely go begging, Lucinda! Why, I’ve heard that Carbarry is a tidy little estate. Indeed, you may count yourself fortunate that you did so well for yourself.”

“Ferdie, you may make all the denials you will, but you and I both know every word I’ve spoken is true. I am astonished that you come to me protesting an affection that you have never felt,” said Lucinda. “Why, if there were an ounce of truth in it, you would have made some push to see me at Carbarry.”

“I could not very well stare down Lord Mays and make unsanctioned visits to his wife. Pray be reasonable, Lucinda,” said Ferdie, his mouth curling in tolerant amusement.

“You did not visit me at Carbarry not out of respect for Lord Mays, but because you assumed that I was kept on a pittance and that you would gain nothing out of the connection,” said Lucinda roundly. She shook her head. “Cousin, you are precisely one of those people you have just been warning me against! Why, I would not trust you within an inch of my purse.”

“These are hard words, indeed, Lucinda!” said Mr. Stassart. He showed a wounded countenance to her. “I have come today out of the purest motives of affection and this is how I am repaid. You have wounded me deeply, cousin, very deeply.” He flung out a hand as though to stop her from speaking. “However, I am a resilient fellow. I hope that I am also a forgiving sort, so I shall not hold any of it against you.”

“Thank heaven for that,” murmured Miss Blythe sotto voce.

Ferdie pretended not to hear the sarcastic aside. He rose to his feet and struck a dramatic pose, pressing his manicured hand to his breast. “I shall take my leave of you now, dear cousin. I hope that you will reflect how basely you have used me and when next I see you, I trust that your manner will have softened toward me.”

Lucinda laughed. She rose, too, and held out her hand. “For all that you are a worthless fellow, Ferdie, you are strangely amusing as well. I suppose that peculiar brand of charm is essential when one is such a desperate cardplayer. One must have something to fall back upon when one loses so consistently as you have always seemed to do.”

Stung at last, Ferdie was on the point of a hasty retort. He was a gamester through and through, and he prided himself upon his expertise. But when he met his cousin’s quizzical, knowing gaze, he swallowed whatever he had been about to say. It was not his object to set up her back. Instead, he took her hand and made a flourishing bow. “I shall count the days until we meet again, cousin.”

“And I, too, cousin,” said Lucinda with a touch of irony.

He retained her hand when she would have withdrawn it and, with a soulful glance, said ingenuously, “By the by, I met Wilfred Mays coming out of your house when I arrived. He mentioned a dinner party or something of the sort that you are planning. I do hope that I am invited?”

“To be sure, Ferdie! You see, I mean to invite all of London,” said Lucinda gently.

Mr. Stassart smiled with difficulty through his anger. She had so neatly pricked all of his attempts to cozen her. He let go of her hand. “You are gracious,” he said, his teeth still bared in an insincere smile.

He did not delay any longer in taking his leave. With a stiff parting nod in Miss Blythe’s direction, he left the ladies to the amusement of what he felt could only be their own dull company.

When the door shut behind him, Miss Blythe jabbed her needle into her piecework and rolled it up. “Well! I must say that was as good as a play.”

Lucinda laughed. “Wasn’t it? Poor Ferdie! He tried so hard to play off his tricks.” She glanced speculatively at the closed door. “I wonder how much he wanted. I almost asked him.”

“You will never open your pockets to that one!” exclaimed Miss Blythe sharply.

“Never fear, Tibby. I have my cousin Ferdie’s measure. He will make up to me as long as he believes that I will someday allow him to dip into my purse,” said Lucinda. She wandered over to the mantle and idly fingered a priceless figurine. “And for the moment, it amuses me to see how long his hope will carry him.”

Miss Blythe eyed her askance. “That does not sound very nice, my dear.”

“It doesn’t, does it? I am constantly amazed at my own cynicism these days.”

Lucinda turned to smile at her companion, somewhat wistfully. “But perhaps if Ferdie tries to hang from my sleeve, he will not apply to my father. You have not seen my parents this last twelvemonth, Tibby. I doubt not that you would be shocked. My father is not so vigorous as he once was, nor is my mother. I would like them not to be made anxious for anything. Is it so wrong of me to wish that, Tibby?”

“No, Lucinda, of course it is not wrong,” said Miss Blythe gently. She rose and went to the bellpull. “Shall I ring for tea? I believe it to be almost time in any event.”

“Yes, do. And when Church comes in, I shall tell him that we are no longer home to callers. Does that suit you, Tibby?”

“Perfectly,” said Miss Blythe. “Such a visit as we have just sustained begs time for recovery.”

Lucinda laughed. “Just so!”

Lucinda and Miss Blythe spent what remained of the afternoon in a quiet fashion. They took dinner at home as had been their usual custom since coming to London. They planned to attend the theater that evening, however, and went upstairs an hour beforehand to dress.

Chapter Seven

As promised, some of the gowns that Lucinda had commissioned were delivered. One was a lavishly trimmed evening gown for Miss Blythe. The severely cut cream silk gown bestowed elegance upon its wearer, and she smoothed its skirt with both trepidation and pleasure. Never in her life had she owned such a beautiful garment.

During the shopping trip, Miss Blythe’s humble conscience had continued to prick her, and she had objected again to purchases that Lucinda had insisted upon making for her. “Lucinda, pray do not! With the excessive salary that you are giving me as your companion, I am well able to purchase my own stockings and gloves!”

“Tibby, is it not true that a companion’s wardrobe and her food and her lodging are generally considered to be part of her salary?” asked Lucinda.

“Of course, but that has nothing to do with this!” exclaimed Miss Blythe.

“It has everything to do with it. I would be the most monstrous mistress alive if I did not provide the expected considerations of your position,” said Lucinda firmly.

“Oh, my dear!” Miss Blythe had said, caught between laughter and tears. In the end, she had acquiesced because she had seen that there was nothing she could say that would persuade Lucinda from pouring such bounty upon her person. Therefore she had shrugged and allowed herself to accept without guilt all the benefits of her new station in life. Very much the realist, Miss Blythe knew that there would inevitably come a day when this fantastic turn in her existence would be done. Then she would recall it all as a pleasant memory. She might as well live it to the hilt while she may.

Something of this running through her mind, Miss Blythe went to her jewel box and took out the pearl drops and strand of pearls that she had treasured through the years, but had never had an opportunity to wear. A governess did not adorn herself or otherwise bring attention to her person. But tonight she was not a governess. Miss Blythe fixed the drops in her ears and clasped the pearls about her throat, her fingers a little clumsy from their trembling.

Lucinda had lent a maid to Miss Blythe as her dresser. Now the woman persuaded Miss Blythe to be allowed to arrange her hair. The result was a less restrained style that softened Miss Blythe’s features and, to her astonishment, caused her to appear ten years younger. “I scarcely recognize myself,” she murmured, made uncertain by the incredible change wrought in her appearance this night.

“You look a proper treat, ma’am,” said the maid admiringly.

Miss Blythe drew herself up in front of the cheval glass. A smile touched her lips. “Thank you.” Taking up a cloak and folding it over her arm, she returned downstairs, holding herself proudly.

When Miss Blythe entered the drawing room, Lucinda was already before her. “Forgive me, Lucinda. I did not mean to keep you waiting.”

Lucinda turned and instantly applauded her companion’s appearance. “Oh, Tibby! You look positively magnificent. It becomes you so very well.”

Miss Blythe flushed slightly. “You are too kind, Lucinda. But I can scarcely hold a candle to you.”

Lucinda glanced almost indifferently into the gilt mirror above the mantel. She was wearing a sea green gown with an overskirt of silver gauze. Diamonds glinted at her ears and collared her throat. Her hair was arranged in a cascade of dark curls that enhanced the brilliancy of her eyes. “I am well enough.”

“My dear!” Miss Blythe was astounded at Lucinda’s lack of vanity. “You are lovelier even than you were as a girl. You have gained a maturity, a presence, an air that is unmistakable. I would not be at all surprised if every gentleman in the theater does not stare in admiration.”

“What pleasant rot you speak, Tibby,” said Lucinda easily. “When I know very well that it will be the two of us appearing together that will stop hearts and stir up comment.”

“Now it is you who is speaking rot,” said Miss Blythe. She allowed a footman to place her cloak about her shoulders. Her gray eyes sparkled behind her spectacles. “I feel every bit the same trepidation that I did as a young girl when I was to go to my first party. It is quite a treat to be able to attend the theater.”

Lucinda hugged her companion. “My dearest Tibby. You shall go to the theater as often as you wish and attend as many parties as you can possibly bear!”

Lucinda and Miss Blythe left the town house and stepped up into Lucinda’s private carriage to travel to the theater. Their destination was not a great distance from Mays House, but nevertheless the ride took several minutes due to the traffic. The streets were crowded with other vehicles, both of the fashionable and the more humble sort. The noise of clattering wheels and horse’s hooves and raucous voices filled the damp night air. The metropolis never truly slept.

Lucinda had rented a box for the Season, and she and Miss Blythe settled themselves happily into their chairs. They had arrived a few minutes before the rise of the curtain, and a number of acquaintances chose to recognize their presence with a civil bow or nod or wave, which Lucinda and Miss Blythe returned. Several well-dressed gentlemen in the pit, whose custom it was to ogle the attractive women present, raised their eyeglasses to stare at Lady Mays and her companion.

Miss Blythe thought the gentlemen’s behavior to be outrageous, but not worthy of notice. Instead, she gazed about her with appreciation. “How nice this is, to be sure.”

“Yes, isn’t it? I have always enjoyed the theater. I know that you will recall that I adored our studies in Shakespeare,” said Lucinda.

“Of course I do, my dear. And this is quite one of my own favorites,” said Miss Blythe. “How delicious!”

“Oh, the curtain is about to be raised!” exclaimed Lucinda, leaning forward in anticipation.

Lucinda and Miss Blythe scarcely exchanged a word once the play began. Both sat enthralled at the performance of one of Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies. They drew a collective breath when the curtain fell for intermission, and they blinked, reluctant to be brought back to their surroundings.

However, the ladies had little choice when there fell a knock on the door of the box, which was followed by a regular stream of visitors. Ladies came in to renew their acquaintance with Lady Mays and her companion, or to introduce various gentlemen who had persuaded them to perform the office.

It was the general consensus that Lady Mays was still a beauty of astonishing degree. Her gown, her jewels, the style of her wavy hair, were all remarked upon. Lucinda received the compliments graciously, knowing how little it all actually meant, but willing to play the game as long as it suited her.